by Janice Lynn
And, really, it wasn’t as if she had the strength to say no. Not with her oxygen-depleted brain and all.
When they left his office, Levi drove to his favorite local pizza parlor.
Why had he asked Madison to dinner? Sure, he really was hungry, but spending time with her was a bad idea. He wanted a woman who wanted the same things he did, a committed relationship to each other based on more than just sex.
Not that sexual attraction wasn’t important. Certainly he and Madison had that in spades. But after overhearing her conversation with Karen, he knew she wasn’t what he wanted in a woman. So why was he here? And why did he want her so much when she epitomized the type of woman he’d sworn never to get involved with again?
They ordered their food, got drinks, and settled in where they could both see the wide-screen television.
Although Madison made a pretense of watching the sporting show, he could tell she wasn’t really into the program by the nervous way she kept glancing around the restaurant and toying with her drink straw.
Watching Madison with her straw interested Levi more than any sporting event that had ever been broadcast. After the first few minutes he quit pretending to watch the show and watched her instead, grinning when her big green eyes met his and widened. She didn’t look away, although he got the impression she’d like to. No, she held his gaze, only allowing her eyes to lower enough to glance at his mouth for a few brief seconds.
As if she was thinking about kissing him.
Levi swallowed. There would be no kissing Madison Swanson. How could he when kissing her would definitely lead to other things? If he gave in to urges, well, that proved his father right, didn’t it?
“What made you decide to move to Angel Creek?” he asked, to steer his mind away from those other things.
“I went to nursing school with Karen and we stayed in touch. She’s tried to get me to relocate several times over the years, but there were reasons why I stayed in Winston-Salem.”
Reasons? Levi was sure he’d like to know what those reasons were.
Madison toyed with her straw again, placing her fingertips over one end and raising the other to her perfectly shaped lips in a purely seductive move that she almost seemed unaware of. Almost. Levi bit back a groan.
When she lifted her gaze, pleasure registered at what he obviously failed to hide. He wanted her.
“When Karen’s roommate moved out a few months ago,” she continued, watching him with those mesmerizing green eyes, “I took her up on the offer.”
“What made you change your mind?”
Her eyes darkened, lowered. Staring at her drink for several long seconds, she finally shrugged. “She needed a roommate and I needed a change of everything.”
Which probably meant she had been involved with someone and the relationship had gone sour. His abdominal muscles contracted defensively, rejecting the thought of Madison with another man, the thought of flashing her pretty smile, her wide, seductive eyes in another’s direction. What was up with that? He wasn’t the jealous type and this certainly wasn’t a date. Just two hungry colleagues sharing a meal and each other’s company.
Still, he’d known from the beginning there was something different about her. She was different. Made him feel different. Made him not quite certain about things he’d taken for granted.
Probably just because she was the first woman to interest him after his revelation about his father, about the man he refused to be like. Probably.
He asked more about where she’d come from. He jumped from one topic to another, watching her facial expressions run the gamut of closed to open and inviting as she relaxed.
She had a quick wit, which unfortunately she used to deprecate herself a bit too often, almost as if she had no clue what a knockout she was. But since she was an admitted player, she had to know, had probably been using that aura of innocence to lure men into her web for years.
She was a knockout and had tangled his thoughts up in her web, that was for sure.
He remembered the exact moment he’d met her. He’d felt a physical punch deep in his gut even then. One that had caused the same reflexive tightening he’d experienced moments ago at the thought of her involved with another man.
He’d looked at her and been hooked, had gone to find her after he’d finished rounds on his patients.
That was when he’d overheard her telling Karen how she was going to use and abuse him and spit him out when she was done.
Not what a man looking for a committed relationship wanted to hear. Which should have been enough to kill his attraction to her, but hadn’t.
So he’d avoided her.
Today, he hadn’t been able to avoid her. Not when she’d been choking. Now that he’d had her in his arms, he worried that avoiding her wasn’t going to be a viable option ever again.
Which meant what? That he was willing to be used and abused and spat out when she finished with him?
Hell, no.
But he did want her. More than he recalled wanting any woman. Maybe he should just drive her back to his place, spend the night exorcising her from his mind, and then be done with her.
If he believed one night would exorcise Madison, he’d do just that. But he didn’t.
He had taken one look at her and wanted to share things with her he’d never shared with any woman. Had to be because of what had happened with his father. Had to be that he’d been in the process of rewiring how he operated when they met.
Levi leaned back in his chair, eyed the woman sitting across from him and contemplated his options.
He wanted her. She wanted him. Only he was looking for a relationship and she was looking for a conquest.
What if he kept their relationship non-physical?
Kept her wanting him physically while making her fall for him, the man, not the means to sexual release?
What if he made Madison see how good a real relationship could be between them?
CHAPTER THREE
SMILING at the man sitting across from her, Madison decided being a player had its perks.
On a scale of one to ten, dinner with Levi rated at least an eleven. Higher.
Although he’d started out glancing at a televised baseball game that had only lasted about a minute before he’d only had eyes for her.
Sigh. Who knew a playboy would be such a great listener? Simon never had been. Come to think of it, the only time Simon had really paid much attention to what she’d say had been when he’d been trying to get her into bed. Since she was the one trying to get Levi into bed, having him focus completely on what she said was an entirely new experience.
Who knew he’d have her spilling her guts about Karen and her rooming together while in nursing school? She’d even recounted tales of Nursing Student Mishaps 101.
When she glanced at her watch, they’d been at the restaurant almost three hours. Three hours! The time had flown by and she’d completely forgotten she was supposed to be seducing him, supposed to be flirting and alluring. Instead, she’d just been…herself.
And he’d listened.
Okay, so occasionally the conversation had been flirtatious, but lightly so, fun, not in a way that made her feel out of her element.
“Guess we should head out.” Levi paid their bill, refusing to let her pay despite her protests that she owed him for saving her life. “Since you saved me from dining alone, we’ll call it even.”
She snorted. “As if you ever dine alone.”
“Everyone dines alone occasionally. Even me. Although, admittedly, not often since I’m such great company.” He waggled his brows, then grinned. “Regardless, I’m paying so just say thank you, Madison.”
“Thank you, Madison,” she repeated with feigned obedience, loving the way his gaze lit on her, on the way his lips curved upwards, on the way her insides felt so alive. Who’d known she could feel this way? And why the heck hadn’t she ever felt this way in the past? Her love life would have been a lot more exciting if either o
f her two serious relationships had been able to elicit half as many tingles and sparks.
Maybe it was the whole playgirl attitude that had freed her inner spirit.
Maybe it was because she wasn’t going into this thinking wedding bells and white picket fences.
Maybe it was because she only wanted one thing from Levi.
The way he was looking at her at this moment, well, she might just get it before the night ended.
That made her both happy and extremely nervous. Was she really ready to fully embrace her new persona?
He laughed, shaking his head. “You always this full of sass?”
“Not usually.” She hadn’t felt comfortable enough to relax enough to be herself. Not even Simon. Which was a sobering thought, but not one she’d permit to encroach on her evening with Levi. She deserved one night of fun. One night because anything more than a single night and her heart might get attached.
“Must be something about you.” Which was the truth of the matter. There was something about Levi that got to her and reminded her of happier times. Times before life had got so complicated. Times when she’d smiled and laughed freely and often. Times before she’d let Simon use her heart for target practice.
“Must be.”
Madison bit the inside of her cheek when Levi opened the passenger door of his SUV, waited for her to get inside, then closed the door. Simon had never opened doors for her.
“What’s your street address?”
Absently, Madison told him, still contemplating Levi’s many charms. The man was a charmer, pure and simple. She’d do good to remember that. He went through women the way a smoker went through cigarettes. A pack at a time.
Men like Levi and Simon should come with warning labels that they were hazardous to a woman’s heart.
Or would be if she hadn’t decided to join their ranks. Thank goodness she’d become a player herself.
He started his SUV and backed out of the parking place. “We’re practically neighbors. That’s only a few streets over from where I live.”
“Really?” That surprised her. She’d figured he lived in some fancy neighborhood for doctors and lawyers. Then again, that stereotypical image didn’t fit. Levi didn’t fit into any box.
“You ever run at the park?”
She nodded. Running was her stress relief. She’d never excelled at sports, but running didn’t require any special skills or co-ordination. Running was just her and the wind and her thoughts. Since moving to Angel Creek, running had involved her, her motivational downloads on her iPod, and her overactive imagination as she’d fantasized about Levi.
She told him about her early morning runs—excluding her downloads and fantasies, of course—and how she’d walk the greenway sometimes at night after getting off work to unwind.
“Sounds like we miss each other by about thirty minutes each morning,” Levi mused, scratching his lightly stubbled chin.
“Sounds like.” If only she’d known, she’d have crawled out of bed earlier just to get a glimpse of those legs of his each and every day. Who needed sleep? She’d sleep when she was old.
“Well, if you ever make it out earlier, you’ll have to look for me. We could run together.”
Exactly. She’d be looking for him. His legs. His narrow hips. His— She turned and looked out her window, willing her thoughts away from his body yet again. How could she keep relegating him to the physical when he’d been interesting and gallant and the perfect date?
Except this wasn’t a date. Not really.
He’d saved her life, X-rayed her ribs, taken her to dinner, and was now driving her home. Not a date. Except…except when he looked at her, she felt like she was on a date. Or on the set of a movie where the two characters were on fire for each other and could barely keep their hands to themselves, where just one tiny spark would send them up in flames. Poof.
She wanted to burn.
To smolder.
To go up in smoke.
“This the right place?”
Blinking, Madison glanced at the pretty little white frame house with its navy shutters. “Yep, this is me and Karen. You know Karen. She’s the charge nurse on the medical floor.”
Lord, she was babbling like an idiot. Of course he knew Karen. They’d talked about Karen and her at nursing school quite a bit that evening. Doh!
Be smooth, cool, sexy, Madison. Not a dork.
He just smiled though. “Nice.”
The park and close proximity to the hospital had been major selling points Karen had used in her arguments to get Madison to relocate. Madison liked the house well enough, too.
“Thanks for dinner and for driving me home…” Madison’s mouth dropped open and she shook her head in dismay. The man really messed with her mind. “Only I’d appreciate it if you drove me back to the park so I can pick up my car.” She looked him square in the eyes, willed herself to be strong, to be a modern woman and go for what she wanted. “Unless you’re planning on staying the night and dropping me off at my car in the morning?”
Levi pulled his car into the parking spot next to Madison’s powder-blue convertible VW beetle. He’d thought the car an odd choice for her the first time he’d noticed her driving it. Now, after spending the evening with her, he’d reconsidered. The convertible was the perfect combination of practical and impractical.
A car that would last and get great gas mileage, but that had a bit of whimsy and a generous helping of spunk.
A car that said, Put my top down and take me for a ride.
Just like Madison.
He shook the thought away just as she turned to him and smiled so brightly that he was certain she’d outshine the sun.
“I’ll have to try that pizza place again some time. Everything was delicious.” She licked her lower lip.
Nervously or in a seductive move? Either way, he swallowed, wondering if something had lodged in his throat that Madison was going to have to rescue him from.
“The food was good.” He managed to sound normal. “But, then, that pizza place is one of my favorites.”
He ran his palms over the steering-wheel, counted to ten. He wanted to lean across the distance between the driver and passenger seat, to pull her into his arms and taste those full pink lips.
But what would that accomplish? That is, other than him completely losing his head and taking her up on that offer to spend the night?
How he’d managed to put the SUV into reverse and drive to the park rather than bust her front door down in a rush to get her into bed he had no idea. Definitely he deserved applause, because he’d shown more restraint than he’d known he possessed. Still, he was a man who could see the big picture.
The big picture was that he wanted more with Madison than a one-night sex fest in her bed.
Much more.
Even now he could feel her gaze gliding over him, conveying invitation, conveying that she’d like him to let back her seat and crawl on top of her for a hot and heavy make-out session.
He tightened his grip on the steering-wheel, started counting again.
“I should go,” she said hesitantly, placing her hand on the passenger door handle, but she didn’t get out of the car. Just sat in the seat of his sports utility vehicle. Waiting.
“You should.” But he didn’t want her to get out of his truck. Not really. No more than she really wanted to get out. They sat in silence, staring at each other, the tension mounting, thumping through his head. Kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss Madison. Kiss her now. Kiss her until she’s clinging breathlessly to you.
No, not kiss her. He was going to make her want him long term.
Which required patience.
Which required willpower.
Which required sainthood.
Knowing he was no saint and in serious danger if he didn’t put some distance between them, Levi sucked in a deep breath and jumped out of the Ford. He rounded the front of the truck to open Madison’s door.
“Out you go.”
Loo
king a little stunned and very disappointed, she climbed out of the SUV with her hand tucked into his for assistance.
Knowing his limitations, he practically pushed her to the driver’s side of her car, waited for her to unlock and open the door.
“Thanks again.” She smiled at him, a mixture of confusion and invitation shining in her eyes. “I had a lovely time.”
Yes, so had he, which was why he ignored the enticement of her lips and high-tailed it into his SUV.
Despite the fact he was heading home to a cold shower, he had to admit he had enjoyed the evening with Madison. He looked forward to savoring her like a fine wine meant to be sipped slowly, enjoying each drop to its fullest.
See, nothing like his old man. Nothing. Jonathan Fielding would never have walked away from Madison. Never.
But Levi didn’t plan to walk away for ever. No, he’d bide his time, ensconce himself in every aspect of her life so she couldn’t imagine him not being there.
He’d have his steady, stable relationship, prove he wasn’t a damned thing like his father, and he’d have Madison, too.
She might think she just wanted hot sex with him, but before he was through she’d need him over and over, always needing just one more time.
Always needing him just once more.
Madison crawled in between her sheets, taking little pleasure in the smooth Egyptian cotton caressing her bare skin.
Had her breath been bad?
Had she had pizza sauce on her face?
Had she had a big “L” tattooed on her forehead?
Nope, none of those things, but Levi had rejected her. And he wasn’t the kind of man who rejected a willing woman he was attracted to. So what did that mean? That he’d just been being friendly, had realized she’d taken things all wrong, and he’d scampered backwards as quickly as he possibly could?