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“I promise,” he whispered.
She shivered in his arms. “Me too.”
“But if you don’t want me to kiss you,” he murmured, “just tell me to stop.”
Taking her silence as permission, Isaac kissed his way across her cheek. Her eyelids drifted shut as he pressed a featherlight kiss to one corner of her lips. Then the other. Her hand slid up his chest to cup his cheek, and desire flooded his veins. He eased closer, pressing his lips softly to hers once. Twice. Three times.
The next kiss, she opened to him and Isaac willingly followed, his tongue beginning a careful dance with hers. He placed his hand to the small of her back and deepened the kiss; a small mewl escaped her. Isaac drew back, afraid he’d pushed too far, too fast. Del opened her eyes.
“Did you hear me tell you to stop?” she asked.
“No.”
Grinning, she reached her arms around his neck, sidling closer. “Then by all means, don’t.”
Chapter Nine
Isaac sat dutifullyat his computer Thursday morning for a project update video chat, second cup of coffee in hand and bully resting soundly on his feet. He was short on sleep again today, having stayed up late high on adrenaline and excitement the past few nights—adrenaline from all the kissing he and a certain local landscaper had been doing, and excitement over the new website he was designing for her. Which, she would soon be happy to know, was coming along nicely.
It’d been brilliant, her idea to take him on a tour of Bourbon Falls the other night. Sure, he’d driven Main Street a time or two on his own, but without her narration, the small town looked like any other he’d passed through over the years. And he’d have never ventured far enough to find the old train depot, which had been a huge inspiration for his current web design.
Del had stopped over last night to help review some of his general website layout ideas, but he had yet to show her the new depot design—partially because it wasn’t ready and partially because they’d soon lost focus and gone back to kissing. And damn, was that woman an amazing kisser. When she’d nipped his lower lip last night, he’d about lost control…
“Hey, Robert, stop daydreaming and answer the question already.”
He took a quick drink of coffee and blinked the vision of Del away. “Sorry, everyone. Late night, and my coffee hasn’t quite kicked in yet.”
“Late night?” teased AJ. “What was her name?”
Isaac forced a laugh, the question hitting too close to the truth. “You know I don’t name figments of my imagination.”
The group burst into laughter, allowing him to release a silent sigh of relief.
“What was whose name?” asked Will, who’d just joined the call.
“Isaac’s imaginary girlfriend,” Vivvy offered. “She’s got him all distracted this morning.”
More laughter followed from everyone except Will.
“Can we get this party started already?” Isaac asked, working to keep his voice light. He could see the gears turning in his partner’s head and did not want Will thinking on Vivvy’s joke too long. “I have a nap to get to. Wouldn’t need it if I hadn’t been up late fixing all you all’s sloppy coding.”
A round of groans and “whatever”s arose, but it worked; Sam kicked off the meeting and away they went. Isaac did his best to stay focused, but he kept a close watch on Will’s features. His partner definitely wasn’t his usual bubbly self today. If Isaac had been out east, he could have easily pulled him aside and asked what was up. Being several hundred miles to the west made that a little more difficult.
“Great work, team. Sounds like we’re staying on top of our deadlines and keeping bugs to a minimum. Sam, Vivvy—I want an updated beta completion estimate by tomorrow afternoon. Monique and AJ—work up a testing schedule and get that to me before end of business tomorrow as well,” Will said. “Robert—stay on the line, I’ve got a few more things to review with you.”
Yep, something was definitely up. Isaac tried not to overthink it—he’d find out as soon as the others logged off—but his mind had other plans, racing off in all directions. Did they lose another client? Were they behind on rent?
Was Katrina on the warpath again?
Isaac silently wished the others would hurry up and go as worry laced tighter around his chest. Not soon enough, Will finished working out some printing details with Carmen and then it was just the two of them.
“Okay, spill,” Isaac said. “What’s up?”
“I’ve been waiting to ask you the same thing. You’ve been acting differently lately.”
“I have?” Isaac frowned.
“Yeah,” Will said. “You seem…happier.”
