After peeking her head in at the shop to make sure their new saleslady was handling things well, Elizabeth decided to stop by the bank. She had some ideas for expansion, and she wanted to explore her options for a loan. She was walking along the street, head down, texting a message to a fried, when something slammed into her shin just above the ankle and took the legs right out from under her. She cried out in pain and shock and felt herself heading rapidly for a jarring collision with the sidewalk. Before she could do more than flail her limbs in a futile attempt to save herself, strong arms came around her from behind, and her back whumped into a hard, broad, chest. Even so, her right knee made contact with the rough concrete, scraping off a layer of skin and ripping her expensive hose. In the aftermath of the accident, the pain in her knee and shin was momentarily overshadowed by the reality of being sprawled gracelessly in a strange man’s lap. He was warm and big and he smelled delicious. He helped her to her feet and their eyes met for the first time. Wow. She felt dizzy, and it wasn’t from the fall. The man eyeing her with quizzical concern was rugged, but a bit flashy by North Carolina standards. He stood at least six feet four inches tall, and his broad shoulders were clad in a tropical print Hawaiian shirt in blues and greens. His dark wavy hair was a couple of inches longer than hers, and a small diamond stud winked in his not-gay earlobe. She’d picked up that bit of bling distinction from an issue of Cosmo. He still held both of her hands, and he was caressing them lightly. His voice was deep and rumbly. “Are you okay? I would have given that maniac skateboarder a piece of my mind, but he was gone in a flash, and I was worried about you.” She glanced around and saw her belongings scattered across the sidewalk. For once, the practical side of Elizabeth Killaney was silent. She wet her lips. “I’m fine, thanks to your quick reflexes. I’m lucky I didn’t break something.” His eyes did a very deliberate and yet not at all insulting inspection of her body from head to toe. “I’m the lucky one,” he murmured. He lifted her hands to his lips and pressed a warm kiss on her knuckles. Then he released her with undisguised reluctance. He cocked his head and stared at her mouth. “Enrique Cantilano at your service, my lady.” All sorts of things in her body went liquid and gooey. Sweet heaven. If any other man of her acquaintance had uttered that line sporting longish hair and an earring, she would have laughed in his face. Looking into Enrique’s hazel eyes, she didn’t feel at all like laughing. She tucked her hair behind her ears with a nervous gesture. “Elizabeth Killaney.” He helped her gather the contents of her purse, and managed to hand her a tampon without looking the least bit embarrassed. Elizabeth, on the other hand, turned bright red and grabbed it furtively... then wanted to smack herself. What was she... twelve? When she stood up again, she was shocked to see him still kneeling at her feet. He put his big, warm palms on either side of her injured kneecap and studied her raw, bleeding flesh. She could barely feel the pain. She was too distracted by the hot zings of pleasure radiating up her thigh. If he slid his hands eight inches higher... She sucked in a startled breath when he looked up at her and frowned. “We need to clean this before it gets infected.” He rose to his feet, making her feel suddenly small and dainty. Her nose was about even with his collarbone, and she realized she was in danger of actually sniffing the man to see where the delicious masculine scent was the strongest. Maybe she’d seen one too many Johnny Depp movies, but she could swear she smelled the salty tang of the ocean and the piquant aroma of a citrus grove. He took her arm, steering her down the street. “There’s a little mom and pop pharmacy around the corner. I saw it this morning. We’ll get hydrogen peroxide and ointment and a small bandage.” He seated her courteously on a wooden bench outside the store while he went in to purchase first aid supplies. The sun on her head was warm, and she wondered if she was having a heat stroke. Nothing else explained her docile behavior. Elizabeth Killaney was usually the one doing the caretaking and not vice versa. He was in and out in record time, and he approached her with a triumphant smile on his face. “Nice place. They had everything we needed.” He knelt in front of her again and tapped her thigh though her skirt. “Can you shimmy out of those pantyhose?” |
