Yeah, Logan had guys in her life, but I couldn’t stomach the thought of anyone else holding her, touching her now. The coffee I’d had earlier backtracked up my throat.
Not in the mood to face anyone, I climbed the fire escape stairs to the top of the building and walked out onto the roof instead. I pulled out another smoke, lit the thing, and took a deep pull. The acrid taste of tobacco filled my lungs, barely easing me.
Footsteps sounded. I didn’t want company and hoped whomever it was would just fuck off. I took another drag, filling my lungs with more smoke.
“Max?”
At her voice, everything in me tensed. I glanced at her. “What do you want?”
She drew closer. “Are you all right?”
A harsh laugh caught in my throat. All right? God, I was so fucked in the head over this woman, I had no idea which way was up or down. It surprised me that she’d come after me.
Deliberately, I let my gaze sweep over her as I took a longer pull on my cigarette, wanting some reaction out of her instead of this frigid wall she presented me with daily.
Her face flushed, and she crossed her arms beneath her chest, dragging my gaze to her tempting breasts. Her short, unpainted, ragged nails dug into the flesh of her upper arms, but her fingers were messed with the tan and cream oils she’d used painting the fucker.
“Why are you here? Don’t you have aclientto see to?”
A sigh escaped her. “Max, this isn’t working. Kate, my boss, has a place available. It’s not very expensive—”
“Of course,” I drawled and took another pull from my smoke. “Easier to get rid of me than face the truth, isn’t it, Ila? Be honest with yourself for once. You want me, too, and you’re too fucking scared to admit it.”
Her gaze shifted away from mine and then came back—a hint of desperation in her gaze. “I’m not scared.”
“Really?” Anger edged my cold tone. “Then why so anxious to get rid of me? Running, Ila?”
“I’m not running—don’t you want a decent bed to sleep on instead of a couch? And stop calling me that!”
She didn’t like me calling her Ila? Satisfaction welled. I’d rattled her. “It’s your name, isn’t it?”
Her mouth tightened. “Not the wayyousay it.”
“It’s odd. My sleeping arrangements never came up until I wanted to rearrange yourclient’sface.”
“You can’t be comfortable there.”
I ignored that. “Just how do I say your name,Logan?” I lowered my tone to a sensual purr. “And I don’t care where I sleep so long as it’s near you.”
The mouth I was dying to taste again opened then closed. I’d never hidden the fact that I wanted her.
“Stop it.” A whisper.
I took another pull on my smoke. “Why?”
“God, Max, must I spell this out for you—”
“That you’re older?”
A deep sigh left her. “Yes, that’s part of it.”
What? I was too young to even consider the type of relationship she’d probably want?
Grasping her hand, I pressed it against my chest. “Whatever is happening inside here tells me differently. When I think of him naked around you, I want to kill him.”
Her lips trembled. She eased her hand from under mine. “Max, don’t make this any harder than it is—”
Her eyes widened. Bet she hadn’t meant to letthatslip.
