The Abduction of Kelsey Read Free

turned away from them, James could still make out his words. “Yeah, honey. Long day at the office, but sure, I’ll be home soon. Yeah, I won’t forget the bread and milk. Okay. Yes, okay. See you soon.”
    He swiveled back toward them with a rueful grin. “Guess I’ll leave you single folks to it. Duty calls.” He slid out of the booth and reached into his jacket. Pulling out his wallet, he extracted a few bills and dropped them on the table. “See you tomorrow.”
    Once he was gone, Kelsey pulled out her cell phone and glanced down at it. “Wow, I didn’t realize it was so late. I have to be going too. I don’t want to get stranded downtown after the last bus.”
    This was the moment, his cue, and, heart pounding, he took it. “I could give you a ride. My car’s parked in the garage at the end of the block. It’s no trouble.” He held his breath.
    “Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Kelsey said. “But a ride to the bus stop would be great.” Her cheeks were flushed, her emerald green eyes bright. She brought a hand to her face, pushing away the loose strand of hair that had sprung from her French braid.
    James realized he’d been staring, and he tore his gaze away from her to focus on the bill the waitress had just placed on the table. “I think I had a few too many,” Kelsey said with a laugh. “How about you? You okay to drive?”
    James glanced up from the cash he’d been counting, thrown on the table by the others as they’d left, which totaled about two-thirds of what they’d owed. He didn’t care. He was with Kelsey! He was going to give her a ride to the bus stop, or, if he could convince her, all the way to her apartment.
    “Me?” James offered a confident smile. “Sure, I’m fine. Let me just settle up this bill and I’m good to go.”
    Kelsey reached for her purse. James stopped her by placing his hand over hers. Oh god, her skin was so soft. “This one’s on me, okay?”
    She looked as if she was about to protest, but he caught her gaze in his and smiled gently. She pulled her hand slowly from beneath his and nodded. “Okay. Thanks. That’s really nice of you, James.”
    James . He loved when she said his name. It sounded sexy in her mouth, like the promise of something more.
    She sidled from the booth and turned to face him with a smile. “I’ll just pop to the ladies’ room, okay? Then we can go.”
    “No problem. I’ll be waiting.” James watched her walk away, drinking in the sight of her small but shapely ass as she glided like a geisha through the crowd. He refused to entertain a sudden niggling thought that she might not come back. Clearly she’d stayed late just so they would be the last two at the table. It was up to him, as the man, to make the next move.
    He was waiting by the table when she returned. She’d reapplied her lipstick and smoothed back her hair. Her cheeks were still flushed and her eyes were shining. Her suit jacket was flung over her arm, and she’d opened the top two buttons of her blouse. James’ fingers itched with the sudden desire to push her down against the table so he could claim her then and there. He shook away the image, hoping she wouldn’t notice his sudden erection in the dim light of the bar.
    He dared to place a hand lightly on her lower back as they pushed their way through the loud, drunken throng. It was a welcome relief to breathe the air outside, in spite of the fumes from a nearby bus. They walked in companionable silence to the car garage and James exercised every ounce of self-control to keep from reaching for her hand, or worse, pulling her into his arms.
    Not yet , he warned himself. Not yet .
    He felt lightheaded and almost reckless, and realized he, too, had had too much to drink. But so what? It only gave him the added courage he needed to make his move. Because tonight was the night. He was sure of it.
    When they got to the garage, he led her to the small elevator that would take them to the top floor where