Getting down to his knickers at the house of a woman he was protecting wasn’t his style, but he’d been hot as hell—probably due to his untapped dick—and wasn’t used to sleeping in clothes.
Dez froze in the kitchen, her wide eyes glued to his torso.She blinked, a mug in each hand, and her gaze moved to hover over his swollen member contained in cotton.
He picked up his shorts, and she spun around so her back faced him.The dishes clinked together and the coffee maker started to drizzle.“Uh, how do you like your coffee?”
He strode up behind her.The same cute little shorts she’d worn last night hugged her perfectly happy ass.Instead of the tank top, she had on an oversized gray sweatshirt that only made her look cute and cozy and did nothing to wipe the memory of her curves from his mind, if that was her intent.
“Hot,” he said, his tone flat.
She whirled around.He stood a few feet from her, but the O shape to her lips told him he’d startled her.
Her throat bobbed, and she lifted her fingers to toy with a gold necklace at her throat.“It’s fresh.”
He grinned.God she was sexy, even more so when she was ruffled.Her curly dark hair was tied on top of her head in a bun, and her lips were stained a deep pink.Freckles dusted her rosy cheeks, and the yellow tint in her hazel eyes was prominent.
Her gaze stayed locked on his face, not dipping once to take in his bare chest.
“Is one of those mine?”he said, nodding at the mugs on the counter.
She shifted her gaze to her side.“Whichever—”
He reached around, bringing himself into her orbit.The scent of cinnamon clung to her skin, making him want to sink his teeth into her as if she were an indulgent breakfast pastry.Fuck, he needed to calm down.
He snatched up one of the mugs and reached for the pot.
She stepped out of his way and bustled to the fridge.“I can whip up some eggs if you’re hungry.I also have fruit and toast.”
He filled his mug and added a spoonful of sugar and a splash of milk.She stood with the fridge door open, her face turned over her shoulder, waiting for his reply.
“You don’t have to feed me.”
“It’s the least I can do.You came here for nothing, and—”
“Nothing?”He pulled the lip of the mug away from his mouth before even taking a sip.“Someone broke in here last night.”
She shut the fridge door and twisted her hands in front of her middle.“Yeah, but you were right anyway.I shouldn’t have stayed here.Had I taken your advice we both could have slept well.”
He stalked forward and stopped in front of her, putting his mug on the counter near her side.She sucked in a breath and her stance turned rigid.
“You didn’t sleep?”Concern made the question blurt from his throat.If his being here had made her uncomfortable, then she was right and it had all been for nothing.The last thing he wanted was for her to fear him or think he’d come onto her.
Yet here he was half naked, not even respecting her home.
He dragged a hand through his hair.He needed a shower.He needed to clear his head.He needed space from Dez’s fretful eyes and smokin’ body before he did something he couldn’t take back.
She tilted her head to the side.“What’s wrong?”
Hell, he shouldn’t even talk until his boner was gone.He rolled his tongue behind his teeth, carefully choosing his words.“I didn’t mean to make you uneasy by staying here.I should have just taken you to a motel.”He shifted his gaze to the cream-colored tile at his feet.
Her cool palm touched his forearm and squeezed.“You didn’t make me uneasy.Not at all.I have my own demons that kept me awake.”
He brought his hand to his jaw and rubbed his fingers over the stubble.He needed to shave as badly as he needed to get clean.“What kind of demons?”
She flicked her gaze away then moved it to him.“Nothing.”
He locked his eyes on hers.“Do you have an enemy, Desiree?Someone you’re not telling me about?”
Defiance sparked in her gaze, making him wonder if he was onto something.“No one who would—”
