“I’m not asking for forever, you idiot. I just want to burn off some of the energy from tonight.” Her tone remained perfectly exasperated, even as she kind of lied. Oh, she knew they didn’t have forever, but she also knew herself. One night, and her heart would get involved. It probably already was after he’d defended her so violently in the alley. But the idea of a touch from him, a night with him, was worth it. It had to be. “No strings, Heath.”
His jaw tightened. His gaze probed deep. The second he made a decision, one to protect her for her own good, she saw it clearly.
So she moved into him. Her mouth slid against his, and she sighed at the contact. Closer. She wanted to get closer. Pressing against him, she kissed him. His lips were firm, and he tasted somehow of chocolate.
He stiffened even more.
It took her a second to realize he wasn’t kissing her back. His body all but vibrated beneath her palms, but he didn’t move. She drew back, explosive heat filling her cheeks. Well, crap. “I’m sorry.” She released him and began to turn away.
A low growl from him was all the warning she got. He grabbed her, hard, and slammed his mouth over hers. One arm banded around her waist, and the other cupped her head. The strength in his mouth overpowered her, and she opened hers. He took advantage, sweeping his tongue inside.
Sparks flew throughout her body, and she kissed him, becoming lost. Her nipples hardened, and her sex pounded instantly. When her lungs had all but burst, he let her breathe. She panted, her eyes opening wide to look at his face.
Holy crap. His eyes had turned a dark green, and lust was stamped hard across his strong face. His hold remained implacable, and he looked as unmovable as granite and as wild as the wind.
What had she just unleashed?
CHAPTER
21
Heath studied her and tried to yank back control on his raging libido. Her soft lips had nearly pushed him over the edge, but he’d been able to keep his mind. Yet the moment hurt had flared in her soft green eyes, he’d been lost. Drawn in so quickly he hadn’t had time to stop himself—even if he had wanted to do so.
Desire darkened her eyes to the color of a lake bed beneath a winter sky, and a pretty pink filled her smooth face. Her upper lip curved. “So you do want me.”
“With everything I am.” He’d always give her the truth. She was sweet and kind . . . and she had a fairness to her that appealed to the better part of him. Even her obvious intelligence spurred him to be better. To want more. “But it’s a mistake.” Didn’t mean he wouldn’t make it, though.
Her smile widened, and she planted her hands on his chest. His heart thundered against them. “I appreciate the warning, but it doesn’t have to be a mistake. We’re both adults, and you’ve properly warned me about your penchant for taking off.”
Her humor caught him off guard and ratcheted up his lust to a near painful level. Humor was a challenge, as was getting her out of her very smart head. A part of him—one he wasn’t sure about—wanted to claim her on a level that wasn’t funny. It was absolute, and that should concern him. There was no road map for what she brought out in him, and he liked to navigate. He needed to know his path. He tilted his head. “Be careful, baby.” It was fair to warn her, right?
Her chuckle bounced through his body and landed squarely in his groin. “Oh, we’re way past careful,” she breathed, leaning in to press her lips against his again. She stretched up on her toes for a better angle and tilted her head, her softness against him a temptation he’d never be able to resist.
Her confidence awoke something in him. This time he went slow in taking over the kiss. He let her play for a few moments, let her set the pace and feel powerful. Fire shot through his body to heat his groin, making his jeans too tight. He grasped onto self-control with everything he had when all he wanted was to flip her around and take her down to the steps.
Not Anya.
He needed to be gentle. As his muscles tightened, he leaned back and studied her. Intrigue and need crossed her pretty face, and her breath came rapidly. Oh, she wanted a walk on the wild side—that was for sure. He’d give her what she needed without losing control or scaring her. He could do this. It was too late for him to turn back and it had been since the first time he’d met her. He hadn’t considered she’d give him a chance. “You sure?” he asked.
She rolled her eyes again.
“Don’t challenge me, baby. Trust me.” Before she could give a smart-ass reply, he bent and smoothly lifted her over his shoulder.
Her answering laugh held both glee and need.
He held her legs to keep her in place and make sure she didn’t fall. The woman weighed nothing over his shoulder, so he climbed the stairs carefully to keep from jostling her.
She sighed and slid both hands into his back jeans pockets. And squeezed.
His vision went black. He halted and then continued on, his cock all but bursting from his jeans. The woman was a temptress who had absolutely no idea who she was dealing with. Control. He needed to keep control of himself. While she might think she wanted passionate and crazy, she had no idea of the wildness living within his skin. The primal being deep inside who wanted her sighing his name. Begging for more. Becoming his.
But it couldn’t happen. This was casual and this was fun. Maybe if he repeated the mantra enough in his head, he’d actually believe it.
He made quick tracks through the vestibule and into his temporary apartment, reaching the bedroom in a couple of heartbeats. Taking care, he flipped her over to sit on the bed.
All that glorious red hair flew back. What would it be like to have the mass wrapped around him for life? An impossible dream.
She laughed and settled herself. “Thanks for the ride.”
