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Need. Desire.
That’s what stared back at her from the depths of his eyes. Now the question was, what would he do about that desire?
She turned away. Picked up her own glass of wine. Gulped when she meant to elegantly sip.Oh, well.
Next question…what was she going to do about her desire for him?Play the scene with confidence.She could do this. “The offer of being my bodyguard was cute, but I understand the real plan.” Another gulp of wine. Dammit, why could she notsip?
“Real plan?” he repeated.
Schooling her expression, Noelle put down the wine and turned back toward him. “You want me.”
His hold tightened on the stem of the glass. So tight that she almost thought he might snap that stem straight in two. Instead, he very slowly lowered his hand and placed the glass on the counter. “You sound very confident of that fact.”
Her gaze flickered over him,downhim, to a rather telling part of his body. “I am.” The confident veneer she projected was totally fake. “You could have just asked me on a date, you know. Didn’t have to go with this whole ruse of you trying to protect me.”
“It’s not a ruse. I do want to protect you.” But he took a step toward her.
There wasn’t a ton of space in the kitchen. Her back was to the island in the middle of the room, and he was closing in. She held her ground. “You alsowantme.”
Another step.
Her heart pounded hard in her chest, but Noelle kept her voice breezy. “Once upon a time, I tried to kiss you.”
“I do remember the occasion.” Another step.
She could practically feel the heat pouring from him. “You stopped me.” A painful reminder. “Told me that we would be a mistake. Because I was Elliott’s little sister. Someone who got in the way.”
He was right in front of her now. “You’ve never been in my fucking way. I was a dick, and I said that to get you to run.”
Her heart raced harder. “Why would I need to run from you? I thought you were the guy who would keep me safe.”
His blue eyes glittered.
Don’t stop now.She forged ahead, trying to be breezy as she added, “If you’re now just absolutely desperate for me, you don’t have to invent some excuse about being my bodyguard.”
“Desperate, huh? You think that’s what I am?”
It was what she wished he was. She wished he’d pick her up, put her on the island behind her, and kiss her as if his very life depended on the act. Was that so much to ask? “Admit it,” Noelle dared. “You invented this whole bodyguard business because you just wanted to get close to me.”
He leaned in…closer. Put his hands on the island in a manner similar to how he’d caged her when she’d sat on the desk in the reception area of the real estate office. A spark of arousal pulsed through Noelle. He was going to kiss her. She could see the intent in his eyes.
After all this time, would his kiss live up to her expectations?
She had a feeling it oh, so would.
“I am close to you,” Brady said, breathing the words almost against her mouth.
He was. Definitely close. She couldn’t look away from him. Her head tipped back. Her lips parted, and she could practically taste him as—
Whomp.
She shook her head, wondering what she’d just—
Whomp.Louder. Harder. Very much nearby. As if…as if something had been thrown against her window and then—
Whomp.This time, her security alarm started shrieking.
Noelle jolted as fear twisted with the desire that coursed through her veins.
