"All right, Dane. We'll do this your way, but these are the terms of my net. One, while you are banging me there will be no touching any other woman. Two, when we go in public those bedroom eyes better be on me and no one else. Three, we keep Hump Day Lollapalooza until one of us finds a suitable mate and enters into a long-term commitment; the definition of long-term relationship including a live-in partner. Those are my three main terms. Can you abide by them?" She wanted to smile as he blinked at her like a bewildered owl being woken out of his sleep at midday.
"Yes."
"What does your net consist of?" She had to prompt him because he just kept looking at her.
"Everything you said with one more important stipulation. When either of us feels this relationship needs to come to an end, we don't have a roaring argument about it. We don't tell each other the truth about what went wrong, unless it is constructive criticism. There will be no accusations or brutal insults thrown. We will tell each other three things that we appreciate about the other person, hug it out, and leave as friends. We will look upon our time together as a win-win situation. Not as time lost or as an opportunity wasted."
"Well done, big guy. I don't know if you rehearsed that or if you just get better and better every time you spit it out to a woman, but it was nicely stated with a solid presentation." She grinned at him, though his reaction was a darkening storm in his eyes.
"Also, if one of us doesn't feel like staying the entire night in the other's bed, it won't be taken personally. It just means an early morning, or a need of waking up alone to get ready for the day's work without the distraction of conversation or snuggling."
"On that note, I would require at least fifteen minutes of snuggle time after sex. Nothing slaps a girl in the face faster than a guy rolling off and hastily shrugging into his pants."
"You have a point. I don't think I'll have a problem with that stipulation." He grinned and pushed a hair behind her ear before placing her white beret back on her head. He tugged it down to cover her ears with a caring look that made her warmer inside.
"So, do we have a detailed plan of attack to put into motion?"
"We do."
"Good, then shall we seal it with a shake?" She offered him her gloved hand like a true businesswoman, but he just looked at her, and shook his head.
"No. This kind of high-level op requires more finesse than that." He slid his hands around her neck and gently pulled her in for a kiss.
She instantly realized that this wasn't a kiss filled with needy lust or hungry intention. It was soft, slow, and sweet. It was a kiss between two lovers. Her toes curled inside her warm socks and boots as she grabbed hold of his strong arms beneath the thick sweater he was wearing. Her last coherent thought before she gave herself up to the intoxicating flavor of his tongue's exploration was that she was in deep trouble and falling far too fast for any safety net to save her.
She would have happily sat there in the falling snow until the authorities found their cold, dead bodies if he hadn't pulled back suddenly. Their hot breaths mingled in a frosty cloud between them as they stared at one another. Finally, sounds behind her made Izzy turn her head to the path barely visible between the pines where their earlier footprints were already covered by the snow.
"What is it?" he asked as he looked behind her as well.
"Teenagers are coming," she told him as she tried to stand up. "Our hiding spot has been discovered, soldier."
"Damn, I didn't even hear them." He swore softly as he got up to help her pick up their things. A troubled expression stayed on his face as he helped her shake out and fold up the blanket before stuffing it into the basket. Four young kids walked into their private haven just as he wrapped a hand around her elbow to escort her back to the path. The giggling girls blushed as they saw them.
"Play safe children." Dane saluted them as they slid past. Silence behind them had Izzy giggling herself.
"You just mortified them, Dane," she said as she playfully slapped his chest.
"They deserved it for interrupting us. Besides, a little damper on their overpowering sexual impulses isn't such a bad thing."
"You are being a hypocrite, you know? We were pretty close to getting busy back there ourselves."
"Hmm... The only difference is you are legal, darling." He laughed as she slapped him again.
"You were so not getting lucky in the snow." She shook her head.
"Two more minutes and your pants would have been down around your ankles, woman." His arrogance appalled her. Though, she secretly agreed with him.
"I'm so going to tell Betty to kick you higher next time."
"You'll just kiss and make it better. Ouch! You said you would." He laughed and ducked her next swipe at his head. Immediately the basket was dropped on the frozen ground as he lunged toward her. Strong arms wrapped around her waist as he held her tightly. "I can't wait to get you home."
"You can take me home right after you take me skating. I haven't been on the ice in... a while."
"One spin around the rink and I get to take you home, then."
The ice was hard, and the weather got increasingly worse as they skated around side-by-side. At first, she was wobbly on the skates, but Dane easily held her up. His strong hands effortlessly caught her each time she fought to keep her balance. They were the last two people off the ice and out to the parking lot.
"That was fun," she said as he let her go to unlock the truck. Seeing a flurry of movement, she turned in time to see him fall flat on his butt. The basket flew up in the air to land bottom side up beside the truck tire. "Dane! Crap, are you all right?" She moved to him, cautiously aware that the snow hid tiny patches of black ice on the asphalt.
"Well, that was elegant." He grunted as she tried to help him to his feet.
"Hmm... Are you hurt?" She slapped at the snow sticking to the rear of his jeans, a natural reaction that she quickly pulled back from as he moved away from her.
"Just my pride, again. Thanks for the help." He grinned, his eyes sparkling with green fire that had her body heating up from the inside out.
"Any time." She cautiously moved to the door of the truck. "And here I thought you said you never fall without a net."
***
The teasing grin on Izzy's face caught and stole his breath when Dane glanced up at her in the act of picking up the abandoned picnic basket. Her cheeks and lips were a deep pink from the cold winter air, snow clung to the dark hair escaping her white hat, and she was bundled inside her coat, making her seem ten times bigger than she really was. She shouldn't have been attractive, but he found her damn adorable and sexy when her dark brow arched over chocolate eyes that danced with mischievous delight.
Dane found himself grinning back at her like a dopey fool as he lifted the basket and approached her. His steps were slower than before. He had fibbed a bit. Pride wasn't the only thing bruised by his klutzy fall. A sore backside wouldn't hinder his intent to make her pay for laughing at him though.
Izzy seemed to read him well enough to let out a tiny squeal. She raced to open the door and climb up into his truck. He would toss her into the nearest snowbank, and she knew it. Still, he could get his revenge.
"Oh, no. You don't get away with it that easily, woman." He caught the door when she would have slammed it shut on him. He pulled it open further and moved his body between it and her. Grabbing her legs, he swung her around on the seat, making her face him, but she tried to pry his fingers from her jean-clad thighs.
"Crap!" She giggled as he yanked her forward, parting her legs and stepping between them to effectively lock her into place on the seat. It put her lips on an even level with his, so he didn't have to bend his head to kiss her hard.
She tasted of chocolate—sweet and hot—when she opened to his kiss. Her moan was soft and full of need, her arms clung to his neck, and she tried to shuffle closer to him. It was a heady feeling, being consumed by this woman who had haunted his dreams for two years. Ever since that rainy night when
he came upon her struggling like a champ to change her tire in the cold, his entire being had wanted her with an ache that felt like a black hole in his spirit. A hole he'd tried to fill with others, but no one came even close to filling him up the way she did. It was unfair to the other women he'd dated, and he knew it. Which was why he hadn't tried too hard to get involved with anyone in over six months.
Now all he really wanted to do was stand there in her arms forever with her lips nibbling his. The impulse was strong to shred her clothes from her curvy body and take her right there, but the cold stopped him. Control was the name of the game. If he maintained control, they could walk away without regrets in the end. And the end would inevitably come. It always did. He just had to get his fill of her first.
Reaching up, he clutched a handful of cold snow. Izzy squealed and tried to escape, but he managed to smoothly shove it down the front of her coat. A high-pitched scream hurt his ears as she shoved him away with a big-eyed expression of shock. He couldn't help it; he burst out laughing as she unzipped her coat and hurriedly shook the snow from her sweater.
"You...are a jerk!" She struck out at him, but he'd moved back far enough to avoid the slap.
"You needed a little cooling off." He laughed and shrugged a shoulder as he turned to pick up the basket. As he stood up and turned for the truck, a big ball of cold, wet snow smacked him right in the face. A feminine giggle had him blinking at her through snow-covered lashes. She was standing at the front of the truck. One hand covered her giggles as the other hand flung another ball at his head. He ducked and dropped the basket.
"You looked like you needed some cooling off too." She squealed and turned to run as he lunged for her.
Dane wasn't satisfied until he'd caught her around the waist and landed with her in the nearest snowbank. Her laughter rang through the air and easily blended with his own as they wrestled in the fluffy snow. Finally, exhausted by their horseplay, they lay together gazing up at the snow as it swirled down beneath the light pole. It was just like being in a snow globe, and a feeling of awed rightness settled over him.
"There's no one in the world I'd rather be with right now than you." Her soft words warmed him from the inside out, but he couldn't speak. He could only reach out and take her gloved hand in his. Every fiber of his being urged him to hold onto her in the hopes of keeping what was growing between them safe. As a soldier he knew safety was an illusion to be cherished while you had it.
***
When he pulled up in front of her apartment building, Dane found himself in a severely uncomfortable mood. Any other woman would have expected him to come in so they could have sex before he left to go home to sleep, but he was finding the idea of leaving Izzy made him feel guilty and stupid. He liked waking up with her in his arms, loved the way she softly snored in her sleep, and wanted to stay for sweet morning sex.
"Are you all right?" She tilted her head as he looked over at her. "You were too quiet on the ride back. Did I do something wrong?" When he couldn't think of anything to say she sighed. "What is going through that handsome head of yours?"
"Nothing."
"I figured as much." Her teasing grin had him smiling back at her. She was so adorable when she teased him. He wanted to scoop her up and eat her, but things between them were moving far too fast for his peace of mind.
"Izzy, I think you should take tonight and really think about this situation between us. I know you wouldn't use me as a rebound intentionally, but you did just break things off with the stuffed-shirt."
Her expression immediately shut down to a guarded look. "I hoped you wouldn't think that." She hissed between her teeth as she turned to stare out the front windshield.
"You had feelings for him. I know you were disappointed and hurt when you found out he didn't want to marry you. That means you were contemplating a serious commitment with him. You don't just hop out of something like that and swing into another relationship that easily."
"You do it all the time," she pointed out with a raised brow.
"You're not me."
"You're right, but it isn't like you're a stranger, Dane. We've known each other for a while and—" She stopped as he covered her mouth with a hand.
"I just want you to think about this. I want you, but I can't promise a happy ending. I've never been that kind of guy. My career in the military didn't allow me to pursue the kind of commitment you're looking for."
"Dane, you aren't in the military anymore. Nothing is stopping you from settling down with a woman. Nothing, but you." She reached out and placed her hand on the white knuckles clutching the steering wheel. Her touch was gentle, and the slight squeeze comforting. "I will think about it, but my answer will be the same. I will be available to you until you decide I'm getting too close. Then I'll step back and watch you move on to the next woman. I won't like it, but I will still be here for you, as your friend." She leaned forward and pressed a warm kiss on his cheek. "Think on it, Dane."
"Izzy..."
She opened the door and glanced back at him. "Thank you for a really magical date. I won't forget it." She tossed his coat on the seat and left him with a smile and a wink.
He watched her until she disappeared inside the building then backed up to leave. He didn't feel like he was in control. It was an oddly exhilarating notion to be completely off-balance with a woman. One he wasn't sure he could deal with. No, he had to get a grip before he saw her again.
Chapter Nine
Izzy was walking on eggshells all day Friday. Every time her phone made a beep, she was grabbing for it, hoping it was Dane making contact. He left her with a weird feeling when he dropped her off after their skating date. She knew where she stood, but he was a mystery. He reminded her of a big white-tailed buck. If she spooked him by moving too fast, he was going to bolt, and she would only see the white of his tail as he disappeared.
Kitty noticed her nervous behavior and tried to keep her busy by offering up last-minute Christmas ideas to promote more sales. Most of them were meant to make her laugh, like having a naked elf painted on one window and a dressed one on the other window. Izzy had to admit she did have one inspired idea.
They were hosting a pre-Christmas Dress Party all day Saturday, complete with wine, chocolates, and music, thanks to Kitty's wonderful brainstorming. Izzy was up on a ladder hanging a festive back drop on one wall for photos when the bell over the door rang out. She didn't bother to turn around as she stapled the corner of the paper to the wooden border.
"I'll be with you in just a moment," she yelled as she tried to rearrange her hands.
"What're you trying to do up there, Iz?" Dane's question startled her into dropping the stapler. She went to catch it, lost her balance, and found herself being steadied by his big hands on her waist.
"Dane... Hello." She flexed her fingers where they were laying on his shoulders. A thrill warmed her as his rock-hard flesh didn't give. He grinned, and his hands tightened on her waist as he effortlessly lifted her off the ladder and set her feet on the floor. "I'm glad you could drop in."
"Glad I could catch you." He nodded once before bending his head to kiss her hard. She dug her fingers into his hair as she stood on her tiptoes, reveling in the familiar taste of him. His hands moved down to her bottom, pressing her flush against him.
"Oh, sorry." They pulled apart to see Kitty grinning as she disappeared back into the back room. The door thumped shut behind her.
"Well, that was awkward." Izzy grabbed the hem of her white dress shirt before hazarding a look up at him. His green eyes were studying her as his gaze moved from her face to her black boots and back up. "What's wrong? I didn't staple myself or something..."
"I need to know what you decided. Do you want to date me, or stay friends?"
"I told you the other night. I'm in it until you dump me. Have you decided you don't want—" She gasped as he suddenly picked her up enough to see eye to eye.
"I want you." He kissed her nose before setting her back down. "And i
n one piece. Now, let me do this." He bent to retrieve the stapler, and she watched in awe as he hung the backdrop with three staples. "There. Are you hanging anything else?"
"No, thanks for doing that."
"Is it all clear out there? I thought I heard the stapler being used by someone who knew what he was doing." Kitty stuck her head out the door with a little wave. "Hi, Dane."
"Hey, Kitty Cat. What else do you gorgeous ladies need done?"
"Nothing." Isabella tried to interject.
"We could use a big strong, handsome man to stop by our Christmas Dress Party and drop some compliments tomorrow afternoon."
"Kitty! Seriously!" Izzy gave her a warning look, but the man beside her laughed.
"I'll pop in for just a minute or two if it helps." He tugged on her ponytail. "Can I pick you up tonight at six?"
"Sure." She blinked in surprise as he kissed her right in front of Kitty.
"See you later, Iz." He was almost to the door when she shook herself out of her frozen state of shock.
"Hey! Should I dress in layers, boots, and mittens?"
"Nope. I plan to heat you up tonight." His sexy grin made her want to fan herself as he left.
"Heat you up, huh? He could heat me up in a blizzard." Kitty laughed as Izzy glared at her. "Just kidding."
***
Izzy was glad she chose the little black dress and gray sweater. Dane took her to dinner and then a club. At the small table she sat watching him through the crowd as he ordered them drinks at the bar. From the back he was more than impressive in a pair of jeans and a dark blue shirt. He kept turning his head to check on her every few minutes. He hadn't left her side all night. She found she absolutely loved dancing with the man. He knew how to move his feet on the dance floor, and she was aware she was receiving dark looks from a few of the other women in the bar.
Mistletoe Madness Page 8
