Captured In Ink

Shane walked out the door into the chill October air. “You’ll get cold out here without a jacket.”

Reesa reached out and took his hand in hers. “I’ll get in the car with you for a couple minutes so we can talk.”

Surprised, but pleased, Shane tightened his grip and walked with her. At the car, he let go of her hand to unlock it and opened the door for her before walking around to the driver’s side. He slid his large body into the seat and saw her gaze was on him, taking in every inch as he fit himself in the car.

“That was some long look. See anything you liked while you were undressing me with your eyes?” Shane teased because she was making him anxious again with her assessing stare.

In fact, Shane decided he was far more nervous sitting in the car with Reesa tonight than he had been driving her to his home for sex two weeks ago. The woman definitely had him on edge now, probably because he had no idea where he stood with her despite what she told Brian about them dating.

“I see a lot I like when I look at you,” Reesa said quietly, pulling her gaze away from him at last. “I liked you two weeks ago. I like you better now. You somehow in a single night made me forget a man I lived with for more than a year. I was intending to marry Brent, but now I don’t want him anymore. I’m still not sure how I feel about that.”

“Are you expecting me to apologize for something I’m not the least bit sorry about doing. Were you really in love with that dweeb?” Shane asked, because it needed to be asked even though he didn’t want to know the answer if it was yes.

But he did need to know what was going on with her.

“I certainly thought I was for a long time,” Reesa said honestly. “When April died, I fell apart and Brent didn’t know what to do with the pieces. We had a huge fight when I told him I was moving in to take care of the kids. Two months ago, Jillian was on a date and saw him on one. After that I finally gave up thinking he might come to accept my new life and decided to move on as well. You know the rest of the story.”

“The rest of the story is still happening,” Shane said easily, reaching over and running his fingers down her arm until he could hold her hand again. “In fact, it’s probably just getting started.”

Reesa nodded. “Well, sitting in your car outside a house full of sleeping kids is not exactly romantic love at its finest.”

“I hear you. How about we see if the magic is still there?” Shane said, twisting his body until he could put his lips on hers.

God, it had been so long, Shane thought, touching his mouth to hers. She tasted just as good as he remembered, and like the pizza and popcorn they ate earlier.

Her little moan of protest started fires burning again, and then finally Reesa’s lips reluctantly opened under his. Her surrender had Shane grabbing the back of her head and making love to her mouth with long strokes of his tongue. There was something amazing in the way she absorbed the pressure of his actions and gave them back to him.

“Is there ever a time when you’re alone without the kids?” Shane asked, pulling away from the temptation of her now compliant lips before he tried to do what was physically impossible in his car.

“Sara goes to school half days, but only Monday through Thursday,” Reesa said against his thumb that was brushing her bottom lip.

“I work from home right now and make my own schedule. Got plans for Monday morning?” Shane asked, bending to nibble and suck her bottom lip as she shook her head.

“No—I guess I don’t,” she answered.

“Can I be your plan?” Shane asked softly. “We’ll call it our first official date.”

“I don’t know, Shane. Part of me thinks dating you is a very bad idea,” Reesa told him truthfully, barely resisting the urge to lean forward and kiss him back the way she wanted.

“What’s the other part saying?” Shane asked, his husky masculine laugh sending a shiver through her that made him smile at her response. “I bet it’s saying the same thing everything in me in saying right now. It’s saying bring it on and hurry up.”

Reesa laughed softly and closed her eyes until Shane bit her lip. When her eyelids popped open at the quick pain, there was amusement in his gaze, but something more—something Reesa was not willing to acknowledge.

“We belong together,” Shane said confidently, pulling away to sit normally in his seat. “The universe sent you to me and me to you. I like the kids and I like you more than any woman I’ve ever met. Let’s see how this goes, Teresa Callahan.”

“You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into,” Reesa told him.

“Okay. You can explain it to me again Monday morning,” Shane said, barely holding back stating his intent to get back into her. “Let’s have breakfast together and swap life stories. We can pretend we just met. I’ll bring bagels. You make coffee.”

Reesa sighed in resignation and nodded, her hand on the car door.

“Shane, I like you too, so I’m going to be gut honest. Don’t weave fantasies about us. My goal is to get permanent custody of the children. They’re going to be a part of my life forever. Those young women you usually date are a much better bet if you want a girlfriend who can pay attention and spend time with just you. We’re different in more than just how we look.”

Shane sighed at her answer and shook his head, feeling his hair brush his shoulders. He would miss his hair, but he had promised Jillian to get a trim and shave. Looked like he was going to have to clean up his act to convince Reesa he was a grown-up, too.

“Reesa, you’re the woman I want to spend time with no matter the circumstances,” Shane told her. “I’m adult enough to know that for the truth it is.”

“There’s a difference between being adult and knowing your mind. You’re not even thirty. I didn’t know what I wanted at your age, and frankly the greatest sex in the universe won’t bridge our differences for long,” Reesa said bluntly.

“No—but great sex can make us both feel better about life. It might make the hard times more tolerable for you when you know my arms are waiting to hold you,” Shane replied, feeling the smile spread from his mouth to his eyes before he could stop it. Satisfied male laughter followed. “Greatest sex in the universe. Wow. I thought you were great in bed too, honey. You’re the best sex I ever had, but that’s only part of why I looked for you.”

“When the new wears off, you’ll see I’m just a normal woman. Any woman would like being with you,” Reesa said honestly, opening the car door before she was tempted to fling herself across the stick shift and into Shane’s lap.

“You said I made you laugh. Well you made me laugh too, Reesa. You made me lose control in bed, which has never happened to me before. You told me life was too short not to follow my dreams. Well, guess what, lady? You’re my dream,” Shane told her. “You need to start getting used to the idea that I want to be in your life.”

“Stop—just stop with the romance, I already agreed to Monday.” Throat tight and eyes burning over his words, Reesa got out of the car and walked to the house shaking her head in denial.

She heard Shane’s car pull away from the curb as she shut the door behind her.