on a side street because I couldn’t find any spots out front.”
“I insist.” Matthew fell into step with her. He automatically placed his hand at the base of her spine as he led her out of the diner. She tensed under his touch but she didn’t pull away.
* * *
SYDNEY’S HEART THUDDED in her ears as they walked to the car. Her movements felt awkward and stiff. Awareness was thick and heavy around them. She suddenly couldn’t put words together.
It had to be her imagination. Matthew always flirted and teased her, but this was different. Every erotic scenario she’d dreamed up rushed through her mind. But suddenly she didn’t just want to imagine how his hand would feel against her breast—she wanted to know. She wanted to taste his mouth, experience his kiss and find out how to drive him wild.
She felt as if she was breathing hard by the time she reached her car. She had no idea if Matthew was conversing with her or if she’d replied. Sydney opened the driver’s door and tossed her backpack on the passenger seat. She cautiously turned around and found Matthew standing right beside her.
She saw the need in his eyes. The need for her. Pleasure darted inside her. She shouldn’t have talked about fantasies with him. Now she couldn’t get them out of her mind.
Dragging her gaze up his muscular chest, past his broad shoulders and to his handsome face, Sydney noticed the restraint sharpening his features. She’d never seen him like this. She sensed he was trying to hold back as much as she was.
“Thanks.” Her voice was hoarse and low.
He swallowed hard as he stared at her mouth. “Anytime.”
Anytime. The tip of her tongue swept along her bottom lip and his intent gaze followed the movement. She wished she could have him anytime. She wanted the right, the privilege, of touching him whenever she wanted.
His proximity, his rough promise, was too much for her willpower. One kiss, that was all she’d give herself. She grabbed his flannel shirt and pulled him forward, slamming her mouth against his.
Matthew cupped her face with his hands and deepened the kiss. His mouth was rough and hard. She’d never been kissed like this and she found it addictive.
Sydney parted her legs and Matthew leaned into her. Being this close to him, surrounded by his heat, his scent and his body, was better than she’d imagined. She hadn’t expected his large and calloused hands to be so warm and gentle against her skin. His possessive touch made her feel protected. Cherished.
She wanted to climb his muscular body and explore. Slide her hands under his T-shirt, reveal his chest and lick her way down to the impressive arousal that was pressing against her.
Sydney heard the squeal of car tires in the distance and she went still. She broke away, gulping for air, and stared at Matthew. She wasn’t sure what to do or say. His touch shattered her carefully constructed facade.
“I...” Sydney dropped her hands abruptly and stared at the telltale creases on his shirt. She couldn’t believe she’d thrown herself at him. That wasn’t like her. She was more cautious than that. She didn’t allow her sexual side to rule her actions anymore.
“Don’t say you’re sorry,” he whispered as his mouth grazed her cheekbone.
She blushed. How could he predict her every move?
He leaned his forehead against hers. “And don’t say this was just a onetime thing.”
Sydney closed her eyes. He really did know what she was going to say next. It made her feel vulnerable, as if he was always one step ahead of her. “You’re the mayor,” she whispered. “I’m a journalist who reports about you.”
“No one needs to know,” he said as he gently stroked his fingers along her jaw. “We can keep it just between us.”
She was sure Matthew believed what he just said, but she couldn’t go through that again. She needed to retreat into the safe little world she’d created in Seedling that was devoid of passion.
With that in mind, Sydney splayed her hands against his soft T-shirt and gave a little push. He didn’t move. The man was solid muscle. “I have to go.”
He reluctantly withdrew, as if he sensed retreating was his best option. “Okay, but this is not the end of this discussion. Tonight—no, I have to attend a meeting. What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“I’m reporting on the junior baseball game.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“I’m not going on a date with you. The whole town is going to be there.”
“I’ll be on my best behavior. No one will think we’re together.”
She wanted to decline. She should decline, Sydney thought as she shivered with expectation. Instead she gave a quick nod. She didn’t trust herself to say anything. She wasn’t graceful when she got into her car and her hands fumbled as she started the engine. Sydney drove away, her gaze drawn to the mirror as Matthew watched her leave.
What had she done? Curiosity had gotten the better of her. She’d wanted one taste. Just one. But now that she’d experienced the explosive chemistry she shared with Matthew, she wanted so much more.
His kiss was better than she’d imagined. She brushed her fingertips along her reddened lips. It was better even than she had described in her fake erotic diary.
She should write down her experiences now so she could clear her mind and focus on her next work assignment. Sydney drove a few blocks and slid into an empty parking spot on the worn cobblestone street. Her hands were still jittery as she reached for her backpack. The pile of notebooks spilled onto the seat and she searched for the one that she’d reserved for her erotic diary.
It wasn’t there. She froze, her chest squeezing with panic.
No, no, no! She opened and shut the notebooks, one by one. Where was the diary? She’d just had it. She’d been writing in it at Dawson’s.
Sydney dipped her head and closed her eyes as the panic washed over her. Dawson’s Diner. She’d lost her erotic writing in the most populated place in Seedling.
Sydney leaped out of the car and raced down the blocks until she reached the diner. She barely noticed the curious stares she was receiving. It was nothing compared to the stares she would get if someone read her notebook! She bolted inside the diner and glanced around frantically.
“Hi, Sydney,” Laura greeted with a curious look. “Weren’t you just here?”
“I forgot something,” she said breathlessly as she hurried through the diner. She spotted the table where she’d been sitting and exhaled sharply with relief when she noticed it hadn’t been cleaned yet.
“Was it your purse?” Laura asked as she followed. “You don’t have to worry about that. It will still be there. This is Seedling.”
Sydney didn’t see the notebook on the table or on the seats. She crouched down and looked on the floor. Nothing. Her stomach twisted with dread. “Did anyone find a notebook?”
“No,”
