“Theo,” she whispered, breathlessly, “what if I—”
“Please stop. You’re leaving tomorrow, end of discussion,” he said, and instantly released his hold on her, like a rip cord had been pulled, yanking him from her.
Breathe.
She filled her lungs and let out a long exhale, centering herself as he backed away. A technique she’d utilized for years whenever she felt herself wanting to take things a step too far, threatening to cross that invisible, unspoken line between the two of them. Because as much as she wanted Theo, his commitment to only dating Triple Gs made it patently clear he didn’t want the same.
Once she’d gathered herself, she spun around, finding Theo arranging blankets and a pillow on the sofa at the foot of the bed.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“I’m going to sleep,” he said, fluffing up the pillow while looking in the opposite direction.
Dani turned toward the bed—theking-size bed—and then back at Theo again. “There’s plenty of room,” she said.
“I’ll be fine,” he grumbled.
“Quit being silly. You should sleep up here,” she said.
Theo’s gaze shifted from Dani to the bed and to Dani again.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said. His words felt like a kick in the stomach.
“Why not? We’re both adults. I think we know how to behave.”
Theo’s eyebrow raised. Something about the way she saidbehave, as if he maybe disputed that fact. That one look sent images of Theo cuddled up behind her through her mind. His big, wide hands splayed over her stomach, pulling her closer to his body. Her ass pressed against his firm abdomen, sensing his cock starting to stiffen as his lips pressed against her earlobe.
Sure, theyknewhow to behave, but did she really want to?
She allowed her eyes to travel to his groin for a moment, then quickly flicked her gaze back up.
“Look,” she said, not waiting for him to respond and trying to wipe away the images in her head. “We’re…engaged. That means, from here on out, we’re only getting one room. One bed.”
“I think I can handle the couch for a week.”
“And if thereisno couch?”
“Then I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“Why are you being so weird? It’s a fucking bed. Ahugeone, at that. And it’s not like we haven’t slept beside each other before.”
“Yeah, well, that probably shouldn’t have happened, either.”
She frowned and furrowed her brow. “What iswithyou? I haven’t seen you in over a year and you’re acting like I’m thelastperson you want to see right now. Like being next to me is the worst thing that could be happening to you.”
He jerked his head in her direction and stood straight. “Because itisthe worst thing that could be happening to me right now. I don’t want you here!”
Dani blinked several times.
“I had things under control before you got arrived,” he continued, returning to making up the couch, only now more aggressively.
“Please!” she snapped back. “You’ve been held hostage forayear, Theo. Nothing about that says ‘control.’ ” She brought her hands up to form air quotes.
“Yeah, well, now I’ve got a deadline andyouto worry about.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. I know how to handle myself.”
“Oh really? This isn’t like one of those silly stunts we pulled back in high school. This is real life. I mean, seriously, your first time out of the country andthishappens? It’s the kind of shit that would only happen to you.”
