hair that had fallen on
his brow.
He
looks so adorable, she
thought, her heart constricting. Almost on its own, her right hand reached out
and she brushed back the lock anyway, and the skin contact was electric.
She
snatched her hand back, her fingers tingling. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I
did that!” She was horrified at her aggressiveness, and the wanting that she
felt radiating from her center. Christine was not particularly interested in
sex, even seeing other people kiss made her uncomfortable, but she was
definitely sexually attracted to this man.
Nick
couldn’t answer; he was unprepared for the tingle that ran down his back at her
touch. Finally, he shook his head, swallowing the lump in his throat as desire
surged up for this lovely girl. He tamped it down grimly. Easy. “That’s
okay, you can do it anytime.” He managed a grin, and she visibly relaxed.
He
stood up, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Well, we’d better go and let you
get some sleep. Kate!” He was afraid to stay longer; his wanting for this girl
was something he had never felt before, and he wasn’t sure if he could control
himself at the moment. She didn’t seem to be someone you could rush into a
physical relationship, either. He almost groaned aloud at the prospect of taking
it slow.
Kate
and Lisa appeared almost immediately, as if they had been listening at the
door. Kate looked all innocence, but Lisa was less accomplished at subterfuge,
and looked slightly shame-faced. Nick grinned, and he could feel the sexual tension
leak out of him.
“Time
to go. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, giving her a warm smile, shaking hands
with Lisa while Kate kissed the sisters with a flourish.
“Bye,
and thanks for the coffee!” she said breezily, preceding Nick out the door. As
soon as the door closed behind them, Kate hugged Nick’s arm, giggling. “Did I
do good?”
Nick
gave her a smirk, silently resolving to send her a dozen of her favorite
flowers.
Chapter Four
Preparing
for her date that night was fast turning into a battle of wills. Lisa wanted
her to get her hair and nails done, her body waxed and to wear a very nice, very
provocative dress with a high hemline and peek-a-boo back and matching heels.
Christine refused all of these, choosing to dress her hair simply and her nails
alone. She also chose a russet-colored pantsuit with ¾ sleeves.
“You
look like you’re going for a job interview instead of a date!” Lisa complained
as she watched her sister brush out her luxuriant locks. All too often in a
knot or ponytail, Christine’s hair was thick and glowing with health, with a
natural wave that bordered on curly when allowed out of confinement. Pushed
back from her forehead by a headband, it cascaded down her back almost to her
waist. “At least wear a dress!” Lisa pleaded.
Christine
ignored her, regarding her image in the full-length mirror. She looked
conservative, she knew, but she wanted to keep their physical contact to a
minimum until she got to know Nick better. The violence of her reaction to him
triggered red flags all over her psyche, and she wasn’t about to lower her
defenses (what defenses, haha!) just yet in case he turned out to be a jerk.
“I
like this outfit,” she said firmly. “And since I don’t know where we’re going,
it’s better to go for a neutral look. But I’ll wear the heels,” she conceded. She
also did something Lisa knew nothing about. Just in case.
Almost
before she knew it, and an interminable time later, it was 7 o’clock. As if on
cue, the doorbell chimed, making her jump a little. She scanned her face
anxiously. She had put on just a touch of blush and lip gloss, seeing no point
in emphasizing her already full lips, which she considered too opulent for her
personality. She saw nothing out of place (or out of the ordinary, for that
matter) and sighed. Oh well , she thought fatalistically. She took a deep
breath before stepping out of the bedroom.
Lisa
was