A Season in Gemini, Intro Read Online Free Page B

soft little moan of approval. He didn’t know if that moan meant that she liked the kiss, or his hair, or him, but he hoped it was all three.
    When she pulled back and smiled, he tried not to look as breathless and discombobulated as a thirteen-year-old.
    “ I could manage to be free Saturday. How about you?” He nodded and tried to pull her back for another kiss, but she laughed and opened the passenger door. “Save it up for me. What time?”
    He tried to get his brain to work through a fog of lust and enchantment. “Uh, twelve. Wear jeans and a long-sleeved shirt over a bathing suit.”
    “ Jeans and a long-sleeved shirt? In this heat?”
    “ Trust me.”
    “ Hmmm.” She didn’t look too sure about that. “Okay. I’ll meet you at your house.”
    “ Can you find it?” He narrowed his eyes. “You ashamed to be seen with me?”
    “ No!” She shook her head vigorously, which turned out to be a bad thing after two potent Margaritas. “My dad likes to decide who I spend time with and our ideas about that rarely intersect.”
    “ Okay.” He pulled the piece of paper back from her hand, opened the glove box to retrieve a ballpoint pen, and wrote his address on the back. “Here’s the address. And here’s my phone if you get lost.”
    “ I’m not a complete ditz. I can read a map. I think.” She giggled. “Just kidding. Saturday noon.”
    When Brant drove away, it struck him that he’d just had the best date of his life. The fact that it took place fully clothed with no more contact than a goodnight kiss made him laugh out loud. It didn’t seem like those two things, best date and fully clothed, should exist in the same sentence.
    He had to admit. She was something special. Really special.
    He didn’t care for the idea of sneaking around, but if he had to steal the princess from the monster who tried to keep her locked in a tower, he wouldn’t be above it.
     

CHAPTER 4
     
    At a quarter past twelve, Brant restlessly paced in his living room listening for the crunch of gravel under tires. Maybe she couldn’t find it. Maybe the old man had caught her trying to sneak away to live her own life. Maybe she’d changed her mind. Maybe she got a better offer. Those and a dozen other possibilities went through his mind.
    He was just about ready to open a bottle of Jack wh en he heard the telltale crunch of gravel. He froze, wanting to run for the window, but having too much manly pride to do it.
    Garland had only knocked once when t he door flew open. She found herself locked in a kiss with strong arms holding her tight against an incredibly hard body. When he pulled back, he smiled like the cat who thought he stole a saucer of milk.
    When he let her go, Garland laughed a little breathlessly. “So you’re glad to see me.”
    “ I could play hard to get and say no, but I’m not good at subterfuge.”
    “ Me either. But I don’t want you to think I’m easy.”
    “ Why not?”
    She giggled. “Because.”
    “ Is that an answer?”
    “ What’s the plan ?” she asked, smoothly changing the subject.
    “ Step back and I’ll show you.”
    He started rolling the motorcycle out the door, into the sunshine reflecting off the white stones.
    “ Wait a minute,” she protested. “I didn’t say I agreed to get on that thing.”
    “ You didn’t. But you dressed for it. You look beautiful, by the way. The braid is perfect for what we’re doing.”
    “ And what is that?”
    “ D on’t want to be surprised?”
    She thought about it for a minute and decided that spontaneity could be a sweet change. “Okay. Surprise me.”
    After showing her where to put her feet and giving her instructions about hanging on, leaning when he leaned, etc., he started the engine. Garland didn’t know whether to be more excited about the sound or the lovely vibration traveling through the seat and making contact with her most intimate places.
    Brant took her hands and wrapped her arms around his middle.
    “ You smell