AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Candy asked a number of thought-provoking questions and fervently disagreed with his plan for cutting down a grove of hundred-year-old apple trees.
“With a bit of pruning and care, those trees could easily produce again.”
Carl had thought of that himself, but he didn’t have the time or energy to hassle with the fruit. He’d have his hands full with everything else that needed to be accomplished on the property.
On the drive back to Candy’s place, Carl started to worry. Thus far, everything had gone real well, and he didn’t want to ruin it by doing or saying something stupid now.
“It’s still early,” Candy announced when he pulled up in front of her house. “Would you like to come in for a cup of coffee?”
He’d like nothing better, but it wasn’t coffee that interested him. He wavered, and involuntarily his gaze lowered to front of her sweater. For most of the evening he’d done an admirable job of avoiding temptation, but his control was slipping.
“I make a decent cup of coffee.”
His eyes snapped back to her. Candy was saying she wanted him, otherwise she wouldn’t be so eager to get him inside her house. He practically fell out of the truck in his hurry to give her what they both wanted. The way he figured, she couldn’t come right out and tell him her feelings. Women liked to think it was the man’s idea. Fine. He’d leap through hoops if that’s what it took.
It seemed to require an eternity for her to unlock the front door. She’d set her purse aside and started toward the kitchen when Carl caught her by the arm. She looked back at him, her eyes revealing her surprise.
“I don’t want coffee and neither do you.”
She came without resistance into his embrace. When his mouth settled over hers, she gave a soft little moan of welcome.
This was heaven, Carl decided, as the hunger exploded between them. More by luck than any skill, he managed to find the sofa. He literally fell into it, taking Candy with him. With a soft cry of surprise, she landed with a solid whoop into his lap.
Carl laughed and directed her mouth back to his. The kiss was slow and deep and the excitement began to pound inside of him. Their kissing had always been good, but never quite this good.
But it wasn’t enough to satisfy Carl for long. It seemed a shame to waste time with it when there were other more pressing matters that needed attending.
“Carl…”
“In a minute, baby.” He fumbled behind her back, looking to unsnap her bra.
“Carl…no more.”
“You don’t mean that.” He tried to kiss her, to convince her otherwise, but she twisted her head away.
“I do mean it.” She braced her forehead against his shoulder and drew in several deep breaths. “Either we stop now or we’ll have a repeat of what happened before.”
Wasn’t that the point? Carl tightened his jaw, all right, if that was the way she wanted to play the game, then fine, he was a patient man.
“This is only our first date, remember?” she asked in a voice that trembled softly.
Carl was comforted with the knowledge that she was having as difficult a time putting an end to their kissing as he was. But it was little consolation. What irritated him most was that he had no one to blame for this but himself. He was the one who’d come up with the brilliant idea of the two of them starting over again.
One thing was certain, many more dates that ended like this and it would be a kindness to take him out to pasture and shoot him.
* * *
Lesley’s head was spinning. From the moment she’d agreed to marry Zane, her life hadn’t been the same. In addition to completing her current work commitments, she had been expected to organize and plan a wedding to take place in less than three weeks’ time.
She’d only seen Zane twice in the past fourteen days, and when they were together, their time was filled with decision making.
What she couldn’t understand was the urgency Zane seemed to feel about their marrying quickly. It was almost as though he feared she’d change her mind.
She wouldn’t. Now that the decision had been made, Lesley had absolute confidence that she was doing the right thing. From that first day when she’d driven to the house, she’d experienced a spiritual bonding with Zane. But when she announced to her parents that she was marrying Zane, they were concerned that she could be making a mistake.
Her mother had repeated the old wives’ tales—marry in haste, repent in leisure—to convince her she shouldn’t marry Zane, at least not until she knew him better. Her father, the ever-logical attorney, had raised several legitimate concerns. He asked that she consider these questions before going ahead with the wedding.
Then her parents had met Zane.
