wolfish smile spread across Jon’s face as he took her in again. “ If you look this good dirty...” He cleared his throat and shook his head. “Yeah, I still want to go out, but you’d better make it ten because anything beyond that and I can’t promise I’ll still be a gentleman.”
7
Jon struggled to keep his mind from wandering to sex as he sat and listened to the sound of the shower running down the hall.
All day long , thoughts of her kept him distracted, and now that he was standing in her house, he was at a loss for what to do with her. To her. Himself. His mind was a jumbled mess of confusion.
He hadn’t been serious with a woman for a long time. He wasn’t entirely sure he ever wanted to be again. But this woman was something different from what he was used to. She wasn’t glamorous in any way, but her beauty seemed to come naturally, as if she weren’t even trying.
He smiled, recalling the moment he first got lost in her eyes. It was right after the accident when he’d gone to see if she were okay. He’d never looked into eyes as blue as hers. They were rich and vibrant and full of life, like the ocean on a clear summer day. He’d met her two nights earlier, of course, but it wasn’t until the accident that he became mesmerized.
The water shut off and as Jon yanked his thoughts out of the gutter, it occurred to him that this might be the woman who changed everything. He wasn’t entirely sure he was on board with that realization, but he wasn’t willing to turn his back on the possibility just yet , either.
The muffled sound of a blow dryer came next and Jon settled into the recliner, knowing for damn certain that he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He had a sister, so he knew without question that the ten-minute stipulation he’d placed on her would be more like thirty…if he were lucky.
To his surprise, Patricia only kept him waiting an additional ten.
“Sorry, sorry,” she said as she stumbled into the living room. She had on one very high, black heel, while hopping around on it trying to pull on the other. “I know I took longer than I said I would, but beauty takes time.” Finally managing to loop her shoe over her heel, she stood up tall and presented him with a dazzling smile. “Ready?”
Jon stared. He couldn’t take his eyes off her even if he wanted to. Dressed in a token little black dress that left her shoulders bare and cupped her breasts like loving hands, and ended at mid-thigh, exposing her lean, toned legs, he was sure he had died and gone to heaven.
Noticing the look on his face, Patti’s steps faltered. “Everything okay?” She frowned down at herself, smoothing her hands over the formfitting dress. “I just realized that I didn’t bother to ask where we were going tonight. Should I change into something else?”
Realizing what an ass he was making of himself, Jon shook his head and stood. With his eyes glued to hers, he crossed the room to stand in front of her. “You look incredible. Don’t change a thing.” Unable to resist the allure of her curvaceous body, he reached out his hand and let his fingers skim lightly across the slinky material clinging to her taut stomach like a second skin. He felt the muscles tighten beneath his touch, and took it as his cue to get even closer.
“Should we be going?” he asked, gliding his palm down her arm and enfolding her hand in his.
She smiled shyly, dropping her gaze. That single moment of vulnerability set in stone Jon’s determination to get to know her beyond the purely physical. She wasn’t just the hard ass, tough as nails woman he’d met before. She had softness to buffer her rough edges, and he found that quality beyond sexy. “Sure, let me just grab my purse.”
After she locked up, Jon led her to his truck.
“I see you got a new car.”
“It’s a truck, actually,” he said with a teasing smile.
Patricia smacked him in the side playfully with the back of her hand,
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