Claiming Colleen (Home to Harbor Town 3) - Page 51

He put his hand on top of hers and slowly, gently slid it down over his abdomen. His stomach muscles felt taut and delicious beneath her seeking fingers. Her cheek burned hot next to his chest. She slid her fingers into an opening in the shirt just inches from his belt buckle. He groaned as she stroked him, skin to skin.

Her heart stalled when he put his hand on tops of hers yet again.

She lifted her head from his chest and met his stare. An unspoken message seemed to leap between them. Eric gave a small smile and lifted her hand, pressing his mouth to the center of her palm.

Colleen sighed in mixed pleasure and regret when she heard Jenny calling out to her from the stairs.

“Mommy! Did you bring my pillow inside?”

She gave Eric an apologetic glance and sat up straight, extricating herself from his embrace. “She must be getting tired. She can’t sleep without her special pillow, even though she’d never admit it out loud.”

Warmth surged through her when he chuckled. She was glad he wasn’t offended at being interrupted. Besides, as heated as they’d been getting, it was probably best Jenny chose that moment to require her pillow.

“You go ahead,” he said gruffly, rubbing her upper arm. “I’ll stay here for a moment and…cool down a bit. I should probably get going anyway.”

Heat flooded her already flushed cheeks.

“Oh—” She glanced around when Jenny called again, flustered. She shouted toward the closed French doors. “Just a second, honey! Are you sure?” she asked, turning back to Eric.

Eric nodded. “The evening’s gone great so far. I don’t want to ruin it by having your family catching me mauling you,” he said wryly.

“What about if—” But Jenny was knocking on the door, and Colleen stood to open it. She hustled Jenny out to the hallway to give Eric a moment to collect himself. By the time she’d put on her coat and gone out to her car to retrieve the pillow and duffel bags for the kids’ trip to Chicago, Eric was standing in the foyer putting on his coat and talking to a sleepy Jenny. Jenny thanked her for her pillow and wandered out of the foyer.

Frustration filled her as she set down the duffel bags and faced Eric. Both of them wore their coats. Marc and Mari must be preparing to leave for Chicago, because the sounds of bustling people and voices sounded close by.

“I had a great time,” Eric said in a hushed tone. “Thank you for inviting me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“We’re still on for tomorrow night, right?”

“For our date?”

He smiled.

“Of course,” she murmured, suddenly feeling ridiculously shy.

“Good.” He reached up and brushed back her hair, briefly touching her cheek with a gloved finger. “I already thanked your mother and said goodbye to your family, so I’ll say good-night. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

She nodded. He leaned down and kissed her—brief and electric. Her frustration turned to acute disappointment as she watched him walk out the door. Things weren’t turning out exactly the way she’d planned. She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to him so soon.

“Mom, did you pack m

y iPod?” Brendan asked her from the hallway.

Colleen sighed and realigned her brain into Mom mode. “Yes, it’s in your duffel bag.”

“Good, ’cuz Riley is already asleep, and Jenny is going to be, too, as soon as we get in the car. I’ll have to be quiet on the way to Chicago,” Brendan mumbled.

Everyone gathered in the hallway and foyer, putting on coats and giving hugs. Colleen solemnly charged her children to do whatever their Uncle Marc and Aunt Mari said, not to sulk and to pick up after themselves. She gave them both some spending money and huge hugs.

“I’ll be calling you over the weekend,” Mari said when she came to say goodbye. Her significant glance told Colleen loud and clear that Mari wanted the entire scoop about Eric. They hadn’t really had a chance to talk privately all day.

“I might be busy,” Colleen whispered. Mari’s eyes went wide in increased interest before she gave Colleen a hug. Soon Marc, Mari, Riley, Brendan and Jenny were backing out of the driveway, only to be followed by Liam and Natalie. She and her mother stood in the foyer, the overhead light on, waving goodbye.

“Do you want to spend the night here, honey?” Brigit asked after Liam’s car had disappeared down Sycamore Avenue.

“No. I can imagine you’d like some alone time, after all the hard work you did. Thanks, Mom. For everything,” she added.

Tags: Beth Kery Home to Harbor Town Billionaire Romance
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