Page 31 of To Steal a Heart

“I promise,” Arden inserted. “Hey, someone’s at the door. I’ve gotta let you go.” Crew had taken her car to the mechanic and was returning so they could bike the scenic 17-mile Drive that ran through Pebble Beach.

Suspicion sounded in Jenna’s voice. “Who’s at the door? You don’t know anyone there.”

It probably would’ve been easier for Arden to just bite her tongue, but it wasn’t in her nature to back down. She bunched her brows. “I know Zachary Kipling and Ingrid.”

Jenna’s voice lilted. “Oh. Which one is at the door—Zachary or Ingrid?”

“Neither. It’s probably one of the neighbors.”

Jenna groaned. “You’re impossible.”

“I know,” Arden said sweetly, “but you love me anyway.”

“Get to work,” Jenna snapped. “Don’t make me have to come there to check up on you.”

“Don’t worry, Mother,” Arden sassed. “I’m on top of things. Bye.” She ended the call before Jenna could respond. She looked up at the ceiling. “I’m so gonna burn for this.” The doorbell rang again. She fluffed her hair and went to answer it. Her heart skipped a beat when she opened it. Wow. Crew looked good. His hair was tousled from riding with the top down, his bangs swooping over one eye. With his navy polo and khaki shorts, he could’ve stepped out of a J. Crew magazine. She grinned inwardly at her pun—Crew came out of a Crew magazine. Hah!

“What?” he asked with a crooked grin.

“Do you always look so impeccable?”

He pushed a hand through his hair. “I could say the same about you.” He pumped his eyebrows. “You clean up nice.”

“Ha ha,” she said dryly. This morning, Crew had gotten to her place earlier than she’d expected. She was still in her PJs with her hair all over the place. A dart of pleasure ran through her as she looked down at her green blouse and white shorts. Crew liked her outfit. She’d tried on half a dozen different combinations before settling on this one. She figured she needed to redeem herself for looking so bedraggled when he came this morning.

“Are you gonna leave me standing out here,” he teased, “or may I come in?”

She pressed her lips together. “I suppose you can come in. If you’ll behave.”

Amusement flicked over his features. “I don’t know if I can promise you that,” he said in a cavalier tone.

“I suppose I’ll take my chances,” she said with a grin as she stepped back to let him enter. He came in and closed the door. A devilish glint lit his eyes as he moved into her personal space. His arm encircled her waist as he pulled her to him in a swift movement. His gaze settled on her lips. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured.

“Thanks,” she said breathlessly. Was he actually going to kiss her? Yesterday, he’d gotten the sailboat back in record time … long before the first drop of rain fell. Then, he’d taken her home, where he promised to return the next morning for their next adventure. Arden had assumed he’d kiss her then, but he hadn’t. He just gave her a lingering look that warmed her blood before he brushed her cheek with his lips and left.

She blinked, realizing that he was studying her. “What?” she asked in partial amusement.

“Is it time?”

“For what?” Not knowing what else to do with her hands, she rested them on his muscular chest. Her blood was pumping a mile a minute.

“Our kiss.”

“I suppose,” she sighed.

His eyes rounded. “You suppose? Ouch. That hurt.”

Her body trembled at being so close to him. It was all she could do to keep her voice conversational. “What if we kiss and it’s a letdown?” She clucked her tongue. “Then you’ll have to spend the rest of the week with me out of duty.” Her voice went soft and taunting as she lifted her face to his. “I just don’t know that I could force you to do that.” Her heart thumped out an erratic beat against her ribs.

His eyes deepened with a smoldering hunger that surged excitement through her. “I’m willing to take that chance,” he uttered as his lips took hers.

Bliss fired through her as their lips moved together in a fevered dance that ignited her blood. She slid her arms around his neck. Her fingers threaded up through the hair on his nape as she melded her body to his. She’d been kissed plenty of times before, but never like this. So completely and fully in the moment that she could almost feel her soul connecting with his and soaring through time and space.

The kiss left her trembling in the knees. Her chest moved up and down as she tried to regulate her breathing.

“That was something.” She smiled and then stopped short when she saw the bewildered expression on his face. She felt the blood drain from her head. “What’s wrong?”

He scoured her face like he was searching for some answer to a question that eluded her.