Damsels in distress, she thought. That’s not what I am. It’s not what I’ll ever be. Graham might be use to healing wounded people, but I won’t be one of them.
Caresse tugged her foot away from Graham’s hands and made her own assessment. Her foot was red, and the skin on the heel had been badly scraped. She placed the bandage she was holding securely around her heel and slipped on one of her sports socks.
“Trying to be a Superwoman again, huh? Why is the wall up this time?”
“Oh, I didn’t know I was obligated for your assistance?” she mumbled.
“What? Did I miss something?” Graham watched her limp toward the kitchen. “What’s going on, Caresse? Either you’re the moodiest woman I’ve ever met, or you’re easily insulted by men in general.”
Caresse whirled around and faced him. The glare in her eyes was unmistakable. She was only a few steps from being mad as hell, and if another stupid thing came flying out of his mouth, she was going to let him have it.
“Oh, so you’re giving me the look . Are you really that mad, Caresse, or did the truth sting too much?”
“Where are my things? I need to leave before I say something I know you’ll regret.”
“Hey, Babe, the only thing between us is air and opportunity.” Graham stepped closer and limited the space between their bodies. “And now there’s only opportunity, so what’s your next move?”
Graham knew from the glare of her eyes that she wanted to hit him square on the jaw and watch his head snap back like a bobble head, but he doubted she packed that kind of punch. Besides, if she did hit him, he would make sure she’d stay and make it all better. She had the softest lips he had ever experienced, and from the curious smile creeping over her face, he knew she liked having her buttons pushed.
“What’s so funny, little lady? Did the idea of giving me the beating of my life crack that demeanor?”
“You could say that.” Caresse stepped away from him and searched for a glass in his cabinets.
“Aw, Man!” Graham whined as he stomped his feet. “C’mon, Caresse, let’s fight!”
She let out a loud laugh as Graham put his fists in front of his face and bobbed and weaved like a prized fighter. He hoped the playfulness would take the steeliness from her stare, and her playful blush revealed it had.
“Let’s have something to drink instead, Graham. Then we can talk about your art collection and the article for the center.”
“No can do, lady. I want the fight you were thinking about giving me.” He grabbed a hold of her forearm and pulled her closer. He was feeling joyful, peaceful, and aroused all at the same time.
Caresse beamed at him, and he knew he was beginning to get under her skin. He found himself delighting in catching glimpses of her smile. And his heart seemed to soar whenever he made laughter bubble within her. Graham stood closer to her, inhaling the soft fragrance of her hair and enjoying the feel of her fingertips on his chest. He knew she was discovering her uncanny ability to turn him on without even trying. Women of this caliber should be outlawed , he thought as she began to trace patterns on his chest, making him enjoy the feeling.
“You really shouldn’t ask for things you can’t handle,” Caresse said as she pressed her body into his.
Graham inhaled and exhaled. Once he collected his thoughts, he murmured, “Were you talking to me, or were you talking to yourself?”
Caresse eyed him with amused wonder and shook her head. “I was addressing both of us, to be completely truthful.”
“I can handle it. All of it, so bring it.”
So she did. She leaned upward, then encircled her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the tenderness she could muster. She let herself savor him like he was an ice cold glass of tea on a balmy day. And he kissed her back with matched passion, until Caresse stepped out of the embrace.
“That’s all I can bring, for now,” she whispered as she
Caresse tugged her foot away from Graham’s hands and made her own assessment. Her foot was red, and the skin on the heel had been badly scraped. She placed the bandage she was holding securely around her heel and slipped on one of her sports socks.
“Trying to be a Superwoman again, huh? Why is the wall up this time?”
“Oh, I didn’t know I was obligated for your assistance?” she mumbled.
“What? Did I miss something?” Graham watched her limp toward the kitchen. “What’s going on, Caresse? Either you’re the moodiest woman I’ve ever met, or you’re easily insulted by men in general.”
Caresse whirled around and faced him. The glare in her eyes was unmistakable. She was only a few steps from being mad as hell, and if another stupid thing came flying out of his mouth, she was going to let him have it.
“Oh, so you’re giving me the look . Are you really that mad, Caresse, or did the truth sting too much?”
“Where are my things? I need to leave before I say something I know you’ll regret.”
“Hey, Babe, the only thing between us is air and opportunity.” Graham stepped closer and limited the space between their bodies. “And now there’s only opportunity, so what’s your next move?”
Graham knew from the glare of her eyes that she wanted to hit him square on the jaw and watch his head snap back like a bobble head, but he doubted she packed that kind of punch. Besides, if she did hit him, he would make sure she’d stay and make it all better. She had the softest lips he had ever experienced, and from the curious smile creeping over her face, he knew she liked having her buttons pushed.
“What’s so funny, little lady? Did the idea of giving me the beating of my life crack that demeanor?”
“You could say that.” Caresse stepped away from him and searched for a glass in his cabinets.
“Aw, Man!” Graham whined as he stomped his feet. “C’mon, Caresse, let’s fight!”
She let out a loud laugh as Graham put his fists in front of his face and bobbed and weaved like a prized fighter. He hoped the playfulness would take the steeliness from her stare, and her playful blush revealed it had.
“Let’s have something to drink instead, Graham. Then we can talk about your art collection and the article for the center.”
“No can do, lady. I want the fight you were thinking about giving me.” He grabbed a hold of her forearm and pulled her closer. He was feeling joyful, peaceful, and aroused all at the same time.
Caresse beamed at him, and he knew he was beginning to get under her skin. He found himself delighting in catching glimpses of her smile. And his heart seemed to soar whenever he made laughter bubble within her. Graham stood closer to her, inhaling the soft fragrance of her hair and enjoying the feel of her fingertips on his chest. He knew she was discovering her uncanny ability to turn him on without even trying. Women of this caliber should be outlawed , he thought as she began to trace patterns on his chest, making him enjoy the feeling.
“You really shouldn’t ask for things you can’t handle,” Caresse said as she pressed her body into his.
Graham inhaled and exhaled. Once he collected his thoughts, he murmured, “Were you talking to me, or were you talking to yourself?”
Caresse eyed him with amused wonder and shook her head. “I was addressing both of us, to be completely truthful.”
“I can handle it. All of it, so bring it.”
So she did. She leaned upward, then encircled her arms around his neck and kissed him with all the tenderness she could muster. She let herself savor him like he was an ice cold glass of tea on a balmy day. And he kissed her back with matched passion, until Caresse stepped out of the embrace.
“That’s all I can bring, for now,” she whispered as she
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