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She shook her head. A split second and Ginger’s mother had lost her life. Her father had lost an adoring wife and Ginger had lost the most caring, compassionate person she’d ever known. And then her father had committed suicide a week later. He’d asphyxiated himself in the garage while Ginger was here at her grandparents’ house.
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The entire community had been rocked to the core of its foundation. Walter and Theresa Monroe had been devoted to their family, dedicated to their jobs as teachers at the high school and committed to volunteering at the church. Even the Bains had admired them.
She said, “I just… I don’t approve of guns, Ryan. You have to know that. One shot destroyed my family.” She groaned, feeling the weight of the situation as though an anvil sat on her chest. “And now you’re going to be carrying one around.”
He took a step toward her and grazed her jawline with his fingertip. Staring deep into her eyes, he said, “I’m not a teenager who stole his father’s pistol to impress his friends, Ginger. I’ve taken NRA safety classes, I’ve completed police academy training and I’ve got a level head.”
“I’m not saying you don’t know what you’re doing. I’m just telling you…” Her voice trailed off and she swallowed a hard lump of emotion in her throat. “I don’t know what I’m telling you. Except that I don’t want a gun in my house.”
His fingertips brushed her temple. “I don’t have it with me, sweetheart. Relax. This isn’t even an issue right now.”
She tried to see his side of things, but the way she felt about him made Ginger worry over the troubling situation. No, they hadn’t declared love at first sight, nor were they in the position, or at the point, to make any long-term arrangements with each other. So getting wrapped around the axle at the moment wasn’t entirely reasonable. Besides, as he’d said, he hadn’t brought a weapon into her house.
“I’m sorry,” she told him. “Maybe I’m just overly sensitive because of all the unexpected events of the past few days.”
“Maybe.” He gave her an easy smile before his head dipped. His lips grazed hers. A soft, barely there kiss that made her heart flip-flop. He murmured against her mouth, “Why don’t we have dinner?”
She nodded, though neither one of them stepped away. His hand slid around to cradle the back of her head as his lips skimmed over hers again, teasing and tempting her.
Ginger’s pulse kicked up several notches. The intimate gesture felt right, deep in her soul, but it also sparked erotic sensations she wasn’t fully familiar with and which were somewhat overwhelming. Her nipples tightened behind her black satin-and-lace bra. Her chest rose and fell a bit quicker as her breathing escalated. A prickle of desire along her clit and a dull throb in her pussy created a hot, restless feeling inside her.
When Ryan’s mouth pressed more firmly to hers and they simultaneous parted their lips, she had to clutch his biceps as she swayed a little on her high heels. His tongue swept over hers, twisting in a playful way that quickly turned sexy and made her even hotter. With one hand still at the back of her head, the other gripped her hip and he eased her toward him until their bodies touched. Her breasts pressed below the hard ledge of his pectoral muscles, more against his rib cage than his chest.
Feeling his hunky body against hers did all kinds of wicked things to Ginger’s insides. The throbbing deep within her was insistent and demanding. The tingling of her clit was an electrifying sizzle that made her want to pull his hand from her hip and drag it down between her legs.
She’d never experienced the pleasure of having a man’s hard muscles conform to her softer curves, nor had she ever had one kiss her with such passion that it made her entire body go up in flames. It was unnerving how quickly he set her on fire, but it was also titillating and so welcomed.
When he finally broke their kiss, they were both breathless. He stared down at her with heat and desire in his shimmering cerulean irises. Ginger was grateful he had a solid grip on her, because she practically melted to the floor under his intense, yet sinfully delicious gaze.
“Sorry about that,” he said in the low, intimate voice that felt as though warm honey oozed down her spine. “Couldn’t help myself.”
“Did you hear me complaining?”
He grinned at her once more. “No, I did not.”
“So feel free to do it again.”
This time, his lips tangled with hers, gently tugging and suckling until her soft moan filled the quiet room. His grip on her tightened and he kissed her with fervor, lighting her up all over again.
Endless minutes seemed to slide by as his tongue delved deep and she responded to his kiss. A small whimper of protest fell from her lips when he eventually pulled away.
In a strained tone, Ryan said, “Maybe we ought to take this slow, sweetheart.” Lust and fire flickered in his eyes as he stared down at her. “This could get out of hand fast.”
She could barely breathe, but managed to say, “I think you’re right.” Her heart hammered in her chest as though she’d just swam from one end of the lake to the other. Flames seemed to dance along her skin and the fiery sensations inside her singed her to core of her being.
Every ounce of her wanted to feel his hands and mouth on her body. But despite what Lydia Bain might think of her, Ginger was not a loose woman. In fact, she was still a virgin. Not necessarily because pre-marital sex was frowned upon by the church she attended—she’d never let the reverend and his wife dictate what she could or couldn’t do in the privacy of her own bedroom. Rather, Ginger had never met a man who’d made her want to throw all her inhibitions out the window and make wild, passionate love all night long.
Until now…
Stepping out of Ryan’s embrace, she said, “I’m going to change out of this dress, if you don’t mind.”
“Careful about what you slip into.” He winked at her. “You’re already testing my restraint.”
Her stomach took a wicked tumble. “Ryan Bain,” she said in a mockingly chastising voice. “I’ll have you know I’m a very respectable woman.”
He chuckled. “Hopefully, not too respectable.”
