to think of her as that nice lady who made chocolates, not someone attached to a hunky airport guy.
“Do you know him?” one of the other women asked.
“Uh, kind of. He helped me find my car after my last trip.”
And he kissed me. Very, very well.
Maybe there was a way to fix it so they could resume the friendship they’d had. She knew he was leaving. She’d just have to make sure her heart stayed intact in the process.
“Let’s head up to the tower, now. Zach, could you bring up the rear so we don’t lose anyone?”
“Sure.”
To Sue Anne’s relief, Brittany had moved her focus to the airport director and was trotting along at the head of the line.
“I didn’t know you’d be here.” Zach’s breath tickled along the back of her neck.
“I joined so I could get the word out about my chocolates.”
“I see.”
“Look, I’m sorry.” She turned toward him.
“For what?”
“For ... um ... ditching you after our date.”
“Because you had to pee?”
“Shh!” So much for dignity.
He grinned at her.
“Got everyone, Zach?” The director’s voice echoed from the top of the stairway.
“Yep. Coming right up.” He caressed her arm. “Want to go out again sometime?”
Her skin blazed where he’d touched her. Keeping her heart intact wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d hoped.
“I thought you didn’t want to date—because you’re leaving.”
“As friends.” His smile lost a little of its luster. “That’s what I meant—let’s go out as friends.”
“Then we’re going to need to talk about this touching and kissing stuff.” She lowered her voice.
“You don’t like it?”
I like it too much.
“It’s not appropriate if all we’re going to be is friends.”
“Oh. Okay. I’ll give you a call.” The chill in his voice was back.
Chapter 9
Sue Anne stared out the back window, nursing her cup of coffee. The sky was a relentless steel gray, had been that way for weeks. Spring teased at Missoula with days so warm you could abandon your coat, only to be followed by frosty mornings that lasted way into the day.
This Friday was looking like it may be somewhere in between. According to the weather forecast, the weekend was supposed to be warm, perfect for getting out of town for a hike or a ride up to the Bison Range.
Too bad she had no one to enjoy it with.
Last night, Zach had started to ask her out, but he’d never followed up on it, avoiding her for the rest of the group’s time at the facility. Maybe he’d call, but she doubted it.
Where had she gone wrong? She replayed the conversation in her head. Again. Like Missoula’s weather, he’d teased her with a springtime thaw, only to follow it up with a frost.
She knew what the answer was, she just hated to admit it, even to herself.
He didn’t like it when she’d put limits on their physical contact. It wasn’t that she didn’t want sex, she did, and a nooner with a good-looking man would be perfect.
As long as that man wasn’t Zach. She could feel the tug of his personality—the strong, dependable type with a fatal flaw—he wasn’t in it for the long term.
But his kiss fulfilled every fantasy she’d ever had.
The man was trouble on two legs—two strong legs. Attached to a great-looking butt. Leading up to strong shoulders attached to arms that held her close...
Argh!
She needed to stop thinking like this.
She wanted a guy who wanted all of her—the good and the bad—for the long term. Zach was fun to be with, he had stable employment, and his mother had taught him manners. Even the type of job he had said he was considerate of others.
Or was it the power he liked? Some men in uniform had quite a need for control.
That wasn’t what she wanted either.
The man twisted her in knots. The fingers of an ache dug into the edges of her skull.
Sugar scratched to go out. In spite of the variable temperatures, the little pug loved sniffing every new odor in the great outdoors, at least until she
“Do you know him?” one of the other women asked.
“Uh, kind of. He helped me find my car after my last trip.”
And he kissed me. Very, very well.
Maybe there was a way to fix it so they could resume the friendship they’d had. She knew he was leaving. She’d just have to make sure her heart stayed intact in the process.
“Let’s head up to the tower, now. Zach, could you bring up the rear so we don’t lose anyone?”
“Sure.”
To Sue Anne’s relief, Brittany had moved her focus to the airport director and was trotting along at the head of the line.
“I didn’t know you’d be here.” Zach’s breath tickled along the back of her neck.
“I joined so I could get the word out about my chocolates.”
“I see.”
“Look, I’m sorry.” She turned toward him.
“For what?”
“For ... um ... ditching you after our date.”
“Because you had to pee?”
“Shh!” So much for dignity.
He grinned at her.
“Got everyone, Zach?” The director’s voice echoed from the top of the stairway.
“Yep. Coming right up.” He caressed her arm. “Want to go out again sometime?”
Her skin blazed where he’d touched her. Keeping her heart intact wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d hoped.
“I thought you didn’t want to date—because you’re leaving.”
“As friends.” His smile lost a little of its luster. “That’s what I meant—let’s go out as friends.”
“Then we’re going to need to talk about this touching and kissing stuff.” She lowered her voice.
“You don’t like it?”
I like it too much.
“It’s not appropriate if all we’re going to be is friends.”
“Oh. Okay. I’ll give you a call.” The chill in his voice was back.
Chapter 9
Sue Anne stared out the back window, nursing her cup of coffee. The sky was a relentless steel gray, had been that way for weeks. Spring teased at Missoula with days so warm you could abandon your coat, only to be followed by frosty mornings that lasted way into the day.
This Friday was looking like it may be somewhere in between. According to the weather forecast, the weekend was supposed to be warm, perfect for getting out of town for a hike or a ride up to the Bison Range.
Too bad she had no one to enjoy it with.
Last night, Zach had started to ask her out, but he’d never followed up on it, avoiding her for the rest of the group’s time at the facility. Maybe he’d call, but she doubted it.
Where had she gone wrong? She replayed the conversation in her head. Again. Like Missoula’s weather, he’d teased her with a springtime thaw, only to follow it up with a frost.
She knew what the answer was, she just hated to admit it, even to herself.
He didn’t like it when she’d put limits on their physical contact. It wasn’t that she didn’t want sex, she did, and a nooner with a good-looking man would be perfect.
As long as that man wasn’t Zach. She could feel the tug of his personality—the strong, dependable type with a fatal flaw—he wasn’t in it for the long term.
But his kiss fulfilled every fantasy she’d ever had.
The man was trouble on two legs—two strong legs. Attached to a great-looking butt. Leading up to strong shoulders attached to arms that held her close...
Argh!
She needed to stop thinking like this.
She wanted a guy who wanted all of her—the good and the bad—for the long term. Zach was fun to be with, he had stable employment, and his mother had taught him manners. Even the type of job he had said he was considerate of others.
Or was it the power he liked? Some men in uniform had quite a need for control.
That wasn’t what she wanted either.
The man twisted her in knots. The fingers of an ache dug into the edges of her skull.
Sugar scratched to go out. In spite of the variable temperatures, the little pug loved sniffing every new odor in the great outdoors, at least until she
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