Heath (Wild Boys After Dark, #2)(23)

“Fine, Sandra it is.” Amanda speared her salad with her fork and pointed it like a loaded gun at Ally. “You’re sure about this guy, right? You think you can trust him?”

“You’re asking if I can trust a guy I made out with the first time I met him. I had to trust him then, or I would have been opening myself up to something really dangerous.”

“Well,” Amanda said as she chewed her lunch. “I would never do what you did. Just sayin’.”

“Whatever. No judging. Besides, we’ve both been on the other side of the hurt mobile. I think we’re actually well suited for each other.” Her mind traveled back to the evening before and the amazing connection they’d shared. The way their bodies had moved together, the way he’d felt inside her and how she’d hated to see him leave in the wee hours of the morning.

“Did I tell you he brought me orange roses?”

“Yes.” Amanda feigned a dreamy sigh. “The color of fiery passion.”

They both laughed.

“You’re the luckiest girl I know,” Amanda said.

“In this case, I think I’d agree.”

“Can you still go out with me Thursday night, or will you blow me off now that you have a boyfriend?”

Ally’s fork stopped midair. “Say that again.”

“Can you still—”

“No, the last part.”

Amanda scrunched her face. “Now that you have a boyfriend?”

“I like the sound of that. Do you know how long I’ve not wanted a boyfriend?” She felt herself smiling as she met her sister’s gaze.

“Since Chet, so that would be, what? Nine months?” Amanda shook her head.

“Exactly. Doesn’t that tell you something? Because it tells me something loud and clear. I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. So this must be right. It feels right.”

“For your sake, I hope so, sis. Just be careful, you know?” Amanda looked around the cafeteria, then leaned across the table and whispered, “You work here. What if people find out?” She lifted her eyes over Ally’s shoulder, and as Ally felt a familiar, heavy hand grip her shoulder, Amanda’s eyes widened and her jaw dropped open.

Heath came around Ally’s side and smiled down at her. “Hi, Ally. I don’t want to interrupt, but I thought I’d say hi. I was doing rounds and needed a little pick-me-up.” He held up a coffee cup as his eyes flicked to Amanda. “Hi. I’m Heath.”

He held out a hand, and Amanda shook it, blinking off her stupor while Ally tried to calm her racing heart. Heath looked delicious in a pair of dark slacks and a light blue dress shirt with a striped silk tie. Oh, what she’d like to do with that tie. She felt her cheeks heat up and was thankful when Amanda’s introduction distracted her from her dirty thoughts.

“Hi. I’m Amanda, Ally’s sister.”

“I thought I noticed a resemblance. Hi, Amanda. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Heath touched Ally’s cheek, and she met his gaze. “Are you free after work? There’s someplace I’d like to show you.”

“Sure. I work until five.”

“I’m afraid I have to work later. Can I pick you up around seven?”

“That sounds perfect.” He squeezed her hand and said goodbye.

As he walked away, Ally released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

“Whoa, you are taken with him.” Amanda nudged Ally’s shoulder. “And now I see why. He’s really hot.”

“That he is.” Ally tried to act like her stomach wasn’t doing flips, when it was all she could do to remain seated and not run around like a lovesick woman with a silly grin on her face and say, He’s mine! That magnificent man is mine!

“Al, he looked at you like Dad looks at Mom.”

Their parents had been high school sweethearts, and to this day, they still looked at each other like they were the only ones in the room. To find that type of love was more than Ally could imagine. Now her sister’s comment had her reassessing the intensity that she saw in Heath’s eyes every time he looked at her. Could Amanda be right?

She chewed on that thought all afternoon. By the time Heath knocked on Ally’s door that evening, they’d already shared several screens’ worth of sexy texts, and she couldn’t wait to be in his arms again.

“Hi,” she said as she pulled the door open.

With one strong arm Heath swept her body to his and claimed her mouth in a hungry, demanding kiss.

“I missed you,” he said against her lips before kissing her again. The kiss was slow and so intense that she felt her insides shatter with desire.

She twined her arms around his neck and kissed him more urgently, moaning as he reciprocated and lifted her into his arms. Her legs circled his waist, and his hands slid beneath her skirt and immediately into her panties, furtively seeking her pleasure. She’d never wanted a man so completely, craved him so intensely that she would give herself up in the first few minutes of coming together—and with Heath, she couldn’t get enough of him, or give herself up fast enough.

“Oh, baby,” he said into her mouth. He drew back, and his eyes were dark with desire. “You’re so wet.”

“I’ve been thinking about you all day.” She lowered her lips to his. “Those texts. God, Heath. I never knew I could get so turned on just thinking about you being hard.”