in check. If she touched him, she’d end up making a fool of herself. She knew it. So instead, she stood up and took half a step away from the desk, starting to move toward the office to get her jacket and keys. “We should probably head out. I’d hate to take up any more of your time.”
Behind Collin, Bill gave her an angry look.
What was that about?
He’d just been making fun of Collin and now he was angry that she was getting Collin out of here? Why was he being so confusing?
I guess men are the same no matter which century they’re from.
Collin stood up, too, but instead of agreeing and grabbing his things, he shook his head and took a step toward her. Before he could get a single word out, though, Bill disappeared with a loud, popping sound.
And then the lights cut out.
Caught by surprise, Marnie stumbled forward, pitching directly into Collin’s arms, which tightened around her, hugging her to his hard chest.
Oh, wow. Oh. Warm, solid…she could spend forever in these arms.
She felt his breath catch against her body, and before she knew it, his lips were on hers.
Chapter Eight
He’d managed to confuse her.
Collin nearly laughed, but that would mean pulling his lips away from Marnie’s, and he definitely didn’t want to do that. He’d never kissed a woman who made him so hot. He could feel her debating whether or not to keep kissing him, and for some strange reason, he found he actually liked her internal debate. The women he usually kissed were often so eager that there was nothing to work toward. No anticipation.
Except…if she decided she didn’t want to keep kissing him, he’d be a jerk if he continued doing it. So he gentled the kiss and brushed his mouth over hers, lightly…a ghost of a touch. She pulled back, eyes shining even in the moonlit darkness of the library, and sighed, “Oh, wow. Collin.”
It seemed like she was okay with the kissing, after all.
He really did laugh this time, leaning his forehead against hers.
“This place seems to be the perfect setting for the ghost story you told earlier. Mysterious bumps in the floor, drawers sliding open, rats in the attic, lights going out…”
But this close, he could see that she wasn’t joining in his laughter. In fact, her face contorted in something like fear, and he immediately backed up. “Oh God. Marnie, I was just joking. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. In fact, I’ll send a guy out to come check the foundation and wiring. I’m sure it can be fixed with just a little once-over.”
To his surprise, she shook her head, the fear gone from her face. Of course, with the lights out, maybe he had simply misread her expression, and she hadn’t been afraid, after all. “That’s—gosh, that’s really generous of you. But I’m sure it’s nothing. Ghosts! Ha!”
Her laugh sounded forced, though. Was she upset that he had just kissed her? Nervous?
“Marnie,” he began, “I wasn’t trying to be too forward just now. It just happened—”
She stepped away, crossing her arms over her chest in a protective gesture. “It’s okay. Really, I have no objections. I mean, it was fine. I-I’ll just get my keys and we can go.”
What had happened to the woman who had just sighed his name? One second, she’d been soft and relaxed in his arms, and the next she was stiff and closed off.
He frowned. “Actually, that won’t be necessary. A car is coming for me. Rebecca dispatched a car as soon as she heard I was stranded and didn’t tell me until I was about to hang up. I was trying to tell you that, just a second ago, but the lights cut out.” He huffed out a breath, feeling unmoored without her nearby. “The car service should be here pretty soon. I’ll send someone tomorrow to tow mine.”
She didn’t say anything in response, just nodded tightly and picked her way over to the wall by her office, fiddling with a switch panel there. He wanted to tell her that he could take care of it, that he
Behind Collin, Bill gave her an angry look.
What was that about?
He’d just been making fun of Collin and now he was angry that she was getting Collin out of here? Why was he being so confusing?
I guess men are the same no matter which century they’re from.
Collin stood up, too, but instead of agreeing and grabbing his things, he shook his head and took a step toward her. Before he could get a single word out, though, Bill disappeared with a loud, popping sound.
And then the lights cut out.
Caught by surprise, Marnie stumbled forward, pitching directly into Collin’s arms, which tightened around her, hugging her to his hard chest.
Oh, wow. Oh. Warm, solid…she could spend forever in these arms.
She felt his breath catch against her body, and before she knew it, his lips were on hers.
Chapter Eight
He’d managed to confuse her.
Collin nearly laughed, but that would mean pulling his lips away from Marnie’s, and he definitely didn’t want to do that. He’d never kissed a woman who made him so hot. He could feel her debating whether or not to keep kissing him, and for some strange reason, he found he actually liked her internal debate. The women he usually kissed were often so eager that there was nothing to work toward. No anticipation.
Except…if she decided she didn’t want to keep kissing him, he’d be a jerk if he continued doing it. So he gentled the kiss and brushed his mouth over hers, lightly…a ghost of a touch. She pulled back, eyes shining even in the moonlit darkness of the library, and sighed, “Oh, wow. Collin.”
It seemed like she was okay with the kissing, after all.
He really did laugh this time, leaning his forehead against hers.
“This place seems to be the perfect setting for the ghost story you told earlier. Mysterious bumps in the floor, drawers sliding open, rats in the attic, lights going out…”
But this close, he could see that she wasn’t joining in his laughter. In fact, her face contorted in something like fear, and he immediately backed up. “Oh God. Marnie, I was just joking. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. In fact, I’ll send a guy out to come check the foundation and wiring. I’m sure it can be fixed with just a little once-over.”
To his surprise, she shook her head, the fear gone from her face. Of course, with the lights out, maybe he had simply misread her expression, and she hadn’t been afraid, after all. “That’s—gosh, that’s really generous of you. But I’m sure it’s nothing. Ghosts! Ha!”
Her laugh sounded forced, though. Was she upset that he had just kissed her? Nervous?
“Marnie,” he began, “I wasn’t trying to be too forward just now. It just happened—”
She stepped away, crossing her arms over her chest in a protective gesture. “It’s okay. Really, I have no objections. I mean, it was fine. I-I’ll just get my keys and we can go.”
What had happened to the woman who had just sighed his name? One second, she’d been soft and relaxed in his arms, and the next she was stiff and closed off.
He frowned. “Actually, that won’t be necessary. A car is coming for me. Rebecca dispatched a car as soon as she heard I was stranded and didn’t tell me until I was about to hang up. I was trying to tell you that, just a second ago, but the lights cut out.” He huffed out a breath, feeling unmoored without her nearby. “The car service should be here pretty soon. I’ll send someone tomorrow to tow mine.”
She didn’t say anything in response, just nodded tightly and picked her way over to the wall by her office, fiddling with a switch panel there. He wanted to tell her that he could take care of it, that he
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