His smile made her bare toes curl into the carpet. “I’m really glad to hear that. I hope you’ll feel the same way after this—”
And his mouth was on hers again, the kiss deeper this time. Hungrier. Catherine wrapped her arms around his neck and molded herself into his embrace. There was no mistaking his reaction this time.
It was only a need for oxygen that finally ended this kiss. They gasped in unison, and both were breathing rapidly as they stood locked together, exploring the newness of being this close.
“This has been building for a while,” Mike admitted at length, speaking softly into her ear. “For me, at least. I was attracted to you from the first time we met, and it has only gotten stronger the more time we spent together. I guess I didn’t realize how strong the attraction had become until I saw you leave with that doctor last night.”
“Bill is just a friend,” she told him again, though she couldn’t help feeling just a bit pleased by his admission of jealousy. As irrational as it might be, she was only human, and woman enough to take pleasure in having this delectable male confess his attraction to her.
“You and I have been ‘just friends,’ too,” Mike said with a crooked smile. “But that doesn’t mean I haven’t wanted it to be more. Judging from the way he looked at you last night, I suspect Dr. Bill would understand.”
She started to deny that, then remembered the way Bill had looked at her when he had suggested that maybe they could get together again sometime. Perhaps he was considering the possibility that there could be more than friendship between them.
Catherine might have contemplated pursuing that possibility herself, had she not been so obsessed with Mike. The fact that she had known Mike only six weeks while she had been acquainted with Bill for almost a year was probably a clue that there was something lacking in the chemistry between her and the cardiologist.
Mike drew a deep breath and dropped his arms to his sides. He took a quick step back from her, as though to place himself out of reach of temptation. “I’d better go.”
As much as she would have liked to ask him to stay, she knew it was too soon for that. “I’m glad you came by.”
His smile pushed a sexy dimple into his left cheek. “So am I. And by the way—I apologize for my bad behavior.”
Though there wasn’t even a hint of real regret in his voice, she returned the smile and said, “Apology accepted.”
“So I’ll pick you up tomorrow? Seven o’clock?”
She hadn’t officially agreed to go out with him, but she supposed that was a moot point now. “I’ll be ready.”
“Great.” He lingered a bit longer, his gaze drifting down to her mouth. And then he resolutely straightened his shoulders and moved toward the door.
Catherine stood right where she was for several minutes after he left, reliving every moment that had passed since he’d knocked on her door. She could still feel the imprint of his arms around her, hear the echo of his heart beating wildly against her own, feel his mouth moving against hers. She lifted her fingertips to her mouth, and her lips felt warm and slightly swollen. Deliciously so.
Perhaps concerned that she had been standing there so long without moving, Norman meowed and butted his head against her ankle. Roused from her reverie, she started and looked around. Her apartment appeared exactly the same as it had earlier. The television was still playing unheeded in its cabinet, though the credits were now rolling for the program she had been watching.
Very little time had actually passed since Mike had shown up at her door, but so much had changed.
“This,” she told Norman, lifting him into her arms, “could prove to be complicated.”
Catherine should have expected Karen to call her Saturday morning. Karen had been out of town at a meeting in Memphis Thursday and Friday and hadn’t been around to hear about Catherine’s date with Bill. Catherine had known, however, that Karen would hear about it quickly and would have plenty to say about it.
Karen didn’t even bother to say hello when Catherine answered the phone. “What’s this I hear about you going out with Bill James?”
Catherine sighed and put down the pen she’d been using to make comments on a grad student’s paper. “How was your meeting?”
“Forget that. I want to know about you and Bill. I’ve thought for a long time that you and Bill would make a great couple. I’d actually considered trying to set up something between you. But I guess he beat me to the punch, hmm? Did you have a good time?”
“Yes, it was very pleasant.”
“Anna Vincent said you looked really good together. Everyone thought so.”
“Well. Um.” What was she supposed to say to that?
“So why don’t you come to dinner tonight and tell me all about it? I’ll make your favorite,” Karen added enticingly. “Lemon chicken.”
“As good as that sounds, I can’t. I have plans.”
“Oh? Are you and Bill going out again?”
“No.” Catherine thought about not telling her friend who she was seeing that evening, but that would be pointless. Karen would find out, and then she’d be annoyed that Catherine hadn’t told her sooner. “I have a date with Mike.”