Read And To Cherish for Free Online Page B

intensified.
    “I’ll escort you. To the passenger seat.”
    “I don’t think...that’s a good idea.”
    “Well, I’m not letting you drive,” he quipped. “Besides, you probably don’t know where I live.”
    “I don’t think we...should touch.”
    Sam straightened. Dropped his arm. Might as well just figure this out now. Before he was really in over his head. He cleared his throat. That sounded like he was about fourteen years old again. And about as confident. He tried for a deeper tone when he spoke.
    “Look. Cherish. If you go with me to my place? Well. We have to get something straight. I can’t abide a ‘no-touching’ rule. Okay? Touching is going to happen. I’m not even going to apologize. You are the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen or imagined. I’m already having troubles. And I still have to drive home. So. Before you commit, I need to know that you’re okay with that. The touching part. And whatever happens in conjunction with it. Uh. You know.
Everything
.”
    She dropped her gaze to his chest. The shadow of lashes fluttered atop her cheeks, and then the area darkened with what looked like a blush.
    Holy shit.
    That blush almost undid him. Sam’s entire body lurched toward her. To do a lot more than just touch. He barely caught the movement before his feet made it a reality. Hard to overstate what was turning into a raging problem. The chilled night didn’t mute things much. The coat was doing its best to hide it. Even so, he thought he’d done a fair job explaining things. Unless she was completely naive, she had to know what he meant. And even then, he thought he’d been clear enough she could figure it out.
    And this was her fault, actually. Her words had been the match-light to this inferno of interest. Desire. And lust. The more they stood about debating semantics, the more acute it became, too.
    “So. You okay with the touching thing?”
    She nodded. His breath eased out. He hadn’t even realized he’d held it.
    “Sweet. And that means you’re okay with taking my hand? Yes?”
    She hesitated and then put her fingers in his palm. The same instant, an electric bolt hit the parking lot. The light nearest to them exploded. It was followed by the next two, while beyond that, lights were flickering in semi-fizzled mode. Sam watched them do it. And then something completely unbelievable flashed through him. It sparked. Stunned. Enthralled. His fingers tightened on hers. She squeezed back.
    Cherish had a stunned look on her face when he looked back down at her. He could tell the color of her eyes, too – golden brown – but only because she had them wide open. And his vehicle was still running.
What the hell?
His headlamps were still doing fine.
    “Did you...see that?” he asked. He should have waited. His voice had a grating quality, and the bowtie was choking him.
    “Yes.”
    “You didn’t...? This is going to sound weird, but, um. You didn’t do that, did you?”
    “No. Did you?”
    Wow. What he was thinking required a step away from reality. It also required a dent in his immediate plans, a rein put on his evening, and a complete idiot to even consider. Sam shook himself mentally. Then he did it physically. And then he grinned down at her.
    “Okay. Well. Apparently this place has an electrical problem. They’d better fix it before someone gets hurt. Remind me to report it, okay?”
    “Yes.”
    He ran his thumb along her knuckles, grazing the flesh. She was so perfect! Small. And just then he heard the sound of his name. Shouted from across the parking lot. By what looked and sounded like the intern, John. Sam groaned.
    “Time to go,” Sam leaned down to whisper it at Cherish’s ear. Got a thrill from being that near her, and had her at the door the next moment.
    “Doctor Reid? Is that you?”
    John’s voice came nearer. Or he was yelling. Sam waited impatiently for Cherish to adjust herself. She removed the sword in its scabbard. Placed it alongside her left leg.