A small smile crossed his face. “You didn’t need to, but thank you.”
I felt good. “How did your training go?”
“Well. They were a good group. They listen.” His gaze traced my face. “You get some of your own work done?”
“Once I found the desk, I did.”
He smiled again. Ooh, I really liked Cole’s smiles. I liked that he didn’t give them away freely and I had to work for them.
I plucked at the sleeve of his shirt, my fingers brushing his slick skin. “Looks like you worked hard.”
He grunted.
I looked up and saw an unreadable look on his face.
But it looked similar to how he’d been looking at me at breakfast, before we’d kissed. I licked my lips, and his gaze dropped to the movement.
“Cole, this morning…” I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to say.
“When we kissed?” His voice sounded like gravel.
I nodded.
“Shouldn’t have happened.”
Annoyance stung me. “Why?”
“I told you why.”
“And I disagreed with those reasons.” I lifted my chin. “I wanted it. I wanted you.” I shifted closer. “All my life, I’ve rarely gotten what I wanted. My dad made all the decisions, and stopped me from doing the things I really wanted to do.” I shook my head. “I want to change that.”
His mouth flattened. “I told you, I’m not right for you.”
“After we kissed, I thought maybe you didn’t want me as much as I wanted you.”
Something flashed in his eyes.
“Then, I saw you,” I whispered.
He cocked his head.
“I didn’t mean to. It was an accident. I’m not a creeper, I promise. I just went into your bedroom to grab my clothes, and you’d left the bathroom door open.” I was babbling.
Now he stilled, his gaze on me with laser focus.
“I saw you,” I whispered. “In the shower. I heard you.”
He moved forward, fast, startling me. I backed up and my butt hit the desk.
He crowded me and I pressed my hands to his chest. God, he was so hard. Heat poured off him.
“I need to list all those reasons again?” His voice was a growl.
“No. I told you, I think they’re all bogus. I…like you. I mean, look at you, you’re hot.”
He made a sound. “Jesus, Lili. I’m a rough ex-merc and ex-assassin who fights. I’m not handsome or charming.”
“Handsome is overrated.” I pressed my hands into his pecs. So hard. “Handsome has nothing to do with hotness.”
