“Andrew?” She frowned, obviously wondering at his silence. “Is your head hurting?”
“No,” he muttered, pulling her closer. “Not my head.” He saw no need to mention the parts of him that ached most fiercely at the moment.
Her hands slipped around his neck as his head lowered purposefully. Her lips met his willingly, parting just enough to invite him to kiss her thoroughly. He did.
Magic—or madness. Whichever, he had no desire to fight it just then.
Nicole was in his arms, warm and slender and vibrant. Their lips and tongues tangled in a kiss that rocked him to his toes. They stood alone in the woods, the night cold and still around them, the crisp scent of winter in the air, an owl hooting softly, lazily, from somewhere nearby.
Andrew had never experienced anything quite like this. Maybe he never would again. And he found that he was in no hurry for the enchanted interlude to end.
Nicole sagged against him when he finally, reluctantly pulled back for air. Her soft laugh was unsteady. “You’ve made my knees go weak,” she said.
His stomach immediately tightened again. “Then hold on to me,” he growled, and crushed her mouth beneath his once more.
It was inevitable that he would finally have to pull away. Nicole seemed to be in no more hurry than he was, but he could feel the fine shivers running through her, could see her ragged breath hanging heavy in the chill air. Her skin was icy, though her eyes glowed warmly when she smiled up at him.
“You’re cold,” he said, contrite.
“Funny,” she murmured. “I feel like I’m burning up.”
He found her candor as unnerving as it was refreshing. It might be a bit easier for him to resist her if she didn’t seem to be as helplessly captivated as he was by whatever had developed between them. Or maybe not.
He managed to get back through the barbed-wire fence without losing any of his clothing. He didn’t give Nicole a choice of driving this time, but climbed behind the wheel himself after helping her into the passenger side. He quickly started the engine and turned up the heat.
He could feel Nicole’s gaze on him as he turned the Range Rover around in the middle of the gravel road and headed back toward civilization. “Aren’t you sleepy?” he asked, her silently intense survey making him a bit self-conscious.
She shook her head. “Not yet. Are you?”
“No. But talk to me while I drive, just to keep me alert.”
She smiled. “What would you like me to talk about?”
“Tell me about your family. Start with your uncle Timbo.”
“My great-uncle. He was my grandfather’s brother. He used to be a farmer, but he sold the farm when his wife died ten years ago. They didn’t have anyone to leave it to.”
“What about you and your sister?”
“We weren’t interested in farming,” she admitted. “Neither was our cousin, Nate, my dad’s brother’s only son. We urged Uncle Timbo to take the money and use it for his retirement. There wasn’t a lot, once all the loans were paid, but it’s enough to let him live on his own for as long as he’s able.”
“You said you were looking for a job here. What do you do?”
“I was trained in dental hygiene. I worked at it for a year before I finally admitted I hated it. Then I went into retail sales—makeup, clothing, furniture. I’m pretty good at sales, but then I wanted to try something new. I worked at a day-care center in Minneapolis. I loved the children, but I’m afraid I wasn’t overly tactful with the parents who didn’t seem to be taking very good care of their offspring. Nothing makes me madder than seeing a child or a helpless animal mistreated or neglected.”
“What sort of work are you hoping to find now?”
She shrugged. “Something will come along. It always does.”
Andrew thought impulsively about offering her a job in his company. Even if he never went out with her again—as common sense seemed to dictate, considering how different they were—he thought she could work for him without awkwardness. His company was large enough that he rarely saw most of his employees, other than those at the top management levels. He was sure there was something suitable for Nicole in one of the departments.
He kept quiet. He allowed his personnel manager to do the hiring without interference from him. He’d never requested that she hire anyone, and he didn’t like to think of the possible gossip that would result from his recommending Nicole. Perhaps later he could suggest that Nicole apply through the usual methods.
“I’m thinking about taking some classes in decorating, once my younger sister finishes college,” Nicole volunteered. “I’ve always loved decorating, and I’m pretty good at it. I’ve been told that with some formal training, I could do well in it.”
“Why do you have to wait until your sister finishes school before you get your own training?”
“I’ve been helping her out with expenses when I can. She?