Her folks always had seen her as the professional, business-savvy kid in the family, so it was no surprise she’d felt she had to be the one to shoulder all the financial concerns. Still, he couldn’t believe she’d been holding all this in.
He was just glad he’d made that phone call to Fox. It’d been some lucky damned timing on his part, that was for sure. “Will it help that we’re scaling back the project?”
“I guess. ” Her eyes went to his, and for once there was warmth there. “I mean, yes. Yes, of course. Every little bit helps. ”
“I’d do more if I could, but Fairview is big. ”
“I still want to stop them,” she said, her voice suddenly fierce.
“You know there’s no stopping them completely. ”
“I’ll figure out a way. ”
“Jack and I need the business. It’d be a blot on our record if we biffed this now. ”
“I get that. I get it, I do. ” Her gaze drifted back to the camping equipment in his truck bed. “Though I guess it’s not just that. If you lost the job, I’d be taking food and gear away from at-risk inner-city youth? Nice…”
He drew the back of his finger down her cheek. “You had no way of knowing. ”
His touch brought her eyes back to him. There was something else there now, something that was seeing him for the first time. Something that smoldered.
“Did you come out here for anything else?” he asked, hoping.
She wet her lips. “I just…I want this to stop. ”
It was the flick of her tongue that did it. He didn’t need more than that. She’d licked her lower lip. Darted her eyes to his mouth then quickly back up again. He could read signals.
He knew women, but it was Laura he wanted.
He stepped closer.
“Stop the construction, or stop this?” He cupped her cheek. Stepped closer, till he felt the heat of her body along his. He moved slowly, giving her every opportunity to stop him.
She didn’t stop him. She only stared up at him, looking as disbelieving as he felt.
“I want you, Laura. ” His desire for her was intense, blinding him to everything but that luscious mouth. How many times had he stolen glimpses of it, fantasizing about the dirtiest of things. She’d been his teenage fantasy. His high school crush. And now here she was before him, lips parted slightly, his for the taking. “You know I want you. ”
“I know,” she said, and he had to smile at that, such a Laura thing to say. But he knew she was just nervous. He saw now how vulnerable the Laura Bailey could be.
He leaned down to her, and for a moment, he hovered just a breath away. He didn’t believe this was actually happening. He’d wanted her for so long. As long as he could remember.
And then she shocked him.
“Dammit, Eddie. ” She snagged his T-shirt in her fists and pulled him the final inch to her. Her mouth slammed into his, devouring him instantly.
His whole body stiffened, hardened, lust swamping him until his head rang with it.
He kissed her back. Kissed her like he’d wanted to kiss her since they were kids. Only they weren’t kids now, and his hunger was a man’s hunger, ravenous, wanting to take her, have her.
He wrapped his hands around her hips and braced her against the side of his truck. And—oh, God—he’d fantasized that, too. Taking her against the side of the truck. In the truck. In the woods. On the tavern bar. Beneath their high school bleachers. So many times, so many ways, and God help him, he wanted them all.
He kissed her deeply, and she kissed him back, just as deeply, just as hungrily.
But then she pushed him away, keepin
g his shirt clenched in her fingers. Breathlessly, she said, “This doesn’t change anything. ”
“Not a thing. ” He leaned down, nipping at her ear. He’d consider it later. For now, he just wanted to get back to kissing.