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“But there could’ve been a line at the toilets.”
“Not that big. So unless she’s constipated as heck, she’s found something else to do. Which means that you are free to do what you like.”
She didn’t look at all convinced, but she let him tug her up the stairs. When they got to the top, she looked around the small area in interest. A plush sofa as well as some chairs scattered around, and a private wet bar made up the entire area. It wasn’t large, but it didn’t need to be. Truthfully, he didn’t spend a huge amount of time up here. Often, he was downstairs in his office, taking care of work.
But he was glad he’d been up here tonight.
“What’s going on? Why bring me up here? And why did you do that downstairs?” she asked.
That?
“Why did I do what, Rainbow?” he asked, moving closer to her.
She backed away, giving him a cautious look. “That.”
“You’re going to have to be more specific. Why did I hold my hand out to that guy? Why did I thank him for helping you? Is that what you want to know?”
By now, he had her against the back wall. It was quieter back here. Secluded.
Perfect.
He placed his hands on the wall on either side of her head and leaned into her.
“You know that’s not what I was talking about,” she told him.
“Well, now, Rainbow, I’m not sure I do.”
Was that a flash of fear on her face? He frowned, even as it disappeared quickly behind a blank, haughty mask.
Uh-uh. He didn’t like that look on her face. He didn’t like her hiding stuff from him.
“Baby, look at me.” He bent his head, trying to capture her gaze, but she’d shifted it to his chest.
“Don’t call me that.”
“Look. At. Me.” He put plenty of force into his words.
Her gaze shot up. She glared at him. He didn’t care. She could get mad all she liked. He’d take her angry over her withdrawing.
He didn’t like her hiding from him and he wasn’t going to allow it.
In the back of his head there was a voice telling him to slow down. That friends didn’t treat their friends like this. That he was stepping over a line with a girl who didn’t necessarily know how to play by the same rules.
But he ignored that voice. Because he wanted to taste her again. To kiss her. To feel her melt in his arms.
Screw just being her friend.
“You are being deliberately obtuse.”
“Now, that’s mean. Maybe I’m just simply obtuse.”
“You are not, Maxim Malone. We both know how smart you are, so don’t try to pull that with me.”
Yeah, she had him pegged.
“Or perhaps I want you to say the words. Why did I do what down there?”
“Kiss me!” she practically yelled. Then she took a deep breath. “Why did you act like we were together? Like I was your girl? Why the pretense?”
“Who said it was a pretense?”
13
Aston stared at him in shock.
“Um, newsflash, I am not your girl.”
Yeah, he didn’t like hearing those words.
“And if I want you to be?” he asked in a low voice.
She glanced away. Was that a flash of fear again? Yeah, he definitely didn’t like whatever was going on in her head.
“Doesn’t matter if you want it, I don’t.”
He frowned. Now, Maxim could admit that he’d never had to chase a woman before. They came to him. And if one of them wasn’t interested, of course, he’d back off. Even if they faked disinterest, thinking to play it cool . . . well, he wasn’t interested in those sorts of games.
But he was certain that wasn’t what was going on here. Aston wasn’t pushing him away because she wasn’t interested or because she was playing a game.
There was a reason. And it stirred an instinct he didn’t realize he’d had.
To hunt. To protect.
“Why’re you lying to me, baby?” he whispered as he moved one hand to cup her cheek.
Her gaze shot up to his in shock. Clearly, she’d been expecting him to either back off or get upset. But he couldn’t do either when he didn’t know the full story.
“I . . . I’m not.”
“You’re going to want to stop,” he warned. “Because I don’t like you lying to me.”
“I try never to lie.”
“Yeah? You’re not doing a very good job of that.”
With a groan, she rested her head back against the wall. “Why are you doing this to me?”
“What am I doing? Making you face the truth of how you feel about me?”
“I don’t want to feel anything for you.”
“Why? Because it would be easier? Do you wish we could just go back to sniping at each other? To seeing each other for brief moments? Moments that I did my best to make happen?”
Her mouth dropped open in surprise.
“Because let me tell you, now that I’ve had your smiles, your laughter, and just now, your lips, I want more than just moments. Which means I can’t go back to the way things were, Rainbow. I looked forward to seeing you because you made me smile. Because you were funny. Because no one else would speak to me the way you did. And because it’s become clearer that during those brief moments, I started to feel more for you.”
