Executive Protection(27)

“Is this another one of your stories? I can’t tell. It sounds real,” he teased.

Lucy laughed a little. “You can’t ride a bike with a drink in your hand so we stood outside. He kept eyeing me and I kept glaring at him. Then a car drove up. A woman got out and took her baby to a pile of wood outside the store. She didn’t see us. We were on the side of the store where our bikes were. She left the baby there and ran back to her car and then drove off. The boy and I were sort of stunned for a few seconds. But then the boy went to pick up the baby. I went inside to tell the clerk. The boy held the baby until the cops came. A couple of days later, I ran into the boy in school. He told me his parents were going to adopt the baby and he was going to have a baby sister. He seemed happy about it. I thanked him for the slushy and he said, ‘You’re not so bad for a girl.’ And I said, ‘You’re not so bad for a boy.’ Just like a Leave It to Beaver episode.”

Thad stared at her for a while when she finished. Then a sly grin inched up his mouth. “You made that up.”

The sight of what that grin did to his handsome face captivated her. After she got ahold of herself, she asked, “How’d you know?”

“The ending gave you away. Leave It to Beaver?”

“Most people believe me.”

“Why do you tell stories like that?”

She enjoyed entertaining. She’d joined the theater in school and had almost pursued an acting career. The uncertainty of at least moderate success had stopped her. That and talks with her parents, who’d educated her on the downfalls of trying to become an actress. They hadn’t discouraged her. They’d supported whatever she decided. They just armed her with all the knowledge she needed to make up her mind.

“Even boys who claim they don’t like girls end up liking them,” she finally said. “The truth always comes out. There’s always some kind of truth to my stories.”

Some of the slyness melted away as he looked into her eyes, knowing exactly what she meant. He took a step forward. “Why couldn’t you sleep?”

His low, raspy voice tingled nerve endings that craved him. She couldn’t stop her gaze from dropping to his bare chest, lightly haired, hard with muscle. Try as she might to shut off her attraction, she couldn’t.

“Why do you ask?” she hedged. Answering that question would brew more trouble.

“Because I’m afraid it’s the same reason I couldn’t.” The next step he took toward her put him within inches of her. She felt the heat of his smooth, hard chest and yearned to touch him, to feel the contours of his biceps, his abdomen. Rippling sinew dipped below his shorts. Lifting her eyes, she saw that his had grown darker with desire and was sure it was a response to her own.


“Sophie?” she asked hopefully.

He shook his head. Taking the mug from her, he set it down on the counter. Then he slid his hand along her neck and cupped her head. “I wish that was the reason.”

Oh, no.

He pressed his mouth to hers. She brushed her hand over his chest, satisfying a burning urge to do so, sucking in air through her nose. Nothing else mattered but this. She put her other hand on him and felt all of his muscled torso.

He slid his arm around her, his hand holding her rear and pulling her against him. He changed the angle of his mouth and kissed her much deeper. Hot, sizzling passion coursed through her.

Moving her along the kitchen counter, he positioned her so that his hips pinned her there. Now his hand was free to roam up her body to capture a silk-draped breast. The lapels parted with his seeking hands. The robe slipped down her shoulders. He stopped kissing her to look down.

Lucy was mesmerized watching him.

He picked the delicate strings lacing the bodice until they loosened and he had room to slip inside. He cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing the nipple.

Lucy dipped her head back with the erotic sensation of his hand on her. He took the invitation and kissed her neck. She felt him push the thin strap off her shoulder. Cool air touched her breast. The silky, knee-length nightgown was loose enough to push the other side down, too. Now her chest was nearly as bare as his.

Kissing her mouth briefly, he bent his head to her breasts. Lucy lowered her head to watch, her hands gliding down his biceps to his forearms. She could feel his muscles move as he caressed one breast while he took the other with his mouth. His tongue flicked her nipple.

She moaned. A modicum of coherency remained in her.

Thad stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. Standing straighter, he was so close and his burning hazel eyes kept the fire in her stoked.

Thank God, he was stopping. She wouldn’t have been able to herself.

“Are you going to tell another one of your stories?” he asked.

“Do I need to?” Her breasts touched his chest and her hands were still on his forearms, his hands now on her waist.

As he looked down between them and then back up at her face, he seemed to realized the significance of what had just occurred.

“No.” He stepped back as she laughed and adjusted her silk nightgown and pulled up the sides of her robe.

Humor worked to diffuse the situation, but Lucy began to feel dread for the coming days. He would not be her choice in a man. She enjoyed teasing him at his expense on his misguided views on family. They may heat up the sheets, but she was serious about finding someone who could share her plans for the future. She refused to roll the dice on Thad. What if he never changed? Wasn’t it impossible to change a man? She wouldn’t even try.