Carbon Dating (Nerds of Paradise Book 3)

by Merry Farmer

  Ted rolled his eyes. “You’re not.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. I mean, I do have a tendency to hang out in holes, burrowing in the dirt.”

  “Well, I would be sure, and I’ll prove it to you.”

  He shifted in his seat, reaching into his blazer pocket. Eyes glittering with mischief, he brought out a small, velvet box and set it on the table.

  “No!” Laura snapped, face burning hot. She glanced quickly around at the other diners. “Geez, Ted, it’s just one date. I’m not going to marry you based on one date.”

  Ted laughed loud enough to draw more attention from the rest of the room. “It’s not a ring, goof-ball.”

  “It’s not?” Of all things, she felt a pang of disappointment.

  That disappointment vanished a second later when Ted cleared his throat and opened the box for her. A pair of gorgeous sapphire earrings sat on a little pillow inside the box. They glittered in the light as Laura picked up the box to get a closer look. Her mouth dropped open, and for the life of her, she couldn’t shut it. Holy heck in a handbasket.

  “Ted,” she gulped. “What the heck is this?”

  “They reminded me of your eyes,” he said.

  “That is totally not what I meant.” She glanced up and pinned him with a stare.

  “It’s a thank you gift,” he said, his smile as wide as she’d ever seen it.

  “Thank you? For what? I haven’t done anything yet.” A bolt of worry hit her already trembling gut. What did he expect her to do? Something naughty between the sheets? She blinked, then considered that expensive earrings might just be enough to trick her conscience into throwing whatever virginal hang-ups she had out the window so she could bang the living daylights out of him.

  She shook her head to banish that thought as soon as it came to her.

  “You found the fossil,” Ted went on, blessedly unable to read minds. “Without you, I would have continued thinking it was just an old cow bone.”

  Bone, Laura thought, and bit her tongue to keep from laughing.

  “But these,” she said aloud, setting the jewelry box on the table. She let out a breath. “An ice cream cone would have been thanks enough.”

  “Oh, there will be ice cream,” Ted said, his voice deep and suggestive. “There will be lots and lots of ice cream.”

  She couldn’t help but giggle at his overdone charm. “They’re too expensive, Ted.”

  He shook his head. “Not for someone who stands to make several million dollars selling a hunk of rock.”

  He was trying to make a joke, but a snap of anxiety made her wince. “Nothing is a done deal yet. Dr. Ashford is only making an educated guess about the fossil’s worth. It would be a terrible idea to go spending that money before you actually have it.”

  That sobered Ted up a bit, although Laura didn’t consider it much of a victory. It had taken a while, but she was convinced she’d finally screwed up their date.

  Until Ted took a long, steadying breath. “You’re right,” he said. “I got carried away. But I saw those and I thought they’d look great on you, and, well, I just wanted to buy you something nice. Is that so wrong?”

  She stopped herself from answering immediately with, “Yes.” Instead, she picked up the box and studied the earrings again. They really were pretty, like glittering teardrops.

  “No, it’s not wrong,” she admitted at last. “You’re free to spend your money however you want to. But seriously.” She set the box back on the table. “I honestly would have been happy with ice cream.” It was all those other imaginary, sophisticated, experienced, sexy women who she pictured going out with Ted who would have appreciated fancy earrings, not her. Which definitely made her question whether she should be the one sitting across the table from him.

  Then again…

  Their waitress approached the table. “Can I get you two any dessert?”

  Anything for a scrumptious dessert.

  “Yes,” Ted answered right away. “Ice cream. We’d like some ice cream.” He grinned at Laura across the table like a kid about to steal a pie from a windowsill.

  “With some form of chocolate, if that’s possible,” Laura added, catching his grin and letting herself smile.

  The waitress also broke into a silly smile. “How about a chocolate avalanche brownie topped with vanilla ice cream.”

  “Perfect,” Ted said.

  Miraculously, brownies and ice cream made everything easier. Ted convinced her to put the earrings on, and really, there was nothing quite so decadent as eating a chocolate avalanche brownie while wearing sapphire earrings. It did more than the wine they’d had with dinner could to loosen her up. By the time she and Ted were strolling down Main Street, headed toward her apartment, Laura was almost willing to admit that she’d done the right thing in finally accepting Ted’s invitation.

  Even when he reached out to hold her hand as they walked. He did it so subtly she almost didn’t notice. They were just walking along, talking about how many years it would be before Howie was able to test the Haskell I rocket and whether he would be able to get a permit to launch it in Wyoming or if he’d have to take it to Cape Canaveral, or even the Sriharikota facility in India, when bam, Ted’s hand was wrapped around hers.

  “What did you do that for?” she asked, glancing down at their joined hands as they walked over the station bridge.

  Ted grinned. “Do you like it?”

  Yes, part of Laura shouted. Wait, do you? another part of her asked.

  She continued to stare in silence until they were across the bridge and halfway to the first intersection on South Main Street.

  “It’s not a trick question,” Ted said, his eyes alight with teasing.

  “Are you sure about that?” She went along with the light mood.

  “I am. And I notice you haven’t let go yet.” He nodded to their joined hands.

  “Hmm. Yeah, I noticed that too,” she said.

  She probably should have let go, but dammit, she didn’t want to. His callused, rancher hand felt really good wrapped around hers. He made her feel delicate, which everyone knew was as far from the truth as it was possible to get.

  They walked on, and all too soon, they reached the side alley and the door to Laura’s apartment. Of all things, she was disappointed that the evening was over.

  “Well,” she said as they stood in front of the door, doing nothing but holding hands and looking at each other. “I had a nice time tonight after all.”

  He shook his head at her, the fondness in his eyes unmistakable. In fact, if she wasn’t mistaken, it was more than just fondness.

  “After all the time it took me to get you to say yes, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

  “I did, didn’t I?” She tilted her head to the side and thought about that for a minute.

  “So….” Ted drew the single syllable out, glancing at her with hopeful eyes. “Can I come up?”

  Laura winced inwardly. Was that standard dating protocol? Was she supposed to invite him upstairs so they could continue their conversation? It wasn’t that late, after all. Any woman with the right kind of experience would know what she was supposed to do at this point.

  “Uh, yeah, sure,” she said, trying to play it cool, like she knew what she was doing. “I can make us some coffee or something.”

  “Sounds delicious.”

  There was something beyond delicious in his voice, something almost victorious. It sent shivers down Laura’s back, in spite of the fact that she had no clue what was going on. She was going to find out, though. She’d made it this far into the date without causing a disaster. The least she could do was stick with the program and find out how real dates were supposed to end.

  Chapter Ten

  Something wasn’t right. Granted, it wasn’t entirely wrong, but as Ted walked up the stairs to Laura’s apartment, the itch at the back of his neck told him to proceed with caution.

  “Well, this is it,” Laura said when they reached the top of the sta
irs. She flicked on the lights. “This is home. Don’t laugh.”

  “Why would I laugh?” He said it with a smile, but as soon as he looked around the apartment’s spacious living room, he knew what she meant.

  The whole thing was decorated with shelf after shelf of dinosaur toys. Some of them were positioned in actions scenes and some were displayed in covered glass cases. There were a few framed prints of dinosaurs on the walls too. The rest of the furniture was shades of green to match the toys.

  “Wow.” Ted’s mouth twitched as he fought to react the way a gentleman should. It helped that he remembered where all the toys must have come from. “Are these your brother’s?” He stepped over to the nearest shelf and picked up a plastic stegosaurus.

  “Yes,” Laura said with a relieved breath. She came to stand beside him, brushing her fingers down the back of a brontosaurus. “This shelf has a lot of the first toys we collected. They got more expensive and more complex as, well, as Blake got sicker.” She pivoted and gestured to the dinos under glass on the other side of the room. Then she turned back to him. “You don’t think I’m a total dork for displaying them like this, do you?”

  “Not at all.” He meant it too. “Keeping everything like this just goes to show that you have a big heart and that you’re loyal.”

  She blinked, glancing from him to her collection. Then her shoulders loosened. “Yeah, I guess that’s one way to look at it.” She paused, then relaxed further into a smile. “Thanks.”

  “For what?” Ted turned his full attention to her.

  “For thinking I’m loyal. For not thinking I’m a loser.”

  Ted let out a tight breath. “For the last time, Laura, you’re not a loser, you’re a fascinating person. You’re beautiful inside and out, and—” He took a step closer to her, sliding his hands up her bare arms. “—you’re the one I want to be with tonight.”

  Goose flesh broke out on her arms where he’d touched her, but whether from the chill of the air conditioning in her apartment or his touch or his words, he couldn’t tell. The anxious look popped back into her eyes.

  “Oh…um…I…I want to be with you tonight too.” Her brow twitched, and she looked downright confused as she spoke.

  Ted held back his instinct to kiss her, studying her as she gazed up at him instead. She wasn’t pulling away from his touch, but she wasn’t throwing herself at him either. She’d invited him up to her apartment when he’d asked. She did know what that generally meant, right? His awareness of the condom in his pocket grew with each second that passed. Maybe if he tried to kiss her, he’d have a better idea of her expectations.

  “Can I kiss you?” he asked, just to be sure.

  Her brow shot up. She took a breath, and said, “Yeah,” in a shaky voice.

  He smiled and slid his arms around her waist, drawing her flush against him. Hesitantly, she raised her hands to his shoulders, tilted her head up to him, and closed her eyes. It was the most darling thing he’d ever seen—like a girl about to get her first kiss. Laughter caught in his throat before he leaned into her, bringing his lips to hers.

  She sucked in a breath and her eyes popped open.

  Ted pulled back. “Something wrong?”

  “I shouldn’t have closed my eyes,” she whispered. “You surprised me.”

  “And you don’t like surprises.” He couldn’t help but laugh at that. He just hoped it sounded affectionate instead of teasing. “Okay, this time, keep your eyes open.”

  “Right.”

  “Ready?”

  “As I’ll ever be.” There was a hint of caginess in her voice.

  “Okay, here I come.”

  He leaned into her again, then pulled back.

  “Are you sure you’re ready?”

  She let out a breath that was half snort and rolled her eyes. “Ted.”

  “I just don’t want to surprise you again.” What he wanted to do was put her at ease, and it appeared to be working.

  She relaxed in his arms, shaking her head. “How about you just go ahead and kiss me already, m-kay?”

  “Whatever you say.”

  He pulled her closer, and this time she didn’t flinch when their lips met. He kissed her softly at first, barely tasting her. As soon as he felt her return the kiss, putting energy into it, he turned up the heat, nibbling her lip and urging her to open up so he could taste her. She accepted that with a sigh, and moved her arms to hold him closer.

  “Right,” she whispered as he shifted his embrace. “I remember this. This is good. I like this.”

  A sultry chuckle rose up through Ted’s throat, and he kissed her harder. There was something uncertain and yet beautiful in the way she kissed. A fleeting thought in the back of his mind that she probably hadn’t done much kissing before occurred to him, but it was quickly forgotten as instinct pushed him deeper and deeper into the moment. Her arms felt amazing around him. The softness of her lips as she let him explore her, venturing a few tentative explorations of her own, ratcheted up his pulse. He lowered a hand from her back to her backside, his jeans getting tighter by the second. The fabric of the dress she wore begged him to run his hands all over her.

  No sooner had he squeezed a handful of her backside then she mirrored his gesture and did the same. The jolt of need that hit him at her bold gesture threw a serious wrench in the works of his plan to go slowly with her. Forget the silky dress, he wanted her naked. Naked and under him. He was willing to bet her skin was just as smooth and touchable as her dress anyhow.

  It took all of his will-power not to scoop her into his arms and carry her to the bedroom. He continued to kiss her, encouraged by her breathless response, and traced a hand up over her side to cradle her breast. Her breath hitched in her throat, and when he stroked his thumb lazily over her hardening nipple, she made a pleasured sound that pushed him close to the edge.

  He wanted her. He needed her. All he could think about was peeling her dress off and touching every inch of her, making her come. The thought of Laura crying out in orgasm caused his cock to jerk in the confines of his jeans. He would bet that she was uninhibited enough to be loud when she came.

  “I want you, Laura,” he whispered against her ear, kissing the hot skin of her neck as she tilted her head back. He gathered handfuls of her dress, inching it up to bare her legs, revealing the scars that he wanted to explore as much as the rest of her. “I want to do things to you that will make you scream.”

  She gasped. Her chest heaved against his as her breathing grew fast and shallow. She didn’t manage words, but a long moan was enough of an answer for him. He continued to gather her skirt up in one hand, balancing her against him with his other arm, until the fabric was up over her hip. Then he slid his fingers along the leg of her panties reaching in to touch her bare backside. He wanted to reach for more, but that would require her lifting her leg over his hip, and at the moment, she seemed too stunned to move.

  He kissed her neck and jaw, returning to her lips, hoping she would catch on and wrap her legs around him. Heck, he hoped she would shimmy out of her dress and make a run for the bedroom.

  “What do you say?” he murmured against her other ear, nibbling on her earlobe. “Should we move to your bedroom?”

  There was a decided difference between being turned on by a movie or a book or even her imagination and having a hot and randy man touching her all over and telling her he wanted to have sex with her. The latter completely short-circuited Laura’s otherwise rational brain. And as soon as Ted asked about her bedroom, every inch of her skin pulsed with pleasure and the need to be touched.

  This is it, this is not a drill! Even her inner thoughts were whipped into a frenzy. It’s time to lose your virginity at last!

  But is that what I really want to do? another part of her asked.

  Hell yes, the rest of her shouted.

  That still didn’t mean she had half a clue what she was supposed to do next. Not to mention it was impossible to think with Ted’s fingers inching closer to t
he cleft in her backside. Down low. Near stuff. She never would have guessed she’d be so turned on by a man fingering her butt. His tongue raked against the pulse in her neck, making logic even more impossible.

  “Bedroom?” he asked again, gruffer than he’d been a minute ago.

  This was it. This was the ultimate decision. It was the moment of consent, and if there was one thing that had been drilled into her about guys and dating and sex, it was consent. You couldn’t do it without consent and—

  Oh, stop it!

  “Yep,” she squeaked. “Bedroom.”

  With a deep growl, Ted lifted her from her backside. She gasped and wrapped her legs around him on instinct. That only meant that his hand slipped right to where she wanted it as he carried her. She yelped in surprise, and something that might just have been passion, as his fingers pressed into her wetness. It felt so good that all of the inner muscles that she’d gotten used to working out on her own—with the help of her battery-operated-boyfriend—tensed and throbbed in expectation.

  It was a good thing she’d left her bedroom door open. Ted knew just where to go. He marched her straight to the bed, tipping her backwards onto it. She sighed in disappointment as his hand moved away from her important bits, but continued to throb as he grabbed the bunched fabric of Mrs. Clutterbuck’s dress and swept it up over her torso, arms, and head. The fabric was slippery enough that he whisked it off with a minimal amount of snags. That left her lying on the bed with her arms spread to the side and her legs hanging off the edge, on either side of his hips, in nothing but her underwear and loafers.

  He didn’t stop. With a quickness that showed he knew exactly what he was doing, he unclasped her bra and pulled it off. That left her exposed to him, and he was definitely looking. She fought the urge to cover herself. This was what people did when they had sex, right? They looked at each other.

  And apparently touched each other too.

  “You’ve got great breasts,” Ted said, his voice so rough it was sexy. He ran his hands over her stomach and up to cup both of her breasts.