who
would make a promise you don’t intend to keep.” He grazed her mouth with his,
leaving her wanting more. “If you told me you loved me… If you told me you
wanted to be with me forever, I know I’d be able to count on that.”
Love? Forever? Like a bucket of ice water, those words woke Kristen from her
fantasy. Clearing her throat delicately, she stepped back. “Can I get you
something to drink?”
His brows creased as he reached for her
hand. “I’m sorry. Did I overstep?”
“No, nothing like that.” She hoped she
sounded convincing. “It’s just that… well…”
She didn’t know what was wrong with her.
Matt was the most incredible man she’d met, yet the little voice in her head
warned her to proceed with caution. She couldn’t figure out why. Matt didn’t
seem like the kind of guy with skeletons buried in his closet, but neither did
Robert. The problem was she no longer trusted her instincts.
“I’m sorry, I guess I just need to take
this slow.” She feared he wouldn’t be willing to wait for her to come around to
his way of thinking. Men like Matt were rarely asked to wait while a girl made
up her mind, and she couldn’t blame him for feeling frustrated and confused.
She reached for his hand. “I think you’re amazing. I hope you know that.”
The fine lines fanning out from his eyes
deepened with his smile. “The feeling is definitely mutual.”
“I want to keep seeing you…” More than
anything. “But I can’t help wanting to be cautious about getting too
serious right away.”
When he looked taken aback, Kristen cursed
herself for assuming he was thinking along those lines. Maybe she was the only
one looking toward the future. Maybe he was content to enjoy their relationship
moment to moment.
“I’m sorry.” Withdrawing her hand, she
turned away and made a beeline for the kitchen. She hoped he would give her a
moment to collect herself, but the sound of his footsteps behind her told her
that was not his intent.
“Don’t do that.” Turning her to face him,
he whispered, “Don’t you know you can say anything to me? Whatever you’re
thinking, whatever you’re feeling, I want to know.”
She was relieved that he didn’t seem put
off by her outburst. “I appreciate that, but I think we should save this
conversation for another day. We’ve had a wonderful evening. Let’s not spoil
it, okay?”
“How would talking about our feelings spoil
anything? Unless we’re not on the same page?”
She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and
hated that she’d put it there. Matt’s ex had obviously put him through the
emotional wringer, and the last thing she wanted was to be accused of doing the
same. “I’m crazy about you.” She was rewarded for her honesty when his face lit
up like a kid opening a coveted birthday present.
His mellow baritone was laced with control
when he said, “Good, then we’re on the same page. I’m crazy about you too,
Kris.”
For once, Kristen was tempted to let go. To
give herself to a man without thinking about the consequences or assuming the
worst. Since her father’s betrayal, she had always secretly assumed every man
would break her heart. But Matt had done nothing to deserve her distrust.
“Now that we’ve established that,” she
said, barely recognizing the sound of her own voice, “what do you suggest we do
about it?” She expected a glib response triggered by his hormones.
“You know, I think subconsciously, I may
have done all this just to become the man I thought you deserved.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s no secret I had a crush on you in
high school, but I didn’t ask you out because I knew you’d be embarrassed to be
seen with me.”
“Don’t say that.” She flattened her hand
against his solid chest. She hated to think that she had been so shallow she
wouldn’t have seen his obvious appeal no matter what he looked like. “I would
have gone out with you—”
“I know you would have. You were sweet
would make a promise you don’t intend to keep.” He grazed her mouth with his,
leaving her wanting more. “If you told me you loved me… If you told me you
wanted to be with me forever, I know I’d be able to count on that.”
Love? Forever? Like a bucket of ice water, those words woke Kristen from her
fantasy. Clearing her throat delicately, she stepped back. “Can I get you
something to drink?”
His brows creased as he reached for her
hand. “I’m sorry. Did I overstep?”
“No, nothing like that.” She hoped she
sounded convincing. “It’s just that… well…”
She didn’t know what was wrong with her.
Matt was the most incredible man she’d met, yet the little voice in her head
warned her to proceed with caution. She couldn’t figure out why. Matt didn’t
seem like the kind of guy with skeletons buried in his closet, but neither did
Robert. The problem was she no longer trusted her instincts.
“I’m sorry, I guess I just need to take
this slow.” She feared he wouldn’t be willing to wait for her to come around to
his way of thinking. Men like Matt were rarely asked to wait while a girl made
up her mind, and she couldn’t blame him for feeling frustrated and confused.
She reached for his hand. “I think you’re amazing. I hope you know that.”
The fine lines fanning out from his eyes
deepened with his smile. “The feeling is definitely mutual.”
“I want to keep seeing you…” More than
anything. “But I can’t help wanting to be cautious about getting too
serious right away.”
When he looked taken aback, Kristen cursed
herself for assuming he was thinking along those lines. Maybe she was the only
one looking toward the future. Maybe he was content to enjoy their relationship
moment to moment.
“I’m sorry.” Withdrawing her hand, she
turned away and made a beeline for the kitchen. She hoped he would give her a
moment to collect herself, but the sound of his footsteps behind her told her
that was not his intent.
“Don’t do that.” Turning her to face him,
he whispered, “Don’t you know you can say anything to me? Whatever you’re
thinking, whatever you’re feeling, I want to know.”
She was relieved that he didn’t seem put
off by her outburst. “I appreciate that, but I think we should save this
conversation for another day. We’ve had a wonderful evening. Let’s not spoil
it, okay?”
“How would talking about our feelings spoil
anything? Unless we’re not on the same page?”
She saw the uncertainty in his eyes and
hated that she’d put it there. Matt’s ex had obviously put him through the
emotional wringer, and the last thing she wanted was to be accused of doing the
same. “I’m crazy about you.” She was rewarded for her honesty when his face lit
up like a kid opening a coveted birthday present.
His mellow baritone was laced with control
when he said, “Good, then we’re on the same page. I’m crazy about you too,
Kris.”
For once, Kristen was tempted to let go. To
give herself to a man without thinking about the consequences or assuming the
worst. Since her father’s betrayal, she had always secretly assumed every man
would break her heart. But Matt had done nothing to deserve her distrust.
“Now that we’ve established that,” she
said, barely recognizing the sound of her own voice, “what do you suggest we do
about it?” She expected a glib response triggered by his hormones.
“You know, I think subconsciously, I may
have done all this just to become the man I thought you deserved.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s no secret I had a crush on you in
high school, but I didn’t ask you out because I knew you’d be embarrassed to be
seen with me.”
“Don’t say that.” She flattened her hand
against his solid chest. She hated to think that she had been so shallow she
wouldn’t have seen his obvious appeal no matter what he looked like. “I would
have gone out with you—”
“I know you would have. You were sweet
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