Double Helix Ch. 19

I don't remember thinking about doing it. The act was pure impulse. I stepped into her, put an arm around her shoulders and bent to kiss her. As my lips touched hers, she stiffened in surprise, but it only lasted an instant before she melted in my arms. She slipped both arms around my neck, pressing her body against me as we sank further into the kiss. It was like a knot of mixed-up, pent-up emotions were slowly untangling as our tongues brushed lightly together. The vague dread that had clutched at me when she left was gone, replaced by a giddy thrill. Desire, carefully, quietly suppressed, flared to life.

We were both panting slightly as I broke from her, touching my forehead to hers. "Is that better?" I asked, caressing the smooth curve of one cheek with my fingers.

Gena laughed weakly. "I've been waiting for you to do that for weeks. What changed?"

"Hard to explain," I said. "I didn't think it was appropriate to go after you, so I tweaked some brain chemistry. Sounds a little silly, maybe, but there you go."

She shifted nervously in my arms. "If you want to-I mean, I have my own room here and..."

"Do you want that?" I asked. I lifted her chin to look into her eyes.

"I don't know. I think so?"

I drew her against me and stroked her hair. "But we're not ready for that yet, are we?" I said.

Gena let out a sigh and relaxed. "No, not yet. I think." Then she realized what I had said. "You aren't either?"

"I've been alone for a long time. And I was blocking, well, this. This feeling. I think I need to get used to the idea first. It's-"

"-a little overwhelming," she said, at the same time that I said, "-going to take some time to process." She added, "I've never felt this way about anyone."

"Not even the not-so-serious boyfriend?" I asked teasingly.

"Not even him," she said, and socked my arm playfully, "you jerk."

I walked her to the front porch of her house, but instead of opening the door, she turned to face me with an expectant lift of her brows.

Flashing her a wicked grin, I grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, pulling her to me. With a little shriek, she threw her arms around the neck and wrapped her legs around my body. "And just what did you think you were doing, you little minx?" I demanded playfully, "Trying to steal another kiss?"

"Maybe," she said in a sultry voice.

I growled and acted as if I were going to bite her on the neck. She shrieked again, but at the last moment, I turned it into a tender kiss at the nape of her neck. She crooned softly, and I kissed her again, a bit higher. My next kiss found her lips. I moved my lips slowly, a low burn of sensual passion that had her squeezing her thighs against my sides and making passionate noises of need. I felt myself growing hard and abruptly broke the kiss. I set her down and she stumbled backward, her bottom bumping the door.

"I think I'd better get back to the house now," I said hoarsely.

"Yes, you'd better," she said, her heaving chest drawing my eyes down to the warm, soft valley of her breasts.

I took a step backward and wrenched my gaze away from her with an effort of will. If I had stayed there even a second longer, I'm sure the pull between us would have become too much to fight against. "I'll see you tomorrow," I said.

"Tomorrow," she said. There was a strange tone to her words, and I wondered if she was also thinking about the danger we were going into, and if perhaps having second thoughts about waiting.

I was committed to my decision, though, and picked up my pace before she could think to call me back. Somehow I knew it was the right decision for both of us in that moment. Whatever happened the next day in Seattle would happen, but right then we both needed to savor the moment.

That stupid grin must have stayed on my face for hours.