Nothin' Left to Lose by Carl T. Smith

Author:Carl T. Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: River Oaks Publishing

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

JOHN RYAN STONE WAS FULLY DRESSED. Freshly showered and shaved, wearing the tailored jeans and ivory-colored, collarless shirt that Kate had liked when she saw him in Savannah, he arrived at the airport forty-five minutes before her flight was scheduled to land. He carried a dozen Fire and Ice roses in his hand which seemed a natural and romantic thing to do until he entered the building. Women noticed them and smiled with envy; men just smiled. It made him feel self-conscious until he convinced himself that he didn’t give a tinker’s damn what anyone else thought. It was a good feeling.

Time passed slowly as it always does when the clock is powered by anticipation. He walked the length of the concourse, started to have a beer but decided against it, checked every few minutes to make sure her plane was on time, and finally, sat down in the waiting area to watch the runways until they announced that her plane was on the ground.

Kate Belden didn’t smile until she saw him standing at the gate. She was the picture of softness in a white linen suit and silk blouse. The brightness of her face and her eyes, so full of energy and excitement, made him laugh as she came toward him. He wasn’t sure why or how else to respond, but when she put her carry-on bag down, he took her in his arms and held her.

“God, I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered. Kate pulled back and looked at him.

“I wasn’t so sure. You were laughing.”

“With joy, Kate Belden. With joy.”

“I’m glad.” He handed her the flowers.

“These are for you,” he said, then laughed and looked at the ceiling. “What a stupid thing to say. Who else would they be for?”

“They’re beautiful.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I’m glad to be here too. I’ve been waiting. Can we get my bags and get out of here? I feel like I’ve been—what is that phrase you use?”

“Rode hard and put away wet?”

“That’s the one.”

In the car he looked at her for a moment without saying anything and then leaned forward and lightly kissed her face. He brushed her lips and then pressed them firmly, feeling her mouth open, inviting him inside. The kisses were passionate and grew more intense until there was nothing to do except stop or move forward.

“Wow,” John Ryan said as he relaxed the arms that held her.

“Yeah.” She held him closer.

John Ryan left Kate at the door to her room in the hotel and went to his own which adjoined hers although he had not made that apparent. As far as she knew, he wasn’t staying in the hotel. The newness of the situation required him to use caution. It had been a long time since he had begun a relationship, and he wasn’t sure exactly how to proceed. He had merely said he would pick her up in an hour.

With an hour and nothing to do, he poured a Jack over ice and sat down to glance through the paper, but it held no interest for him.

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