No rebounds for Uma. Not here, not anywhere. She couldn’t rebound after a relationship like the one she’d just left. She couldn’tanythingafter her relationship with Joey. It had been the relationship to end all relationships.
This body might never succumb to a man’s touch again, and that would be fine.
Except that last thought felt a little like a lie. Some small part of her might be the tiniest bit curious about doingthingswith Ivan, might even welcome it if she were a different girl in a different life. Images of pure, wonderfully disgusting animal sex came to mind until she pushed them firmly away. No, certainly not that.
Wining and dining and first dates and stuff?Oh God.Even worse. She didn’t even know what that looked like anymore. The thought alone was enough to make her sweat. Dates meant intimacy and relationships and the possibility of love. None of which she could fathom.
So, no. Uma couldn’t go out with Ivan.
Above all, she had a feeling that this was a nice guy she was dealing with. And she was decidedlynota nice girl. She’d lost the chance at being just another nice girl the day Joey Chisholm had flashed his baby blues at her and wended his way so firmly under her skin that she feared she would never get him out.
“You don’t want to go out with me, Ivan.”
He looked ready to argue for a moment and then nodded, slow, like everything else about him. He didn’t look defeated, just calm, maybe a tiny bit determined. Uma wondered if he was a stubborn sort of person. She thought he might be.
For some reason, she didn’t mind the idea that he might try again. As a matter of fact, a contrary, selfish little piece of her hoped hewould, in case she decided to change her mind.
“Where you goin’ to stay tonight?”
“I’ll figure something out.”
“Got a bed right here.”
Her body clenched unexpectedly at the idea. She couldn’t tell if it was a good clench or a bad one. “Oh, no, I couldn’t.”
“Don’t mind.”
Uma waited to feel frightened at the idea of sleeping in this man’s bed. Nothing.
Actually, that wasn’t entirely true. She trembled. An image of their bodies entwined on the bed rose from her thoughts, so close she could reach out and touch it.
“Not lettin’ you sleep in that car.”
“I can’t take your bed from you.”
“We got another option,” he said, voice smoky and full of promise.
* * *
Shit. He hadn’t meant to say that. Frankly, he hadn’t meant to do any of it. The flirting, the teasing, the easy conversation. It had all come as one enormous surprise to Ive. Like one second he was saving a damsel in distress, and the next he wanted to rip her clothes off. With his teeth.
Ah, hell. He really shouldn’t have invited her back here. He should have given her money, made her get a hotel room. Anything but this…this…temptation. Because this woman was clearly not in any place to be ravaged.
But, instead of responding the way she should have, the way she was supposed to, all shocked and offended—a new voice, warmer and darker, said, “Yeah?”
To which he couldn’t help but respond, “Could share.”
The silence lasted a moment too long, landing them for the first time in awkward territory. The fire popped, pulling them out of it, and Squeak let out a massive, satisfied doggy sigh before flopping her head back onto the floor.
Uma started to shake her head and then stopped. Ive was amazed at how much he could read in her eyes. Even though he’d never been overly perceptive when it came to women, this one was an open book. Not good. She needed more protection against…well, against guys like him.
“I’m kiddin’, Uma. Place is all yours, princess.” He said that last bit to annoy her. To protect her from him. He threw in a wink to seal the deal.
Was that disappointment he saw or—no. Just wishful thinking on his part.
“Where will you sleep?” she asked, and he liked that she worried about him.
“Don’t you worry about me. I got plenty of options.” He smirked, lacing the words with innuendo. “Bed’s all yours.”
