Page 35 of To Catch a Latte Thick as Thieves

Fisher led her to the lone chair in the middle of the dance floor. Annie had been in nine weddings and had attended more than double that many. She knew the shtick. She had always managed to avoid participating in this particular event. It was more than a little unnerving to be under the scrutiny of three hundred guests and the wolfish look Fisher was giving her was not helping.

“All rightee then,” the DJ boomed into his microphone and Annie jumped. “How about a little mood music?”

The bass beat of a stripper’s number thumped through the room. Annie felt her face flush hot. Laughter erupted through the room and she tried to smile through gritted teeth. It was one thing to place one’s self in the spotlight for a good cause. It was quite another to be thrust there for no good purpose.

“Hurry up,” she growled at Fisher as he knelt before her.

“Oh, I don’t think so.” He grinned and then he winked. It was a wicked wink. He was lucky there were three hundred witnesses around them, or she would have kicked him. “What’s the matter, Annie? Nervous?”

The fact that he guessed so accurately was perturbing. Annie refused to give him the satisfaction of knowing her so well. Parting her lips into a facsimile of a smile, she lied, “No, I’m not.”

“Really?” He leaned close. “I am.”

Annie felt all of the blood in her body rush south.

She had no time to react. Fisher tossed the hem of her skirt up and lifted her foot onto his thigh. He made to slide the garter over the gaudy purple shoe, but then appeared to think better of it. Lifting her foot with one hand, he slid her shoe off then tossed it over his shoulder. The crowd went wild.

Replacing her foot on his thigh, Fisher began to work the garter over her toes. Her heel rested against his thigh, and Annie was stunned by the heat and hardness of him she could feel through his slacks. She’d never met a man with thighs like rocks before. She was speechless.

He cradled her foot again, his thumb digging into the arch for an impromptu massage. Annie had to bite her lip to keep from moaning and sagging in the chair. How did he know her feet were killing her?

His hands moved over her ankle and slid slowly up her calf. She glanced at him. His gaze was intent upon her face as if seeking her every reaction to his touch. As his fingers stroked her bare skin, Annie thought she might faint from the sheer delicious torture. He smiled. Somehow, he knew. He knew what she was thinking.

“You do have great legs,” he said.

“The other one is wood,” she joked, trying to diffuse the tension. He laughed, but his gaze still bespoke desire.

“Really? When you flashed me in the parking lot, I could have sworn they were both flesh and bone. But I’m happy to check out the other one to be sure.”

“Oh no,” she protested, batting her skirt down. “That’s not necessary.”

“Darn,” he said with regret. His fingers had stilled halfway up her calf.

“Are you done?” she asked, trying to rise.

“Not quite.” He held her in her seat. “I think it’s supposed to go up around your thigh.”

“The knee will do,” she said breathlessly.

His fingers began to move again, slowly, steadily. Annie felt all of the heat in her body pool low in her belly and she squirmed in her chair. He lifted the garter up over her knee. His fingers traced the satin band, making it lie flat against her skin. His gaze met hers and locked. The desire thumping between them was like an aching physical presence.

The crowd burst into rowdy cheers and the moment was broken.

“Kiss her,” one heckler yelled from the sidelines and soon others joined in, making it a chant.

“We can’t disappoint our public,” Fisher said extending his hand to help her out of the chair.

“Yes, we can,” she said as she brushed at the skirt of her dress.

“Why so shy all of the sudden, Annie-girl?” He caught her chin in the palm of his hand forcing her to meet his gaze.

“I wasn’t looking for this,” she said.

“Neither was I,” he sighed just before his mouth claimed hers.

The kiss was brief. The mere brushing of lips, but it shook Annie all the way down to her shoeless toes.

The DJ turned off the bump and grind, replacing it with Nat King Cole singing “Unforgettable.” Fisher gazed at the woman before him and thought how appropriate it was. Annie Talbot was like no one he had ever known...unforgettable.