Every Woman's Fantasy

Charlie totally absorbed his attention. He made small talk. So did she. But the conversation was unimportant. All that mattered was being here together, his knee touching hers, his hand resting on the tablecloth where he could accidentally brush her little finger with his.

Now she was picking up her water goblet. Now she was putting it up to those red lips. Now she was taking a sip. Now she was giving him that coy look that made his pulse hammer. He was vaguely aware that Ashley and Sam were talking to each other, but he wasn’t aware of anything they said.

Charlie-watching was becoming his favorite activity. The only problem was that the more he watched, the more aroused he became. Well, too bad. Tonight he would be strong. For her sake.

4

CHARLIE BARELY TASTED HER DINNER. Somehow she had to come up with a way to get her sister and Sam out of the picture so she could be alone with Mark. He was everything she’d hoped and she could hardly wait to get her hands on him.

After all the sexy things they’d said to each other in their letters recently, she was ready for more than heated glances and knees touching under the table. The single rose looked lovely resting beside her plate, and the strolling violinists were romantic, but by the end of the meal she needed more than that.

She wanted to be held, to be kissed, to be caressed. In the process, she’d find out what it was like to touch the dimple on Mark’s cheek and feel the texture of his hair beneath her fingers. She might even find out what he looked like without his sport coat, without his tie, or even without…everything. Her body throbbed just thinking about that possibility.

But he’d brought Sam along, and that was the fly in the ointment.

She couldn’t really blame him. It had been a decent and kind thing to do, and Sam seemed like a terrific guy, but it sure did make for an awkward situation having him and Ashley hanging around. The meal was drawing to a close and she didn’t know what to suggest that would allow her an intimate encounter with Mark.

By the time they were standing outside the restaurant waiting for the valet to bring the cars, she still hadn’t thought of a good solution for extending the evening. Inviting them all back to her apartment wasn’t a very romantic thought, and they were overdressed for the movies.

Dancing would work, but she wasn’t up on the dancing scene in Austin, even though she was a decent dancer. Her other dates hadn’t thought she’d be into that, so she hadn’t spent much time nightclubbing.

She glanced at Mark in silent appeal. The evening couldn’t end now. It just couldn’t.

He met her gaze and his eyes were filled with the same longing. Then he looked over at Sam. “I hate to call it a night so soon, don’t you? Our hotel has a lounge with a live band and a small dance floor, so we could—”

“Great idea,” Charlie said. At last a man had pictured her as an inviting dance partner. And she’d get to put her arms around him, at least while the music played. That was a beginning. “Isn’t it a great idea, Ashley?”

“No!” said Ashley and Sam together.

Charlie seized the moment. “Then I have the perfect solution. We have two cars here. Mark and I can take one of them and go dancing, and Sam and Ashley can take the other one and do…whatever they want.”

“On the other hand, dancing might be a good idea,” Ashley said quickly.

“Sure,” Sam added. “I could tag along for some dancing for a little while. Then Mark and I should probably turn in. Big day tomorrow.”