Forever After Read Online Free PDF Page B

cologne as well as his closeness made her dizzy.
    That must have been why she took a step toward him and put her hands on his arms.  Strong arms, muscled, lightly coated with hair.  Tentatively she moved her fingers, letting the hair tickle the tips--only the tips.
    His hands were now at her waist, holding her steady.  She couldn't look into his eyes.  She knew what would happen if she did.  He had sensual lips, the bottom one slightly fuller than the upper.  She'd noticed that the first time she saw him standing in her garage.  Since then she'd wondered how firm they'd be, how warm, how persuasive.  She'd never known finesse.  Would his kiss be as perfect as she suspected it might be?
    Tightening his fingers on her waist, he drew her closer still until her hands slid to his shoulders.  He made her feel so fragile in his hold, so womanly.  Her breasts tingled and her nipples felt hard.  A deep fire smoldered in her womb, and she had the feeling it wouldn't take much for it to blaze into an unchecked need with this man.
    He bent toward her slowly, so slowly she was mesmerized.  His body heat surrounded her, wrapping her in a blanket of intimacy.  She was waiting, ready...
    His lips never touched hers.  He still held her but he lifted his head.  "You're not sure you want this, are you?"
    His voice was raspy and deep and took a moment to penetrate her haze.  When it did, she stepped back.  "I don't want it.  I don't know what happened..."
    "Yes, you do.
    She was frightened by sensations she'd never felt before, frightened that this high-powered Philadelphia lawyer might be playing with her.  Angry at herself for responding, but angrier at him because he stirred hopes and dreams and desires she'd left behind, she flung back, "I'm not one of those classy women who probably fall at your feet.  I'll bet none of them ever had grease under their nails.  If you want someone to meet your needs while you're in Hershey, you'll have to look somewhere else."
    "You forgot about Winston and your loyalty to Marsha."
    "Yes, I did.  I could never be sure you weren't using me to get information."
    "No, I guess you couldn't.  You'd have to trust me.  I have to admit I'm not looking for a long-term relationship.  I've never had the time or the inclination.  But we could have something special.  I feel it and I know you feel it."
    "There are too many good reasons not to feel it.  I don't need heartache in my life, Seth, and that's what I'd be asking for."
    "Then there's nothing more to say."
    She crossed her arms over her chest.  "No."
    He eyed her body language.  "Hershey's not that big.  We might run into each other."
    "I can handle it."
    "Good.  So can I."  He turned and descended the porch steps.
      As Seth strode down the flagstone path toward his car, Darcy wondered why that sounded more like a promise than a good-bye.

CHAPTER THREE
     
    Darcy critically examined her hands.  No dance partner would want to touch her if she didn't shape up her ragged fingernails.  She grabbed an emery board from her dresser and filed her nails smooth.  Stubborn distributor caps chipped them every time.  No use trying to let them grow.  She wondered how many bars of soap and bottles of hand lotion she used in a month.  She might not be able to keep a glamour nail length, but she could keep her hands looking as soft and feminine as any woman's.
    She got satisfaction from working at the garage, hearing an engine idle smoothly after she'd made adjustments.  She was proud of her abilities and her business.  But because of working in a garage, she sought out activities and classes that made her feel feminine and pleased her aesthetic side--like this ballroom dancing class.  Last year she'd taken a semester of dress design, before that ballet, before that flower arranging.
    Wanting to feel feminine tonight, Darcy dressed in an eyelet blouse with puffy sleeves and a calico wrap-around skirt instead of slacks.  Her legs were