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He responded by placing his hands around her waist, and then he pulled her closer. She could feel every inch of his hard, muscular length. The scent of him surrounded her; his warmth spread over her skin and through every cell in her body.
The only coherent thought that her mind could process was that he may kiss her. And how badly she wanted him to.
Was she brave enough to do anything about it? Out here, in the middle of this busy sidewalk, of all places?
Jess couldn’t remember a time when she’d wanted something as badly as she wanted to feel Jordan’s lips on hers, but she felt frozen with fear and doubt.
Whatever Jordan read in her eyes must have caused him to tighten his grip on her. His words made her wonder if he was somehow reading her mind.
“Jess, you have to tell me if this is what you want,” he said on a hoarse whisper, a hard edge grating his voice. “You have to say so if you want me to kiss you.”
She couldn’t make her mouth work.
Jordan went on. “Because if you say so, there’ll be no turning back. I will kiss you. Maybe not here, not in front of all these people. But the first chance we’re alone. It’s going to happen. Your move. Your call.”
An explosion of heat burst below her rib cage and moved fluidly lower. She wanted to tell him yes. That she wanted him to kiss her more than he would ever know.
There’ll be no turning back.
Those five words encompassed the full strength of the emotions she felt at the moment. For he was right; there would be no turning back. Not for her anyway. Her heart would be forever changed.
The crowd around them grew larger and louder as more people exited their respective performances.
“Let’s go.” Without waiting for further response, Jordan took her by the hand and led her away.
Jess’s heart pounded like a jackhammer in her chest. She could barely hear the crowd over the roaring in her ears. “Wait. Jordan. Where are we going?”
“I could use a drink.”
Jess couldn’t decide whether she was relieved or disappointed. For a moment back there she’d thought maybe Jordan was about to lead her somewhere secluded. Somewhere that it would be just the two of them. Alone. And he could make good on the words he’d just whispered to her. But he’d made clear that any first move would have to come from her.
Was it wrong that a part of her wanted him to make the decision for her? To make the first move?
After all, she may never summon the courage to ask for what she so badly wanted. Because she would want so much more. More than Jordan could give at this moment in his life.
He was right. Perhaps they could both use a drink. But when he finally stopped pulling her along and opened the door to their destination, Jess realized they weren’t in some kind of trendy, toney New York City bar.
Jordan had brought her to an ice cream counter. A large sign above the waitress stand said Best Milkshakes This Side of the Hudson.
A bubble of laughter escaped her lips. This man seemed to surprise her at every turn. She simply didn’t know what to expect. It both exhilarated and terrified her.
“This is what you meant by a drink? A milkshake?”
He returned her laughter with a smile of his own. But the tightness in his face remained. She dared to hope it was because he was still thinking about kissing her.
“Not just any milkshake,” he answered her. “The best milkshakes—”
“This side of the Hudson.” She completed his sentence, pointing to the sign above their heads.
“I mean, it’s no Bimby’s,” Jordan said as they selected a couple of seats at the front counter. “But that’s a tough standard to beat.”
“I’m glad to see you’re acknowledging the correct hierarchy of our respective ice cream spots,” she teased. The talk of Bimby’s had her recalling the last time he had almost kissed her. In the artificial cave of the mini-golf attraction. She couldn’t seem to get her mind off having Jordan’s lips on hers.
“Don’t bother looking at the menu.” He interrupted her unwelcome thoughts. “You want the chocolate mocha.”
Her stomach made a noise in protest. Between the excitement of the show and the thrill of having Jordan touching her, there was no way she was going to be able to consume something that rich and heavy. “I’m afraid I’m still full from lunch.”
