Page 23 of Saved By the Billionaire

His lips curled in a half-smile. “No.”

“So?”

He sipped the wine, then handed the glass back to her. She took it, this time letting her fingers linger close to his a beat longer. She had the strongest sense that she was playing with fire, and so was he.

“She’s allowed to know you, but I’m not?”

“She knows me because she was there.”

“That’s not something I can change.”

“Would you want to?”

“I want to know you,” she said, sipping the wine quickly, because her throat felt dry and thick.

His eyes flared when they locked to hers, this time, the heat unmistakable. “How well do you want to know me, Kate?”

She bit into her lip. “I want to know all of you.”

He lifted his brows, encouraging her to continue.

“And I want you to know all of me.” She glanced down at the bed, embarrassed by what she’d admitted. He caught her chin though, forcing her gaze back to his.

“Sex isn’t the same thing as knowledge.”

She sucked in a quick breath at his blatant description of what she’d been hedging around.

“And sex between us isn’t a smart idea.”

She swallowed. “Why not?”

“Because you’re dangerous.”

“Me?” she responded, voice squeaky.

“What I want from you is dangerous,” he corrected.

“What do you want from me?”

“Things I never let myself want.” He dropped his hand to her hip, and a soft moan escaped her. “You scare me, Kate. I want you to be safe, and I want you to be happy, but then, I need you to get out of my life.”

Her lips parted in surprise at that.

“Because if you don’t leave, I’m worried I’ll never let you go, and that’s not for me. I don’t think it’s for you, either.”

All the heat drained from her face, but she didn’t pull away from him. “So this would be really stupid, huh?”

“Very.”

“But you’re still sitting here, touching me.”

“Apparently, where you’re concerned, I don’t mind being a little stupid.”

“Would you kiss me?”

His eyes dropped to her lips and lingered there, staring at her mouth as though he were a starving man, and salvation lay within her lips. He reached down and removed the bowl, placing it on the bedside table, then moved his hand to her chin, gripping it gently before lifting a finger to her mouth and tracing the outline of her lips. Then, pushing a finger inside, so her eyes widened and her whole body surged with heat at this invasion. “Roman,” she groaned, as he pushed his finger deeper, then removed it, eyes locked to hers, taunting, teasing.

“I think it would be a bad idea, Kate.”