Leaving Normal, Stef Holm [ebook reader screen .TXT] 📗

"Then don't let anything stop you. Have fun with him."

"I will, I do… Yes. Fine. You win. I'll be happy tonight and he'll never know that I'm giving him up for a good cause—his own future with the woman of his dreams." She straightened and gave Sarah a silly grin. "Now get out of my house."

Sarah put on a face of mock indignance. "How's that for gratitude? We come over here and get you beautiful and you kick us out before we can greet him at the door."

"My point exactly." Natalie stood and headed downstairs to let her sister and the girls out. "I don't want you guys here when he comes over. You'll all drool on him or say something that will embarrass me."

"We would never."

"Maybe not on purpose."

Sarah rounded up her daughters and they departed with well-wishes. As soon as they were gone, Natalie went back upstairs, took the heels off and put on her Doc Martens, and swapped the blouse for the sweater..

She felt more herself, although her nerves were still stretched thin.

A quick check of the clock. Tony would be here in less than fifteen minutes.

She had thought about his kiss on more than one oc-casion, not even bringing it up to Sarah who would have had a field day with it and put far more into the kiss than she should have.

Natalie wasn't sure why Tony had done it other than he was charmer and perhaps that was just how he was…or maybe not. Who was to say?

All she knew was she hadn't been prepared to have such hot feelings for sex hit her so soon. But the second Tony's mouth brushed the corner of hers in a kiss good-night, she was a goner.

He was so masculine, so incredibly solid and strong; it had taken all her willpower not to lift her arms around his shoulders and hold him close, enjoying and savoring the way he felt.

It had been so long since she'd wanted to be wrapped up in someone's arms, to have them be inside her and fill her mind, body and soul.

The rapid, almost reckless way she'd reacted to Tony's chaste kiss both thrilled and frightened her.

Natalie hated to acknowledge the signs. He had ignited in her a driving need to kiss him again, and to kiss him fully on the mouth…with more than a quick touch. She fantasized about slipping her tongue around his, tasting him, putting her arms around his broad shoulders and holding him close. Bringing him home, taking him upstairs and undressing…

Blinking, her mouth went dry. Her pulse was tripped up, missing a beat. She felt flushed, anxious. The very thought of him sent a warming shiver through her body.

She was in trouble. Deep trouble.

The Bank of America Centre came alive with cheers from the crowd as the Steelheads skated out on the ice. The fans had been given boxes of macaroni and cheese when they came into the arena and everyone went a little nuts shaking the boxes and making noise to spur on their home team.

The orange chairs were filled to capacity, the fans wild and very different from those who were regulars at the BSU football games. Followers of the Steelies were a different breed. They were loud, rowdy and always liked a good hip check that ended in a fight on the ice.

Tony slanted his gaze at Natalie who stood next to him shaking her macaroni box and keeping her eyes on the rink as the players' names were announced over the PA system. Over the deafening noise of cheers and the clabber of air tubes that fans smacked together, it was almost impossible to hear any of the names being spoken.

Natalie's eyes were intent on the arena, taking everything in—and there was a lot to take in. She was oblivious to him staring at her, which was good. He wanted to take his time, to observe and study. To smile at her and watch her expressions.

She seemed to be interested so far. Hockey wasn't for everyone. A bit of a blood sport at times. Teeth got knocked out, knees cut, fingers got broken, foreheads sliced by the blade of a skate. He knew firsthand about that one. That's how he'd gotten the scar on his temple.

He was a skater.

Funny thing, big as he was, he glided on the ice as if he were meant to be there. He played on the firemen's hockey team, loved the game, the challenge and adrena-. line rush that was different than he experienced on the job.

Natalie glanced his way, smiled and he smiled in return. Or maybe he was already smiling.

A sparkle lit her eyes, a hint of curiosity and wonder before returning her attention to the ice.

She looked great in a white sweater that was very feminine. Her jeans rode a bit below her waist, something he thought was sexy and when she moved, just a hint of skin showed between the bottom of the sweater and the waist of her jeans. He liked that. Her coat was draped against the back of her chair in case she got cold in the arena.

She'd done her hair differently, put on her makeup a little differently, too. Just when he thought he knew her—rather, could predict her—she did something out of the ordinary.

He liked that, too.

She surprised him in ways that made him happy.

Her cheeks were flushed pink, the neckline of her sweater was low enough to show a slight valley of cleavage but not too much that he could see any outline of her bra. She had a great body, a flat stomach and nice breasts. He wondered if her surgery had affected her, not in a particular physical way, but in an emotional way. He knew of people's lives that had been changed by scars and accidents. Minds were reset to live differently, to think beyond appearances. He could only speculate if she thought she was less of a woman, if in