At least it did to her. Because he was in her blood, like a disease. A wonderful disease. And she wasn’t sure she could recover from him any other way. She needed to know. Knowhim. Like getting a vaccination. She needed an infusion of the live virus so she could eventually become immune.
But he didn’t seem to get it. She decided to change tactics. “Unless…you’re worried it won’t be any good and then it’ll make things weird between us.” She screwed up her face as if she really thought this might be a possibility.
“It’ll be good,” he gritted.
“Well, I figured as much,” she allowed charitably. “What with all the practice you’ve had. Unless…” she said again, cocking her head.
“Unless what?”
“Unless the reason you’ve had so many one-night stands isn’t becauseyouwanted it that way, but because your partners wanted it that way. Oh, Lord Almighty. You don’t do that weird jackhammer thing, do you?” When he lifted a brow, she clarified. “The one that’s allbam, bam, bam!” She clapped her hands together to illustrate her point and was reminded of the splinter. “No real finesse and definitely no real friction on any of the parts that need it. Or, ew…” She made an awful face. “Are you one of those guys who thinks a clitoris is like a magicalgobutton and all you have to do is give it a quick flick and assume that should be enough to—”
“It’ll begood,” he insisted. And now the muscle in his jaw was twitching fast enough to beat the band.
“Care to put your money where your mouth is?” she challenged, batting her lashes, knowing the best way to goad a man into doing something was to challenge his prowess.
Four older brothers, remember?
“Maddy.” The way he said her name, emphasis on both syllables, had her coming right back at him with a slow “Bran.” She made sure to thicken her accent, splitting his name into two parts and stressing both.
“Are you trying to seduce me?” His voice was so dry and hoarse it sounded like someone had shoved a wad of cotton down his throat.
“Nope,” she assured him, glancing pointedly at the bulge straining his fly.Well, hello again, Mr. Wood. So nice tosee you!“By the looks of things, that’s already done.”
He expression turned pained. Then he reached down to adjust himself.
When Maddy saw his wide-palmed hand grab the thickness of his shaft through the fabric of his cargo shorts, her throat dried up.Who is this person with the cotton?Heat spread across her chest, tightening her nipples.
There was nothing sexier than watching a man touch himself and knowing you were the cause of his excitement. She’ddreamedof this moment, fantasized about it. And she stared with a watering mouth and aching core as he gritted his teeth, sucking in a breath like his touch brought both pleasure and pain. When he found a position he liked, he released himself and Maddy blew out a ragged breath.
“Next time,” she told him, licking her lips, “let me do that for you.”
“Maddy.” He emphasized her name the same way as before. So, same as before, she met him with “Bran.”
“You’re not a friends-with-benefits kinda woman,” he insisted.
“You’re right,” she admitted. “Sex always equals commitment for me.Eventually. Which is why I’m proposin’ we become friends with benefits just once. Just tonight.”
So she was Paula Abdul-ing it after all. Those three girls were too smart for their britches. “And after tonight?” His pulse was pounding in his neck.Herpulse was pounding decidedly lower.
“After tonight we go back to the present state of affairs. Friends. Email buddies.Pen pals.” She grinned evilly when she used the phrase he would probably prefer she struck from her vocabulary. “With all the appropriate itches havin’ been fully scratched. If we can’t have it all, at least we can have this. And besides, maybe it’ll make things better between us. Easier. Make the friendship that much stronger.”
Her heart stuttered when he didn’t say anything for a ridiculously long time. Just stood there looking at her. Try as she might, she couldn’t read his expression. The man gave new meaning to the termpoker face. But finally he said, “What if you end up regretting it?”
“Anything’s possible,” she admitted. Her conscience had been poking her on the shoulder during the entire conversation, trying to tell her something important. She’d studiously ignored it. Instead, she took a running jump. “But, honey, the worst mistake beats the hell out of never tryin’.”
* * *
9:28 p.m.…
Bran could hear the belief buried like a land mine beneath Maddy’s persuasive tone. And he was terrified that one false move would have him stepping on it and blowing his friggin’ legs off.
No matter how he looked at the situation, he was screwed. If he didn’t agree to give this one-night-only thing a go, he’d hurt her.Again.Reject her.Again.But if he agreed, there was a chance that tomorrow morning, in the cold light of day, she’d realize she reallywasn’tokay with the concept. In which case, he’d hurt her.Again.
He looked around, trying to figure out if by some small chance there was a third option. Unfortunately, the only thing that met his searching gaze was the long hexagonal circle of the fort’s parapets, the dark sea, and the lip that Maddy once again caught between her teeth.
Everything inside him was pushing him, needling him, damn near hitting him over the head with a rubber mallet to give Maddy what she wanted. One scenarioguaranteedher hurt feelings, and the other one only guaranteed achanceof her hurt feelings, right? Right.
And now you’re rationalizing.
