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accommodate him? She made no effort to hide her
exasperation. "Fine. Go back, David."
"Hey, come on," he said. "It's not as if I want to go back. I
shouldn't even be here now, but I couldn't just leave you here
waiting for me."
"Why not?" she demanded angrily. She didn't care if she
was being reasonable or not. "You left me here for twenty
minutes already. What would another hour be between
friends?"
His eyes narrowed. "That couldn't be helped. You're not
being fair."
"And you think you are? I'm supposed to just jump every
time you call and then be understanding when you leave me
standing in the middle of the sidewalk like a fool?"
His lips tightened into a thin line. "Yes, I did expect you to
understand, but obviously that was expecting too much."
"Way too much, David."
He shook his head. "I don't have time for this, Diana."
"What? So now I'm wasting your time?"
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He narrowed his gaze. "Look. You can blow off steam later,
but right now, I have to go."
"Then go. Just don't expect me to be waiting around the
next time you feel like calling."
"If you can't understand I manage a construction site and
have to be on hand to handle problems, then maybe you
shouldn't expect me to feel like calling you again!" he retorted
and stormed away.
Tears filled her eyes. She angrily blinked them away and
spun on her heel. She walked in the opposite direction from
the one he'd taken. By the time she'd reach her car, she
hoped she'd vanquished the urge to cry.
She was several yards from the entrance where she'd left
her car when she heard running footsteps behind her. Before
she could turn, she felt a hand fall on her shoulder. "Diana..."
She pulled away and turned to face David. "What?"
"Look, Diana," he said in a low, angry voice. "You know
you're not being fair. If I didn't have to go, I wouldn't. Please
don't behave like some..." he trailed off, seemingly at a lost
for the right word.
"Like some, what, David? Like some big blimp?"
He narrowed his gaze. "You know, you'd drive a saint to
foul language."
"Since you're hardly a saint, what's your point?"
"I've never given you any reason to suggest I considered
you ... I've never given you any reason to say what you just
did."
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She swallowed hard. "Okay, maybe you didn't actually say
anything, but I saw the surprise on your face when we first
met."
He gripped her shoulders. "Whatever you think I might
have thought when we met, you have to know that I am
attracted to you now."
"I don't know any such thing." She turned away.
He caught her hand and turned her back to face him. "Yes,
you do!"
She shook her head.
"Get a grip, Diana. If I weren't attracted to you, I wouldn't
have asked you out the first time. Nor would I be here today."
He drew her close and put his arms around her.
All desire to resist vanished. She leaned against him.
He tightened his arms around her and brushed his lips
against her forehead.
Diana placed her hands on his shoulders and closed her
eyes. Finally, she was where she most wanted to be in his
arms with his heart beating in sync with hers. She rubbed her
cheek against his shoulder.
"I would have been here on time if I could. And I'd gladly
stay if I could. Believe me."
Was it wise to believe him?
"Diana?"
She opened her eyes and lifted her head.
He bent his head, pausing with his lips a breath away from
hers.
She parted her lips.
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He pressed his mouth against hers in a warm kiss that
removed any doubts she had about his finding her attractive.
"David," she brushed her fingers against his neck.
"Diana," he whispered her name and pressed a sweet, but
gentle kiss against her mouth.
Only the fact that they were in the park kept her from
linking her arms around his neck and inviting him to kiss her
yet again. And not so gently this time.
All too quickly, he lifted his head and released her. "If I
don't go, I'm going to have to go back to being a full-time
accountant because I'll probably get fired." He stroked her
cheek. "You wouldn't like me if I had to spend all day cooped
up in some office crunching numbers."
"No?" She smiled up at him, resting her palms against his
chest. "Who says I like you now?"
His eyes twinkled. "A little birdie told me you did."
"This little birdie wouldn't happen to be named Carolyn,
would she?"
He laughed. "I don't gossip and tell."
"Oh, David! You're..."
"What?" he asked softly, staring down into her eyes.
"Warm? Funny? Handsome? Irresistible?"
"Yes."
"Yes, I'm which one?"
"All of the above," she admitted.
His eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "We'll have to discuss
how wonderful I am another time. Right now I need you to do
us both a favor, honey. Let me go."
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Honey. Hugging the endearment to her like a treasure, she
nodded. "Then go."
He studied her face. "And you're no longer angry?"
"What I am is sorry. I let my disappointment make me
unreasonable. I wanted to be with you."
He brushed his fingers against her lips. "I wanted that too.
I thought about being with you is all morning, but I really
have to get back to the site."
The look in his eyes made her catch her breath. She
smiled suddenly. "Go. I'm all right."
"I'll call you later."
"I'll be waiting."
He linked his fingers through hers and leaned down to
reward her with a quick kiss.
She smiled and watched him until he disappeared around a
bend in the park trail. Only then did she head back to her car.
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