He hit the remote button and swung open the passenger door.
After jamming the mugs into the drink alcoves between the driver and passenger seats, he swept Susie off her feet and settled her into the leather. He cradled her face, slanted his lips over hers, and kissed her until she purred like a docile tabby.
“To answer your earlier question. No. There is no way I can or will ever forget last night. And we haven’t even begun to discuss why you didn’t let me know it was your first time. Did I hurt you?”
Susie White did everything at full blast, even blushing. Color suffused her face. She worried her lower lip and ducked her head. “Small pinch. I don’t want to talk about it, Joe.”
Deciding to let the topic go for now, he said, “Now’s not the right time, I agree. But we will discuss this, Susie.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed, and her eyebrows slashed together.
“Don’t.” He set two fingers to her mouth. “Whatever you were going to say, hold it for later.”
“I was going to say—we’re running late now. You better set the pedal to the metal.”
She didn’t utter a word until they hit I-10. By then the clouds had opened and rain streamed down in a loose weave.
“Thanks for the ride. I really appreciate it.”
“I was going into town anyway. Don’t forget the shake.” He had already downed his.
She eyed the tumbler. “You did mention it’s chocolate flavored?”
“Double fudge. Go ahead. Indulge.”
She sucked on the straw and her throat worked and that had all sorts of sucking scenarios playing in his head. “That was delish. Thank you.”
“Like I said last night. Not much of a cook. The shake does the trick, and it’ll keep you full for a couple of hours.”
She set the tumbler back in the holder and cleared her throat. “I’m going to see if I can get back the room in the dorm I stayed in before Terri and the lease happened. Hopefully I won’t have to take advantage of your hospitality for more than a couple of days.”
Joe ground his teeth. If he weren’t driving, she’d be on his lap melting under a firestorm of kisses.
She fiddled with the seat belt and kept her eyes downcast. “If that doesn’t work out, I met a woman last week who’s searching for a roommate. I can easily move in with Charlene.”
Joe concentrated on the road. Visibility had dimmed to three hundred yards, but his wolf vision kicked in, and he could see for miles. What he needed right then, though, was a focal point, and slamming on the brakes, turning to her, and ordering her not to even consider stepping out of his orbit was definitely not the thing to do. Nor was he about to mention not using a condom.
Why hadn’t she brought it up?
She seemed more worried about not being indebted to him than a possible pregnancy. He crossed his toes in his boots; hopefully she was on the pill.
He had two days. ’Nuff time to develop and execute a plan of attack.
“Is Charlene in one of your classes?” He geared down and started the radio scan option.
“Yes. She’s getting a master’s in nutrition too. She happened to be in the admissions office during mature student registration, and as it turned out, we’re cotutoring some sessions together.” Susie tugged at the hemline of her skirt.
Joe admired her supple knees, cut calves, and trim ankles. Heck, he could and would spend a long, leisurely afternoon on those shapely ankles. “Does she live on campus?”
“No. She’s married, and she and her husband live off campus. They own a three-bedroom house near the downtown area. They have a spare bedroom in the basement going begging.”
No fricking way would she share a living space with any other male. “You find it hard being older than most of the other students?”
“I’m not really older than the other grad students, but it’s different as most of them have actually done the four-year college thing. I would’ve liked to have had the real college experience, you know? The whole
After jamming the mugs into the drink alcoves between the driver and passenger seats, he swept Susie off her feet and settled her into the leather. He cradled her face, slanted his lips over hers, and kissed her until she purred like a docile tabby.
“To answer your earlier question. No. There is no way I can or will ever forget last night. And we haven’t even begun to discuss why you didn’t let me know it was your first time. Did I hurt you?”
Susie White did everything at full blast, even blushing. Color suffused her face. She worried her lower lip and ducked her head. “Small pinch. I don’t want to talk about it, Joe.”
Deciding to let the topic go for now, he said, “Now’s not the right time, I agree. But we will discuss this, Susie.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed, and her eyebrows slashed together.
“Don’t.” He set two fingers to her mouth. “Whatever you were going to say, hold it for later.”
“I was going to say—we’re running late now. You better set the pedal to the metal.”
She didn’t utter a word until they hit I-10. By then the clouds had opened and rain streamed down in a loose weave.
“Thanks for the ride. I really appreciate it.”
“I was going into town anyway. Don’t forget the shake.” He had already downed his.
She eyed the tumbler. “You did mention it’s chocolate flavored?”
“Double fudge. Go ahead. Indulge.”
She sucked on the straw and her throat worked and that had all sorts of sucking scenarios playing in his head. “That was delish. Thank you.”
“Like I said last night. Not much of a cook. The shake does the trick, and it’ll keep you full for a couple of hours.”
She set the tumbler back in the holder and cleared her throat. “I’m going to see if I can get back the room in the dorm I stayed in before Terri and the lease happened. Hopefully I won’t have to take advantage of your hospitality for more than a couple of days.”
Joe ground his teeth. If he weren’t driving, she’d be on his lap melting under a firestorm of kisses.
She fiddled with the seat belt and kept her eyes downcast. “If that doesn’t work out, I met a woman last week who’s searching for a roommate. I can easily move in with Charlene.”
Joe concentrated on the road. Visibility had dimmed to three hundred yards, but his wolf vision kicked in, and he could see for miles. What he needed right then, though, was a focal point, and slamming on the brakes, turning to her, and ordering her not to even consider stepping out of his orbit was definitely not the thing to do. Nor was he about to mention not using a condom.
Why hadn’t she brought it up?
She seemed more worried about not being indebted to him than a possible pregnancy. He crossed his toes in his boots; hopefully she was on the pill.
He had two days. ’Nuff time to develop and execute a plan of attack.
“Is Charlene in one of your classes?” He geared down and started the radio scan option.
“Yes. She’s getting a master’s in nutrition too. She happened to be in the admissions office during mature student registration, and as it turned out, we’re cotutoring some sessions together.” Susie tugged at the hemline of her skirt.
Joe admired her supple knees, cut calves, and trim ankles. Heck, he could and would spend a long, leisurely afternoon on those shapely ankles. “Does she live on campus?”
“No. She’s married, and she and her husband live off campus. They own a three-bedroom house near the downtown area. They have a spare bedroom in the basement going begging.”
No fricking way would she share a living space with any other male. “You find it hard being older than most of the other students?”
“I’m not really older than the other grad students, but it’s different as most of them have actually done the four-year college thing. I would’ve liked to have had the real college experience, you know? The whole
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