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She shook her head, wondering how a personmadetime. She needed more hours in the day to get through her work.
He opened the door, and she stared at it, feeling a wave of disappointment float through her.
“Thank you for understanding,” she said, and stepped into the hall. She started toward the elevator and he followed. “What are you doing?”
“Walking you home.”
She laughed again. This laughter was becoming a habit. “I live an elevator ride away.”
“I’m aware.” He pressed a hand to the small of her back.
“Presumptuous.” She smirked, secretly liking his possessive touch, and annoyed with herself for it.
“Gentlemanly,” he countered.
“This was a stress reliever, Dylan. Nothing more.” The lie tasted acidic. “Don’t make this into something it’s not.”
“Maybe it started that way, but you put your phone away for me,” he reminded her.
They rode the elevator in silence, and when they reached her apartment, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. A simple, sweet, non-presumptuous peck that made her swoon.
“I had a nice time with you, summer girl. Tomorrow night? Dinner?”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m working. Probably until midnight.”
“Twelve oh one, then?” His lips curved into a boyishly irresistible grin that contradicted the powerful male body it accompanied, and it made her smile.
“Don’t you ever work?”
“Yes. I own the bar, so I work a lot. But I’m taking some time off to renovate my kitchen. Life is short, and I don’t want to waste a second of it.” He placed his hand on her hip, and her body tingled in greeting. “And for some strange reason, I like your stubborn, controlling, phone-addicted self.”
He was being so nice, and the spark of honesty in his eyes rattled her. She wasn’t used tonice, and it was surprisingly tempting.
“Well, you best get over that,” she said halfheartedly, and immediately chided herself for not saying it more abruptly. She wasthis closeto giving in. She distracted herself by digging her keys out of her bag, feeling addled and confused by his attraction to her. She was stubborn to a fault.Controllingwasn’t strong enough to describe her need to maintain a handle on every aspect of her life, and phone addicted? Right this very second she was mentally planning on dropping her things by the front door and grabbing her laptop to cruise through emails at a quicker pace. And yet he was standing there looking at her like she was all he ever wanted.
“I’m not going to get over it until I see more”—he raked his eyes down her body, making her insides flame—“taste more”—he nipped at her lower lip—“takemore”—he pulled her hips against his and his hard cock pressed into her, threatening her last shred of control to end things here and now—“of the woman I’ve only gotten glimpses of.”
“Wh-what’s that supposed to mean?” She wrapped her fingers around her key chain like a security blanket as his lips came impossibly closer, sucking up all the air within a ten-foot radius.
“Part of you likes to be appreciated.” He kissed her shoulder. “Cherished.” He kissed her cheek, and her entire body shivered with desire. “Listened to,” he whispered in her ear.
She was one breath away from hauling him into her apartment and stripping him naked again, and when he slid his hand beneath her hair, resting his warm hand on the nape of her neck, and gazed into her eyes, a dreamy sigh escaped her lips. Somewhere way down deep, the sweeter, trusting girl she’d once been stirred.
“One date, Summers. Come out and play with me. I promise you’ll enjoy yourself.”
Her body screamed,Yes!But her mind knew how dangerous it was to open herself up to a man in that way. She forced herself to unlock and push the door open.
Without a word, because she was afraid she might agree to see him again, she stepped inside, hopefully leaving that defenseless girl in the hallway.
“See you tomorrow, beautiful,” he said, and blew her a kiss.
She watched him walk to the elevator, wondering what the hell just happened. Inhaling a deep, calming breath, within the safety of her apartment, she found her control.
“Nothappening,” she called after him.
Without turning around, he waved and began whistling a happy little tune.
Chapter Seven
