“Popcorn?”
He chuckled. “Yes. You didn’t think we were going to do movie night without popcorn, did you?”
She grinned. “I guess not.”
Kennedy walked off toward the living room where his huge flat screen was. He admired the way the dress clung to all her curves as she moved. He forced his gaze off her body, then suddenly realized he hadn’t given her a tour of his home. “You’re going the wrong way.”
She stopped and turned around. “Excuse me?”
“I said you’re going the wrong way. I have a theater room.”
HADDISON WAS RIGHT, KENNEDY thought, glancing around. He most certainly had a theater room, one located on the other side of the apartment. Before they sat down to enjoy a movie, he gave her a tour of his home. In addition to the theater room, living room, and dining room, he had a total of four bedrooms — all with connecting bathrooms — and a room he used as an office. He even had a screened-in patio that overlooked the lake.
The theater room was something else. It was a dark, windowless room with six soft-leather recliners. To add to the effect of being in a theater, he’d hung several huge movie posters on the wall. Not surprisingly, they were all from guy-flicks — The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly; The Godfather; and The Fast and the Furious.
She shook her head. Funny how an ex-FBI agent had no problem liking shows where people took crime into their own hands. Go figure.
A popcorn machine sat in one corner of the room, and a vending machine filled with an assortment of treats in another. There was even a bar in the room with racks filled with several bottles of wine. The room’s recessed lighting and huge theater-looking movie screen completed the authentic movie-theater atmosphere. No wonder he rarely went to the movies. If she had this kind of set-up at her place, she’d never go to the movies, either.
Kennedy eased down in one of the chairs, thinking how comfortable it was. She could imagine Haddison in here with his friends watching a movie. What she didn’t want to think about was him sharing this space with another female. Why she was feeling jealousy for a man she’d only met weeks ago, surprised her. And bothered her.
She had been dating long enough to recognize the phase they were heading into now. Even though they were still getting to know each other, she had a feeling their relationship would go to the next level tonight. Kennedy had no problem with that happening and wasn’t holding out for any promises. She’d passed that way before and the journey hadn’t been good, thanks to Charles.
“I hope you didn’t think I’d forgotten about you.”
Kennedy glanced over and saw Haddison entering the room carrying a bucket with popcorn kernels in the bottom. She smiled. “I admit to being a little miffed that you wouldn’t let me help clear the table.”
He chuckled. “You’re my guest, and I wanted to make sure you knew it.”
How could she not, after everything he’d done since she’d gotten here? That relaxing bath had been out of this world. What man did that for a woman?
“Now to start the popcorn,” he said, moving in the direction of the popcorn machine. “Have you picked out a movie yet?”
“Yes. You didn’t tell me you own a few click-flicks.”
“I didn’t before today. I left work early to prepare for tonight, and one of the stops I made was to a video store. The girl behind the counter was very helpful in assisting me in selecting a few. She said Unfinished Business was really good and had come out on video just this week.”
Kennedy nodded. “I read the book and liked it. That’s the movie I selected for us to watch. It contains a number of action scenes that you might appreciate.”
“Good. I like action.”
“And I like romance, so we’ll both get what we want.”
The room was suddenly filled with the smell of popcorn as he set up the movie to play on the screen. As he moved, she couldn’t help but study him and that fine body of his — it seemed his jeans moved in sync with his body, stretching over the well-defined muscles in his thighs. And his shirt wasn’t helping matters by revealing mouthwatering biceps and abs. And his feet were still bare. That told her he enjoyed being comfortable in his home and being with her.
“How about some wine?” he asked, going over to the bar in the room.
“Sounds good to me.”
Moments later, he handed her a bag of popcorn and a glass of wine, then showed her the compartments built into the chair where the items could be placed. “Thanks.”
“You are welcome.”
As he slid into the chair next to hers, his legs brushed hers. She drew in a sharp breath. “You okay?” he asked.
“I’m fine,” she lied. How could she be fine when the hottest guy she’d ever known was sitting beside her?
Haddison used the remote to darken the room just seconds before the screen flared to life. As Kennedy tried getting comfortable in her chair, she had a feeling this would be one movie night she would never forget.
THE MOVIE WAS PRETTY good. Kennedy had been right about the action scenes. Haddison appreciated the fact that it hadn’t be completely romantic—there was a fair amount of suspense, too. But nothing had held his interest more than the woman in the chair beside him. She had eaten all her popcorn and was now eating his. He didn’t mind. In fact, he found sharing popcorn with her was fairly intimate.
Intimacy.
At some point during the movie, they’d started holding hands. Hers felt so right encompassed in his. Skin to skin. Now why was he beginning to think of another way he’d love to be skin to skin with her? That would definitely take the intimacy between them up a notch.
He doubted he would be able to see his Jacuzzi bathtub in the same light again. Each time he looked at it, he would imagine her naked body submerged in all those damn bubbles. He didn’t have to see her without clothes to know she had a gorgeous body. It showed in everything she wore. Business or casual. He no longer thought she just dressed to impress. Nor did he think she dressed to drive a man out of his mind with lust. But that was what was happening. Tonight was only supposed to be a movie night, but he had a feeling it would become so much more.
“What a great movie! I really enjoyed it.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I can tell you did.” Her hold on his hand had tightened during several of the movie’s suspenseful moments. He hadn’t minded at all.
She smiled over at him. “I only cried once.”
He’d noticed…and had wrapped his arms around her. It had felt good. Chuckling again, he said, “I noticed that, too.”
“Oh, you,” she said, playfully jabbing him in the shoulder.
In a quick movement that he figured would surprise her, he reached out and pulled her out of her seat and into his lap.
When he saw her expression, he assumed that maybe she hadn’t been surprised at all, but had been anticipating him seizing the moment. He was right.
“What took you so long?”
“I thought you were into the movie.”
She grinned. “I was into the movie, Haddison. But I was even more into you.”
It was amazing just how in sync their minds were. Reaching up, she gripped his shoulders, and a jolt of desire shook him to the core. She looked calm, but he sensed something stirring within her. And whatever it was, it had his libido racing. “I love your honesty, Kennedy.”