he.
“The truth is, I wasn’t taking this for granted,” he said, intent, earnest. “I wasn’t even sure if you were married or in a committed relationship, or if I’d come face-to-face with you and find that the chemistry was gone.”
“I’m not.” She swallowed hard and added, “It’s not.”
Chemistry. Heat. Attraction. They’d both felt all of the above from the day they’d met, not just after that night in the pool. She’d once believed it had been one-sided until that heated encounter, but now, looking back at those weeks through a woman’s eyes and remembering everything he’d said and done, she knew it hadn’t been.
He’d been playing the gentleman—she understood that now. Holding her at arm’s length, teasing her, treating her like a kid sister, all because he’d been more interested in her than he wanted to be. Definitely more than Seth had wanted him to be.
It didn’t explain why he’d never responded to her afterward, but some of her questions about how he’d felt when they’d been together had finally been answered. Those answers were enough to lessen the humiliation of what had happened. They also made her more confident in herself, in her sex appeal, in the torch she’d once carried for him.
So, could she do it? Could she take what she hadn’t gotten back then? Was it even possible for her to be the kind of woman who casually hooked up with a guy? A guy who’d traveled across the country to take her to bed just because he’d been wondering what it would be like for so many years?
“Yes,” she whispered, talking to herself, not to him.
“Yes what?”
She stopped dancing and looked up at him, noting the warmth in those green eyes and the intensity of his interest. She saw the desire she’d dreamed of recognizing on his handsome face, and she believed it was genuine.
She could do it, and not have one regret.
Emily wasn’t the reckless type. She’d never had a one-night stand. Maybe this would be her first—maybe tonight was all they’d have, all he was interested in. She felt a stab of sadness at the thought, but it was outweighed by pure excitement. She’d been waiting so long—far too long. She’d lost her virginity to the wrong man and had known nothing but wrong men ever since. Even if she only had him for one night, she was ready to finally have the right man.
Decision made. She was going to take what she could get and not regret it later. It was time to be the wild, impulsive girl she’d been on her eighteenth birthday. She would have the man she wanted, store up as many memories as her heart could hold, and treasure them forever.
Starting right now.
“Em? What are you saying?”
She took a deep breath, waiting for her heart to flutter with indecision, or her tongue to tangle up within her mouth.
But her heartbeat was strong and steady, and the words came so very easily.
“I’m saying yes, Rand. Just yes.”
RAND WASN’T SURE who he spoke to, thanked or acknowledged as he left the crowded fund-raiser. He’d been planning to stay until after midnight, but as soon as he’d looked into Emily’s face and heard what she was really saying, he’d been able to do nothing but head for the exit.
Emily had stopped him, asking him to let her go out first, since it wouldn’t be seemly for a hotel employee to leave with the guest of honor. He’d done as she asked, watching her leave and following her two minutes later.
She was waiting for him outside the ballroom, in a side corridor.
“That was the longest two minutes in history,” he said, grabbing her and pulling her into his arms. He thrust his hands in her hair and covered her mouth with his, kissing her hungrily. She kissed him back, just as hungry, just as desperate.
They finally broke apart, and he forced himself to remember that, even though she was no longer on duty, since it was after eleven, this was still her place of employment.
“Let’s get upstairs,” he told her, “I don’t want to get you into trouble.”
“This job’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” she said, a naughty smile quirking her lips.
That was good. Because, if Rand had his way, she wouldn’t have her job for long. One night was never going to be enough, not now that he knew all the feelings and desires he’d carried around for Emily for seven years were still alive and strong. He had every intention of talking her into coming with him when he left here to return to L.A.
But that was for tomorrow, when he finally told her the rest of the story. That he’d really come here because he wanted a whole lot more from her than sex. She hadn’t been ready to hear it earlier, and probably wouldn’t have believed it.
Sex, though—hot, steamy, wild sex—well, they’d both been waiting for that for long enough.
On the way down the corridor, they practically mowed over another couple who’d just entered from outside, bringing in some cold Chicago night air along with them. The guy wore an Army uniform and had a possessive arm draped around the pretty, thirty-ish woman’s waist. Emily seemed to know her. Or, at least, the woman knew Emily.
“Hello. Miss Crowder, isn’t it?”
Emily paused, half tripping Rand with the sudden stop. “Hi, Dr. Blake. I guess you made it home for the holidays. I heard you almost got stuck in New York because of that crazy blizzard last week.”
The other woman laughed softly, exchanging a glance with her escort, who hadn’t taken his eyes off her. “Fortunately, I was able to hitch a ride with an excellent driver.”
The tall, dark-haired man spoke. “We have a soft spot for this event, and wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Rand extended a hand to the Army officer. “Happy New Year, and thank you for your service.”
The other man shook it. “Are you who I think you are?”
“Yeah,” Rand said with a noncommittal shrug.
“You’re taking your life in your hands coming to Cubs country.”
The two men laughed. “Hey, some things are worth the risk,” Rand replied, eyeing Emily.
“Don’t I know it.”
“Well, nice running into you,” the pretty female doctor said, amusement in her eyes, as if she was aware that Emily and Rand were racing out of here to be alone together. “Happy New Year.”
“Same to you,” Emily replied.
The other couple departed, and Emily explained, “She’s my cat’s vet, Ellie Blake. She’s a major supporter of tonight’s event.”
“The fund-raiser was a big success.”
“I’m
