All the Right Moves(26)

Somehow, she managed not to spill anything or start a fire.

His story was interesting, although she kept waiting for his admission that he was a fighter pilot. What she got instead were the outside pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, which were interesting, but didn’t show the full picture.

“You’re what, in your early thirties?” she asked.

“Thirty-three.”

“How come you’re not married? Or maybe you were?”

John shook his head. “Nope. Travel, circumstances. I’m not against the institution, but it hasn’t been in the cards. Not yet, at least. What about you?”

“I’m not married. I haven’t even had a serious boyfriend since I was a sophomore undergrad.”

“What happened?”

She turned back to the stove to flip his omelet. It would be done in a minute, so she turned on the microwave to heat the syrup. The pancakes were keeping warm in the oven. “We wanted different things,” she said.

“Such as?”

“He was a musician. A very good one. Not a superstar soloist or anything, but he was heading for a seat in a major orchestra.”

“What does he play?”

“Cello. And guitar, but he was a cellist. Anyway, in his senior year, he joined a band. Playing guitar. And that was the beginning of the end.”

“He gave up the orchestra?”

“He did. Which wouldn’t have been a huge issue, or at least one we might have worked out, but the band ended up having some success, and they went on tour. He...found a lot to like in that lifestyle.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. It wasn’t fun.” The microwave dinged, she plated the omelet and a few minutes later they were eating. He’d traded in his beer for O.J. and she finally allowed herself to watch him. He ate well. She liked that. Also, he smiled readily, and laughed at her jokes. At his own, too.

Near the end of the meal, his gaze went to her textbook. “So, grad student?”

She nodded. “Psychology at UNLV.”

“Know what you’re going to do with the degree yet?”

“I want to be a therapist, so I need a master’s degree.”

“Is that a lifelong dream?”

She had to think about that. “Kind of. I’ve always been a nurturer. Trying to make things work between people. But I’m not a pushover, either.” Except where her brother was concerned, but John didn’t need to know that.

They finished off the last of the meal in an easy silence. Altogether, and despite the fact that she’d probably have to kick him out of her house if she wanted to get any studying done, she wouldn’t have missed this. Not for anything.

When he got up to collect the plates, they nearly crashed into each other, because she’d gotten up at the same time.

As close as they could be without touching, she looked up into his face. The mood had gone from easy to sizzling in two-point-three seconds.





7



JOHN WANTED HER as badly as he’d wanted a woman in his life. He thought of that fool of a guitar player, then dismissed the idiot when her lips parted.

He wanted to sweep away all the plates on the counter and take her right there. He wanted her sitting at the edge, legs parted, naked from the waist down. He liked the idea of looking up at that pink top of hers, watching her hard nipples rise and fall as he made her insane with his mouth. Damn, he could practically feel her hands in his hair as he brought her to the brink.

His gaze shot to the counter, but his eye caught on her textbook, and he stepped back so quickly he nearly toppled the stool.

“What?”

His hand went to the back of his neck, where he rubbed the tight muscles. “You need to study. Why don’t you get your books and I’ll take care of the dishes.”

Cassie laughed, but it was more surprise than humor. “Wow, you are seriously a man of your word.”

“I try to be. Sometimes it’s more difficult than others.”

“To tell you the truth,” she said, her voice gone soft, not quite a whisper, “I wasn’t thinking about grades right then.”

He adjusted his stance, he hoped not too obviously. “I wasn’t, either.”

“I’m glad it wasn’t only me. But thank you. I appreciate the effort.”

“I should get these dishes in the sink.”

She looked at her book, then back at him. “Since we’re both being very mature about this whole thing, I’m thinking we could handle taking the edge off a little.”