Jim ordered, assuming she’d do as he said.
“Don’t be ridiculous. If we each take two bags, there won’t be a need for a second trip.” She looked outside the window at the driving rain. “But we’ll need to hurry.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
They got out of the car and ran to the back of it, each gathering up the paper bags. Then they raced to the shelter of the apartment hallway.
When they reached safety from the storm, they skidded into each other, both laughing at their antics. Waterwas dripping off their hair onto their faces as they grinned at each other.
Suddenly Jim stopped laughing and stepped closer, lowering his head to Carrie’s for a kiss, inch by tantalizing inch.
Chapter Eight
Everything went into slow motion as Carrie stood there, mesmerized by Jim’s chocolate-brown eyes. She could feel his breath on her face, smell his musky scent, and her heart leapt in anticipation of his lips on hers. She already knew what they would feel like. Hadn’t she dreamed of his kisses for over a year?
Jim was a hairsbreadth away from her mouth when she suddenly realized what she was about to do. Kiss Jim Barlow? That was exactly what she wasn’t supposed to do. At the last minute, she pulled back and stammered, “W-we’d better get these groceries up to your apartment before they spoil.”
With that she spun away from him and raced up the flight of stairs. She heard Jim follow a few moments later, leaving her to wait by his door, her heart pounding not from her run up the steps but from their near-kiss.
When Jim came up alongside her to unlock the door, she sidestepped him and then zipped inside the open door, setting her bags on the kitchen counter. Then she hurried back to the door, skirting around Jim as he entered.
“Well, good luck. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said hastily as she exited the apartment.
“Carrie!” Jim called in protest, but she ignored him. She was heading for safety to her own apartment with the door locked behind her. No more temptation tonight. She’d almost made a big mistake, and she wasn’t taking any more risks.
“D AMN !” J IM MUTTERED under his breath as he stood, his hands on his hips, in his empty kitchen. He hadn’t intended to— No, he had to be honest. He had wanted to kiss Carrie. She’d looked so cute with rain dripping off her hair, her eyes shining, a big smile on those lips. Yeah, he’d wanted to taste them. To feel her warmth against him.
What was wrong with him? He’d told himself that he shouldn’t fall for another woman. It would only cause heartache and pain. Who knew what would happen if he let himself fall for Carrie?
He couldn’t do that to her.
Sighing, he began putting away his groceries. Maybe he’d been too long without a woman. Yeah, that was it. It couldn’t have anything to do with Carrie’s beauty, her intelligence, her strengths. No, nothing to do with those things.
With a wry laugh, he paused in his activity. Okay, so now that he’d been honest with himself, what was he going to do about it? He couldn’t pursue her. Not after she’d indicated she didn’t want anything to do with him. She was his sister’s best friend. He was going to have to be around her. Hell, he’d even arranged to work with her.
Talk about making a mess of things!
Should he tell Will he didn’t want the job? But he did. It seemed to him the job was suited to his particular skills. He felt comfortable with Will. He didn’t want to walk away.
He didn’t want to leave Carrie.
Whoa! That was one of those thoughts he needed to bury deep within him. His future might lie with Will and Carrie for work, but not personally. He needed to keep that in mind.
A T THE OFFICE the next morning, everything seemed to have calmed down, much to Carrie’s relief. She’d made sure she’d left the apartment before Jim could ask for any favors. She thought it was strange that neither he nor Will had come to the office, but she was sure they
“Don’t be ridiculous. If we each take two bags, there won’t be a need for a second trip.” She looked outside the window at the driving rain. “But we’ll need to hurry.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.”
They got out of the car and ran to the back of it, each gathering up the paper bags. Then they raced to the shelter of the apartment hallway.
When they reached safety from the storm, they skidded into each other, both laughing at their antics. Waterwas dripping off their hair onto their faces as they grinned at each other.
Suddenly Jim stopped laughing and stepped closer, lowering his head to Carrie’s for a kiss, inch by tantalizing inch.
Chapter Eight
Everything went into slow motion as Carrie stood there, mesmerized by Jim’s chocolate-brown eyes. She could feel his breath on her face, smell his musky scent, and her heart leapt in anticipation of his lips on hers. She already knew what they would feel like. Hadn’t she dreamed of his kisses for over a year?
Jim was a hairsbreadth away from her mouth when she suddenly realized what she was about to do. Kiss Jim Barlow? That was exactly what she wasn’t supposed to do. At the last minute, she pulled back and stammered, “W-we’d better get these groceries up to your apartment before they spoil.”
With that she spun away from him and raced up the flight of stairs. She heard Jim follow a few moments later, leaving her to wait by his door, her heart pounding not from her run up the steps but from their near-kiss.
When Jim came up alongside her to unlock the door, she sidestepped him and then zipped inside the open door, setting her bags on the kitchen counter. Then she hurried back to the door, skirting around Jim as he entered.
“Well, good luck. I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said hastily as she exited the apartment.
“Carrie!” Jim called in protest, but she ignored him. She was heading for safety to her own apartment with the door locked behind her. No more temptation tonight. She’d almost made a big mistake, and she wasn’t taking any more risks.
“D AMN !” J IM MUTTERED under his breath as he stood, his hands on his hips, in his empty kitchen. He hadn’t intended to— No, he had to be honest. He had wanted to kiss Carrie. She’d looked so cute with rain dripping off her hair, her eyes shining, a big smile on those lips. Yeah, he’d wanted to taste them. To feel her warmth against him.
What was wrong with him? He’d told himself that he shouldn’t fall for another woman. It would only cause heartache and pain. Who knew what would happen if he let himself fall for Carrie?
He couldn’t do that to her.
Sighing, he began putting away his groceries. Maybe he’d been too long without a woman. Yeah, that was it. It couldn’t have anything to do with Carrie’s beauty, her intelligence, her strengths. No, nothing to do with those things.
With a wry laugh, he paused in his activity. Okay, so now that he’d been honest with himself, what was he going to do about it? He couldn’t pursue her. Not after she’d indicated she didn’t want anything to do with him. She was his sister’s best friend. He was going to have to be around her. Hell, he’d even arranged to work with her.
Talk about making a mess of things!
Should he tell Will he didn’t want the job? But he did. It seemed to him the job was suited to his particular skills. He felt comfortable with Will. He didn’t want to walk away.
He didn’t want to leave Carrie.
Whoa! That was one of those thoughts he needed to bury deep within him. His future might lie with Will and Carrie for work, but not personally. He needed to keep that in mind.
A T THE OFFICE the next morning, everything seemed to have calmed down, much to Carrie’s relief. She’d made sure she’d left the apartment before Jim could ask for any favors. She thought it was strange that neither he nor Will had come to the office, but she was sure they
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