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“I’m not falling for that, pal.”
His gaze dropped to her hands, still resting against his warm skin. With effort, she removed them and curled her fingers into her palms to keep from going back.
“We don’t have to deny ourselves, Alyssa.”
Why the heck did he have to keep speaking her name in that sexy deep tone?
No doubt oblivious to her torment, he continued. “We’re adults. We can explore what’s before us.”
Her stomach muscles tautened. “What’s before us?”
“Attraction. You’re a beautiful woman, and from the way you’re looking at me as if I’m your next meal—”
“I am not looking at you like I want to eat you! Wow, somebody’s full of themselves.” While she protested, she bit down on a laugh. He’d spoken the truth, and there had been no arrogance, just an observation. If she said, “Let’s get it on,” he would comply. After all, Nathan didn’t worry about falling in deeper than he intended. Not from what she saw anyway. She bit her lip. “Don’t you feel weird having sex in your mother’s house?”
“Not the first time.”
She glared at him, and he smiled.
“Teenage hormones.”
She rolled her eyes, attempting to give the impression she didn’t give a damn about his past, but he squashed her act with one touch of his fingertip. From her cheek to her lips, he traced a path. She turned her head.
“You shouldn’t do that.”
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t.”
“Because.”
He raised his eyebrows. She fought not to turn her head back so her lips would graze his palm. He would not be put off, but squeezed her hip where his other hand lay. His thigh brushed hers, and she tensed against the hardness of his muscles. Just feeling that little bit led her to thinking about what lay above and between his legs. Was he hard there too? Don’t even, Alyssa.
“I think it would be a bad idea to complicate matters.” She lowered her gaze from his face so he wouldn’t see the desire bubbling inside. “I don’t jump into bed with men I hardly know. Not that I’m judging you…”
“Of course not,” he teased.
All of a sudden, the space between them compressed even more, although she didn’t see him move. His breath warmed her lips, recalling how good it felt to kiss him. One wouldn’t hurt, would it? She could taste him and enjoy it, then roll over and go to sleep. Shocked at the sharp turn to her thoughts, she jerked away from him and flipped over. Nathan’s hand rose as she spun, but it settled in place the moment she stilled.
“If I tell you to move that…”
“I will,” he assured her.
She chewed some more on her lip. Damn the man for making her want him. She drew her knees up and squeezed her eyes shut. No amount of deep breathing and willing her mind would make her relax.
“Wound that tight, you’ll never rest. Here, let me help you,” he offered.
“I know what kind of help you want to give me.”
He slid in close and spooned her. She clenched her jaw and bit off a squeak of alarm. Now she knew, the hardness extended to his member. The shaft jutted against her ass as he folded himself around her, but he made no move to do any more than hold her. His embrace tightened with an arm slung over her waist and a palm splayed across her belly. The other arm he lay on the pillow above her head. On one hand, he heightened her desires, but his nearness evoked peace as well. In degrees, she began to settle down.
She thought he kissed her hair, but decided it had to be a figment of her imagination. How had they gotten to this point, to be comfortable enough with each other that they could lie in bed together as if they were a real couple? Would it have gone the same way if Trinity were here instead? Maybe her cousin would have taken everything in stride, or then again, Nathan might have respected Trinity’s love of her boyfriend and kept his distance in private. Alyssa, as a single woman, was fair game.
With these thoughts, that any available woman would do to satisfy his lust, she managed to cool her horny body and fell into a fitful sleep, and by the time she woke up in the morning with sunlight streaming into the room, Nathan was nowhere in sight. She rose and showered, then found a sundress to wear to breakfast. Now the challenge would begin.
* * * *
In the dining room, Nathan’s family was seated around the table. Annoyance rose in her a little that no one had waited for her. Nathan stood the moment he spotted her and strode around the table dressed in a business suit. Without thinking, she frowned at him.
“I thought you said you were going to dress down while we’re here.” She gasped after she blurted the words and started to apologize. He cut her off with a kiss that took the strength from her knees and forced her to cling to the lapels of his jacket. The fool had the nerve to appear pleased, which pissed her off even more.
