was evident in the amused glint of his eyes. “It’s going to take a lot more than dinner to influence me.”
“Caleb.” She regarded him sourly. “You are not scoring points with comments like that.”
He laughed. “Then I better stop before you storm off again. Let’s go back to the house.”
Arianna was only too happy to return to the porch. She felt safer with the open fields of Weathering Rock around her, less intimated by his closeness. She was beginning to experience the same staggering sense of attraction she’d felt the night they’d met, and mentally chided herself for being charmed so easily.
He was an attentive host, courtly and considerate even when his natural assertiveness bled through. The evening progressed at a leisurely pace, their dinner crowned by the slowly setting sun. She talked about her career and the upcoming trip to Gettysburg over baked chicken and asparagus spears. When she tried to reverse the discussion and inquire after his background, he grew evasive and changed the subject.
Determined, she set her fork down. “You retired early,” she said with a pointed glance.
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“I thought given the current state of military affairs…” She let the sentence hang, hoping he would take the hint and be as open with his background as she’d been with hers. When he remained silent, studiously carving a piece of chicken, she plowed ahead. “What exactly did you do in the Army? Or aren’t you allowed to talk about it?”
“I was in command of a regiment.”
She tried to do the calculations in her head. “That would make your rank–”
“Colonel.”
Arianna balked. At most, she had imagined him a captain. By no means was she an expert on military procedure, but she’d dated a staff sergeant several years ago and knew there were only a handful of full bird colonels in the entire state, all of them over forty. “Aren’t you awfully young to be a colonel?”
“I’m thirty-three.” Unfazed by the discussion, he took a sip of wine. “I was commissioned a colonel at twenty-eight, and no–given the circumstances, my rank was appropriate.”
“That’s impossible.”
“It’s difficult to explain.” Caleb pushed away from the table. “I’d rather not talk about it.” He offered his hand and once again she found herself accepting the invitation. While there was nothing defensive in his tone, she sensed finality. He’d ended the discussion.
Colonel! No wonder he was so damn domineering.
Together they stepped to the edge of the porch. On the horizon, streaks of magenta, melon and plum faded from the western sky, chased by the deeper violet of twilight. A bevy of fireflies heralded an array of emerging stars and the pale flesh of a full moon. Strung along the exterior of the house, a handful of old-fashioned lanterns drenched the porch in a topaz glow. Caleb’s gaze was riveted on the sky, his brows crimped in concentration. The light haloed his face, accentuating the gauntness of his cheeks.
Worried, Arianna bit her lip, tightening her fingers around his. “What’s wrong?” He hadn’t been well all evening, but looked worse than before, his face drawn and gray. “Do you have a headache?”
“No.” That strange luminescent glow glinted on the surface of his eyes, flaring pure silver when he looked at her. “I was studying the moon.”
She wasn’t certain she wanted to venture in that direction. Moonlight and a handsome man were a notoriously fatal combination. “I’ve always thought full moons were magical.”
He gave a skeptical snort. “It’s not full, it only looks that way. It’s already started to wane. You just can’t tell by the naked eye.” He tugged at his collar. Sweat clung to his cheeks, prompting him to thumb open another button on his shirt.
The inky material gaped on his chest. A traitorous part of her mind wondered what it would be like to free the remaining buttons. She could almost feel the heated touch of his flesh beneath her fingertips as she slowly worked her way to his waist.
Disturbed, she jerked her hand from his. A hot flush crept up her neck.
“You can tell the difference?” She shot a doubtful glance at the moon. It made her think of long-ago legends: fairy glades, nameless winged creatures and werewolves.
“The moon and I are well acquainted.”
He leaned into the banister, his leg casually brushing hers. She tensed at the informal contact, surprised when it streaked through her like a bolt of lightning. Weak-kneed and stunned, she tried to retreat.
“Annie, don’t go–” Caleb caught her hand.
“Don’t call me that.”
“It suits you.” Towering over her, he stepped closer, his eyes mirroring the smoky blue of the night-dusted sky. “I think we were supposed to meet.” His voice grew low and husky, sending a shivery chill up her spine.
She wet her lips, trying to retain her composure. It was impossible to think straight when he stood so near, his presence engulfing her in a sizzling wall of heat. “Caleb…”
He bent closer and threaded his hand into her hair, his fingertips lightly pressing her scalp. A dizzying shiver of sensation cascaded through her. She barely had time to register the feeling before his mouth closed over hers, possessive and eager, leaving her breathless. She hadn’t expected him to kiss so hungrily, his lips heated with the slumbering flush of fever.
In some part of her mind, she understood he’d been trying to hide his condition all evening. The other part rebelled, caught between outrage and surrender. She couldn’t think straight, oblivious to logic. Her body betrayed her, enjoying the sheer hedonistic pressure of his mouth on hers, the faint taste of wine clinging to his lips. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t wanted this, secretly hoping he would try to kiss her. She’d dreamed about it, imagined it more than once.
Emboldened, he wrapped an arm around her waist and deepened the kiss, trapping her against the porch railing. For one blissful moment, she knew only raw heat, the sensual intimacy of his tongue twining with hers, a rush of giddy pleasure that left her senseless, blindly clinging to him. His body was deliciously lean muscle, strength and corded sinew crushed against her softer curves. He made no apology for his boldness, but kept her locked in his embrace.
In a heartbeat, sanity returned.
“Don’t.” She wrenched free. Flustered by her behavior, she raised trembling fingers to her lips, still moist and puffy from his kiss. She’d promised her attraction wouldn’t go this far, yet had tumbled into his arms. She could still feel the searing heat of his mouth on hers, the hungry possessiveness of his tongue sealing them together. He might appear courtly and refined, but his kiss was far from genteel.
“I have to go.” She fumbled for her purse on the settee, her hands shaking as she dug inside for her keys.
“Annie, don’t leave.” Caleb moved behind her, sliding his palms over her arms. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” He turned her around. “I’ll behave myself, I promise. I’m usually better mannered, but…” He faltered, a cocksure smile lifting the corner of his
