banter. With him it flowed
easily. “Really?”
His gaze traveled over her face, assessing and warm, and
landed on her mouth. Her belly clenched as arousal rushed hot and thick through
her veins.
“Really.” His voice went deeper. She couldn’t miss the fire
in his eyes, and the fact he found her attractive, that he wanted to protect
her…it all combined into one potent bomb.
She panicked a little. “That won’t be necessary.”
He blinked. “What isn’t necessary?”
She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. “You kept me
safe tonight in the mall. I’m not sure if I could have handled it without you.”
He shook his head. “Stop selling yourself short. You would
have been fine.”
“Have you always been this certain about things?”
His half laugh and the genuine amusement in his eyes said it
all. “Hell no. You don’t know the half of it.” Then he frowned. “Hey, look. If
you’re worried… I’m not trying to get invited into your apartment.” Lines
formed between his brows. “Even if you invited me in, I’m not going to jump you
or do anything you don’t want. You tell me to get the hell out, I’m out. I’d
never assume anything.”
Warmth flooded between her thighs and her lower belly
tingled. Why did he have to say that? It called all her most primitive feminine
needs and impulses. Being this close to him drove her insane. She craved and
wanted with a fierceness that bit into her with sharp claws.
She took a deep breath and the warmth of his hand behind her
neck drove her mad. “You don’t play man-woman games do you? The kind most other
people seem to?”
He sighed and drew back a little. “Never have. And believe
me a lot of women don’t appreciate that. They want me to play games with them.
A mating dance I guess. If I want a woman she’s going to know it. And I
appreciate a woman who doesn’t play games with me.”
She placed one hand on his chest. “God, I’m sorry. I hope I
wasn’t giving out wrong signals. I wasn’t worried that you’d hurt me or push
anything on me I don’t want. I just find you so refreshing I don’t know what to
do with you.” She smiled and reached up to cup his face. Stubble prickled her
fingers and added to the hard-core attraction she felt for him. “You’re a very,
very nice guy and I appreciate your honesty.”
He leaned a bit closer. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
He shook his head. He caressed her cheek with a quick, soft
brush of his fingers. “You have to know that I’m attracted to you.”
She nodded. Licked her lips. “Yes.”
“And I think you might be interested in me too.”
Go for it. Just let him know.
“Yes.”
“Then I think we’d better say goodnight before I do
something really stupid or say something stupid.”
She smiled. “Okay. Walk me to my door.”
When they reached her apartment door, she made a decision.
She wanted him with her tonight. If today had taught her anything, it was that
terrible things could happen. Unexpectedly. Without remorse or warning. What if
she never had another chance to be with him? To make love with him?
She unlocked the door and edged it open. The small lamp
she’d left on in the living room gave a welcoming glow. She turned back to him
and he was close. So very close. She touched his chest and that’s when she
remembered she still had on his jacket. He swept the thought out of her mind as
his gaze caught hers and held. Smoky hot, his eyes conveyed his attraction to her.
She felt empowered and renewed after what they’d been through, as if layers of
inhibition had disappeared bit-by-bit.
He burrowed his hand into her hair at the back of her neck
and leaned in to her. Their mouths touched, oh so achingly slow and delicious.
His kiss molded her mouth with tenderness, and while she loved it, she wanted
the heat she knew lived inside him. Every tender movement of his lips against
hers tortured Melanie. Her fingers clenched at his sweater, bunching
easily. “Really?”
His gaze traveled over her face, assessing and warm, and
landed on her mouth. Her belly clenched as arousal rushed hot and thick through
her veins.
“Really.” His voice went deeper. She couldn’t miss the fire
in his eyes, and the fact he found her attractive, that he wanted to protect
her…it all combined into one potent bomb.
She panicked a little. “That won’t be necessary.”
He blinked. “What isn’t necessary?”
She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. “You kept me
safe tonight in the mall. I’m not sure if I could have handled it without you.”
He shook his head. “Stop selling yourself short. You would
have been fine.”
“Have you always been this certain about things?”
His half laugh and the genuine amusement in his eyes said it
all. “Hell no. You don’t know the half of it.” Then he frowned. “Hey, look. If
you’re worried… I’m not trying to get invited into your apartment.” Lines
formed between his brows. “Even if you invited me in, I’m not going to jump you
or do anything you don’t want. You tell me to get the hell out, I’m out. I’d
never assume anything.”
Warmth flooded between her thighs and her lower belly
tingled. Why did he have to say that? It called all her most primitive feminine
needs and impulses. Being this close to him drove her insane. She craved and
wanted with a fierceness that bit into her with sharp claws.
She took a deep breath and the warmth of his hand behind her
neck drove her mad. “You don’t play man-woman games do you? The kind most other
people seem to?”
He sighed and drew back a little. “Never have. And believe
me a lot of women don’t appreciate that. They want me to play games with them.
A mating dance I guess. If I want a woman she’s going to know it. And I
appreciate a woman who doesn’t play games with me.”
She placed one hand on his chest. “God, I’m sorry. I hope I
wasn’t giving out wrong signals. I wasn’t worried that you’d hurt me or push
anything on me I don’t want. I just find you so refreshing I don’t know what to
do with you.” She smiled and reached up to cup his face. Stubble prickled her
fingers and added to the hard-core attraction she felt for him. “You’re a very,
very nice guy and I appreciate your honesty.”
He leaned a bit closer. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?”
He shook his head. He caressed her cheek with a quick, soft
brush of his fingers. “You have to know that I’m attracted to you.”
She nodded. Licked her lips. “Yes.”
“And I think you might be interested in me too.”
Go for it. Just let him know.
“Yes.”
“Then I think we’d better say goodnight before I do
something really stupid or say something stupid.”
She smiled. “Okay. Walk me to my door.”
When they reached her apartment door, she made a decision.
She wanted him with her tonight. If today had taught her anything, it was that
terrible things could happen. Unexpectedly. Without remorse or warning. What if
she never had another chance to be with him? To make love with him?
She unlocked the door and edged it open. The small lamp
she’d left on in the living room gave a welcoming glow. She turned back to him
and he was close. So very close. She touched his chest and that’s when she
remembered she still had on his jacket. He swept the thought out of her mind as
his gaze caught hers and held. Smoky hot, his eyes conveyed his attraction to her.
She felt empowered and renewed after what they’d been through, as if layers of
inhibition had disappeared bit-by-bit.
He burrowed his hand into her hair at the back of her neck
and leaned in to her. Their mouths touched, oh so achingly slow and delicious.
His kiss molded her mouth with tenderness, and while she loved it, she wanted
the heat she knew lived inside him. Every tender movement of his lips against
hers tortured Melanie. Her fingers clenched at his sweater, bunching
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