phone on the concrete floor. It hit with a sickening crack, but in her current aroused state, she didn’t really care.
Ben pulled back, though, and gulped for air. “I think that was your phone.”
“I think so, too.” She dragged in a couple of quick breaths. “Kiss me some more.”
With a soft groan, he lowered his head and settled his mouth over hers. This time he took the kiss deeper and invested it with a meaning she understood quite well. Intellectually she was shocked, but physically she was completely on board. The stroke of his tongue delivered a message, one she received with a rush of moisture that dampened her panties.
This time when he eased away from her, she was trembling. Like a swimmer breaking the surface, she gasped. Then she clutched his head and urged him back down. She wanted him to kiss her until the voice of caution stopped yelling at her that it was too soon to feel like this about him. “More.”
He resisted, but he was panting and obviously as hot as she was. “This is crazy. I think we broke your phone. The light’s out.”
“We don’t need light.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Yes, it is. Come back here and do what you were doing some more. I really like it.”
His chuckle was a little strained. “Me, too.” Apparently he had both a strong will and a strong neck, because he held himself away from her. “But I can do a better job of it in a warm house, plus then we can check out your phone.”
“I don’t care about the damned phone.” She sighed. “Which is a measure of how you affect me if I’m unconcerned about my techie toy.”
“I’m flattered.”
“I hope you’re also turned on.”
“That, too.” He sounded amused.
“You realize the minute we step out into that Arctic air we’ll lose momentum.” And she’d begin to question the wisdom of sleeping with him. She just knew it.
His gloved hand brushed her cheek. “Speak for yourself. The way I’m feeling right now, I could make love to you on an ice floe.”
She shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cold and everything to do with picturing them naked and going for it on any available flat surface. Oh, boy. She was actually considering having sex with a guy she’d just met.
As the power of his kisses faded a little, her conscience resumed its tedious lecture about her wanton behavior. She tried not to listen, but it was no use. “Maybe we should lose momentum.” She said it with regret, but her conscience applauded. “How long have we known each other?”
He was silent for a moment. “Yeah, you’re right. For the record, I don’t ordinarily move this fast.”
“I never move this fast. I go through the normal steps—coffee date, lunch date, dinner date.” More smug applause from her conscience.
“So we skipped a couple of steps.”
“It’s not just the steps.” Her conscience was in full control, now. “It’s the time between the steps, when you talk on the phone with someone, when you have moments to contemplate them when they’re not around, when you begin to miss them if you don’t see them for a couple of days.”
He took a shaky breath. “I know you’re right, but we don’t have that kind of time. You’ll be gone in a few days.”
She noticed he still hadn’t let go of her. She could wiggle out of his arms, but she didn’t want to do that. “You make a valid point.” Take that, conscience! “I’ve never met anyone special when I was on vacation. My dating steps work great in Prescott, but this isn’t quite that situation.”
“Same here. I’ve never been bowled over by somebody who’s about to leave town. Guess I don’t know how to handle—”
“Bowled over? Really?” Her conscience was speechless at that.
“Yeah.” There was a smile in his voice. “Really. That little pirouette you did for me after I took the dental floss out of your hair knocked me out.”
“Wow. No one’s ever told me I bowled them over.” And if she needed justification for ignoring her dating steps, this might do the trick.
“Surprised the hell out of me, too. You’re not my type at all.”
“Oh? In what way?”
“Uh...the women I date are usually more...full-figured.”
With an internal sigh, she decided this cozy embrace was over and pushed against his broad chest. “Then maybe you’re hot for me because, even though I’m not your type, I’m handy and you’re in the mood.”
“Hey, hey, I didn’t mean it like that.” His arms tightened around her.
“Let me go, Ben. I get the picture. Chances are you’d be disappointed once our clothes are off, which they won’t be, because I’d sooner strip in front of a grizzly than you.”
“Let me say my piece, okay? Then if you want to stay away from me for the rest of your visit, I won’t bother you.”
Curiosity had always been both a blessing and a curse in her life. “Go ahead.”
“You’re right about what I’ve always considered my type of woman.” He rubbed the small of her back while he talked.
“Centerfold worthy.” She tried not to be affected by his touch. Logically she shouldn’t feel it much through her bulky coat, but when it came to Ben, she was extra sensitive. “I’m not built to those specs.”
“You don’t have to be. You have something more important.”
“Here it comes. You even said it already. You like that I have brains, but trust me, women don’t want to be adored just for their brains, even if they think they do. They want to be worshipped for their bodies, even skinny ladies like me.”
His voice grew husky. “You have no idea how much I want to do that, Molly.”
“Because you’ve been through a long dry spell?”
“No, I haven’t. I broke up with somebody a couple of months ago.”
“For some guys, two months is a long time. You could be one of those guys.”
“I could, but I’m not. It wasn’t a very intense relationship, anyway.” He kept rubbing her back with slow, sure strokes. “But you—you would be intense. I thought so before I kissed you, and now I know it for sure. You’re so full of energy. That’s very sexy.”
“It is?” She was feeling a little better about being in his arms. A lot better, actually.
“Oh, yeah. You glow, Molly, and I’m so drawn to that. I want...” He swallowed. “I want to touch you all over and see if you’ll glow even brighter. I bet you will.” His voice roughened. “I want to see the excitement in your eyes when you’re about to come. I want to see you go up in flames.”
She gulped. And quivered. And decided that maybe her dating steps weren’t all they were cracked up to be.
“That’s all I have to say. If you want me to let you go and keep my distance while I’m here, I understand. We just met. I’m not a sexual opportunist, but you don’t know me well enough to be convinced of that.”
“Yes, I do.” Her words were barely more than a whisper.
“You do?”
She cleared her throat. “Yes.” She was smiling, but he wouldn’t be able to see that. “A sexual opportunist wouldn’t have announced I’m not his type.”
He blew out a breath. “That was so lame of me. I’m sorry.”
“Except