don’t we have some dinner and then we can talk about this.”
I nodded my head in agreement. I realized that my stomach was growling, and the lasagna smelled so good.
He placed a healthy portion down in front of me, along with a piece of buttery garlic bread. We both dug right in, and I probably should have been more ladylike. I just couldn’t help but devour it. There was very little talking during the meal, but there were a lot of smiles and stolen glances. No other man had ever made me feel like I could be in his presence without having to fill the silence with unnecessary conversation. The only reason I felt a little bit on edge was because I was so attracted to him.
When we were both done, he cleared the table and came back in with a bowl of strawberry shortcake and two spoons. This time he sat right next to me.
“Open up, Doc. Let me know what you think.” I opened up my mouth, blushing a bit at the thought of him feeding me. The spoon went to my lips and I licked off every bit of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, taking my time and locking my eyes with his.
“Your turn. Open up.”
He looked a bit surprised that I returned the favor, but he obliged and parted his lips. I put a big spoonful in his mouth and started to come undone watching him carefully lick the spoon clean. It was getting harder and harder to behave myself, but I didn’t want to push my luck after his earlier rejection.
He smiled and gave me another spoonful, but this one was bigger and messier than the last. It was all I could do to keep it in my mouth.
“Um, it looks like you missed a little bit. Let me help you with that.”
I expected him to grab a napkin and wipe it off, but instead he leaned in very close and licked it off my lip. He lingered there for a moment, but I was too scared to make a move. I closed my eyes and tried to keep myself from shaking or let him feel how heavy I was breathing.
To my surprise, he didn’t pull away. Instead he wound a hand gently through my hair and pulled me in for a kiss. He was tentative at first, but the temperature rose quickly. Soon our tongues were having a war and the situation seemed very similar to the scene in my bedroom.
I reached out and pulled him as close as he could get when we were seated in different chairs. My ankle limited my movements, but I made up for that with my mouth. I wanted him more than I ever remembered wanting anything. I didn’t care about his past or his future in that moment. I just needed him.
He broke the kiss, and the dread of what was to come immediately settled in my stomach. If he rejected me again, I was going to ask him to leave my house and never come back. I didn’t need to be led on by a man who had no intention of seeing his advances through.
I put my hands in my lap and dug my fingernails into my palms to stay calm. I felt hot tears welling up in my eyes. Suddenly his hand was under my chin, and he lifted my face so he could look into my eyes. I knew the look on my face betrayed me and told him everything I felt.
“Hey, Doc. What’s with the tears?”
“I am starting to think you don’t want me. Every time things start to get hot between us, you pull away. I can’t handle another man who doesn’t know what he wants or just doesn’t really want me.”
“Well, I know exactly what I want. You. Now. I was pulling away to ask you if you thought we should go to your room where we could be more comfortable. That ankle has to hurt the way we’re all tangled up now.”
“Oh. I feel stupid now. I guess my self-confidence has been shot ever since I was cheated on.”
“Well, let me reassure you, I think you’re hot as hell. And any man who lets you go is a damn fool. But I need to be honest and let you know I don’t have all my shit together. I have the future of the ranch weighing on my shoulders. I have to take care of my dad. And I have a heart that is still not quite healed after being left for bigger and better things. I’m a