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“How about that ride, then?”
Michelle smiled. “I believe I can give a stranded man a ride home.”
The question was whether she would be willing to come in when they got to his place.
* * *
Michelle pulled the car into the parking space that Ty indicated. The apartment complex was as nondescript as any she’d ever seen.
Would Ty invite her in? Did she want him to? Would she go if he did? She’d been trying to answer those questions with every mile she’d driven.
“Thanks for the ride.” Ty opened the door and maneuvered his large body out of the compact car. Going to the passenger door, he opened it, leaned in and retrieved his guitar.
Her stomach dropped. He wasn’t going to ask her in. She watched as he started to walk away. Blinking, she put the car into reverse then pushed it back into park. Perhaps she should reach for what she wanted. She rolled her window down.
“Hey, you have any coffee?”
“Yeah. Want some?”
“Yes.”
She joined him on the sidewalk and they strolled towards the building. They entered the open stairs area and climbed to the second floor. She followed Ty to the third door. He put his guitar down and slipped his hand into his pocket. “I was wondering how long it would take you to get up the nerve to ask if you could come in,” Ty said with a grin before he pulled a ring of keys out of his pocket and placed one in the lock.
Had he been playing her? Was he so sure of her he knew she didn’t want to go home? “What made you think that?”
“I don’t know.” He pushed the door open with his foot. “Maybe the way you looked at me while I was playing tonight.”
“I didn’t look at you in any way.”
He chuckled while picking up his guitar and stepping inside. She followed him. He closed the door behind her. The only light was the one burning over the kitchen sink.
“Yeah, you did. Like you could eat me up.”
“I did not.”
“You did. Just like I’m going to do to you.”
Michelle had no idea when or where he put down his guitar. All she knew was that Ty’s arms held her tightly and his mouth had found hers. Her arms circled his neck. He eased the pressure and found a different angle so that his mouth more completely took hers. This time the passion between them soared. She shuddered against him. Her blood hummed with the heat that Ty generated deep in her. Tingling all over, her heart tap danced to the driving need he created. He pulled away. She groaned in complaint.
“I thought you wanted coffee,” Ty said.
She cupped his cheek and brought his lips towards hers. “I don’t even like coffee.”
He looked at her with twinkling eyes. “Why Dr. Ross, if you’re not interested in my coffee then what do you want?”
“You.” Her lips found his.
* * *
Michelle woke to the smell of coffee and bright sun filling the window. She had slept well into the morning, a luxury she rarely allowed herself. Instantly she knew Ty wasn’t near. The comfort and security she felt when he was around was missing.
She found his T-shirt on the floor, where she had dropped it after pulling it off him the night before. Slipping it over her head, she tugged it down. She inhaled deeply. His scent surrounded her. She had it bad for the man. Could Ty possibly feel the same way about her?
She padded barefoot out of the bedroom in search of him. As he’d taken her to his bed during the night, she’d not noticed much about his apartment. Out of the fog of desire she had only seen that it was furnished with the necessities only. There was nothing personal in it outside of Ty’s clothes and guitar. Nothing permanent. Just like Ty.
For once she refused to dwell on the past or the future and live in the now.
She found Ty with his hip against the counter, drinking a cup of coffee. He wore nothing but his jeans. She’d never seen a sexier man on billboard or TV. When he saw her a smile slowly creased his face. The smile that was for her alone. Her stomach fluttered. Her ego was going to be a big as Ty’s if he kept looking at her that way. She’d been wanton enough last night.
“Hey,” she said softly, suddenly feeling shy.
“Hey, yourself, ma belle.” He lifted his cup.
“Why do you call me ma belle?”
He chuckle softly. “Haven’t you ever heard the old Beatles’ song, ‘Michelle’? It reminds me of you. Pretty.” His finger caressed her cheek. She leaned into his touch, liking the idea of belonging to him.
“Would you like a cup of coffee, ma belle?”
She shook her head.
“No, that’s right, you don’t drink coffee.” He put the cup down and looked in the refrigerator. “Bottled water?”
She took the bottle. “Thanks. You travel pretty light.”
“Yeah, not much room on a bike.” He grinned.
“That’s a fine-looking coffeemaker, though. Carry that on your bike?”
“Naw, but I request a good one to be supplied by the house service wherever I stay. Hey, how about we go to the beach for the day?”
She looked at him. “I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“That’s hours away. I need to check on my patients. See about my mother.”
“We can stop by the hospital on our way out of town and you can call and check on your mother. Come on, Michelle, for once in your life do something spontaneous.”
A slow grin formed on her lips. “Okay.” His look of surprise made her laugh.
“You’ll go?” he asked, eyebrows raised.
“Yes. I’ll go. Sounds like fun. How’s that for spontaneous?”
“Perfect.” He reached over and pulled her close for a kiss.
“Let me get a quick shower first. We’ll need to stop by my place also,” she said.
“I need a shower too. How about I join you? That way it’ll take us less time.”
She ruined the serious look she’d manufactured by breaking out in a smile. “I doubt that. I think you’re hoping I’ll wash your hair.”
Ty gave her his best wolfish grin. “Among other things.”
She gave him a look suggesting she would enjoy the “other things” as much as he would.
CHAPTER EIGHT
MICHELLE HAD TO admit that there was a feeling of freedom that came with saying yes to a spur-of-the-moment idea.
Her shower—okay their shower—had taken longer than she’d planned but it had been the nicest and most rewarding one she’d ever taken. She’d agreed to wash Ty’s hair and in return he’d washed all of her. Afterwards they dressed and prepared to leave
.
“I’m not riding two hours to the beach on your motorcycle,” Michelle announced as she slipped on her shoes.
“My motorcycle isn’t out of the shop yet. So you can cool your righteous indignation. I’ve arranged for a rental. I’ve gotten tired of bumming a ride. In fact, could you drop me off at the rental place? They’ve got my replacement in.”
“Okay,” Michelle said as Ty settled into the passenger side of her car after placing his guitar in the back. She liked that about him. Ty wasn’t one of those men who thought he should always drive just because he was the male. He was comfortable with who he was.
“While I see about the car you’ll have time to check in on your mom and call the hospital,” Ty suggested.
He knew her so well. She needed to let her mother know she’d be out of town for the day.
Ty climbed out of the car with a wave of his hand and a “See you in a few” at the car rental place.
At home Michelle made her calls. She discovered that her mother had made arrangements to spend the afternoon having tea with a couple of friends at a local luxury hotel.
“You enjoy your day, honey,” her mother said after Michelle had shared her plans.
Her mother had been acting more like her old self after her recent hospital stay. She’d even begun cooking again. A couple of nights during the last few weeks Michelle hadn’t even stopped by to see her, at her mother’s insistence. The awful thing about it was that it had been during the same weeks she hadn’t seen Ty. The nights had been impossibly long.
She’d just finished talking to her mother when Ty knocked on the door and she let him in. He looked irresistible. She had to grin. He was hers for the time being.
“What?”
“Oh, nothing,” she said, moving further back into her condo.
“How’s your mother?”
“Amazingly well. She’s going out to tea with some friends.”
“I told you she’d be fine.” His deep voice sounded like warm molasses.
“Yes, you did. It must be wonderful being a know-it-all.” She turned and grinned at him.
He stepped closer giving her a gentle kiss on the lips. “You know, it’s nice to see you smiling.”
Michelle kissed him back. “You know, I’m really looking forward to spending the day with you. Hey, I need to get us some towels.” In her room, she looked for her beach bag. It had been so long since she’d spent a day at the seashore she had to search for the bag. Locating it, she stuffed it with towels, sunscreen and a hat for herself before returning to the living room.
