Working Romance. Susan Kohler

of his mouth with a slender finger. She slid the hand around his neck and gently touched her mouth to his in a gentle kiss.

      “This is probably a bad idea, dangerous, unprofessional and all that jazz, do you care?” she whispered against his warm mouth.

      “Not a bit.” He kissed her back, pushing her back down on the chaise lounge and laying slightly on top of her.

      It was an electric kiss, full of fire and passion. He worked his tongue gently around inside her mouth. They broke apart, both breathing heavily, and looking slightly dazed.

      “We may both be in trouble here,” Bob said.

      “I laugh at trouble, mister!” she intoned dramatically.

      “Just so you don’t laugh at me.” Bob claimed her mouth yet again.

      “Who’s laughing?” she whispered breathlessly. “Besides how much trouble can we be in if the kids are coming back soon?”

      “Want to know a secret? I have plenty of ice cream in the freezer.” Bob nibbled her ear. “I just failed to mention it to Jack because I wanted to get rid of everyone.”

      “Somehow I knew that. Good uncles with children’s video libraries and swimming pools surrounded by floating toys always have plenty of ice cream in the freezer, at least during the summer. I think it’s a state law.” Kate gave herself completely over to the sensations that threatened to overwhelm her, stroking his hair and meeting the thrust of his tongue with her own in a passionate kiss.

      Slowly he left her mouth and trailed kisses down her throat, as he slid his hand inside her swimsuit and cupped her breast teasing her nipple with his thumb and forefinger. She moaned with delight.

      “Am I moving too fast?” Bob asked softly. “I don’t usually come on so”

      “Yes,” she interrupted him gently, “but so am I, and I don’t act like this with every man I meet either.”

      “I know that,” Bob assured her.

      They both tried to ease up but it had been a very long time since Kate had let herself be close to a man, and with Bob everything felt so right and natural that she entirely forgot herself. She forgot all about the three little kids returning soon. She forgot that this was a man that she’d met just today. She even forgot that this man was her new boss, starting tomorrow. And she made him forget, too.

      She just felt alive, totally alive in every cell of her being. She also felt his hands on the strings holding the top of her bathing suit . . . they heard a car door slam loudly. The sound was followed quickly by her children’s laughter. Instantly his hands dropped away and she adjusted her suit. She tried to look as though nothing was happening.

      “I don’t know if that was lousy timing or good timing, but I wish they hadn’t returned just yet,” Bob muttered as he stood up.

      “I wish they hadn’t come back now either,” Kate met his gaze squarely, before admitting softly, “but it’s probably a good thing they did.”

      “Explosive, wasn’t it?” Bob kissed her once and walked away.

      By the time the others came out to the patio Bob was sitting at the picnic table, with a towel draped over his lap, sipping iced tea and Kate was lying on the chaise lounge pretending to be asleep. Laura and Jack might even have been fooled, if it wasn’t for the silly smile on Kate’s face.

      Laura woke her up. “Having a good dream?”

      “What?” She tried to act drowsy and puzzled.

      “No one smiles like that when they’re just sleeping,” Laura said sternly.

      “Maybe it’s just been a good day.” Kate tried to hide her smile but it broke through. “So what?”

      “So if that’s all it is, Jack dragged us all out for ice cream for nothing. But I’d bet my last nickel that things got pretty hot while we were gone.” Laura gave her friend a mischievous smirk. “I have a secret for you, if you’ll tell me yours.”

      “Not here, I wouldn’t want Bob to think I’m the kind to kiss and tell. What’s yours?” Kate tried not to let Laura know that she already knew, but she failed. “I know, I’ll bet you’re finally pregnant, aren’t you?”

      “Witch!” Laura grinned widely, pretending to cuff Kate on the shoulder. “You were supposed to let me tell you.”

      “What does Jack think?” She certainly didn’t want to let Laura know that Jack had already told her.

      “He’s so excited that he’s floating on clouds, he loves kids.” She smiled. “Look at him with yours.”

      “Does Bob know?” Kate asked. “Or anyone else at the office?”

      “No, not yet,” Laura smiled. “But Bob will be happy for me; he’s been nagging me to start a family.”

      A small cranky voice broke in. “Mommy, can we go home now?” Suzy was getting tired and bored since all the real fun seemed to be over.

      “That’s my cue, I’d better round up the brat pack.” Kate stood up and called the kids. “Okay guys, pick up all your things, we’re going to go home.”

      She walked over to Bob. “Thanks for lunch and letting the kids go swimming. We had fun.” She smiled at him.

      “I sure hope you did.” He winked at her, “I did.”

      He glanced around and said with a soft voice, “Somehow, I can’t say good-bye to you quite the way I’d like to with all these little people here. Or even those two big people.” Bob smiled into her eyes. “You will show up in the morning, won’t you? You won’t have any second thoughts?”

      “I’ll definitely have second thoughts but I can guarantee you that they won’t keep me from showing up at work tomorrow. Nothing could do that now,” she said softly “Good. I’ll see you in the morning; it was really spectacular meeting you. Goodnight.” He squeezed her hand softly.

      Kate returned the gentle squeeze, not trusting herself to speak. Bob nodded, and then he went over to say good-bye to the kids. Kate walked over to Jack.

      “Hey, I get to repeat my congratulations, Daddy.” She hugged him. “I don’t think Laura knows you let the cat out of the bag.”

      She looked at her kids and grinned. “By the way, thanks for taking my kids out for ice cream, even if you did try to apply it to them externally. Next time, you might try to get some of it in their mouths.”

      All three of the kids had ice cream smeared all over their swimsuits, hands and faces.

      “No problem, Kate. Except for the part about getting the ice cream into their little mouths.” Jack looked her over speculatively. “Are you interested in him?”

      He nodded his head towards Bob.

      “Well, he’s about a thousand percent better than the last guy Laura tried to get me together with, but I’m going to be working for him. You know how tricky situations like that can be.” She surprised even herself by answering him seriously.

      Jack gave her a quick grin. “Well, after knowing my wife all these years, you should be an Olympic champ at handling tricky situations.”

      “So true, but I’m only the silver medalist,” she laughed, hugging him. “Laura’s got the gold, in more ways than one.”

      She began to load her kids into the car seats, strapping and buckling everyone in. When Kate finished getting all the kids fastened in, she turned around.

      “Hey Jack?” she said with a grin.

      “What?” He seemed distracted.

      “You and Laura rode with me, remember?” she prodded.

      “In other words, I’d better go fetch my wife.” He turned to go but Laura came up