Basic Attraction by Erin McCarthy

astonishment. “Don’t tell me what I like.” He reached over and took her chin in his hand. “Look at me.”
    She did when he turned her head towards him, but her green eyes were swimming with insecurity. It punched him in the gut. He wanted to show her just how sexy he found her.
    “Why?” she whispered.
    “I know you don’t know me very well but understand that I am not in the habit of flirting with women for sport or to mock them. I flirt only when I’m interested, and in your case, I’m very, very interested. I think you’re sexy as hell, and I love that you’re fit and could probably take me in a half nelson and make me cry uncle. That’s hot . I think you’re gorgeous and I think it’s absolutely crazy that you don’t realize that.”
    Her breathing was nervous little pants, but she gazed at him more openly, like she desperately wanted to believe him.
    He felt kicked in the gut. “Let’s go inside and wrestle. Naked.”

Chapter Five
    So maybe he really did want to have sex with her. Naked wrestling sounded fairly definitive. Sheri gulped. If she went inside, he was going to kiss her and then some. He was going to tear her clothes off her and it was going to be hot and sweaty and pushy. It was clearly what he wanted.
    And it was clearly what she wanted.
    So why was she hesitating?
    Because she was terrified of getting hurt. It was one thing for him to say he was interested in an hour of two of bossy sex, but she knew herself very well. She attached. She was terrible at casual sex. Luke was a guy she might have to see again and it would be awkward if she went all stage-five clinger on him, which she might. Especially if the sex was good and he was as complimentary as he had been so far.
    No, Sheri. No sex with Luke. She told herself that mantra over and over in the longest ten seconds of her life. No sex.
    So why was she leaning towards him, moistening her lips, and sinking into the depths of his blue eyes?
    Later, Sheri would have to admit that she was indebted to Greedy despite the awful name Luke had saddled him with. Just when she found herself falling into a whirlpool of longing and desire, succumbing to the strength of determination in Luke’s eyes, Greedy coughed up a hairball in his carrier. Along with the rest of the contents of his stomach.
    “Oh!” She sat up, startled and relieved.
    Luke swore colorfully. “Greedy, what the hell?” He peered into the cage. “That’s nasty.”
    She swallowed the urge to laugh hysterically. Two more seconds and she would have been falling into Luke’s arms and onto his sleeping bag. Despite all her fears about getting involved with her friend’s brother. Despite all her fears that he was just fooling around.
    It was a scene that had played out for her before. A man showed casual interest after she put out feelers, she slept with him, and while she was thinking up pet names for him, he was figuring out how to ditch her. She didn’t want that with Luke, and she was already attaching. She could feel it in the way she felt squishy inside when she glanced over at him.
    It was a disease, and she hated it about herself. It was like she’d been born with the desperate need to nest yet had been trapped in the physique of a woman men wanted to jog with, not cuddle.
    Luke Weiss was not a cuddler. He was a wrestler. A hot, sexy, bang-her-all-night, and make-her-forget-her-name bad boy, and as appealing as that was, it was a bad choice. She owed Greedy a bag of catnip for having saved her from disaster.
    After stepping out of the truck, she grabbed several bags out of the back and followed Luke.
    She was actually afraid of herself. Afraid of falling for him. For real falling for him. Annoyed at her thoughts, she nearly slammed into his back when he stopped to unlock the front door. Goddamn attachment syndrome. She needed therapy or a pill. An anti-Luke prescription.
    She couldn’t deny any longer that she not only was attracted to him, but actually liked him.