Canyons of Night by Jayne Castle

this.”
    “No shit.”
    “The history of my social life is filled with disastrous first dates. Well, sometimes I make it to two or three. Once in a while I get all the way to five.”
    “If you start talking like this on every date, I can see where there might have been a few problems,” he said.
    “In fairness to myself, I have to say that I’ve tried keeping my mouth shut in hopes that I’m wrong.”
    “Must have been hard for you.”
    “I gave all my Arcanematch dates at least three chances,” she assured him.
    “How very broad-minded of you.”
    “The point is, I gave the professional matchmakers a chance. But in the end it always turned out that my rainbow-reading intuition was accurate the first time. More accurate than their para-psych profiles. If I tried to override my intuition I invariably had a panic attack.”
    “Are you having a panic attack now?”
    “No.” She frowned, as though somewhat confused. “Probably because we stopped in time.”
    “Your intuition told you that I was the one who would have regrets so you pulled the plug before you found out whether or not that would actually happen. And before you found out if you would have a panic attack.”
    “Like I said, a woman has her pride. Besides, I thought it would be easier, socially, for both of us that way. We have the next six months to get through together here on this island.”
    “You make it sound like we’re doing time in a prison cell together. Do you really think it’s going to be easier to deal with me at the post office and the grocery store now after what just happened between us?”
    She exhaled slowly. “I didn’t handle this very well, did I?”
    “Let’s just say that I feel like banging my head against this wall.” He pushed himself away from her. “I think I’d better go back to my place now.”
    “Okay, but one question before you leave,” she said quickly.
    “Now this I’m pretty sure I will regret. What?”
    “Were you by any chance conflicted about having sex with me tonight because you’re on the rebound from that Marriage of Convenience that you told me about?”
    “No. That was easy.” He turned to go. “I’m leaving now before this conversation deteriorates any further.”
    “Maybe it’s a physical problem that worries you?” she said very earnestly. “Have you seen a doctor?”
    “Forget hitting my head against the nearest wall.” He kept walking. “I think I’ll go back to my place and pour myself a real big glass of Hot Ruins Whiskey.”
    There was a lengthy pause behind him.
    “Good night, Slade. I’m sorry I screwed this up.”
    The sad wistfulness in her voice stopped him in the doorway. He turned around and walked deliberately back toward her.
    “Did you forget something?” she asked.
    He clamped both hands around her shoulders and hauled her close.
    “Promise me something,” he said.
    “What?”
    “Promise me that you will not say another word until I am back out there on the road and too far away to hear you.”
    “Okay.”
    He took one hand off her shoulder and put it across her lips. “Hush. Not a single word.”
    She nodded once but said nothing. Her eyes were wide and deep and full of an expression of bewilderment that he found very gratifying.
    “For the record,” he said, “there is no physical problem involved.”
    She blinked but she did not try to speak.
    He took his finger off her mouth and tightened his grip on her shoulders. He kicked up his senses a few notches, not trying to focus, not going into the danger zone, but hot enough so that Charlotte would be aware of the energy. He kissed her before she could think twice about speaking.
    He did not kiss her the way he had earlier. He did not ask for a response. He was not trying to seduce her now. His only goal was to leave an indelible impression.
    She did not go up in flames when his mouth came down on hers. She froze, shocked or stunned or maybe simply dumbfounded. He held the kiss for a short time,