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Sophie cupped his face in her hands. She looked at him with affection, and the potency of that had his heart racing in double time again. She also looked like she wanted to kiss away his hurt, but no way did he want their first kiss to be like this.
No. The first time he kissed Sophie, she’d have laughter in her eyes and want in her touch, and he’d kiss her so thoroughly she’d rememberitas her first kiss.
He covered her hands with his and lowered their arms. Time to move on. “Ready for the best fast-food burger of your life?”
“How did you know I was craving a hamburger?” She jumped to her feet. “Let’s go.”
This woman could seriously read his thoughts, and it scared the shit out of him. She didn’t press him for more, didn’t apologize or show pity, just freaking bounced up with a conspiratorial glint in her eye. He felt lighter than he had in years.
“I think I need a milk shake, too,” she said. “Tell me they have shakes.”
“They have shakes.” A raindrop hit his cheek. Then another.
“Looks like Fritz was right.” She kept pace beside him on the way to the car. “And if you’re walking a mile a minute because of me, you don’t have to. I won’t melt.”
Not out here, no, but he’d have her melting against him soon. He slowed his pace. “So chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?”
“Shake? Can they do a chocolate-vanilla swirl?”
“They will today.” He’d jump through the drive-through window and make it himself if he had to.
“How about you?” She lifted her face to the sky and stuck out her tongue, losing her balance and bumping into his arm.
“Catch one?” Raindrops fell with more frequency now.
“Yep.” She grinned.
“I’m a vanilla guy.” Who could think of a lot of better things for her to do with her tongue.
She frowned. “Nuh-uh. There is nothing ordinary about you, Zane Hollander.” Then, as if realizing her mistake, she quickly covered her mouth with her palm. “Oops. You meant the shake.”
He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, their steps in sync down the increasingly wet sidewalk. “You let me know when you’re ready to discover my other flavors and I’ll deliver.”
Her head canted down, but he caught the playful quirk of her mouth, felt the shiver race through her body. Damn, she was irresistible.
And so beautiful inside and out that it hurt to think about saying good-bye to her.
…
Sophie swiped her hand back and forth across the steamed-up bathroom mirror and barely recognized the girl staring back. Tanned face, bright eyes, smile that wouldn’t quit, and yes, a few new freckles. She pressed her hands to her cheeks. They were starting to hurt from all this grinning.
While she’d stood under the shower, she’d replayed every word Zane had said to her today. Everything he’d shared. His playfulness had delighted her to no end. His seriousness had touched her. She got the feeling he hadn’t shared the shelter with anyone else before, and she hoped he knew his past was safe with her. She’d also sensed he didn’t want to dwell on it, so she’d dropped it the second he’d changed the subject to food.
His teasing after that tickled her pink. They clicked in a way she never had with any other man. With any other person. As nervous as he often made her, he also made her feel completely at ease with her thoughts and her body.
She wasn’t so naive to think a fling with Zane would mean the same to him as it did to her, but that was okay. They only needed to agree on discretion. She could do her job and do it well, and if she had her way, fall into his arms late at night. Despite lingering doubts about how deep Zane’s attraction went, she liked the changes in herself this week. Liked whom she’d become, even knowing something with Zane wouldn’t last.
A knock sounded on the hotel room door. She grabbed the softer-than-soft terry cloth robe off its hook and wrapped it around herself as she hurried to see who it was. “Just a minute!”
Peeking around the open doorframe, she let out a gasp.
“Sophie Birch?” said the man holding the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers she’d ever seen. At her nod, he smiled and handed over the arrangement.
“Thank you.” She forgot her modesty and swung the door wide to accept the gift. Her hands barely made it around the glass vase. And she faltered for a moment at its heaviness.
The deliveryman lifted it from the bottom until she had a better grip.
“Thanks. I’ve got it now.” She kicked the door shut with her foot and carried them to the desk. Closing her eyes, she bent and touched her nose to a rose petal. She wanted to breathe in the amazing scent all day. The pink roses, gardenias, purple hydrangea, and gerberas in orange, red, and yellow were the prettiest blooms she’d ever seen. She plucked out the tiny white envelope stuck in the middle of all the spectacular color.
