Page 29 of Time To Learn

“Look, Kristian, I’m sure you’re a very nice bloke and everything, but...”

“Don’t say it,” he interrupts me, voice low and his eyes dark, serious.

I blink.

“You don’t know what I was aboutto…”

“Yes, Ido.”

Annoyed by his interruptions, I sigh. I want to stomp my feet like a child—or throw myself at him. I can’t quite decide which, and it only infuriates me further. This indecisiveness is unwelcome.

Kristian points a finger atme.

“You were about to give me the old song about how you’re sure I’m a nice man, but that you’re not interested, and I don’t believeyou.”

I gape at him as he shrugs. He turns to walk around Lady, gently giving her neck a long stroke, all the while he keeps his eyes on me. My heartbeat picks up, but I hold my ground. I refuse to let my eyes betray me this time, and I won’t let him intimidateme.

Those blue eyes will do me in—they’re so intense, probing and prodding away at the chains I’ve got firmly tied around my heart. As he stops right in front of me, I’m forced to lean my head back—he’s so much taller than me, at least by six inches—and when he grins down at me, I tense as the dimples popout.

Dimples are lethal, especially on a man such as Kristian.

“So,” he murmurs. “Let me explain how I know you’re lying.”

I clench my teeth, unwilling to buy into this little game ofhis.

“I bet your heart is pounding away,” he whispers, taking another step closer until our fronts almost touch. “The pulse at your throat jumps—I can see it—and I think you’re feeling a little hot rightnow.”

“It’s summer,” I snap. “Of course I’mhot.”

To prove my point, I wipe some sweat from mybrow.

Kristian shakes his head as his eyes flicker down to mylips.

“It’s not that kind of heat I’m talking about,” he continues as his eyes trail up tomine.

Oh, my God, I’m drowning in the blue sea ofthem.

“Your breaths are shallow, the blush in your cheeks high, and the air is electric, ripe with tension betweenus.”

He takes a deep breath, and the movement almost makes his chest touch my breasts. My nipples harden, and my legs feel like jelly.

“I bet if I kissed you now, I’d know for certain that you’re lying,” he whispers as he bites his lowerlip.

My breath hitches as I shake my head slowly.

“I think you’re just being obstinate,” hesays.

That brings me out of my stupor “What? No, I’mnot.”

“Then prove that you’re not interested inme.”

“How?” I scoff.

“Kissme.”

The nerve ofhim.

I become unglued from my spot at the pure arrogance he exudes.