Accidental Meeting (8 page)

As
Katie broke into song, he couldn’t resist tracing his fingers down the trail of
her back, from head bone, to neck bone, to her spine. She shivered and giggled
in response to his caress. Without warning, she reached over and began to
tickle him. Not that he was ticklish; he jumped because her touch gave him a
heady feeling. There was only one anatomy he wanted to study. Hers.

The
flowery cologne she wore had to be exotic because it was driving him wild. He
grabbed her around the waist and held her to him in hopes of stopping her
tantalizing assault. Finally her body stilled in his arms, their gazes locked
momentarily before his traveled down to rest on a pair of sensuous ruby-red
lips. She laughed and he watched as her mouth parted, almost inviting him to
investigate intimately. He was so fascinated with his conquest, he barely heard
her holler.

“Uncle.
Uncle.” She laughed and pressed her hands against his chest.

“Uncle?”
Wade snapped back into reality, confused as to why she would call him uncle.

“I
give. Uncle. You win.” She pushed herself to a standing position, laughing
merrily as if they were kids wrestling together.

Would
she ever see him as more than a big brother figure? Or a friend? Would she ever
want to get to know him as a man? A man whose sole desire was to see her happy.
He loved to see her eyes sparkle when she laughed or sobered when she turned
serious. If she had  eyes for him.

“It’s
getting late. I think we should call it a night.” Wade stood and headed for the
door, not dwelling on the look of surprise that registered on her face.

“I’m
sorry. I’ve kept you late enough helping me." Katie held the screen door
open "Thank you. I’d never get through half my classes without your help.
Are you picking me up in the morning?” She waited for his response.

Not
even bothering to turn around, he called over his shoulder, “I’ll be here.”

He
didn't let Katie hear his whispered, “As always.”