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“You call that a dance? We were stiff as robots that needed oiling.”
His frown came back. “It wasn’t that bad.”
Sanity was coming back slowly now, and I pulled away, fighting the haze that was still stuffing my head. “It really was. Either way, I should head home. It’s getting late.”
He nodded, eyeing the window with a grimace. “I’ll see you to your car.”
I almost argued, but after a second of thought I didn’t bother. If it made him feel better, then whatever. I needed solitude, ice cream and sleep before I could even begin to figure out what was happening between him and me.
His hand settled on my lower back again and he led me toward the door. I caught Kimberley’s gaze on my way out. She looked both happy for me and confused, and given the odd display we’d probably put on before I couldn’t say I blamed her.
I managed a soothing smile before being led out. Once we stopped at the car though, William ran a hand through his hair. “Watch out for that George guy, I don’t trust him.”
That was the absolute last thing I’d expected to hear from him and my brows flew to my hairline. “Why not? He seemed perfectly nice.”
Interested in me, even. I’m sure Alice would be ecstatic to hear that, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t considering getting his number. The ranch he worked on belonged to Dennis’s family, and Kimberley was dating Dennis. It’d be easy enough to get in touch with him if I wanted to.
Just because nothing would be happening between William and me didn’t mean I had to sentence myself to a life of celibacy.
William shifted between his feet, the grimace from before back in full strength as he shook his head. “Of course you wouldn’t notice, but he looked at you like you were a piece of meat.”
I definitely hadn’t seen that. Yes there’d been some carnal interest there, but that wasn’t all there was. Hurt and irritation rose, tightening a fiery grip around my heart as I glared up at William.
“So he’s aroused by me, there’s nothing wrong with that. It makes me feel nice to know I can have that effect on someone I might be interested in. Besides, you have no room to speak about looking at someone ‘like a piece of meat.’ I remember how you were as a teenager and if the rumors are anything to go by since you’ve been back in town, that hasn’t changed.”
He jerked back, his eyes flashing wider in surprise before hardening. “How would you know what I was like? You were just a kid.”
I couldn’t stop the words before they were flying out. “It wasn’t like you tried to hide it. You wore that like a badge of honor, and while there’s nothing wrong with what you chose to do with your body, you don’t get to growl over someone else doing the same thing. I am a grown adult now, ya know.”
He shook his head, not dropping the subject. “I absolutely do, because my little sister’s friend, who I know for a fact doesn’t do random hookups, is being stared at like that. I’m not about to let someone hurt you.”
It would have been touching to know he cared, if it weren’t for the fact he was yet again putting me into the ‘child’ category. At least this time it was well-meaning.
“Stop treating me like I’m a kid. If I want to start a relationship with someone, I will, or if I decided to go home with him just for tonight, then that would be fine, too. It’s my decision, not yours.”
He hissed, grinding his teeth hard enough that I could practically hear them. “I don’t see you as a child-.”
I laughed, the sound long and dry. “You’re trying to make my decisions for me because you don’t like how a man looks at me. I know what that expression was, desire, and I have no issues with it. This isn’t something you have to protect me from because I want it. If you really see me as an adult, then don’t try to tell me what’s best for me.”
Frustration all but screamed off of him, but instead of giving in he leveled a challenging glare down at me. “You want me to treat you like an adult?”
The hair on my arms stood to attention, warning me about the edge to his tone even as I nodded.
I didn’t expect what he did next.
His arm caged around me on the car, all but pinning me against it as he dipped. I had two seconds to process what was happening before his mouth was on mine. He didn’t take it slow either; the minute we touched he was off like a shot from a gun.
His hands moved to my hair and the side of my face, and his chest pressed hard to mine as he did his level best to devour me whole. He swiped his tongue along my lips and I opened on instinct, shuddering when he dove in and wrapped it tight around mine.
My knees nearly buckled when he sucked, grinding forward until I clenched on nothing.
I mirrored him, throwing my all into the kiss until I was lightheaded from lack of oxygen. I grabbed onto his muscle filled back, trying to steady myself and gripping his shirt. Just as I thought I might pass out, he jerked back and sucked in a breath. His head leaned forward, resting inches away as we both got our bearings again, breathing hard.
After a long minute, he cracked open an eye and looked at me. Regret burned behind his gaze even as arousal joined it. Pushing away from the car, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed.
“I shouldn’t have done that.”
No he shouldn’t have, because now I wanted more.
