The Ladies' Man

“Maybe she was. Five-year-olds tend not to notice stuff like that.”

“I guess.”

Before she could thank him for the ride, he climbed out of the truck. She did the same and they met on the sidewalk.

“You don’t have to walk me up,” she said.

“I want to. This is a full-service rescue.”

She felt nervous and out of her element, but not afraid. She liked Carter and while she knew she would probably never see him again, she couldn’t help being glad he didn’t want to run right off.

She led the way up the stairs to the far apartment. As they passed between her overflowing plant stands, he asked, “Yours?”

She pulled her keys out of her purse. “Another hobby. I like to grow things.”

“A kindergarten teacher who dances and has a green thumb. Interesting.” He stepped a little closer and lightly touched her cheek with his fingertips. “I’m going to kiss you, Rachel. I’m telling you this in advance, so you can race inside, slap me or go with it and kiss me back. We all know what my choice would be, but you get a say in this, too.”

The porch light brought out the gold in his blond hair. He was both handsome and sexy, a fairly irresistible combination. She hadn’t been on a date in months or been kissed in nearly two years and until this exact moment, hadn’t realized how much she’d missed having a man in her life.

“I’m not the slapping type,” she murmured, her gaze locked with his.

He gave her a slow, knowing smile that made her shiver.

“Good to know,” he said, right before he kissed her.

Chapter Two

Carter’s mouth was warm and firm on hers, but tender. Rachel had thought he might be one of those pushy kissers, claiming what he wanted. Instead he moved back and forth against her mouth, giving just enough to make her want more.

One of them moved toward the other. She wasn’t sure who was responsible for the sudden closeness, but she wasn’t going to complain about the feel of his hard, muscled body pressing against hers. He smelled good—like the outdoors, with a hint of masculine temptation. Heat radiated from him, making her want to cuddle even closer, like a cat looking for a sunny spot.

One of his hands continued to stroke her cheek, lightly brushing against her skin, while the other rested on her waist. She wondered if he were holding her in place. Had her mouth not been so busy pressing up against his, she would have told him that she had no intention of going anywhere.

He brushed the very tip of his tongue against her lower lip. The tiny movement was both exciting and erotic. She parted for him, then held her breath in anticipation of him deepening the kiss.

He moved forward slowly, cautiously, as if giving her time to retreat. Instead all she could think was how long it had been since she’d really kissed a man. Not since she’d broken off her engagement nearly two years ago.

At the exact moment his tongue gently stroked hers, need exploded inside of her. The intensity was as shocking as it was unexpected. She wanted more, needed more. Her body suddenly ached to have him touching her. Skin tightened, her breasts swelled. She let her purse slip to the ground, then wrapped both arms around his neck and leaned into him.

He accepted her with a low groan that made her nipples tighten. He pulled her against him, even as he ran his hands up and down her back. She tilted her head and he deepened the kiss, exploring all of her mouth with an urgency that made her tremble.

The depth of passion stunned her. She’d never felt like this from just a kiss and certainly never with a man she’d just met. It was insane. It was also thrilling and arousing and so not anything she was used to.

Carter pulled back slightly. He kissed her cheeks, then along her jaw and down her neck.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. “Are you trying to make guys crazy on purpose?”

She could barely breathe, let alone speak, but she forced herself to gather her thoughts. “What are you talking about?”

“Those damn curves in that prim little dress,” he muttered as he licked the sensitive skin just below her ear. “It shouldn’t be legal.”

Her eyes popped open and she stared into the darkness of the night. “Me?” she asked in a voice that squeaked. “But I need to lose about fifteen pounds.” Twenty, really, but she couldn’t bring herself to say that aloud. “I’m not…”

“Incredible?” he asked, brushing her mouth with his. “Sexy? Stunning?” He straightened and smiled. “If this wasn’t the first time I’d kissed you and if I hadn’t been raised to know better, I’d show you exactly what you’ve done to me.”

Curiosity exploded. Was he talking about what she thought he was talking about? Had she really aroused him?

For her own part, she felt more than a little tingly, but he was so much more cool than she could ever hope to be.

She looked into his dark eyes and saw fire burning there. His desire matched her own growing need.

“I’ve never…” she said, then cleared her throat. “I don’t…”

“I know,” he said with more than a little regret. “I swore off sex on the first date about the time I turned twenty. You’re not the type.” He smiled ruefully. “I’ll tell you what, Rachel. You’re enough to make me rethink my plan of swearing off women.”

He kissed her again, then bent down and picked up her purse. She took it from him and held it in both hands. It was that or reach for him again.

He drew in a deep breath. “Here’s what I think. You’re gonna go inside your place, smile, thank me for a great evening and close the door.” He frowned. “You need to lock it, too.”

That made her smile. “You’re not the type to break in.”

“I don’t know. I haven’t been this tempted before.”

His words made her tremble. She knew his advice was sound, but it was amazingly difficult to force herself to open her door, then step inside alone. Still, she did it. She set her keys and her purse on the small table by the door, then drew in a breath and prepared to tell him goodbye.

She was in his arms. She wasn’t sure who made the move, but it didn’t matter because holding him and being held felt so good. Even as his mouth claimed hers in a kiss that stirred her to her soul, she savored the feel of his hands as he ran them up and down her back. She could feel the pressure of his fingers, the heat of him. When he lingered on her hips, she instinctively arched toward him. Her belly brushed against his erection.

Need rushed through her. He hadn’t been kidding—he did want her. Just as she wanted him. Nothing about this made any sense at all, but where men were concerned, she’d always been cautious. She’d had exactly two lovers in her life and she’d waited until she’d been sure they were in love and talking about getting married before giving in. She’d never been with a stranger. Until tonight she’d never even kissed a stranger. She was sure that in the bright light of day she would have given herself a stern talking-to, but right now she didn’t care.

She placed her hands on his chest and allowed herself to explore him. As their tongues circled and danced and mated, she learned how she liked to breathe in the scent of his skin.

He set his hands on her waist and moved them up. Slowly, slowly, as if giving her time to protest. Without thinking, she covered his hands with hers and brought them to her breasts.

She was jolted both by her own actions, something she’d never done before, and the exquisite pleasure of having him touch her there. She decided to deal with her guilt later and simply enjoy the feel of him caressing her curves, brushing against her nipples and making her body melt.

The ever-present need grew. She was already wet and swollen and she wanted to be touched everywhere. She squirmed to get closer even as he started unbuttoning the front of her dress.

Yes, she thought hazily. Without clothes they could touch each other. She tugged at his T-shirt. He stepped back, unfastened the buttons and ripped it off. Passion darkened his eyes to the color of the night sky. There was light from a single small lamp in the corner but it was enough to let her see how hard he was breathing and how his desire pushed at the zipper of his jeans.

They came together again. Now she could touch his back and chest, feeling the warmth and smoothness of his skin. He managed to unfasten the front buttons on her dress and push the fabric aside. Her arms were caught for a moment, then she freed herself and shoved it out of the way. Her dress fell to the floor and pooled at her feet.

Under any other circumstances, she would have been embarrassed, but there was no time. Carter bent down and, through her bra, took her nipple in his mouth. She lost herself in the wet heat and gentle sucking. She touched his head, his back, his arms and wished there was a way to touch all of him.

He nudged her backward. She went willingly, then let herself fall onto the sofa. He eased on top of her until they were a tangle of arms and legs. His arousal pressed between her thighs and, even with multiple layers of clothing, he managed to excite that one sensitive spot.

More, she thought frantically, knowing it had been so long and that she would be close in a matter of seconds. She needed more.

He unfastened her bra and pulled it away. Now she felt his mouth on her bare skin and it was nearly enough to send her over the edge. He slipped one hand between them and even as his tongue teased her aching nipple and brought her close to the edge, he eased between her legs and under her panties to get lost in paradise.

He found her center immediately. She didn’t know if it was good luck or a lot of practice, and at that moment, she didn’t care. He rubbed around the swollen spot before brushing over it. She gasped as her body tightened and every cell waited breathlessly for that one moment of release.

Again and again he touched her, moving steadily, then slower, then faster, pushing her into madness until she could only wait, unable to breathe until her body gave in to the pure pleasure and convulsed into release.

She clung to him as the waves rippled through her. He continued to touch her and she continued to climax until he swore, pulled back, unfastened his jeans, jerked down her panties and plunged inside of her.

He was thick and he filled her until she had no choice but to climax again. They held on to each other, kissing, straining, reaching. He called out her name, then stiffened as his body found its own release, and then they were still.

Rachel savored the weight of him, unable to believe that she, of all people, had really made love with a stranger, on her slip-covered sofa, with the scent of night-blooming jasmine in the air.

Rachel woke a few minutes before her alarm clock went off, to find the sun streaming into the room. That didn’t make sense, she thought in sleepy confusion. She always closed the blinds and then pulled the pale curtains. But this morning the curtains were all that were between her and an east-facing window. Huh. Shouldn’t she have…

Reality crashed in on her. She suddenly remembered why, exactly, she hadn’t bothered to lower the blinds. In truth, she hadn’t pulled the curtains, but someone else had. Probably the same person who had urged her into her bed so their second round of lovemaking could take place in more leisurely comfort.

She sat up, then immediately squealed and sank back under the covers. She was naked. Totally, completely naked. She never slept naked, but then she never brought a man she’d barely met back to her apartment and had sex with him.

Embarrassment heated her cheeks. What had she been thinking? Easy answer—she hadn’t. She’d been too busy feeling.

But that was no excuse, she told herself as she clutched the sheets to her chest and slowly sat up again. There were no excuses, no way to justify what she’d done. Momentary insanity, she thought glumly. What other explanation could there be?

She glanced around the room, looking for evidence that Carter was still around. There was no noise from the bathroom and she didn’t see any of his clothes. Had he left? Would that make things better or worse?

Before she could decide, she spotted a piece of paper resting at the foot of the bed. Cautiously, careful to stay covered by the sheet, she reached for it.

Morning, Rachel. Sorry to duck out without saying goodbye, but I have to be at work really early and I didn’t let you get a whole lot of sleep last night, so I didn’t want to wake you before dawn. You’re amazing and I hope I can see you again. Here’s my cell number.

He’d left a phone number and signed his name.

Rachel read the note over a couple of times before setting it on the nightstand. He was gone. That was a relief. She didn’t have to deal with any awkward “morning after” conversation. In truth, she didn’t have to deal with anything. Last night had been a weird, unexplainable phenomenon. Like a bubble in the space-time continuum. She would accept it as such and move on.

Right, she thought as she got out of bed and ran to the closet so she could pull on her robe. Moving on was an excellent plan. Last night had never even happened. She wouldn’t think about it ever again.

Except, as she walked to the kitchen to start her morning coffee, she noticed that specific parts of her felt a little sore. Her hips and thighs had that stretched-too-far ache and there was a faint sort of throb in more intimate places.

No wonder, she thought with a smile. The first time had been all heat and speed, but the second had been incredibly slow and seductive and—

“Stop!” she said aloud in a firm voice. “No thinking, remember? This is thinking. Stop it.”

Right. She had to remember it had all been a big mistake. Not one she would ever repeat, under any circumstances. Carter could have been a serial killer. Right now her body could be in chunks all over the place. She’d been stupid and for reasons not clear to anyone, she’d gotten out unscathed.

As for calling Carter, that wasn’t going to happen. What was she supposed to say to him? How could she explain she wasn’t that type of woman, when as far as he was concerned, she obviously was. She hated that he would think she was slutty, but she couldn’t think of a way to change his mind. He was good-looking enough that this sort of thing probably happened to him all the time. He wouldn’t even give her another thought, just as she’d get him out of her mind immediately. Starting right now.

But when she reached for her coffeepot, she realized it was full and that the aroma of the fresh brew filled the room.

He’d made coffee before he’d left, she realized with a little sigh. Talk about thoughtful.

The phone rang. Rachel’s heart fluttered briefly before she consciously squashed the sensation. No fluttering, no anticipation, no hoping, no Carter. Besides, the man might know where she lived and be on very intimate terms with her body, but he didn’t know her phone number.

“Hello?”

“Rachel? It’s Diane. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Diane sighed. “I’m so sorry about last night. I can’t believe I took off like that and left you. I nearly had a heart attack when I got home and realized what I’d done. I came right back but the bartender said you’d already gotten a ride home. I would have called then, but it seemed so late. Are you sure you’re fine?”

“I am,” she said, determined to make it true by sheer force of will.

“Okay. Good. Obviously Eddy makes me crazy. I’m so not going out with him anymore.” Diane sighed. “I should be more like you. You’re so sensible when it comes to men.”

Rachel held in a wince. “I have my moments, like everyone else.”

Diane laughed. “Oh, please. When was the last time you did anything impetuous with a guy?”

Rachel wasn’t about to answer that question. “Thanks for checking on me. I’ll see you later at school.”

“Right. Bye.”

Rachel hung up the phone and poured herself a mug of coffee. It was a new day and she had a new plan. No more wild nights with men she didn’t know. She would go back to being the kind of woman Diane assumed she was. Better for everyone, especially herself.

The rhythmic click of the knitting needles was a good memory for Rachel. One of her years in foster care had been with an older woman who had taught her to knit. She associated the feel of the soft yarn and the sound of the needles with calm evenings spent by a fire with plenty of hot cocoa on hand.

“She’s going to throw me out of class,” Crissy said in a low voice.

Noelle grinned at Rachel, then turned to their friend. “She’s not. She likes you.”

“Ha. She has to.” Crissy tugged at her tangled knitting. “I gave her a free month at one of my gyms. I know it’s wrong to bribe people but I didn’t know what else to do.”

Rachel held in a smile. “Gee, Crissy, have you thought of actually paying attention to your knitting? It is why we’re here.”

Crissy laughed. “Oh, please. You know I only come here so we can go to dinner afterward. The first set of classes wasn’t too bad, but now things are so complicated. Who writes these patterns?”

“We could meet you for dinner after knitting class,” Noelle offered.

“This is fine,” Crissy told her as she held out her needles to Rachel. “I’ll muddle through.”

“Muddle being the key word,” Rachel said as she took the disaster and began unraveling it. “How can you mess up casting on? It’s just not that complicated.”

“I’m a businesswoman. I can run my company, but I’m not very good with my hands,” Crissy said. “Big deal.”

Noelle, ever the peacemaker, patted her arm. “You could try a little harder.”

“I could also wish to be taller,” Crissy said. “It’s not happening.”

Rachel looked at Noelle. “She’s hopeless.”

“Pretty much,” Noelle said cheerfully. “But we love her anyway.”

Noelle set down her needles and stretched her arms above her head. “I’m getting creaky,” she said. “I’m only twenty and I’m already stiff and old.”

Crissy leaned over and hugged Noelle. “You’re pregnant. There’s a difference.” She patted her friend’s round belly. “I can’t believe how long it took you to show. You’re into your sixth month and you’re not big at all.”

“I feel big,” Noelle said with a contented smile. “I feel huge. But it’s good.”

“Of course it is,” Rachel told her. “How’s Dev?”

Noelle’s expression turned dreamy. “Perfect in every way. He wants us to go away before the baby’s born. Sort of a belated honeymoon. But he doesn’t want me to worry about flying. So he’s been looking into a cruise on the Mexican Riviera. Maybe in late January.”

Rachel couldn’t help smiling at her friend. Noelle radiated happiness. Her marriage to Devlin Hunter had started out as a purely practical arrangement that had turned into something wonderful when they’d fallen in love. Even their brief scare that something might be wrong with the baby had ended well when the tests had come back with the good news that everything was fine.

Noelle tucked her blond hair behind her ears. “So, what’s new with you two?” she asked.

Crissy laughed. “Since last week? Gee, nothing. What about you, Rach? Any deep, dark secrets you want to share?”

“Not really,” Rachel murmured. She was still a little sore from her wild adventure three nights before, but she sure wasn’t going to mention that to her friends. While she didn’t think they would actually disapprove, she wasn’t ready to confess all. Maybe she never would be.

In truth, she couldn’t figure out why she’d allowed things to get so out-of-hand with Carter. Okay, he’d been funny and charming and sexy. In her line of work, she didn’t meet a lot of guys like that. Most of the men in her circle were married and fathers of five-year-olds.

And yes, it had been long time since her last relationship, so maybe she’d been in a weakened condition. But still—that was hardly an excuse for what she’d done.

Just as bad, she was starting to regret throwing away Carter’s note, which was crazy. It wasn’t as if she would have ever called the man. And say what? Invite him out on a date? He would think she was only interested in him for sex. How humiliating. Not that she wasn’t interested in him that way, but there would have to be more than just that. Just thinking about it all was confusing, which meant that a relationship would be difficult and if there were this many questions now, what was the point?

She knew better than to get involved. Caring meant losing and she’d already had enough pain in her life.

“Earth to Rachel,” Noelle said. “Are you all right?”

“What? Oh.” Rachel handed Crissy her knitting project. “I’m fine. Just a little distracted.”

“I would normally assume work,” Crissy said, “but you had the oddest look on your face.”

Rachel willed herself not to blush. “It’s nothing.”

Crissy didn’t look convinced. “I make it a rule never to pry, but I’m tempted this one time. Just promise me you won’t do what Noelle did and turn up pregnant.”

“Of course not,” Rachel said. “I’m not dating anyone.”

“Dating isn’t actually required,” Crissy informed her with a grin. “Sometimes proximity is enough.”

Noelle laughed. Rachel forced herself to smile, despite the dark, ugly pit that had opened up in her stomach.

Pregnant? No! It wasn’t possible. No, no, no. She couldn’t be. They’d only done it those two times. Just twice.

Without protection.

Rachel wanted to run screaming into the early evening. She wanted to pound her head against the table, or at the very least, turn back time and not invite Carter into her apartment that night.

She couldn’t be pregnant. She was single and a kindergarten teacher. This wasn’t part of her plan. Not yet. Of course she wanted a husband and a family, just like most women. But in that order. Someday. When she was feeling brave enough to risk her heart.

It wasn’t possible, she told herself firmly, fighting the need to throw up. She would be fine.

Seventeen days after her night with Carter and fourteen days after considering the possibility of pregnancy, Rachel sat on the edge of her tub and told herself not to break into hysterics.

She’d waited an extra two days just to be sure. She’d been patient, she’d done her best not to think about it. She’d willed her period to start exactly on time and when it hadn’t, she’d gone the extra mile just to be sure.

Now, she stared at the seven plastic sticks she’d neatly lined up on two paper towels. They were from three different kits and they all said exactly the same thing.

Positively pregnant.

Chapter Three

Rachel hadn’t planned on ever returning to the Blue Dog Bar. Unfortunately, since she’d tossed the note with Carter’s cell number on it, she had no way to get in touch with the man. But she had remembered that one of the bartenders—Rachel couldn’t remember her name—had known Carter well enough to have his number and so here she was, showing up at three-thirty in the afternoon, with a nervous stomach and several spots of drying paste on the hem of her skirt.

Kindergarteners were hard on their teacher’s clothes, she thought as she glanced down at the dark patches. At least the paste would wash out. If only her problem with Carter could be solved as easily.

She drew in a deep breath, wished she hadn’t been so hasty with that note he’d left and walked into the dim building.

It was early enough that there weren’t many customers. Rachel ignored the few patrons and made her way to the bar, where she sighed in relief when she recognized the same woman who had been here that night three weeks ago.

The woman behind the bar smiled. “Hi. Can I help you?” She was pretty—late twenties, with a cute, short haircut and big green eyes.

“I hope so,” Rachel said, wishing she weren’t so nervous. She could feel herself shaking. “I’m, ah, looking for Carter.”

The bartender continued to smile. “Okay. Carter who?”

Rachel held in a moan of humiliation. “I don’t know,” she admitted in a rush. “I met him here three weeks ago. I didn’t mean to. I was here with a friend and she was breaking up with this guy and…” She sucked in a breath and clutched the large envelope of papers to her chest. “That’s not important, right? Because no one cares. Okay. We, ah, met and I need to talk to him. It’s really important. Carter. He’s about six-two with dark blond hair and a diamond stud earring.”