‘That was different.’ He turned back to the garden, spraying the hose wildly over the paths rather than the plants.
‘Why? Because you’re a man and it’s different for men?’ She glowered at him. ‘Why can’t I have sex just for the pleasure of it, for the curiosity. Why did you have sex that first time?’
He growled. ‘It’s not the same.’
‘Why not?’ Her voice rose. ‘Why can’t women have the same kind of sex drive? Is it somehow wrong to admit to it?’
His knuckles were white on the hose. ‘No, but don’t throw it away on some skunk. It’s a gift you should give someone who’ll appreciate it.’
Roxie groaned in frustration, too cross to care about how indiscreet she was being. ‘I never thought you’d be so old-fashioned. Your reputation is so wrong.’
He tossed the hose and grabbed her arm instead. His grip so hard his knuckles remained white. Not that she minded that much, truthfully—her skin sizzled from his touch, and her insides melted.
‘Is that why you picked me?’ he asked. ‘Because of something you heard, something you think you know?’
His anger made her own flare again and she pushed even closer to his tense fury. ‘I asked you because you’re hot. And,yeah, rumor has it you’re good and you’re not interested in commitment. All three are on my essential list.’
‘Most women have commitment-friendly on their essential list,’ he snapped back, his black eyes incandescent. ‘Why don’t you?’
‘Because I don’t want to be tied down.Ever.’
His brief bark of laughter was filled with disbelief ‘So there’s going to be no marriage, kids and people carrier for you?’
‘Never.’
He grinned savagely but his grip on her eased. ‘Never is a very long time for a young woman.’
‘Don’t patronize me.’ Jerk. ‘I know what I want and what I don’t want.’ She wasn’t going through the heartache that family brought again. She just wasn’t ever. She had the need-to-be-free gene and she wasn’t going to screw it up as her mother had by having a child or any kind of lengthy relationship.
‘What you want is someone who’ll do right by you,’ he said, harsh again.
‘And you won’t? You’re saying you’re not up to the challenge?’ She leaned so close she nearly kissed him as she whispered in a low taunt, ‘You’re not good enough as a lover?’
‘Don’t try to tease me into it,’ he said through gritted teeth, letting go of her completely. ‘It won’t work.’
‘Won’t it?’ She looked down his body, brazen in her assessment of his aroused state. ‘You’re only human, Gabe.’
‘That’s right, I’m human. I’m not an animal. I have self-control and free will. Choice.’ He drew in a deep breath and then pushed back her braid from her shoulder with a surprisingly gentle hand. ‘Are you going to use your innocent wiles to try to tempt me into losing that control?’
Silent, she just looked at him. Because, hell, yes, she wished she could do just that. It would so totally serve him right.
A wicked, patronizing grin made him look like a smug satyr. ‘You think you can play with fire, Roxie?’
‘You’re the fire?’ she scorned. ‘You’re so not the blaze I’d heard about. All you are is insufferably arrogant.’
‘Well, haven’t you just given me more reason to be?’ he drawled back, before snapping, ‘I’m doing what’s best for both of us. And, honey, you’re not hot enough for me.’
She knew what he was doing. Pushing her away by putting her down. Bastard. ‘Making me mad with you isn’t going to make me want you less,’ she said brazenly. If anything it made it worse. Yeah, now she wanted to see him shaking with desire for her—on his damnkneesfor her. ‘I’m more than hot enough for you. I might be a virgin but I’m not stupid.’
His grin died an instant death. ‘And that’s another reason to say no.’ He walked further away that time. ‘This conversation is over. We’ll pretend it never happened. Landlord, tenant, vague acquaintance at the stadium. That’s all we are.’
Roxie remained where she was, feet apart, skin burning, senses screaming to be back in touch zone. ‘Let me remind you, Gabe, that you were the one who started this.’
Gabe stopped and turned, his body howling at him for doing this hatefully ‘right’ thing in such a rubbish way. Being chivalrous really wasn’t all it was cracked up to be and it was almost impossible. But now there was no choice—no matter her age or intelligence, learning Roxie was that inexperienced ruled out any kind of thing between them. He refused to be the cause of another girl’s emotional—and mental—meltdown. And he was an absolute fool for taunting her into touching him just then; it had brought nothing but more torture for himself. ‘I think we could debate that one for some time too. But for now, okay. I’ll take the blame. I’m not too filled with self-worth to be unableto admit I make mistakes. This was a huge mistake. We’re not making it worse.’
Yeah, as if he could really think that. Honestly?
It couldn’t get any worse.
