saw them to the door, she looked at Carlos.
“What?”
“You are a dead man.”
He shook his head. “You knew you needed a dress, and my mother wasn’t going to let it go, Tia.”
“I hate shopping.”
“So does Elena, but apparently my mother is very good at finding what she needs and fast. You’ll be in and out of there.”
“Still, I might kill you.”
“Is that before or after we talk about the kiss?”
She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and shrugged. “There isn’t much to talk about.”
His smile faded, and that told her the barb hit its mark.
“Is that a fact?”
“We both had temporarily lost our senses.”
“Uh.”
“Now that we have food in us, our blood sugar is balanced, and no stupid crap like before.”
There was a long beat of silence, then his mouth curved up in an evil smile. “Maybe we should test that theory.”
She stepped back and ran into the wall. He always seemed so laid back and slow, but she had learned he could be quick when he wanted. He placed a hand on either side of her and leaned closer. She could feel the heat of him through their clothing.
“This isn’t funny, Carlos.”
“You know all you have to do is say no. But, you and I both know that you won’t because you want this.”
Dammit, he was right. She hated when he had the upper hand like this—actually, whenever anyone had the upper hand. Trying to gather her thoughts, she drew in a deep breath. Unfortunately, it only caused her breasts to touch his chest. His eyes darkened and her nipples tightened. Damn.
“That’s exactly what I thought. We can’t ignore it, Tia.”
“But I think we should make sure we are very careful.”
“Oh, I’m always careful.”
She knew from his tone he meant something different.
“Stop.”
He hesitated, then he nodded and stepped away. Cool air replaced his body heat. Immediately, she regretted her demand, but she bit her tongue to keep herself from calling him back. It would be embarrassing; although, it would feel really, really good.
No. She didn’t need this complication.
“Wow, there is so much going on behind those eyes,” Carlos said.
“What do you mean?”
He shook his head and said nothing.
“Truth is, I think when you get your senses cleared up, you’ll start thinking straight again,” she said.
“Get my senses cleared up? I had no idea that’s what people were calling it these days.”
It took her a second or two to realize what he was talking about. “You’re incorrigible.”
She turned to leave, but he stopped her by cupping her face and kissing her softly.
When he pulled back, her head was spinning. From a simple, sweet kiss. This man was definitely trouble.
“What was that for?”
“We both need to think. With us both involved in the business, it’s smart to make sure that we don’t screw that up. But one thing is for certain: I want you, and no matter what I do about it, I am probably always going to want you.”
A cleverer woman would probably come up with a funny quip, but she wasn’t able to.
“I should go.”
He nodded.
“Bye.”
She hurried out the door. It was cowardly in a way, but it was also self-preservation. Carlos tempted her to do so many bad things, when she knew that all of them could end the work they had done for the ranch. She needed a clearer head before she made a decision that could change both of their lives.
Tia just hoped that when the time came, that she could think with her head and not her heart.
* * *
C arlos laid in bed later that night unable to sleep. He hadn’t been able to get the kiss out of his mind. His body was still humming at the memory.
“Get over it, Santini,” he said.
His body ignored him. If his parents hadn’t shown up, there was a very good chance he would have been starting at least round two by now.
It had been a long time for him. Not something new, at least since he’d grown up. He hadn’t been the seducer like his brother Dante, and he
“What?”
“You are a dead man.”
He shook his head. “You knew you needed a dress, and my mother wasn’t going to let it go, Tia.”
“I hate shopping.”
“So does Elena, but apparently my mother is very good at finding what she needs and fast. You’ll be in and out of there.”
“Still, I might kill you.”
“Is that before or after we talk about the kiss?”
She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and shrugged. “There isn’t much to talk about.”
His smile faded, and that told her the barb hit its mark.
“Is that a fact?”
“We both had temporarily lost our senses.”
“Uh.”
“Now that we have food in us, our blood sugar is balanced, and no stupid crap like before.”
There was a long beat of silence, then his mouth curved up in an evil smile. “Maybe we should test that theory.”
She stepped back and ran into the wall. He always seemed so laid back and slow, but she had learned he could be quick when he wanted. He placed a hand on either side of her and leaned closer. She could feel the heat of him through their clothing.
“This isn’t funny, Carlos.”
“You know all you have to do is say no. But, you and I both know that you won’t because you want this.”
Dammit, he was right. She hated when he had the upper hand like this—actually, whenever anyone had the upper hand. Trying to gather her thoughts, she drew in a deep breath. Unfortunately, it only caused her breasts to touch his chest. His eyes darkened and her nipples tightened. Damn.
“That’s exactly what I thought. We can’t ignore it, Tia.”
“But I think we should make sure we are very careful.”
“Oh, I’m always careful.”
She knew from his tone he meant something different.
“Stop.”
He hesitated, then he nodded and stepped away. Cool air replaced his body heat. Immediately, she regretted her demand, but she bit her tongue to keep herself from calling him back. It would be embarrassing; although, it would feel really, really good.
No. She didn’t need this complication.
“Wow, there is so much going on behind those eyes,” Carlos said.
“What do you mean?”
He shook his head and said nothing.
“Truth is, I think when you get your senses cleared up, you’ll start thinking straight again,” she said.
“Get my senses cleared up? I had no idea that’s what people were calling it these days.”
It took her a second or two to realize what he was talking about. “You’re incorrigible.”
She turned to leave, but he stopped her by cupping her face and kissing her softly.
When he pulled back, her head was spinning. From a simple, sweet kiss. This man was definitely trouble.
“What was that for?”
“We both need to think. With us both involved in the business, it’s smart to make sure that we don’t screw that up. But one thing is for certain: I want you, and no matter what I do about it, I am probably always going to want you.”
A cleverer woman would probably come up with a funny quip, but she wasn’t able to.
“I should go.”
He nodded.
“Bye.”
She hurried out the door. It was cowardly in a way, but it was also self-preservation. Carlos tempted her to do so many bad things, when she knew that all of them could end the work they had done for the ranch. She needed a clearer head before she made a decision that could change both of their lives.
Tia just hoped that when the time came, that she could think with her head and not her heart.
* * *
C arlos laid in bed later that night unable to sleep. He hadn’t been able to get the kiss out of his mind. His body was still humming at the memory.
“Get over it, Santini,” he said.
His body ignored him. If his parents hadn’t shown up, there was a very good chance he would have been starting at least round two by now.
It had been a long time for him. Not something new, at least since he’d grown up. He hadn’t been the seducer like his brother Dante, and he
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