It struck him that neither of them were rushing to get inside. At this time of night, without the scorching sun, the August air was muggy but tolerable.
Reaching out, Kam hooked one finger in a loosened hank of her silky hair, drawing it forward over her shoulder. “I only meant to tease you.”
“But now I know you had other plans...”
“Not really.” Time to fess up on that one, too. “I didn’t even remember Natalie’s name until Dan said it. I’d only been chatting her up to keep from watching you.”
She bit her lip before asking tentatively, “Is that true?”
With a short quiet laugh, Kam said, “I’m many things, Glory, but I’m not a liar.” He released her hair to slide his hand around her neck. “Now, about that kiss?”
“You actually want to kiss me? Because I’ve always gotten the impression that you don’t like me.”
“I don’tdislike you.”
“Kam,” she warned.
His mouth twitched. For once, Glory didn’t look quite so perfect, not with a mulish frown pulling her brows together. “Want me to spill my guts, huh?” He brushed his thumb over her cheek. God, she was soft. And she smelled so good, like subtle perfume, damp skin, and hot woman. “Fine.” He tugged her a little closer—and praise the Lord, she didn’t resist. “It bothers me that you’re always so put together. Never a hair out of place, not a wrinkle in your clothes.”
Flustered, she said, “That’s not true.”
“Mostly true,” he said. “It makes me want to mess you up a little.”
She had been subtly leaning toward him, drawn by the low tones of his voice, but now she abruptly straightened. “Mess me up? Why would you—”
“With a kiss,” he murmured, drawing nearer. “Some touching.” As he said it, he loosened more of her hair, stroking through it, enjoying the warmth and weight of it. Since she didn’t object, he stepped against her, but instead of kissing her, he teased his nose up the column of her neck to her ear, then whispered, “A little nuzzling.”
A sound of want purred out of her, and Kam knew he was a goner. He drew her close, and this time, he took the kiss he wanted—the kiss he’d been thinking about ever since meeting Glory McCallahan.
Whoa. Glory didn’t mean to, but at the feel of his mouth moving over hers, she completely caved, all resistance gone as if it had never existed. Boneless, she allowed him to gather her close, from mouth to mouth, down to thighs to thighs.
Tongue to tongue.
Pelvis to...Hello.
Her fingers curled into his lapels to hold on since her legsweren’t cooperating. Kam gave a growl of encouragement and turned his head just enough to kiss her deeper, hotter.
She forgot about everything except his hands on her body, one of them cradling her head, the other sliding down her spine to her backside.
Did she want that? Oh, yeah. She did. In fact, she wanted—
“Ahem.”
They bounced apart as if a giant spring had magically appeared between them.
There, at the open door, stood Addie, an odd expression on her face, her arms crossed to hold her housecoat closed. Blu, Tanner’s German shepherd, pushed his way out and, after a quick hello to Kam and Glory, went out into the yard to do his business.
Glory felt like all the oxygen had been sucked from her lungs. She couldn’t draw a deep enough breath, couldn’t think, and actually, she might’ve been panicking a little.
Apparently, Kam didn’t suffer the same ailment. “Damn, Addie. That was rotten timing.”
“How was I to know?” she said back with amusement. “Blu was in the room with me but he heard you right off. I kept waiting for you to come up—only you didn’t.” She turned to Glory, and her smile slipped away. “Good grief.” Stepping out in a rush, she said, “You’re hyperventilating.”
Kam turned, too, and a touch of alarm filled his eyes. He reached her before Addie could. Catching her close, he shielded her with his body. “Are you all right?”
She nodded and wheezed noisily. Of all the people in the whole world, Addie was the nicest she’d ever met. Sure, she loved her cousin Callie, and they were close, but Addie was special. Kind to everyone, open and loving. Accepting.
Addie never judged her. No, she just accepted her.
