Marriage to the Second Degree - Part 1 by Kendra Thomas Page B

I’ve missed you.”
    His simple words combined with the light sweep of his hand against her cheek seemed to increase her discomfort.
    “Yes, but that’s just it,” she said, her breath hitching as she swallowed.  “I can’t – I mean we can’t – “ 
    As her ability to form coherent sentences deserted her, Sawyer sensed her weakening resolve.  If he didn’t say anything stupid, it was likely he could get her to agree.
    “It’s just dinner, Mckenzie,” he said softly, in an attempt to make dinner sound as unthreatening as possible, although he knew it wasn’t the meal she was concerned about.  “I’m just asking you to dinner.”
    Headlights swept over them, briefly illuminating the area beyond the picnic table, but their stances remained unchanged. 
    “But that’s just it,” she said, her voice tinged with something he couldn’t quite identify, “it’s never just about dinner with you and me.”
    “I see you do remember.”  Given the uncertainty of which she had uttered her previous statement, he doubted she needed any reminders of what they had once shared, but he would have willingly given her demonstration.  Had she been so inclined.
    “Yes, I remember, but it doesn’t matter.  You and I have been over for a long time.”
    It didn’t surprise him that she was playing the ‘it’s doesn’t matter’ card, despite the fact that he suspected they both knew it was bullshit.
    “If it doesn’t matter, then why are you here?”  After all, she was the one who had sought him out, and it couldn’t have been just because of what she’d read in the papers.  If she just wanted to tell him off, she could have done that over the phone.
    A dog barking in the distance broke the uneasy silence as their gazes held, and then by degree she tipped her hand in a gesture that could only be construed as acceptance.
    “Fine,” she gradually relented despite the resignation in her tone, which he suspected was more for his benefit than hers.  “You can pick me up to tomorrow night at eight.”
    For a brief beat in time, she remained in his arms, memories and heartache sizzling between them.  Attempting a goodbye kiss would no doubt be pushing his luck, not that it didn’t occur to him, but Lady Luck typically had her limits and Sawyer suspected he had reached his.  And as Mckenzie walked away, he watched her, his emotions tangling with what once was.  She had left him once despite the promises that had been made.  Was he setting himself up for another heart wrenching failure?
    But she had agreed to have dinner with him, and Lady Luck might just be in another favoring mood.  And who knows, by tomorrow night he might just have enough luck left over to consider a good night kiss.
     

 
     
    Chap ter Two
     
    Her mirror reflected the image of a young woman dressed in white capris and an ice blue cami fluffing her fingers through her shoulder length blond hair in preparation of a dinner date.  Her makeup had been applied, subtly, her favorite sandals had been dusted off, and she had even put some thought into her underwear.  A selection of jewelry was displayed across her vanity, a favorite drop pendant necklace, a pair of gold hoop earrings, although she had debated about whether she needed a bracelet.  Charm bracelets while cute could get annoying with all that tickling, and Mckenzie’s nerves were unsettled enough.
    Pausing in mid-thought, a weighty sigh had her staring at the ceiling.  What in the hell had she been thinking agreeing to have dinner with Sawyer?  She had about much resistance to him as flies did to fly paper, or stains to her favorite white jeans.  The man was walking sex in a pair of tight denims, and every time he put his hands on her, putty would have been less malleable. 
    So why had she sought him out?
    Well, besides the fact that she’s an idiot, his phone calls were mostly to blame.  Hearing his voice again, even on Voice Mail, had conquered up memories of days