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His eyes dropped to her mouth. “Hmmm?”
“Do you want to come up?”
He shook his head. “Yes.”
A laugh burst out of her like a champagne cork. And then a miracle happened.
Caleb smiled.
An unrestrained, genuine smile curved his lips, lighting up his whole face as it shone out of his eyes. It was even more beautiful than she’d imagined. It was like the rain clouds had parted and a beam of sunlight appeared from the heavens to create a double rainbow.
Penny grinned in response. “I didn’t know you could smile. You should do it more often.”
His smile dimmed a little, but didn’t completely disappear. It was still a single rainbow. “I smile.”
“Not like that. Not like you mean it.”
“I’m just selective about who I smile at.”
“I feel honored to have finally passed the test.”
Regret flashed in his eyes. He looked down at the sidewalk and shook his head. “I don’t know why I’m here.”
“Yes you do.” Every muscle in her body was quivering with need. She wanted to leap at him and lavish him with kisses, but she held herself back. He was still skittish, like a lost dog. If she moved too quickly she might frighten him away.
A car with a faulty muffler cruised by like a shark, in search of a parking space. She waited until it had passed. “Okay, well, this has been fun, but I’m going upstairs. Are you coming with me?”
A muscle twitched in Caleb’s jaw. He had a great jaw. Perfectly angled, leading to a strong chin. Just the right amount of stubble for maximum sexiness. “I shouldn’t.”
“So you say.” She held her hand out to him and waited.
He stared at it with a mixture of wariness and longing, as if she’d offered him drugs. Her self-esteem swelled two sizes like the Grinch’s heart. Caleb wanted her. It felt good to be wanted.
When he finally slid his hand into hers, she could swear she saw stars. Was that sound the local high school’s marching band practicing in the distance or a chorus of Whoville Whos raising their voices in song?
Goose bumps shimmied down her arm as his calluses scraped against her palm. They locked eyes again. For a moment they just stood there on the sidewalk holding hands. Getting used to the feel of it. Bracing themselves for what came next.
It’s happening.
Struggling to contain her elation, Penny tugged him up the walk to her building. Her apartment was on the second floor, and they continued holding hands as they climbed the cement steps. When they got to her door with its welcoming wreath of dried flowers, Penny regretfully released his hand to fish her keys out of her purse.
Caleb stepped up behind her when she slid her key into the lock. Heat radiated off him as his front pressed against her back. His fingers moved through her hair, brushing it aside, then his lips grazed her neck.
Abandoning the keys in the lock, she spun to face him. They were so close her breasts grazed his chest. He put one hand flat against the door beside her head; the other reached up to trace her cheekbone. She shivered as his rough fingertips trailed over her skin. He bent his head, and their noses brushed. His breath whispered across her cheekbone, then he pressed a soft kiss to her temple.
A sigh escaped her lips as her hands fisted in his T-shirt, tugging him closer. His hand trailed down her neck to her shoulder, his thumb settling in the cradle of her collarbone. He pressed his forehead against hers. “I should go.”
Her stomach sank like a lead weight. “No, you shouldn’t.” She gave his shirt a hopeful little tug. “You should definitely come inside.”
He pulled back and shook his head. “I can’t.”
Annoyance flared within her. He couldn’t just keep teasing her and then disappearing. “Relax. I’m not going to jump you.” The corner of her mouth pulled into a smirk. “Unless you want me to.”
His eyes darkened. “You have no idea.”
Another tug. “Then come inside.” She was never letting go of this T-shirt. He’d have to pry it out of her rigor-mortised fingers.
“Penelope.” Her name came out as a growl. She’d never heard anything sexier in her life.
