The steak is delicious,” she said, surprised because he’d seemed to pay little attention to his cooking.
“I’m glad you think so.”
“I should have watched you more closely. I invariably burn them.”
“You can watch me as closely as you want,” he replied with a twinkle.
“I opened the door for that one,” she said, smiling at him. “So how did you get into property management?” she asked, picking up her water glass to take a sip. A faint breeze caught his hair, blowing it gently. His hair was thick, and she thought about how it felt to run her fingers through it.
“My dad had the business,” he was saying. “He was into property management and finance. I was raised to follow in his footsteps and groomed to take over his businesses.”
“Businesses? There are others?”
“Yes, but I’m not directly involved in most of them. Hardly involved at all. They’re investments.”
“And that leaves you free to play around,” she said. “So what do you actually do?” she asked, flirting with him while trying to satisfy her curiosity about him and his life.
He smiled at her. “More than play around, although I hope to do that tonight. Dinner—get to know you—kiss you. That’s what I want to do in the next few hours,” he said, his voice deepening and making her tingle.
“I don’t really know you. Do you work, Garrett, or does the playboy lifestyle fit you?”
“I work, but not tonight, so we can get away from that subject. You aren’t eating, and I’ve lost my appetite for this steak. Let’s sit where it’s more comfortable to talk. We can take our drinks with us.”
She was leaving a half-eaten steak, yet she couldn’t resist his suggestion. Her interest in food had disappeared with Garrett’s flirting. He took her hand and she stood, going with him, her insides tingling the moment he touched her.
Garrett sat close on the couch. Her perfume was an exotic fragrance and he liked the faint scent. Her long hair was silky in his fingers as he twisted and toyed with the strands. She was stunning and he couldn’t get enough of her. And yet, he was racked with guilt.
When she had talked about Argus Delaney, Garrett felt awful that he wasn’t telling her the truth about who he was. Twice he had been on the verge, almost confessing and then pausing, waiting because it seemed the wisest course to follow. If he confessed the truth now, he was certain he would be finished. It was too soon, but knowing that didn’t ease his conscience.
“What about you and marriage?” she asked.
“I’m a workaholic, I suppose,” he said, stretching out his long legs. “I haven’t ever been deeply in love,” he admitted. “I don’t feel ready for marriage or getting tied down. Right now, my life is devoted to my work.”
“Pretty ordinary attitude when someone is tied up in work,” she stated.
As he gazed into her eyes, he wondered what it would be like to come home to her every night—to make love to her night and day. His thoughts surprised him. Sophia stirred him in a way no woman before her ever had. He had never had long-term thoughts or speculation about a woman before. Not even when he had been in a relationship. “I owe you an elegant dinner and dancing instead of sitting at my house and eating my cooking and helping me hang your painting,” he said, trying to get focused again on the present and stop imagining a future with her. That kind of thinking disturbed him. Because it was totally uncustomary.
“I’m enjoying the evening. You don’t owe me an elegant dinner,” she said. “This has been nice and you’re an interesting man, Garrett Cantrell.”
Garrett smiled at her. “You barely know me. And I lead an ordinary life.”
“Why do I doubt that statement? You’ve bought two of my paintings. That alone makes you interesting.”
“Next time we go to your house and I get to see where you paint,” he said.
“It’s a typical studio with brushes and paint smears. I don’t think it’s quite as interesting as your workshop.”
“If it’s yours, it’s interesting. Have you painted all your life?”
“Actually, yes. I loved drawing and painting. Of course, what little girl doesn’t?”
As she talked about painting when she was a child, his mind returned to the problem. He hated not telling her about the Delaneys, yet he had heard the bitterness, felt her anger smoldering. He wanted to be up front with her—his guilt was deepening by the minute.
He realized she was staring at him with a quizzical smile. “What?” he asked.
“You haven’t heard one word I’ve been saying, Garrett. Is there something you want to tell me? What are you thinking about?”
He focused on her lips before looking into her eyes again while desire consumed him. He didn’t want to admit the truth yet and the burden of guilt was becoming unbearable, but one way to avoid both was to stop her questions with kisses
Sophia gazed at Garrett, waiting for an answer to her question, wondering what he had on his mind. Was it his business that had him so lost in his own thoughts?
Was it her?
“Garrett, what is it?” she asked, looking into his eyes.
Lust was blatant, causing her pulse to race. Perhaps it was her.
He leaned close, slipping his arm around her waist to pull her to him, ending her questions as his mouth covered hers. Her heart slammed against her ribs.
She inhaled, winding her arms around his neck while she kissed him in return. When he pulled her onto his lap, she was barely aware of moving.
He wound his fingers in her hair and she clung to him. Her body tingled, an aching need beginning. She moaned softly as he ran his hand down her back, over the curve of her hip to her thighs. He pushed the hem of her skirt higher to touch her bare skin. Hot, urgent longing consumed her. Her fingers worked free the remaining buttons of his shirt and she pushed it away to touch his sculpted chest. She ran her fingers lower over his muscled stomach. The touch caused the fires within her to blaze. She gasped over caressing him, realizing she had to stop or she would be lost in lovemaking, complicating her life in a manner she had always intended to avoid. She had never slept with a man and she didn’t intend to take that step now.
She caught his wrist and raised her head. “This is crazy, Garrett. I barely know you. We’re going too fast.”
“We’re getting to know each other, and I’d say the chemistry is pretty hot.” As he talked, he ran both hands through her hair on either side of her face. “You’re beautiful. You take my breath away. Sophia, I want to make love to you,” he whispered hoarsely.
Her heart thudded but she forced herself to slide off his lap. “Let’s take a breather and slow things down,” she said, standing to face him.
He stood, his desire obvious. His shirt was unbuttoned to the waist and pushed open to reveal his broad, muscled, masculine chest. Her mouth was dry and she had to fight the urge to fling her arms around his neck and kiss him again.
“I haven’t felt this way about anyone before,” he said, sounding surprised, frowning slightly as if he weren’t happy about it.
“Please sit, Sophia. We’ll just talk,” he said.
She sat, turning so she could face him. The moment he was seated, he wrapped his fingers in her hair. “We can sit and talk, but I can’t keep from touching you.”
“Garrett,