Free Born Ready by Lori Wilde Page A

books.”
    “That and his biography.”
    “Jackie,” he whispered, sympathy oozing in his tone.
    She laughed off his compassion. “It’s okay. He is the greatest oceanographer in the world next to Jacques Cousteau. What do you suppose the deal is with the name Jack? Name your kid Jack and he’s bound to go to sea?”
    “Or name your daughter Jackie?”
    “That was just an ego thing for the old man.”
    “Excuse me for saying so, but he sounds like a total prick.”
    Defensively, she shrugged. “He’s not. Not really. He’s just too busy saving the world to bother with human niceties.”
    “And it rubbed off on you.”
    It had. Guilt nibbled at her. She had been pretty rude to Scott from the very beginning and yet, here he was, still trying to break through the barnacles she’d built around herself to stay safe. Part of her appreciated his efforts, but on another level, he totally terrified her.
    “It’s getting late,” he commented.
    “Yes.” She turned and started walking.
    Scott stayed right beside her, step for step.
    They reached her apartment. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs. “This is me. Good night.”
    “I’m walking you all the way to your front door.”
    “There’s no need.”
    “I didn’t ask if there was a need. I said I was walking you home and I’m walking you to your door.”
    She turned away so he couldn’t see her smile and she started up the steps. He came up behind her, his feet echoing heavily on the metal steps. She fished her keys from her pocket at the door.
    He clicked his tongue in that tsk-tsk way he had. “You didn’t leave your porch light on.”
    “I never do.”
    “Why not?”
    “I forget.”
    He shook his head. “I shudder to think of all the other safety measures you skimp on because your head is in the clouds.”
    “Are you calling me an airhead?”
    “Not at all.” Humor tinged his voice. “You’re a bona fide seahead.”
    She laughed. “Well, thank you for walk—”
    Jackie didn’t get the rest of the sentence out. She heard her book fall from his arm. It hit the landing with a loud plop and papers flew up everywhere. She should have been alarmed by that. Should have scrambled to retrieve her data.
    Instead, when Scott wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her up tight to his chest, she sank against him.
    No, no, this is not smart. Not smart at all.
    But she stilled the intelligent voice warning her to stop this nonsense right now. And when his mouth covered hers, she actually sighed, breathing in the taste of him.
    His impish tongue skimmed her lips and damn if she didn’t part her teeth and let him slip right in.
    “Jackie,” he whispered against her mouth.
    The sweet vibration sent a shiver through her. How long had it been since a man had kissed her? Over a year. Maybe much longer.
    He kept kissing her. Lightly. With much care. The gentle brush of angelfish.
    The kiss deepened, sweetened.
    Scott. Scott. His name took front seat in her mind. She’d been schooled to reject anything unscientific, anything that smacked of romance, but in that moment, Jackie felt her beliefs shift and another word settled in beside Scott’s name.
    Magic.
    His arm tightened around her and she pressed her palm against his chest. Felt the pounding of his heart. His pulse bounding quick as hers.
    They searched for, and found, a more intimate fit. Their mouths blooming in urgent commingling. A rush of blood. A thrust of hearts.
    Then Scott broke the kiss, stepped back.
    Disoriented, slightly dizzy, Jackie sank back against the door, realized her legs were scarcely able to bear her weight.
    “I think it’s time I headed home.”
    “Yes.” She cleared her throat. Don’t go. “Yes.”
    He didn’t move.
    Neither did she.
    “I know you’re busy,” he said. “But everyone needs to take a break and, honest to Pete, Jackie, I’m bored out of my skull on vacation. I was wondering…”
    She met his gaze. “Are you asking me out?”
    “Scuba diving.