She slid her hands up his chest, around his neck. Buried her fingers in the back of his lush, dark hair. His hands glided down her back, shaping her curves, holding her more tightly against him. Instinctively, she shifted her weight, moving against him in a way that made a low groan rumble in his chest. She felt his fingers tighten at her hips, which only made her long to feel his hands on every inch of her.
He took his time exploring her mouth. Nibbling her lower lip, tracing it with just the tip of his tongue, taking teasing little nips until she moaned in frustration and tugged at the back of his head in demand of more. His chuckle was muffled when their mouths fused, and then changed to a soft groan when their tongues met in a demanding duel. Teasing turned to craving, light touches became more frantic.
For a moment, she thought the sudden vibration she felt was coming from her overstimulated nerve endings. That her ears were ringing with the force of her fully reawakened desire. She realized rather sheepishly that her phone was chiming in her pocket.
Dan released her reluctantly when she drew back. Blowing out a pent-up breath, he pushed a hand through his hair, giving her a crooked, pained smile as he moved away to give her a little space to answer the call.
She cleared her throat before speaking. “Hi, Bonnie, what’s up?” she asked maybe a little too brightly.
“I hope you haven’t ordered lunch yet.” Her sister’s voice held a grim note that made Kinley wince.
“No, why?”
“We have a situation here.”
“What’s wrong?” She almost hated to ask. She already suspected she knew whose name was about to pop up.
She was right. “Eva called with a last-minute brainstorm.” Continuing over Kinley’s groan, Bonnie explained, “She’s decided she wants big lavender organza bows decorated with white calla lilies on the back of each chair for the rehearsal dinner this evening.”
“Did you tell her it’s too late to make that sort of request? Not to mention that the rehearsal dinner is the groom’s family’s responsibility?”
“I tried. She said she checked with the groom’s mother, who told her that would be fine. Probably browbeat the poor woman into agreeing. Anyway, Eva said if we don’t have time to take care of it, she’ll pick up the supplies and come do it herself. She got very insistent. I told her I’d get back with her.”
“Damn it.” The thought of Eva Sossaman hanging around all afternoon, making a mess of the decorating and insisting everyone else help her, not to mention “supervising” all the other preparations, made Kinley shudder. She didn’t even want to think about how long Logan would be able to hold his temper in check, even though he’d shown admirable restraint with Eva thus far. “Tell her we’ll handle it. Do we have enough organza?”
“You should probably pick up some extra,” Bonnie suggested apologetically. “I’ve already put in an emergency call to the florist. She’ll send over three dozen of those silk calla lilies Eva wanted us to use in the garlands. Fortunately she had extra in stock. She said something told her she’d better be prepared for last-minute requests from Eva.”
The whole inn was going to be draped in lavender organza and clusters of white silk calla lilies by the time Eva finished, Kinley thought irritably. Not to mention the real white lilies and lavender sweet peas that would make up centerpieces, bouquets and assorted fresh flower arrangements. Eva had apparently never heard the expression, “Less is more.”
“I hope you reminded her that she’s adding to her costs by ordering last-minute extras.”
“Of course I did. She said not to worry about the expense.”
Which was why they’d all managed to hold on to their strained patience with Eva to this point, Kinley reminded herself wryly. She was a pain in the butt, but she was paying very generously for this wedding.
“I’m sorry,” she said to Dan when she’d returned her phone to her pocket. “I have to go. I’ve got to pick up some organza at the crafts store, then head back to the inn to help Bonnie tie bows on the chairs. A last-minute brainstorm on Eva’s part.”
He chuckled in resignation. “Yeah, I figured that out.”
“I’m sorry about lunch.”
He shrugged. “I’ll find something. I’m not hungry now, anyway. Not for food, at least,” he added in a meaningful murmur that made her cheeks warm.
It was just as well, she thought, that Bonnie had called at that moment, before she could do something really stupid. She’d been a kiss and a heartbeat away from dragging Dan to the nearest flat surface. And she was fully aware that he would not have resisted. If she were the type of woman who believed in magic and spells, she might have suspected he’d cast one on her, considering how atypically she had behaved since he’d arrived only yesterday.
“I think I’m in the mood to write this afternoon,” he added, sliding his hand down her arm. “Not an article, but the book I’ve been itching to write. Maybe you’re my muse, Kinley.”
She smiled faintly. “I’ve never been called anyone’s muse before.”
“And I’ve never met anyone who inspired me so quickly.” He brushed one last kiss across her lips before making himself move back.
She reminded herself firmly that he was scheduled to leave tomorrow evening, despite his hints that he wouldn’t mind staying a little longer to get to know her better. It would surely be best for all involved if they stuck to the original schedule. Hadn’t she just told him, and reminded herself, that she wasn’t particularly successful when it came to romance? For someone who hated failure as badly as she did, that meant she should especially avoid getting involved with someone who affected her as strongly as Dan did.
“We should go,” she said gruffly, heading for the door. At least she would be too busy the rest of the day to get into further trouble with him. From this moment on, she would focus strictly on business, making no more foolish mistakes.
“Um, Kinley?”
Her hand was already on the door. “Yes?”