Chapter 12

The hiss of water boiling over on the stove had Cilla pulling away from Jon and turning to check the pasta. She stirred the noodles and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. The kiss had rocked her to the core. She couldn't remember a kiss ever affecting her that way. Certainly nothing she and Charles had shared had her stomach feeling like a thousand butterflies were fluttering around in there. She shook her head as she concentrated on the pot of penne, she was so out of her element. She hadn't been on a date in months and she hadn't slept with a man since her divorce. What am I doing?

Jon stood there as Cilla pulled away from him. He swiped his thumb across his lips, he had wanted to go back for a second taste, but she had moved all too quickly. He laid a hand on her shoulder, “Cilla?” She stopped stirring and opened her eyes, “I hope you’re ready to eat because this penne is done.”

Jon opened his mouth to say something and then decided against it. No need to spook her anymore than he already had. “Can I help?” She shook her head, “no, I think I can handle it.”

With less than steady hands she drained the pasta, added the sauce, topped it with some fresh grated cheese and set the bowl on the table. She grabbed the bread from the oven where it had been warming and then retrieved their wine glasses from the coffee table. Cilla got the salad from the refrigerator and as she turned she found herself wrapped in Jon’s embrace, both of them trying to keep their balance. Jon had refilled their wine glasses, set the bottle on the counter and turned at the same time that Cilla had turned from the refrigerator.

He took the bowl from her and set it on the counter, “are you okay?” She nodded her head, not realizing that she hadn’t let him go, “I think so. Tight space here. Sorry about that.” He smiled down at her, “I don’t mind tight spaces.”

She looked up at him, his eyes were a bright, smiling blue and his mouth was so tempting. Before she could stop herself, Cilla leaned up and pressed her mouth to his, taking him by surprise. Their lips parted and as their tongues touched, there was that jolt again. The butterflies in her belly kicked up and she let her hands slide up over his chest, her hands fisting in his shirt.

Jon let her lead the kiss this time, enjoying the feel of her lithe little body against his. His hands gripped her hips and held her close, wanting her to feel his unmistakable need for her. Pulling his mouth from hers, he nibbled across her jaw, nosing into her hair, his lips caressing the sensitive skin of her neck. She smelled of something sweet and musky. “Cilla?” he breathed as he nuzzled by her ear. “Mmmmm?” came the muted reply. God his mouth was amazing.

He worked his way back to her mouth, “I want you baby.” She tensed at his words and he lifted his head so he could look at her, “what’s the matter?” She took a deep breath and relaxed her hands, letting them drop from his shirt, “nothing. We should eat before dinner gets cold.” She was lying, he knew she was lying but he wasn’t going to force her. He was so not that guy.

Jon let her go and they sat at the table. He sipped his wine; she pushed the food around on her plate, neither spoke. When they both reached for the bread Cilla couldn’t take it, she had to say something. “I’m sorry.”

Jon raised his eyes to meet a very troubled pair of gray ones. He set his fork down, all pretense of eating gone. “Talk to me Cilla. I know you felt something, so what’s the problem?”

Cilla dropped her hands to her lap, never taking her eyes from his, “I can’t lie Jon, I did feel something. I felt something the first time we ever touched; but we’ve only been out twice. We barely know each other.”

He reached across the table, laying his hand out palm up, when she placed her hand in his he spoke. “We’re adults Cilla, we know what we feel, what we want, right? Why should it matter if we’ve known each other a few hours, a few days or a few months?”

She shook her head, “it shouldn’t, I know it shouldn’t, but it does. To me. I haven’t been on many dates since my divorce and” she felt herself blush before she could get her next words out, “I haven’t been with anyone since Charles.”

He squeezed her hand. He had a feeling he knew what she was getting at. “You wouldn’t be a one night stand Cil. I’ve had enough of those to last me a lifetime. I told you earlier that you were special. Let me show you just how special I think you are.”