thought
much about it. I guess I like blue best. Or maybe yellow. Why do you ask?”
“Because all your shirts are
pink.”
He plucked at his shirtfront. “They
used to be white. And my red shorts used to be a brighter shade.”
She laughed. “I presume laundry
is not your forte.”
“I guess not. But at the time, I
was in a hurry and water was scarce. Would you like some more wine? A liqueur?”
She shook her head. “One glass
is my limit tonight. I still have the ten
o’clock weather to do, and I’d hate to
be sloshed on the air. But I’ll have another cup of coffee.”
After Kale signaled the waiter
for a refill, she said, “The show has certainly improved since you’ve been
here. But poor Hulon. . .”. She sighed. “What are you going to do about him? He
really is terrified of being on camera, you know.”
“I’m not sure yet. I have a
couple of ideas. But one thing is clear; I need more than a week for Foster and
me to get the station back on track. I may have to ask the network for more
time away. Another month or so, at least.”
Sunny had been stroking the
tablecloth with the tip of her finger. At his words, her heart lurched and she
glanced up sharply. “That means that you’ll be staying at the house longer.
Should Estella and I find another—”
He reached across the table and
squeezed her hand lightly. “Don’t concern yourself about it. We can keep things
the way they are for the time being. My plans aren’t even definite yet.”
Don’t be concerned, he’d said.
Of course she was concerned. She’d developed a gigantic crush on the man
sitting across from her. How comfortable could she be in the same house with
him for an extended period?
Although she was almost
embarrassed to admit it, more than once she’d found herself fantasizing about
him as she’d lain in bed listening to the shower running at odd hours during
the night. In her fantasy, he’d step out of the tub, fling open the bathroom
door that connected to her room, and pad naked to her side. He’d slip beneath
the covers and whisper lovely things in her ear. He’d stroke her body the way
he was stroking her hand now, and—
Jerking herself out of her
reverie, she quickly pulled her hand from under his and patted her lips with
her napkin.
She gave him a bright smile. “We’ll
worry about that later then. Now I have to get back to the station.”
Kale paid the check, and they
drove the few blocks to the KRIP lot.
As he was helping her from Ravinia’s
Cadillac, she could have sworn he was about to kiss her, but another car pulled
into the lot. They walked inside.
“Come into my office for a
moment,” he said.
He closed the door behind them
and took her into his arms. “Do you mind if I kiss you good night?” His mouth
was already lowering to hers.
Her breath caught. She lifted
her face and her eyelids fluttered shut. “Do you think this is wise?”
“Probably not.”
He brushed her lips with his,
gently at first. Then the pressure deepened arid his tongue eased into her
mouth. She turned warm, then chilled, then warm again.
He lifted her so that her feet
were off the floor and her face was level with his, then kissed her again. He
kissed her as though he were a man who’d spent a week on the Sahara without
water and she were an oasis. Her heart beat like rolling thunder, and her toes
tingled as if a blue norther were on the way.
There was a knock at the door.
“Kale,” Hulon called. “You in
there?”
He hissed a curse and let her
slide down his body. “I may throw that man out the window myself.”
* * *
Shortly before Friday night’s
news show, Kale caught up with Sunny. “Have dinner again with me tonight.”
“I’m sorry. I have other plans.”
“Change your plans.”
Her spine stiffened at his
demanding tone. Just because he’d kissed her a couple of times didn’t mean she
was his property. She hadn’t even seen him since the night before in his
office. She’d
much about it. I guess I like blue best. Or maybe yellow. Why do you ask?”
“Because all your shirts are
pink.”
He plucked at his shirtfront. “They
used to be white. And my red shorts used to be a brighter shade.”
She laughed. “I presume laundry
is not your forte.”
“I guess not. But at the time, I
was in a hurry and water was scarce. Would you like some more wine? A liqueur?”
She shook her head. “One glass
is my limit tonight. I still have the ten
o’clock weather to do, and I’d hate to
be sloshed on the air. But I’ll have another cup of coffee.”
After Kale signaled the waiter
for a refill, she said, “The show has certainly improved since you’ve been
here. But poor Hulon. . .”. She sighed. “What are you going to do about him? He
really is terrified of being on camera, you know.”
“I’m not sure yet. I have a
couple of ideas. But one thing is clear; I need more than a week for Foster and
me to get the station back on track. I may have to ask the network for more
time away. Another month or so, at least.”
Sunny had been stroking the
tablecloth with the tip of her finger. At his words, her heart lurched and she
glanced up sharply. “That means that you’ll be staying at the house longer.
Should Estella and I find another—”
He reached across the table and
squeezed her hand lightly. “Don’t concern yourself about it. We can keep things
the way they are for the time being. My plans aren’t even definite yet.”
Don’t be concerned, he’d said.
Of course she was concerned. She’d developed a gigantic crush on the man
sitting across from her. How comfortable could she be in the same house with
him for an extended period?
Although she was almost
embarrassed to admit it, more than once she’d found herself fantasizing about
him as she’d lain in bed listening to the shower running at odd hours during
the night. In her fantasy, he’d step out of the tub, fling open the bathroom
door that connected to her room, and pad naked to her side. He’d slip beneath
the covers and whisper lovely things in her ear. He’d stroke her body the way
he was stroking her hand now, and—
Jerking herself out of her
reverie, she quickly pulled her hand from under his and patted her lips with
her napkin.
She gave him a bright smile. “We’ll
worry about that later then. Now I have to get back to the station.”
Kale paid the check, and they
drove the few blocks to the KRIP lot.
As he was helping her from Ravinia’s
Cadillac, she could have sworn he was about to kiss her, but another car pulled
into the lot. They walked inside.
“Come into my office for a
moment,” he said.
He closed the door behind them
and took her into his arms. “Do you mind if I kiss you good night?” His mouth
was already lowering to hers.
Her breath caught. She lifted
her face and her eyelids fluttered shut. “Do you think this is wise?”
“Probably not.”
He brushed her lips with his,
gently at first. Then the pressure deepened arid his tongue eased into her
mouth. She turned warm, then chilled, then warm again.
He lifted her so that her feet
were off the floor and her face was level with his, then kissed her again. He
kissed her as though he were a man who’d spent a week on the Sahara without
water and she were an oasis. Her heart beat like rolling thunder, and her toes
tingled as if a blue norther were on the way.
There was a knock at the door.
“Kale,” Hulon called. “You in
there?”
He hissed a curse and let her
slide down his body. “I may throw that man out the window myself.”
* * *
Shortly before Friday night’s
news show, Kale caught up with Sunny. “Have dinner again with me tonight.”
“I’m sorry. I have other plans.”
“Change your plans.”
Her spine stiffened at his
demanding tone. Just because he’d kissed her a couple of times didn’t mean she
was his property. She hadn’t even seen him since the night before in his
office. She’d
Similar Books
