“Don’t apologize,” he ordered, hisvoice unrelenting with the demand. “You said no. That’s all I needed. I’m sorryto make you keep explaining.”
He stepped back, and I immediatelywanted to move into him. I also wanted to punch myself in the ovaries. God,could I just make up my mind?
I didn’t want him.
I did want him.
I didn’t want to lead him on.
I did want to go on a date with himand jump his bones.
My libido was at war with my head,and my heart wanted to abandon my body altogether. God, I needed to get my shittogether.
And fast.
“I’m—” I stopped myself before Iapologized again. “Thanks for understanding.” That had to be the lamest letdownever. As soon as he turned around, I was going to bang my head against my cardoor.
His shadowed bark of laughtersurprised me. “I don’t understand, Vera. I’m not even pretending to understand.But I’m not going to convince you to go out with me either. So, I guess I’llsee you around.”
I grabbed his wrist before he couldwalk away. He paused, half turned away from me. “Thanks for introducing me toJo. And for showing me this place. I owe you.”
His shoulders rose with a deepbreath, calming some of his fierce energy. “You do. You owe me.”
My hands dropped to my side,suddenly trembling from that dark promise. He turned around, changing his mind.He walked back to me, slowly, deliberately, trapping me between his hard, tallbody and the solid wall of my car. His arms caged me in, pressing againsteither side of my head.
His chest barely brushed mine,hovering over me just enough to tease, to make me want closer contact, butdenying me.
Just like I’d denied him.
I stared at him, waiting for him todo something. Say something. His green eyes held mine captive, flashing withthoughts I couldn’t read and emotions I couldn’t decipher.
Just when I’d decided to break thetension between us by speaking, he lifted his hand to my jaw and carefullycupped my face. His fingers were calloused and rough, cradling me with asoftness that came from inside him, something you would never see on hisoutside.
“You like me, Vera. And if youhaven’t figured it out yet, you should know I like you too. I like you a lot.Get over this ex-boyfriend of yours so we can explore where this thing betweenus goes.”
Before I could argue with him, hismouth dropped to mine, pressing a swift, intoxicating kiss to my lips. My eyesfluttered closed, and I drowned in sensation. Butterflies erupted in my belly,sending tingles soaring through my body, making my head swim and my toes curl.His beard brushed against my face, scratchy and soft at the same time. His lipslingered long enough for me to taste them, feel the shape of them, decide howperfectly they fit against mine.
He was gone just as soon as I’ddecided to kiss him back. He stepped away from me, letting me slump against thecar, disoriented and inwardly disheveled. He’d picked up all the pieces of me,all the puzzle pieces I’d been trying to sort through and put back together,and dropped them on the ground in a confused mess.
Nothing was where it was supposed tobe now. Nothing fit like I thought it should.
“Bye, Vera.”
I didn’t even reply. I just watchedhim walk away while my knees wobbled and my heart tried to beat its way out ofmy chest.
Killian Quinn was nothing like Iexpected him to be. Charming when I wanted to be annoyed. Sensitive andthoughtful when I’d already decided he was only an asshole. Irresistible whileI tried to do my best to resist him.
I was stubborn. Headstrong.Determined to see my isolation through.
But I was starting to realize he wasmore stubborn. More headstrong. More determined than I could ever be.
And that was very concerning.
Chapter Seventeen
The next Saturday night I’dperfected myshishitoand skirt steak tacos. Theywere a huge hit.
I was super proud of them. Andmyself. Killian hadn’t stepped in once to offer his advice. Well, except forthe lemon suggestion, but since that had happened before I tried out the recipe,I let myself believe I might have come up with that one all by myself had Ibeen given the chance.
