by Lucinda Race
“I was standing right here, and I promise I didn’t miss a thing.”
She squeezed him tight and then let go. “Let’s play the next hole.”
“Can I putt first?”
Her face broke into a wide grin. “Sure. I’ll bet you a buck you don’t get it in on the first try.”
“Look who’s gotten cocky.” He debated if he should sink the putt or miss and give her a boost of confidence.
He addressed the ball and at the last second, she hiccupped. The ball fell short of its destination. He looked sideways and she grinned with a shrug.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it.” She hiccupped again. “I need a drink of water.”
He tapped the ball in and then scooped up the yellow and white balls.
“Come on, ace. Let’s see how we do on the next hole.”
Working their way around the course, Colin could see Anna was a natural. She didn’t have a perfect hole each time, but for her first time on the course, she was amazing. He also was keeping one eye on the weather, as dark clouds were drifting in and the temperature had dropped. She pulled on a sweater but never once suggested they stop.
On the eighth hole, a few fat, cold raindrops landed on them as they finished putting.
“Do you want to call it a day?”
She took his hand as they walked up a steep slope. “Let’s finish. I’m sweet, but I won’t melt.”
They stopped at the last tee box, and both of their balls went straight down the fairway. It was a short par three and the flag was sitting dead center at the bottom of a large hill.
He pointed to the crest. “We’ll leave our clubs there and then finish the hole.”
The slope was steeper than he remembered, but Anna kept pace with him. Once they grabbed their nine irons and putters, Colin paused before walking down to the green. “We should open our umbrellas to protect the bags. Just in case it really starts to rain.”
“Alright.” Anna did as he suggested and hooked the handle of the oversized umbrella on the bottom of the cart. Colin secured his umbrella the same way. The rain began to pick up in intensity, and they laughed like kids playing in the rain.
While they each took their second shot to the green, Anna’s club slipped and it took two more times to get the ball in the cup. By now, the wind had picked up. She tapped the ball into the cup. Colin noticed the rain dripping from her nose. Even her ponytail had lost its bounce.
He quickly hit his putt and a gust of wind whipped up the slope and caught the umbrellas. The carts tipped, teetering, and as they watched, everything slowed and the clubs and carts rolled over and bounced down the slope, landing in front of them.
Anna was laughing so hard, she was holding her midsection. He rushed over to right the carts and pick up the clubs, but she grabbed him and, with the rain coming down in sheets, kissed him full on the lips.
“As much fun as this was,” she said, “it’s time you drive me home so we can dry off and play indoor games.”
She didn’t have to make that suggestion twice. He grabbed both pull carts and kissed her one last time. “Let’s go home.”
26
Anna couldn’t wait until she and Colin reached her place. Her pulse pounded in her veins like the rain on the windshield at the thought of Colin kissing her, touching her. She wanted the rest of their day to be romantic and unforgettable.
She held his hand as he drove. He kept glancing at her as if she might have changed her mind. She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze.
“I really had fun golfing today. We’ll have to play again, and soon.”
“You’re a natural on the course.”
She started to laugh when she thought of the bags and clubs sliding down the hill and the umbrellas tumbling end over end with the wind. “You should have seen your face when that gust came up and lifted your umbrella straight up. It looked like Mary Poppins might appear and float up into the clouds.”
“Your face was priceless too. And then like it was no big deal with your hair and the back of your shirt drenched while water dripped from the tip of your little nose, you sunk that putt like a pro.”
“What can I say? We had to finish.” She grinned and took off her ball cap. “A memorable first time.” If he caught what could be a double meaning, he didn’t react.
“We’ll have to lay the clubs out when we get to your house so they can dry.” Colin eased the car around the circular driveway and stopped as close to the front steps as possible. “We’re going to need to make a dash for it.”
She looked at their clothes. “We can’t get any wetter.”
“True. If you get the door, I’ll get the bags.”
“We can each grab a bag; it’ll make it easier and faster. Besides, I don’t want you tripping up the stairs lugging two golf bags. No emergency room visit tonight.”
He leaned across the console and cupped her cheek to pull her close for a passion-filled kiss.
A rumble of thunder caused Anna to jerk back. “We should go in.” Her voice was soft and husky.
He seemed to be reluctant to leave the cocoon of the car. It was just the two of them against the elements.
“Pop the trunk.” She pushed open the door and stepped into the driving rain. It chilled her heated skin. She moved to the back of the car and grabbed the strap on her bag. Colin waited for her to lift it out before pulling his out and slamming the lid firmly shut. With a few long strides, they were under cover of the porch roof. She withdrew her key and pushed open the door.
“I’ll get some towels and we can let everything dry in the sunroom, out of the way.”
* * *
He carried her bag through the living room while she went to get some old towels. As he made his way through the house, he looked around to see the best place to lay out the clubs and bags. He really liked this room. It wasn’t overtly feminine; the furniture and décor were about comfort. Colors were muted, lighting was strategically placed, and the sofa reclined. There were also several overstuffed chairs and ottomans. It was a comfortable room. The sunroom, on the other hand, was all about light, color, and greenery. It was filled with plant stands, a wicker table, and two loungers. It was a great place to kick back and relax.
Anna returned with a stack of towels. “Why are we doing this?”
Colin took one and snapped it open; it fluttered over the tile floor. He took her clubs from the bag and dried them off one at a time with a smaller towel before laying them out. “It’s best to make sure they really dry, and this is the best way to accomplish it.”
Anna followed suit and together, they got the task done in a short amount of time. She shivered and rubbed her hands over the goose bumps on her arms.
“You’re cold. Why don’t you take a warm shower and get changed?”
“What about you?” She gave him the once-over. He was just as wet.
“I have sweats and a t-shirt in the car. I’ll change and then we can relax, maybe watch a movie or something.”
She felt a small smile begin. What was the or something?
“Are you hungry?”
His eyes grew a deeper shade of green and as he took a step closer, his finger trailed down her arm. Wherever he touched, fresh goose bumps appeared, and this time, they weren’t from being cold.
“Yes.” That one word made her breath catch in her throat. “We can”—her mouth went dry—“we can have an early dinner.”
“Or we could have a snack. Save dinner and dessert for later.”
Were they talking about food or something else?
“We can.”
His eyes locked with hers. She felt his breath on her face. She could take one step forward and be crushed against his chest. As much as she wanted to kiss him and make his blood run hot, it wasn’t time. Not yet. Let the fire simmer until it was time to take what she wanted.
“Let me get you some towels.”
She didn’t move. She didn’t want to break the spell that had been woven around them. As the storm raged out
side, Anna felt a different kind of storm inside her. One that gave her a strong sense of who she was and what she wanted.
She blinked and sidestepped to the doorway.
Colin followed her through the living room. She turned on the lights in the first-floor bathroom and made sure there was soap and shampoo in the shower, along with thick, luxurious towels on the rack.
She waited until he came back in. “Take as long as you’d like.” She turned toward the stairs, but he stopped her with a light touch on her hand.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
She smoothed a hand over her rain-soaked hair. “You might need glasses. At the moment, I looked like a half-drowned version of myself.”
He brought her hand to his lips. They lingered there, and his eyes were filled with longing. She knew this was one of the single most romantic moments she had experienced in her life.
Colin watched Anna disappear from his sight at the top of the stairs. This woman made him feel things and want things he hadn’t thought were possible. She challenged him, teased him, and was sexy as hell but didn’t realize it, which made him want her even more.
He wasn’t going to waste time taking a long shower. If he hurried, he could fix them a plate to share while they curled up on the sofa and watched an old movie. He knew from their date in the park that she had a fondness for classic black-and-white flicks. He turned the water on hot and made short work of getting cleaned up and changed into dry clothes.
He moved around her tidy, well-laid-out kitchen. Opening and closing cabinets, he found a plate, crackers, and cheese, along with a bunch of grapes and an apple. Next, he took the liberty of opening a bottle of red wine from the rack. He was looking for glasses when he felt Anna watching him.
He turned slowly, and there she was, leaning against the doorjamb. She pointed to a cabinet. “To the left of the sink.” A small smile played across her sensual lips. She was wearing a simple purple t-shirt with her hair twisted on top of her head. Her feet were bare on the dark wood floors, hot-pink toenails peeking out from black yoga pants.
“I hope you don’t mind I made myself at home.”
“I’m glad you did. I have trays standing on end next to the refrigerator.” She crossed the room and pulled one out. “Will that help?”
He felt his gut tighten. She smelled of coconut and lime. He took the tray from her hands and set it on the counter. He wanted her. Now.
Was Colin’s heart racing like hers? Did the blood in his veins feel like it was pulsating? She whispered his name.
His arms slid around her, crushing her to his chest, his kiss bringing her to her knees. It was different this time. Important. Demanding. Promising.
“Upstairs or down?” he asked as his lips nibbled down her neck.
She walked him to the stairs without releasing him. She didn’t want to break their connection. She hesitated for a fraction of a second before Colin swept her off her feet and carried her up the stairs as if she weighed no more than a child. The door to her bedroom was open and he walked through it. He set her on the bed and knelt down. Bringing both her hands to his lips, he kissed them.
“If you say no, we’ll go downstairs.”
“And if I say yes?” She tilted her head back and their eyes met.
“Are you?”
She lifted her mouth to his and whispered, “Yes.”
She pulled him to her and onto the bed and then took all that she had longed for.
He ran his hands down her arms, over her skin, electrifying it as he went. She melded into him. She wanted to feel his skin next to hers. She pulled his shirt off and tossed it aside. She then did the same with hers.
His breath caught when her fingers trailed down his back. His sweats and briefs and her yoga pants became a memory, and finally a slip of silk and lace.
There was nothing separating them. With all the time in the world, they explored the curves and planes of the other’s body, not in a rush, luxuriating in each sensation. Time passed unnoticed as they discovered ways to make the other sigh with pleasure. Anna’s breath quickened. She was ready for more.
“Colin,” she whispered, “I want you now.”
“I need…”
She pulled open the nightstand drawer. “I’ve been waiting for this moment.” She handed him a small packet. “Will this work?”
He glanced at it. “Yes.”
It was the first time but easy at the same time, like they had been doing this for years. She held him close and they moved together as one.
Afterward, they lay in each other’s arms. With her head resting on his chest, he twirled a lock of her now dry hair around his finger. At what point it had come tumbling down, she had no idea. Nor did she care.
“Do you always have protection in your nightstand drawer?” He looked down at her and kissed her forehead.
She shivered and he pulled the blanket over her shoulders. “Confession time?”
“Sure.” It came out as a drawl.
“When I made up my mind that I wanted us to end up in this very spot, I stopped at the drugstore. A girl should always be prepared.”
“I love a woman who knows what she wants.”
She kissed his chin. “All I want is you.”
He looked into her eyes. “I feel exactly the same way.”
27
During dinner, Anna and Colin sat close and gazed into each other’s eyes. He had gone all out in the romance department with tall tapered candles, a bottle of wine, and had taken over grilling the steak and veggies. He could have spent all night just lying next to her in bed; he just wanted, no needed, to be with her.
She topped off his glass with the last of the wine. “Thanks for cooking. It was delicious.”
“I hope you liked your steak rare. I’m of the opinion that if you’re going to have beef, it shouldn’t be shoe leather.”
“Other than missing sautéed mushrooms and onions, it was perfect.”
“True.”
“Next time”—she gave him a soft smile—“I’ll cook. That is if you have a strong stomach.”
The benign conversation about another home-cooked dinner brought a grin to his face and then it drooped.
“You frowned.” She covered his hand with hers. “If something is bothering you, we should talk about it.”
“It’s nothing.” He picked up his wineglass and swirled the ruby liquid in the clear glass goblet.
She cocked her head to one side. “If the shoe was on the other foot, would you want me to stay silent?”
He took a drink and set the glass down.
“Do you think we’ve moved too fast?”
Her face went scarlet. Her mouth dropped open and she snapped it shut. “Do you?”
“Not for a second, but we only get one chance at our first time and I was hoping I hadn’t rushed you.”
Anna laced their fingers together. “I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect day. I wanted you.” Her eyes twinkled. “Did you miss that?”
“You are very important to me and I’d never want to…” His voice trailed off as she placed a finger over his mouth.
“I’ll always be honest with you if I don’t like something or it makes me uncomfortable. All I ask is for the same in return.”
“Let’s make that a pact. We’ll always be transparent with each other.”
She leaned over the table. “Care to seal it with a kiss?”
He pulled her into his lap and slipped his arms around her. “Just one?”
She gave him a slow, seductive wink. “Play your cards right and you can get much more than that.”
He nuzzled her neck. “I like how that sounds.”
“Stay with me tonight?” She tenderly kissed his forehead and down his face, then nibbled on his earlobe.
Colin groaned. “I’m yours.”
After a leisurely breakfast with Colin and a hot shower for two, he had gone back home. He had to get clothes, but they had plans for later. In the mea
ntime, Anna was keyed up so she put on her sneakers to go for a run. She set an easy pace down the two-lane road. As her muscles warmed, she picked up the speed. Her spirits soared with each long stride. Music played in her earbuds and she kept thinking about last night. Lying in his arms, drifting off to sleep was something she could do every night. She was in love with a wonderful guy, and he loved her.
Thirty minutes later, she turned to head back home. Then the doubts crept in. How long would this relationship last? She didn’t have a good track record with guys. Usually it was because she overlooked some fatal flaw. Did Colin have one? These thoughts consumed her as she made the final turn, surprised to see Liza’s minivan parked in her driveway and her sister swaying on the porch glider. She waved, slowing to a walk so she could make the last few yards in cool down mode.
“I didn’t expect to see you today.” Anna walked through the front door. She called through the open window, “Water?”
“I’m all set.”
Anna poured herself a large glass of water and kicked off her running shoes and socks. Padding barefoot, she went back to the front porch.
“Where are the boys?”
“They’re fishing with Jack.” Liza stretched her legs out in front of her. “I didn’t hear from you since before the big date yesterday so I thought I’d drop by and get the scoop.”
“It was a good day. I’m surprised how well I played and I’m starting to really like golf.” She picked at a thread on her shorts. “You might want to try it. It’s something we could do together.”
Liza folded her arms over her chest. “Anna, I’m not asking about the golf game. And you know it.”
She felt her face grow warm.
“I knew it!” Liza’s fist-bumped the air. “Did you sleep with him?”
She gushed, “I did and it was amazing.”
Nodding, Liza grinned. “By the look on your face, was it life-changing?”
“I have never felt this way before.” She drained the glass of water. “Which is why I’m terrified.” She gave Liza a serious look. “There’s got to be something wrong with him. He can’t be as wonderful as I think he is. Right?”
