Cara slept late the following morning. Rising, she made her bed, showered and dressed, and then went downstairs where she had a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice for breakfast.
And all the while, she thought about Vince. Last night, he had dried her tears, and while he comforted her, one thing had led to another and they had made love, and it had been even more wonderful than the first time.
Smiling with the memory, she did a load of wash, dusted and vacuumed, took the clothes out of the dryer, folded them, and put them away. She had a tuna salad sandwich and a soda for lunch and before she knew it, it was time to get ready for work.
Leaving the house, she drove to her parents' home, aware that Di Giorgio was right behind her. She wondered where he was staying now and when he slept, since he was always there, no matter what time she went out.
She pulled up to the curb across the street from her parents' residence and put the car in park. Sitting there, she stared at the house she had once called home. She had been happy there, she thought Although birthdays and holidays had been far from ordinary, her parents had done their best to make them happy occasions. She had never wanted for food or clothing or shelter. Or love.
She remembered when they told her she had been adopted. She had been eight at the time. She recalled listening carefully as Brenna explained that she couldn't have children and how badly she had longed for a child of her own, and how, out of all the children in the world, they had chosen Cara to be their daughter.
Of course, she knew now that she hadn't been chosen out of all the children in the world. Her parents had taken her home because her birth mother hadn't wanted her. But that didn't change the fact that her parents had loved her unconditionally every day of her life.
Tears stung her eyes as she pulled away from the curb.
She tried to hold onto her anger and her sense of betrayal as she drove to the library, but it was no use.
The truth was, she still loved her parents in spite of everything, and that just left her feeling more confused than ever.
She had a sudden urge to see Vince, but a glance at her watch showed her she couldn't swing by the garage and still make it to work on time.
With a sigh of regret, she drove to the library. Sarah Beth pulled in right behind her.
"I so didn't want to come to work today," Sarah Beth said as she got out of her car. She placed her hand over her swollen abdomen. "I can't believe I have another two months to go. I feel like I'm ready to explode."
"You look like it, too," Cara said with a grin. "Are you sure you don't have triplets in there?"
"Bite your tongue! I don't know how I let Dean talk me into this baby. I don't even like kids!"
"Well, it's too late to change your mind now." Cara opened the door for Sarah Beth and followed her inside. "Why don't you take it easy today? Maybe go through the young-adult database and make sure it's up to date? You can do that sitting down."
"You're a good friend," Sarah Beth said. "So, tell me, how are things with you and the hunk?"
"Very well, thank you," Cara replied. She knew she was blushing but she couldn't help it.
She hoped Bethy wouldn't notice, but of course she did.
"Anything you want to tell me?" Sarah Beth asked.
"No." Cara dropped her handbag into the bottom drawer of her desk and switched on her computer.
Sarah Beth smiled a knowing smile. "You don't have to say a word. It wasn't so long ago that I had that same dreamy look in my eyes."
Cara picked up her mail. "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."
"I'm sure you do."
Cara made a shooing motion with her hand. "Run along, Mrs. Coleman, I have work to do. And so do you."
"Have it your way," Sarah Beth said, laughing. "I'll see you later."
Cara read her mail and sent the necessary replies, then spent an hour reading the latest book reviews and announcements of upcoming books. She shook her head, thinking it was a good thing she worked in a library because she would never be able to afford to buy all the books she wanted to read. She filled out a purchase order for new books, answered several phone calls, and it was time for dinner.
She usually ate with Sarah Beth but Dean had the night off and he came by to take Sarah Beth out.
Leaving the library, Cara got into her car and drove to Vince's garage, deciding she would rather see him than have dinner.
He was under a car when she got there.
"Hey, Cara," he called, "what are you doing here this time of night?"
"How did you know it was me?"
"I'd know you in the dark with my eyes closed."
She found the thought thrilling and a little frightening.
He slid out from under the car and nimbly gained his feet. "What brings you here?"
"I just wanted to see you. Do you mind?"
"Of course not." He pulled a rag from his back pocket and wiped the grease from his hands. "How long can you stay?"
"Not long. I only get forty-five minutes for dinner."
"Did you eat already?"
"No, I decided to come here instead."
He drew her into his arms and gave her a hug.
"Is that the best you can do?" she asked with mock disappointment.
"You know better than that, darlin'," he said with a roguish grin.
"Show me."
His kiss was like silken fire and lightning, sending heat shooting through every fiber of her being. She pressed herself against him, wanting more.
"Here, now," he said, "what do you think you're doing?"
"Nothing," she said innocently.
"Nothing?" He drew her body tight against his, letting her feel his arousal.
She smiled at him, a decidedly sexy, wanton smile.
"You keep looking at me like that and I'm going to take you upstairs and have my wicked way with you."
"Really?"
"Really."
"Better hurry," she said, "I have to be back at work in half an hour."
He didn't waste any time. He closed the garage, swung her into his arms, and carried her swiftly up the stairs. His hands made quick work of undressing her and then he shed his own clothing. Naked, he fell back on the bed, carrying her with him, his hands and his mouth doing wonderfully erotic things, arousing her until she couldn't think straight, couldn't think of anything but him. She moved her hands over his body, loving the feel of his skin beneath her fingertips, the texture of his hair, the way his body quivered beneath hers. She explored him in a way she never had before, touching, tasting, learning what made him moan with pleasure. She was surprised to find that he was ticklish, and she filed that away for future use.
Time lost all meaning. She didn't care if she ever went back to work; she didn't want to be anywhere but where she was, in Vince's arms, in Vince's bed.
Completion, when it came, was like Christmas and the Fourth of July all rolled into one.
Sated, she collapsed on top of him, her head pillowed in the hollow of his shoulder, her heart beating in time to his. Gradually, her breathing returned to normal. She shivered as the sweat cooled on her skin.
"Here." Vince pulled a blanket over the two of them. "Better?"
"Hmm."
He massaged the back of her neck, his fingers delving into her hair. "Are you sure you have to go back to work?"
"I don't want to."
"I don't want you to."
She smiled against his neck. "I wonder what time is it."
"Six twenty-five."
Cara opened her eyes and glanced at her watch. It was exactly six twenty-five. She raised herself on her elbows and stared down at him. "How did you know that?" There was no clock in the room; he wasn't wearing a watch.
He shrugged. "A good guess."
She frowned, but there was no time to argue. She had to be back at work in fifteen minutes. "Can I use your shower?"
"Only if I can share it with you."
The thought of showering with Vince made her blush from head to toe even as it made her smile with anticipation.
She experienced a twinge of embarrassment as she followed him into the bathroom. She wasn't accustomed to such intimacies.
He turned on the water, adjusted it, stepped into the shower stall, and offered her his hand.
"I've never done this before," Cara said, closing the door behind her.
"You've never showered before?" he asked with a wry grin.
"No, silly," she replied, punching him on the arm. "I've never showered with anyone before." She felt her blush deepen. "Lately, I've been doing a lot of things I've never done before."
Vince grunted softly. "I've got no objection, as long as you do them all with me." He handed her the soap.. "Next time, we'll wash each other."
"Why not this time?"
"It's okay with me," he said, "but you won't make it back to work on time if we do."
Feeling as though she had swallowed a piece of the sun, Cara washed quickly and stepped out of the shower. Moments later, she was dressed and ready to go when Vince came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his lean waist. She eyed him hungrily, admiring the width of his shoulders, his muscular chest and biceps, the way the water glistened in his long black hair, and she wanted him all over again.
His knowing grin brought a quick flush to her cheeks.
"You'd better get out of here while you can," he said, drawing her into his arms.
She nodded. "Will I see you later?"
"You bet." He kissed her, hard and quick, then gave her a playful swat on her rump. "I'll meet you at nine at the library. Now, go on, get out of here before I change my mind."
Smiling, she grabbed her handbag and her car keys and left the garage. On the way back to work, she pulled a candy bar from her purse. It wasn't exactly a well-balanced meal, but she wouldn't have traded her time with Vince for a seven-course dinner.
She had only been back at work for a few minutes when Sarah Beth breezed into her office. "Hey, I was wondering..." She stared at Cara, her eyes wide.
"Wondering what?" Cara asked.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you just crawled out of a warm bed."
Cara felt a rush of heat flood her cheeks. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
"Uh-huh." Sarah Beth sat in the chair beside Cara's desk. "Had a little quickie, did we?"
"Bethy!" Cara glanced at her open door. "Do you mind?"
"My dear, I think you do protest too much. And judging by that glow in your eyes, it must have been fantastic."
"It was," Cara said softly.
Leaning forward, Sarah Beth gave Cara a quick hug. "I'm happy for you, Cara. Really! I was beginning to think you were going to be an old maid."
Cara blew out a sigh. "I just met the man, Bethy. It's too early to be thinking about marriage." And far
too early to be sleeping with him. Cara shook her head. She must be out of her mind. She had only known Vince Cordova for a few days and not only was she already sleeping with him but she was eagerly looking forward to the next time they could make love. She had never, ever done anything like this before. She'd never even been tempted. But then, she had never known anyone like Vince before, never felt anything like this before, either. She told herself that no matter how it ended, she wouldn't be sorry, but she couldn't completely still the small, insistent voice of her conscience that whispered what she was doing was wrong.
"So," she said, shaking off her troubling thoughts, "what can I do for you?"
"What?" Sarah Beth blinked at her, and then laughed. "I forgot what I came in here for."
"Well, come back when you think of it, or give me a call. I need to tackle this pile of paperwork. Weren't computers supposed to put an end to all this? Honestly, where does it all come from?"
"Gremlins," Sarah Beth said, rising. "See ya later."
The rest of the day passed quickly. As usual, toward nine o'clock, Cara found herself glancing repeatedly at her watch, willing the minutes to go faster.
She was shutting down her computer when a tingling down her spine told her Vince was near. Leaving her desk, she went to her office door and there he was, striding toward her. Lordy, she thought, the man had' to be the sexiest thing on two legs. She loved the way he moved, fluid and self-confident, like some big jungle cat that knew he was the king of the beasts. There were only a few women in the library, but they all turned to stare at him as he passed by. And then he was there, in her doorway, a slow smile spreading over his handsome face-a smile that said he was remembering their earlier lovemaking and was looking forward to more of the same.
"Hey, darlin'," he drawled.
"Hey, yourself." She knew she was blushing again, but she couldn't help it.
Closing the distance between them, he drew her into his arms and kissed her.
"Vince!"
"Sorry, I couldn't wait."
She scooped up her purse in one hand and caught his arm with the other. "Come on, let's go."
"Goodnight, Cara," Sarah Beth said with a wink. "Have fun."
Cheeks burning, Cara hurried out the door.
"What was that all about?" Vince asked.
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" He opened the car door for her and closed it behind her. "Sounded like something to me," he said, sliding behind the wheel of the Mustang.
"Oh, she thinks she's so smart!"
Vince laughed. "I guess the jig is up, huh?"
"It's not funny. I mean, if she can tell just by looking at me..." Cara shook her head.
"Are you ashamed of what we did?"
"No, but, well..." She looked at him, her expression troubled. "Is it that obvious? Can everyone tell?"
"I don't think so, but I've got to say, you do have a certain glow in your eyes..."
"That's what Bethy said!"
"Yeah?" Taking her hand in his, he gave it a squeeze. "All I can say is that I'm glad I was the one who put it there."
"Me, too. Where are we going?"
"I don't know." He slid a glance in her direction. "Where would you like to go?"
"I don't know." She wanted to go to his place, but she wanted Vince to be the one to suggest it. She was so new to this, so uncertain. Maybe it hadn't been as wonderful for him as it had been for her. Maybe it hadn't meant as much to him.
All her doubts were swept away when he turned down Seventh Street. Moments later, he pulled into the driveway, unlocked the iron security gate, and drove into the garage.
Butterflies erupted in her stomach as he closed the door behind them, cocooning them in darkness. She stayed where she was until he opened the car door and reached for her hand.
"Okay?" he asked.
She nodded, then realized he probably couldn't see her in the dark. Or maybe he could, she thought, when he lifted her into his arms and carried her across the floor and up the stairs to his apartment.
Inside, he turned on the lights; then, letting her body slide against his, he slowly lowered her feet to the floor.
Cara smiled inwardly as her body brushed intimately against his. He wanted her, there could be no doubt of that.
He proved it by swinging her up into his arms and carrying her to bed.