Stef Ann Holm, Lucy Back [paper ebook reader .TXT] 📗

so tall and wide and strong and everything that any woman could ever want, was beyond comprehension.

Drew was the epitome of masculinity, of fantasies and bedrooms and nakedness…and sex.

Lucy groaned, unable to stop herself.

“Lucy,” he whispered. “You’re shaking.”

“No, I’m not!” The denial was too abrupt. She tried to move past him, to leave. But where to go?

He caught her shoulders, stopped her, made her stand directly in front of him as he looked down at her face. His smile was gentle and kind. She saw his heart in his eyes, and a slight insight into his soul. He wasn’t all that he appeared. He had feelings, depth. Complexity and character.

Had she misjudged him? Within those green eyes was loneliness.

The truth had her gravitating toward him. She fought winding her arms around his neck, wanting to soothe, to take away his emptiness. She knew it, because she felt it as well. She might live in a house with two boys, but at night, alone…in her bed it was a different story. She longed for arms around her, for lips to settle over hers.

And now they became a reality.

Drew reached out, cupped her cheek with his large hand, then tucked her flush against him with an assertiveness she hadn’t known with Gary. Yet she didn’t feel overpowered. She liked that he took control.

Even so, she resisted. “No,” she moaned, trying to break free.

“Yes,” he said simply, softly.

Their eyes held, locked and neither spoke. Then Drew’s firm mouth covered hers, in a light, brushing kiss that immediately intensified and grew deeper.

She held on to him, the hard wall of his chest pressing into her breasts. His heartbeat thudded against hers, the tempo strong. She felt light-headed, almost as if this were happening to someone else and she was simply an observer.

His kiss was subtle, but commanding. He didn’t have to think about it, he just did it. He took charge, control. And she let him. It felt too good not to fall into him, to kiss him back.

It had been an eternity since she’d been kissed, and never like this. She knew she’d curse herself in the morning, call herself every kind of idiot. But right now…right now—

Her slender hands roamed up his neck, felt the fine hair at his nape. He was so masculine, yet his hair was so soft. The texture was cool against her fingertips.

Lucy kissed him, opened her mouth to him, and his tongue slid inside. His jaw was smoothly shaved, yet rough at the same time. It bristled lightly against the tender skin of her chin. She didn’t care.

She couldn’t think straight.

If it hadn’t been for the doorbell’s ring, Lucy didn’t know how long she would have stood in that kitchen with Drew, arms wound around his neck, her body pressed tightly to his.

Or worse, how long it would have taken her to ask him to carry her into his bedroom.

My God.

Lucy backed away, trying to pull herself together. She grew immediately embarrassed, self-conscious. “I’m…” She let the thought trail off, and Drew instinctively finished it for her.

“Don’t be sorry.” He leaned in, kissed her quickly on the lips. “I’m not.”

Then he went down the hallway to answer the door. In the time he was gone, Lucy made fast work of cleaning the counter and shoving her washed pots and pans into her totes, mindless of the clatter. She had to get out of here. Quickly.

In the middle of slipping her apron over her head, Lucy looked up and stopped cold.

Jacquie Santini.

Oh my gosh—Drew and Jacquie had gotten back together. And here she’d been kissing him.

Lucy wanted to die.

Jacquie looked down her nose at her, but didn’t say anything. Lucy immediately went into rambling mode. “Hi, Jacquie. I’m only here to cook for Drew. It’s nice to see you.”

Not saying anything, Jacquie glanced at Lucy’s cookware and the gear she’d brought in. While the evidence of professionalism was there, clearly Jacquie wasn’t buying into the whole story. Probably with good reason. Lucy’s cheeks were hot, flushed. Her lips felt full and plump, bruised from Drew’s kiss. There was no denying what they had been doing before she came over.

Once more, Lucy wanted to die.

Drew didn’t seem to be alarmed over the situation, or if he was, he sure could play it down as if nothing had happened. To read his expression, you’d never know he’d just had his tongue in her mouth. “Jacquie came over to have me sign some real estate papers.”

“I won’t keep you,” Lucy immediately replied. “I’m done now anyway and I’ll just—”

A cell phone rang—more like played a song that was familiar to Lucy; every radio station was airing it. “Since You’ve Been Gone” filled the kitchen, and Drew about took a header to answer that phone.

Lucy glanced at Jacquie, who glanced at her, then the two women settled their unwavering gazes on Drew. Perhaps they were both thinking they’d been fools to fall for a man like him, who kept women on a string like fishermen kept the catch of the day on lines. Neither said a word as he answered.

Neither cared to examine the gamut of emotions that rattled to life within her heart.

“Hello?” Drew answered the phone, forgetting about the two women in his kitchen.

“Hi, it’s me. It’s Mackenzie.”

He knew who “me” was. She didn’t have to say Mackenzie. “Hi, how are you?”

“I’m okay.”

Drew didn’t want to smother her. He’d rather she take the lead, talk at her leisure, tell him why she’d called. Surprised didn’t begin to describe his reaction. It was more like relieved. He’d been hoping she’d use the phone he sent her. And to call him.

“Just okay?” he finally said, unable to keep silent.

The line was dead a moment, and he thought he might have lost her. “Hello?”

“I want to come spend the summer with you.”

His daughter’s voice sounded far-off, tired. Sad. But none of that immediately registered. All he heard was she wanted to come see him.

Drew didn’t even ask why she’d changed her mind.