Bonnie forced a small smile and tried to pull her hand free, but David wouldn’t let her go. He wouldn’t let her look away, either. His gaze held her as securely as his fingers held her hand.
“I want to do this, David, and I’m not going to let you stop me.” she said
“Is this a way to get back on your parents… To get them to notice you?” he asked.
She cleared her throat and tried to change the subject. “That is ridiculous. It doesn’t have anything to do with anyone noticing me.” Panic began to edge through her. Not for anything would she let him see her this way.
“This has nothing to do with my family. I’m going…and if you are really determined to do your job right, then you will come with me, but i’m going…with or without you”
Once she said that, she decided to leave, knowing she had to do something, occupy herself somehow. A display of emotions wouldn’t serve her purpose. But before she could move away, he had tugged close. The morning whiskers on his jaw felt slightly abrasive, and arousing, as he brushed against her cheek. The warmth of his palms seeped through her dress to her back where he carefully stroked her in a comforting, soothing manner. She could smell his musky, male scent, and breathed deeply, filling herself with him, uncaring what had brought on this show of concern. It simply felt too good to have him hold her.
“You are one stubborn lady, you know that?.” His raspy tone sounded close to her ear, sending gooseflesh up her arms. And her emotions must have been closer to the surface than she’d wanted to admit, because she could feel the sting of tears behind her lids.
Not wanting David to know how he affected her, she hid her face in his shoulder and tried a laugh. It sounded a little wobbly, but it was the best she could produce. “You hardly know me, David. And you already made it clear to me that you don’t want to…i understand”
He rocked her from side to side, and she could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke.
“Well, you are making it difficult for me to stick to that”
Bonnie squeezed herself closer, loving the solid feel of his chest against her cheek, the strength of his arms around her. She couldn’t recall ever feeling so safe. “It wouldn’t be so bad if you let yourself. Forget about whatever reason brought us together. Let go, and live in the moment”
David groaned, and then his hand was beneath her chin, tilting her face up. Bonnie smiled, thinking he had a few more questions for her, when his mouth closed over hers and she couldn’t think at all. Heat was her first impression. The added warmth seemed to be everything, touching her everywhere. She felt it in her toes as he lifted her to meet him better, to fit her more fully against him. She felt it in her breasts, pressed tight against his chest. And in her stomach, as the heat curled and expanded. His mouth was firm, his tongue wet as he licked over her lips, insisting she open. When she did, he tasted her deeply, his hands coming up to hold her face still as he slanted his mouth over hers again and again.
Bonnie had never known such a kiss. She’d thought she’d experienced lust, but it had been nothing like this. She made a small sound of surprise, wanting the contact to go on forever–and suddenly David pulled away.
Bonnie grabbed the back of the chair to keep herself grounded. David stared at her, looking appalled and fascinated and… hungry. Oh, Lord, Bonnie, now you’ve really done it.
She should have felt guilty for behaving so improperly, but all her mind kept repeating was, Let’s do it again. She shook her head at herself, dismissing that errant notion and trying to remember her purpose.
David must have misunderstood, because he turned away. “I’m sorry,” he said.
Bonnie blinked several times like she couldn’t believe what he just said. “I beg your pardon?”
David whirled to face her, once again furious. “I said, I’m sorry, dammit. I shouldn’t have done that. It won’t happen again.”
Oh, darn. “No, of course not. It was my fault. I shouldn’t have said all those things and–”
“Shut up, Bonnie.”
She did, and stared at him, waiting to see what he would do, what he wanted her to do.
“Damn.” He snatched her close again, pressed another hard, entirely too quick kiss to her lips, then set her away. “I take it back. It probably will happen again. Hopefully, not for a while, but… I’m not making any promises. If you don’t want me ever to touch you, just say so, all right?”
Bonnie remained perfectly still, unwilling to take a chance that he might misunderstand her response if she moved. She prided herself on the fact she wasn’t a hypocrite. No, she wanted David, and she was thrilled beyond reason that he apparently wanted her, too. And since he held rather obvious scorn for her background–that of money and privilege–he wouldn’t expect her to play the part of the proper lady and… her heart skipped two beats while she waited to see what he’d do next.
He laughed. It wasn’t a humorous laugh, but one of wonder and disbelief. “You’re something else, Bonnie, you know that? Here, sit down.” He loosened her death grip on the chair back and nudged her toward the seat. “Don’t go away. I’m going to shower and finish getting dressed, then we’ll make some plans, okay?”
She sat. She nodded. She felt ready to explode with anticipation.
David ruffled her hair, still shaking his head, and left the room.
————————–
David made certain it was a cold shower, but the temperature of the water didn’t help to cool the heat of his body. Never could he remember being hit so hard. Holding her felt right, talking to her felt right. Hell, kissing her had been as right as it could get–bordering on blissful death. He could only imagine how it would feel to… no. He’d better not imagine or he’d find himself right back in the shower.
How could one woman be so damn sweet? He’d have thought all that money and the kind of family she came from would have soured her, but it hadn’t. Bonnie cared.