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“Shocker,” she said with an eye roll, falling back on her normal defense of sarcasm. So much for being neighborly, but whatever.
Guys like him really pissed her off. Jerks who didn’t hide their asshole tendencies were at least honest. Although she knew she wouldn’t be quite so defensive if she hadn’t been hurt by the sudden shut down. She really hadn’t expected it.
As she was about to turn and flounce away, his free hand snapped out and grabbed her arm. Not hard enough to hurt, but it was not a gentle hold either. Maria jumped. Damn he moved fast.
“What do you mean by that?” he demanded.
She raised an eyebrow and rolled her eyes at him, shoving down the hurt where he wouldn’t be able to see even an inkling of it. Seriously? He wanted to question her when he’d been the rude one? Well fine, she’d never been one to hold back on blunt honesty. Maria had no problem laying it out for him.
“I’m just saying I should have expected someone as in shape as you wouldn’t want to be seen out in public with me. You’re nice enough when there’s no one around to see or judge you, but not when someone might be watching. Guys like you are so predictable.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Sure it wasn’t.” Derision laced her voice. First Jeremy, now him. Although at least Jeremy was obviously an ass. And she wasn’t attracted to Jeremy, didn’t care what he thought. Rejection from Rick had gotten under her skin in a way no other guy had in a long time. “Look, I don’t really care if you’re a jerk, I’m used to it. I just don’t know why you bothered pretending not to be one. If you’re going to be an asshole at least be an honest one.”
The little growling noise he made under his breath didn’t frighten her, although he was going to get it in the nards if he didn’t let go of her and soon. It was amazing how many guys didn’t want to think they were ‘that way’ and got pissy when it was pointed out to them. Maria considered it her duty to shove their prejudices in their faces. Some of them even came out the better for it. Besides, she wanted to get under his skin the way he’d gotten under hers.
Which is why she was shocked when he flipped her around and pressed her up against the wall. What the—? For some reason, even though she was trapped between the wall and what looked like a very angry man, and probably should have been screaming for her life, she didn’t feel threatened. Just turned on, like he’d flicked a switch in her body. Blinking, she stared up into a pair of furious blue eyes. His body was long and hot and very... very... hard.
Everywhere.
Her breath caught.
“Sweetheart,” he said, breathing out the words in a low, intimate tone; one that was both somehow patronizing and sexy. Something she wouldn’t have thought possible before this moment. “I’m not going to meet you out in public for a drink, because you have no idea what a guy like me wants at the end of the night. Because I don’t just want a good night kiss at the end of the night. I don’t want to just come in for “coffee” and tamely get into bed, touch your body, and lick you from head to toe... I want...”
He broke off, his voice ragged, and his pupils dilated. Maria was panting, both a bit frightened and completely exhilarated by his response. What did he want? Something sexual, for sure.
He obviously wasn’t a sexual predator, but he must have some kind of—what did people call it?—a kink that went outside the norm. What was it?
When he stepped away, her body felt the loss of it immediately. She remained braced against the wall, staring up at him, feeling slightly abandoned as his eyes shuttered again. The hot, hungry look in his eyes was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
“I’m sorry, Maria.” He hesitated as if he wanted to say something else but didn’t know how to phrase it. “I didn’t... I don’t...” He sighed and looked away. “Thank you for the granola.”
“Rick?” She found herself in the strange position of wanting to reassure him. Especially since she had a feeling she’d come to a snap judgment herself. But what did she say. He looked at her, with those very blue eyes, obviously uncomfortable and a little ashamed. “It’s okay. I... I mean, it’s really okay. I’m sorry I made an assumption.”
He thawed a little bit, but not back to the person she’d first encountered when he’d opened the door. “Thanks. I guess I’ll see you around.”
And then he was back in his apartment with the door firmly shut before she could respond. Although she was bristling again over his abrupt dismissal. Dammit.
He was hot and attracted to her. Maria was more intrigued than she had been when she’d first knocked on his door. What had he been holding back?
She’d gone a while without sex and she would be willing to work around some preferences.
Muttering to herself, Maria went back upstairs. Maybe she should leave him alone. But she didn’t really want to. Especially now that she knew he was attracted to her. So he hadn’t wanted to talk about whatever it was he wanted to do to her in the hallway, she could understand that.
She was so going to make sure she ran into him again. When he had the time for a drink.
Groaning, Rick banged his head against the wall and then glared at himself in the mirror. It wasn’t really suave to hide out in his bathroom while he waited for Maria to vacate the hallway, but then again, he’d left suave behind about ten minutes ago, hadn’t he?
“Get it together, Winter.”
He was going to be late to the dojo, which Liam was probably going to kick his ass for. Although at this point, he could use the work out... pressing himself up against all of Maria’s soft curves had been a huge mistake, but he’d just reacted. Without thinking.
Not his normal M.O.
When she’d implied he didn’t like her because of her body though, he’d kind of just snapped. Ha. All those soft, luscious curves packed into her tank top and shorts combo, plus her inviting eyes and sweet, babbling shyness when she’d handed him the granola had completely disarmed his defenses. Every intention he’d had of keeping things neighborly had gone completely out the window and he’d gotten a little too friendly.
Then he’d tried to back off and she’d taken it in completely the wrong way. Which made him want to go around punching whatever guys had ever given her that impression about her body. Although she hadn’t been insecure or hurt. No, she’d been marvelously, wonderfully, justifiably angry.
