Karyn tossed another
skirt in the general direction of the bed and bit back a
groan. Jace would arrive in less than thirty minutes and she
still wasn’t dressed. Nothing in her closet seemed right.
The tight, black skirt practically screamed easy; the red
skirt was too short and the paisley too old-fashioned. Maybe
she should have listened to Sara and gone shopping. But
she’d been determined this was going to be a casual date,
nothing special. The knock came at the door ten minutes
later and Karyn swallowed hard. Think casual.
Finally having
decided on a knee-length black sheath, she smoothed her
hands down the clingy material and managed to walk out of
her bedroom without tripping over her own two feet. Mentally
counting to ten, she swung open the door, a smile on her
face. “Hi.”
Jace’s eyes skimmed
her from head to toe. “Hi.” Wearing black jeans and dark
blue cotton shirt, he was the relaxed picture of health and
vitality. “You look great.” It wasn’t the words, but the way
he said the words that made Karyn catch her breath.
Her smile wobbled.
“Thanks. I’ll just get my purse.”
“That’s okay. I’m
early.” He stepped across the threshold, dominating her
small apartment. The spicy scent of his aftershave wafted
toward her and Karyn’s heartbeat quickened.
“We still should go.
Traffic could be bad and . . .” She felt his breath on her
neck and she turned, encountering his hard body. “Wh-what
are you doing?”
“You’re nervous,” he
noted huskily.
“Very,” she
admitted.
“Don’t be. I don’t
usually bite on the first date.”
She bit back a
giggle. “I’m not as worried about the bite as I am the
scar.”
His hands cupped her
face. “I’ll make sure it’s in a place that doesn’t show.”
“I’ll be able to see
it.”
His lips were inches
away from hers. “I’ll give you something else to think
about.” He kissed her then, his lips warm and firm against
hers.
Karyn felt herself
leaning into him, her head swimming. Her hands fluttered
against his chest and suddenly, the kiss was over and she
was left staring up at him. “What was that for?”
“The anticipation of
that first kiss is always a bitch.”
“The anticipation of
the second one is going to be even worse.” Was that really
her flirting? “You know, there’s the whole comparison thing.
Could the second one possibly be as good as the first one
and . . .”
Jace drew her into
his arms, his movements, slow, easy. His hands bracketed her
face, his thumbs resting at the corners of her mouth. His
head tilted, lips just inches away from hers. “Let’s just
find out,” he murmured before his lips slanted across hers.
Heat exploded in the center of her abdomen and curled
downward to her toes. The slight pressure of his lips
drugged her, the sensation more powerful than any narcotic.
Karyn’s body moved, leaned into his, but he pulled away,
easing back from her, giving her time to descend back to the
present. His smile intoxicated her better than a bottle of
wine. “Any comparison?”
Her head spun with
the effort to form a coherent thought. “I thought you
couldn’t top the first one.”
“I always make it my
goal to do better the next time around.”
Karyn tucked her arm
through his. “If you don’t mind my saying so, Dr. Morgan,
I’m looking forward to number three.”
