She glanced at him shyly when they were about halfway across the lawn, his profile stealing her breath. He must have sensed her attention because he slid his hand from the small of her back to her arm and then down to capture her fingers, nestling her hand in his. Unable to suppress the involuntary shiver that coursed through her body, she used her free hand to clutch at her robe.
A gentle squeeze brought her eyes back to him. "It's okay," he reassured her. "You do the same thing to me," he admitted, bringing their joined hands to his chest, laying the back of her hand against his chaotically beating heart. "You aren't the only one affected by our nearness."
She simply stared at him, his continued openness thrilling, albeit a bit disconcerting. She was still having a hard time reconciling the Jack of the present with the Jack from the past.
"What?" he asked softly as he stopped them at her door. "You're staring at me with this strange look in your eye."
"Sorry," she said, clearing her throat and trying to focus her thoughts. "It's just, well, I'm not quite used to you being so open."
"Ah. I guess that's understandable. I never really did anything before to give you any indication of the way I felt. And I'm sorry for that, Sue. I should have done a better job with your heart."
"It's okay, Jack. I firmly believe we are right where we are supposed to be, even if we don't understand why things happened the way they did." Reaching out and taking his other hand, she gave each one a squeeze. "I really enjoyed the fundraiser. I'm sorry it had to end on such a sour note," she apologized, stifling a yawn. Reaching up to cover her mouth, she grinned tiredly. "Sorry 'bout that. I think the day is finally catching up with me."
He observed her affectionately, stepping closer and sliding a hand to her waist to pull her forward. "I had a good time tonight, too. We need to do it again, soon," he suggested.
"I agree," she replied, a gasp escaping her lips as he cupped her cheek with his free hand. She struggled to keep her eyes on his, finding it extremely difficult as his head slowly lowered, his intent clear. Her gaze fluttered to his lips before she let her eyes close completely, breathlessly anticipating what was to come.
It took every ounce of his self-control to gently settle his lips on hers. Every fiber of his being was screaming for him to plunge in and ignite what he instinctively knew would be between them, but he held back, wooing her slowly and methodically.
She caught her breath at the first touch of his lips to hers, savoring the exquisite sensations such contact brought. His lips nibbled and coasted across hers, adulating the tender flesh there, paying homage to each succulent surface. She was helpless to do anything, caught up in the feelings he was stirring, kindling to life. She felt her own moan of protest when he lifted his lips, and she dragged her eyes open to observe him through the fog surrounding her.
He watched the emotional parade across her eyes, as she dealt with the change in their status. No longer could she fall back on the familiar. They had stepped into uncharted territory, and there was no returning. His hand, still at her waist, registered her labored breathing, his gaze catching the wildly beating pulse at her neck. He noticed her shift in focus from his eyes to his mouth and back to his eyes, knowing he could kiss her senseless if he so chose. And although his body shook with the desire to do just that, he refrained. He stepped back slowly, his hands going back to hers to then bring them to his mouth. Placing an infinitely tender kiss on each hand, he bade her goodnight and reluctantly turned to leave.
"Wait, Jack. Where are you going?"
"I'm going to walk the perimeter of the house, make sure nothing is amiss. I'll be inside in just a bit. Don't worry about me. You've cheered me up considerably and motivated me to work my tail off to resolve this case so we can go on our second date."
"Well, don't work too hard. You have a cute, um, tail. I'd hate to see it disappear," she declared audaciously. Stepping forward to press a quick kiss to his cheek, she hurried inside with a whispered goodnight.
Jack walked around the property sporting a silly grin and the lightest step he'd had in years. His mind raced with possibilities as he methodically and intentionally planned the seduction of one Mrs. Sue Hudson.
