“And I’m not asking for one.” He held her gaze then slowly exhaled. “Aria, I can’t deny the sexual attraction, or that you turn me on so badly, it hurts to breathe. But, I would never ask anythin’ of you that you’re not ready to give. You don’t trust easily, and I don’t blame you. Someday you’ll understand all men are not the same.”
His words caught her off guard. She wasn’t sure how to react. Nothing prepared her for a conversation along these lines; she chose silence.
“If it’s any consolation, I’m sorry I cornered you in your room the other night.”
His gaze, gentle and apologetic, held her steadfast. Tongues of heat flamed through her body at the memory of his touch. Aria licked her lips, keenly aware of every manly inch of him. She loved the way their bodies melded together in pure perfection. The soft hum of the music created a sensual atmosphere and drew her into a strange daze. Without thinking, she lifted on her toes and kissed Reece. The tightening of his arms around her waist told her she’d shocked him. With a soft groan, he opened his mouth to accept her plunging tongue.
The hungry, eager kiss swallowed Aria in its potency. As he intimately explored the recesses of her mouth, she slid her hands around his neck and held on tight. Half afraid if she didn’t, he’d stop kissing her.
When she finally pulled away, his ragged breathing matched hers. “Okay, not the response I expected, but heck I ain’t complainin’.”
Aria sighed. “My way of saying thanks for tonight. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday celebration.”
“Damn. I wonder how you’d say thank you if I’d done a little more.” His lips quirked. Blatant mischief danced in his eyes.
“Wouldn’t you love to find out,” she teased.
“I aim to.” The self-assurance laced with laughter in his voice sparked her defiance.
“Are you challenging me?”
“No.” Slowly, he shook his head and leaned in closer, his lips a mere breath away. “Confident, that’s all.” There was no question of his arousal. Melded firmly against his body, every sinew inch of him from chest to knees pricked her senses. His cock, hard against her stomach, didn’t disappoint either. She read the flicker of heat in his gaze and quivered at his touch.
It took every ounce of self-discipline not to succumb to the influence of his words or his sexy body. “Overly confident may at times, land you in hot water,” she said at last.
“I don’t mind getting burned.”
God, he had an answer for everything. She stepped out of his embrace with a soft laugh. “Have you ever been caught with your pants down?”
“Yes.”
She arched a brow and slid into her seat. “I’m afraid to ask.”
Reece chuckled as he took his seat. “Okay, a shortened version. Lying married woman, a twenty-feet jump into a swimming pool butt naked, and a vicious Doberman who probably hadn’t eaten for a week.”
“I get the picture.” Aria burst out laughing. “On a serious note though, thank you for tonight,” she said when her shoulders stopped quaking.
“I’m glad you said yes.”
The happiness that surrounded her in its glow, indescribable. As the evening drew to a close, Reece kept her in high spirits. Even their kiss, though hot, hadn’t marred the perfect evening. Honestly, it heightened her respect for the man. Playboy or not, he knew how to treat a lady right.
