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My heart started pounding harder as my face heated. My lips parted as I stared up at him, but I couldn’t think of anything to say. My brain had gone blank.

His grin widened just a little, his gaze dropping to my mouth and growing heavier. “I would’ve kissed the fuck out of you. Probably brought you home and done more, if you were up for it.”

Like what? What more? my brain screamed, desperate for the answers, desperate to hear him tell me. But I was frozen, my pulse rabbiting in my throat, my breaths leaving me in shallow pants.

He’d moved a touch closer, and now I could feel the heat of him against my front through my thin T-shirt. He wet his lips, drawing my gaze down to his mouth, and my belly clenched with breathless anticipation.

“So I’m just saying…” His wide, muscled shoulders rose in a tiny shrug as his smile grew just a little. “You’re not drunk now. And I’m right here.”

Chapter Eighteen

Rafe Experiences the Head

Rafe

There was utter silence except for my quick breathing. I couldn’t move, my limbs locked in place, my heart pounding.

“C’mon, kitten.” Ewen smirked at me. “You were full of bravado last night at the bar. Surely some of it’s still in there?”

That made me narrow my eyes at him, a hint of defiance creeping past my terrified excitement. Because he was telling me to try kissing him again, wasn’t he? He was goading me.

Which meant… he wanted me to?

Or he was playing me. Trying to get me to do it again so he could laugh in my face.

Dan huffed in amusement and leaned in a little closer. “You know you want to, kitten. You’ve been thinking about it for a while now, haven’t you?”

Yeah, I had. Fuck. My gaze locked onto his mouth. His lips looked firm but soft. There was a hint of stubble around his mouth and on his jaw. I wanted to know how rough it would feel against my own skin.

“Bet you want to know what my mouth feels like on other parts of you too, huh?” Dan added in a low, rough murmur, his eyes heavy-lidded as he gazed down at me. Then that little smirk returned. “Been thinkin’ about it every night while you watch me, right?”

It was like he’d dumped a bucket of ice water over me. My spine stiffened, the haze of growing lust that had been blanketing me dissipating in an instant. I took a small step back over the threshold into the hallway and glared up at him, my nostrils flaring.

He was mocking me. Making fun of me. Reminding me that I was the sad, confused creep who’d been watching him at night. Shame and anger washed over me, making me tremble.

“Don’t be such a dick.” My voice was hoarse and unsteady.

Ewen blinked, rearing back like he was surprised I’d caught on or something. “Huh?”

“I get it, okay?” I said roughly.

“What?” he asked, tone almost disbelieving.

“I know I fucked up, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have watched you.” God, my face was so hot it felt like my skin was going to melt off. “It was wrong of me. It just—It made me realise I’m—” I broke off and rubbed an anxious hand over my hot cheek, then took a deep breath and forced myself to look up at him. “What will it take for you to move past it?”

Ewen was staring at me with a completely nonplussed expression. “What?” he repeated.

“We have to be neighbours and now we have to work together.” Panic made my breaths quicken. Made my stomach feel like it was about to fall out of my ass. “Just tell me what it’ll take for you to not fucking tell everyone at work.”

“Tell everyone at… ” Ewen shook his head, scrunching his nose up with offence. “I’m not going to tell people at work anything, Rafe. I haven’t even told them we’re neighbours. What the hell are you talking about?”

“I know you’re never going to let this go, but could you at least confine any snide remarks about what a creep I am to outside of the office?” I was working myself up now, just imagining walking into work and having everyone stare at me like I was a total pervert because Ewen had told them all.

Fuck.

“I don’t even…” Ewen spluttered in disbelief and thrust a hand through his hair. “How the hell have you managed to get to that from me telling you to fucking kiss me?”

“Because I know what you’re doing,” I shot back, clenching my hands into fists by my sides.