She stared at him for a long, uncertain moment before folding her middle finger beneath the tip of her thumb and releasing it with a hard flick against his cheek. Thethwipechoed around the cab of the Land Rover and he snorted and jerked awake with a muffled curse.
Oops. That may have landed a little harder than she’d intended.
His hand snapped up to his cheek and he glared at her, his affront clear to see in the light provided by their driveway security beams.
“The fuck you do that for?” He sounded like a sulky teen.
“We’re home.”
“Not an excuse for assault and battery,” he grumped.
“Oh, let me guess, you’d have preferred a gentle kiss instead?” Her voice was scathing.
“I would never dare to presume you have any kisses to spare for me, McKenna. I lost hope and belief in those kisses many months ago.”
His words confused her and all she could think of to say was, “We’ve kissed.”
He laughed. The sound was dry, dusty…cracked and lacking any semblance of humor.
“If you say so,” he said with a shrug, unclipping his seatbelt and reaching for the door handle in the same motion.
He was halfway out of the door before she wrapped her hand around one thick, hard bicep, halting his movements
“Idosay so. We’ve kissed. Made love. I don’t understand what you’re trying to imply here.”
He looked at her over his shoulder, lips curling before he shook his head.
“You’re so fucking deluded, Kenna. None of what we’ve done these last few months was what it could—should—have been. It was passionless, cold, and very fucking unsatisfactory.”
She was honestly staggered, horrified,hurtby his words. “You—we—orgasmed. You can’t fake that.”
“Yeah, we both got off. All that matters right?”
“You’re saying you didn’t enjoy…you didn’t like what we did?”
He sighed, the sound thick with frustration and weariness. “Kenna, I get more satisfaction jerking off in the shower, fantasizing about what wecouldhave had.”
“Which is?”
“Unobtainable.” The word was filled with implacability and finality.
He gently tugged his arm out of her loose hold and exited the car. This time, his manners kicked in and he rounded the car to open the driver’s side door for her.
Kenna sluggishly climbed out of the car and before she could think of anything more to say he’d turned and was heading back into the house.
“Why?” The word was ripped from her lips as she stumbled over her feet to follow him. He didn’t stop, but continued through the side gate into the yard. Warm solar lights led the way down the path toward their front door.
“Smith,why?” she asked again, surging forward to grab hold of his elbow and halt him again.
Another exhalation and this time there was impatience in the movement as he turned to face her. His face was grim, eyes hard.
“Why what?” he asked from between gritted teeth.
“Why is it unobtainable?”
“Because you’re incapable of giving me what I really want, Kenna.”
“What do you want?” She felt confused but hopeful that his reply would offer some kind of solution.
