And definitely not shy.
This is new.
Last night, I could almost believe she was a scared little girl who needed protecting and comforting.
This morning…she’s a woman. And she knows exactly what she wants.
She pushes off the wall and takes a step closer. Not enough to touch me, but close enough that I catch her scent. “You need any help?” she asks, tilting her head, eyes flicking briefly to my hands before lifting back to my face.
“No,” I say, the word coming out rougher than intended. “Everything’s ready.”
She reaches out, her fingers brushing my forearm like it’s an accident—it’s not. She pretends she doesn’t notice the way the simple contact tightens every muscle in my body.
She doesn’t pull her hand back right away, instead reaching for a piece of bacon.
I bite back a low growl, set the spatula down, and straighten, needing that distance more than ever. “I’ve got some work to do in my shop this morning.”
Her brows lift, her smile dipping a little as if she’s disappointed. “During a storm?”
“It’s eased up enough,” I say. “I need toget some things done now in case we lose power.” It’s a flimsy excuse, even though it’s the truth. “I’ll be back later.”
What about breakfast?” She doesn’t bother hiding the disappointment in her voice.
“Eat,” I tell her. “Don’t wait on me.”
She moves forward, as if she’s going to object again. Either that or try to physically stop me.
I don’t give her a chance to do either. I move past her, grab my jacket from the hook, and head for the door. “Make yourself at home.”
My hand is on the doorknob when she says, “Be careful out there.”
Despite my better judgment, I turn around. She’s watching me, one hand on her hip, the other holding that piece of bacon between her smirking lips.
Fuck. Me.
Without another word, I slip outside and onto the porch, where I let myself take a deep breath of the cold air, grounding myself.
This is getting dangerous.
She’s too damn appealing. Too damntempting.
Worse, I’m pretty sure she knows it.
I’m going to have to be a hell of a lot more careful if I don’t want to lose control.
The problem is, I’m no longer sure control is what I want.
Chapter Five
Tessa
Itry not to be disappointed in the way Holt rushes out without breakfast. More importantly, I try not to take it personally.
I may not have a lot of experience with men, but I know enough to know when a man desires me. And I didn’t miss the way his gaze lingered on me this morning, dark and heavy before he forced it away. Or the tension in his jaw.
Or the way he ran out of the room as if I was going to burn him.
Maybe I would have.
