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Chapter 1
CeliaGriffin’shandtightenedover the strap of her duffel bag. The lime-green and white suitcase had been with her for a while. It and the items inside, mainly clothes, were all the possessions she owned. Everything else had been sold or donated. Growing up, her family had taught her that getting attached to anything was useless. Well, they had before her mother’s last incident.
She shoved the memory aside. She didn’t need things. Daniel Edwards had impeccable taste. She glanced at her left hand, which was frozen in the act of knocking. The empty ring finger shouldn’t have bothered her. He had proposed, but wanted to shop for her engagement ring together, or so he said. Celia’s fingers curled into her palm as she withdrew her hand. She’d likely pick whatever he chose. It was easiest. Besides, she’d never thought she’d get engaged, and had no preference when it came to ring shape.
Was she really going to do this? Her breath shuddered as she stared at the closed door in front of her. She was heading toward thirty and had never lived with a man before. She’d never dared. It was difficult to hide anything in the same living space.
Celia wiped her sweaty hand against her shirt and reached out again, rapping twice on the door. Her gaze moved down the corridor, first one way, then the next. The condo Daniel owned might be in a fancy building, but the neighbors were still too close in her mind.
She shifted the weight of her bag as she considered whether she should knock again. To her relief, the sound of heavy footsteps drew near, and, after a metallic scratch and rattle, the door opened.
“Cele!” Daniel said, holding out his arms.
Celia forced a smile as she leaned briefly against his chest. She’d tried to hint that she didn’t like the nickname. The barking animal it reminded her of had never seemed cute or sexy. Not that those terms fit her, anyway.
Pulling back, she followed his gesture and entered. He’d moved so suddenly, right after the proposal, that it was the first she was seeing his new place.Theirnew place, she corrected herself, scanning the white furniture and black, modern paintings.
Daniel tucked his hands into his pockets. “It’s hard to believe you’re actually here.”
Celia eased her duffel off her shoulder, lowering it to the carpeted floor, also white, next to the sofa. She wished she had taken her shoes off at the door. “We agreed long-distance wouldn’t work. And the job opportunity you had was wonderful, really, so here I am.” She shrugged, turning to face him.
“It hasn’t been that long, so I’m still getting settled, but my new job feels right.” His smile grew as his gaze became distant. “The people there are coming to me with questions already. I’m appreciated there. And respected.” His eyes found hers again. “Besides, it wasn’t like you were that fond of your own job. You’d switched again recently.” His voice tightened with the last words.
She lifted her hand to run it over her reddish-brown ponytail. “I didn’t mean to sound negative. I’m proud of you.” He was right about her job as well. Staying with one for too long was never ideal. It made people feel like they had gotten to know her.
“Thanks, Cele. That means a lot.” He glanced down at her bag with a laugh. “Is that all you brought with you?”
She nodded, letting her fingers play with the rubber band on her wrist.
He captured her hands. “Are you still wearing this? We’ve talked about these nervous habits of yours.” He lifted one of her hands to kiss it despite the rebuke. Then he tugged her forward. “Come on. I’ll give you the tour.”
Celia let him lead her around the condo. She was relieved when not everything in the other rooms was black and white. It hadn’t been that way in his last place, but he’d been renting at the time. When he pulled her into the master bedroom, the mussed, green sheets on the unmade bed enhanced the red wood of the headboard and frame, which felt warmer than anywhere else in the house. Some of her nervousness faded in a room that felt similar to her tastes. “It’s beautiful,” she said, facing him to add a smile.
His body moved closer, crowding her against the bed until the backs of her knees hit it. “Comfy, too. You should try it out.” Then his lips were on hers.
Celia tried to relax into the kiss. With men, it often seemed like they were ten steps ahead of her in the kissing department. Daniel was no exception, and his kisses were wet enough for her to be distracted by it. That hadn’t changed, and her hands came up to press against his chest.
He moaned at her touch, lowering her back to the bed and lowering himself on top of her, trapping her hands between them. “It’s been so long,” Daniel murmured, moving his spongelike lips down her neck.
She tensed at the feel, and he snickered. “You’ve always been ticklish.”
That wasn’t exactly right. It was more like she wanted to wipe a drip of water away.
His hands had already moved to the hem of her shirt. He lifted his body enough to pull it off her, freeing her hands again.
She wasn’t sure what to do with them. After a full day of travel, she was struggling to get into the mood. If she held him, it would send the message that she was into it. Reversing from there would be harder. Though reversing at all was always hard.
The voice inside of her, the one that sounded like a broken child, began to murmur that letting it happen would be easier. It wasn’t like she’d ever had much luck in the sex area. She just wasn’t the physical type.
The smacking sound of his kisses against her stomach returned her focus to what was happening. In the moments she’d lost, Daniel had removed most of his clothes. The muscles in his shoulders flexed as he bent to remove her shoes. He kept in shape and had a nice body. Any woman would be lucky to have his attention turned on her.
When he reached for the button on her jeans, her hands clamped over his.
A frown spread across his face as his eyes met hers. “Really, Cele?”
“I’m tired,” Celia said. It wasn’t a lie. “I’ve been traveling all day and could use a hot shower.”
His hands closed over hers, moving them to the bed. He didn’t release them as he lowered his chest against her again, brushing over her cotton sports bra. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything. You don’t even have to move.” His lips twisted into a smirk as he stared down at her. “Like usual.”
