A funny sound escaped Rob’s mouth, and Jill got the impression he’d almost spewed soda. She smiled.
“My prize?”
“Sure, the one you claimed this afternoon. My kissing Jeff,” she clarified. As if he didn’t know what she was talking about.
“That prize.” He shrugged. “I’m sure we’ll be able to use some of the garden footage.”
He’d answered without answering. Great. Not that she planned to let him get away with it. “Was it worth it?”
“What?”
“My kissing Jeff.”
He swallowed. “It should help ratings.”
Ratings? Jill took another bite of her sandwich to hide the burning pain caused by his words. Why? Why did she have to want him so much? Why had his kiss knocked her socks off?
Summoning her courage, she flicked him a glance. “If you say so. Just think it could have been you had you chosen your reward for winning more wisely.”
His gaze narrowed.
“Personally, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it quite so much.” She moaned softly as if Jeff’s kiss had been--well, like Rob’s kiss. Out of this world.
“That good, huh?”
“Better.” She lowered her gaze in challenge and pretended to be in remembered ecstasy. “I can’t recall when I’ve last been kissed like that. Must’ve been ages and ages ago.”
“Must’ve been.” His gaze bore into her for long seconds. A tiny tic twitched along his jaw like a live wire. He straightened from where he propped against the doorjamb and set his drink next to hers. His movements pulled his t-shirt across his chest and a new wave of hunger panged Jill. Sexual hunger.
“Rob,” she started, then paused as he stepped in front of her, leaned slightly forward and placed a hand onto the counter to either side of her bottom. He didn’t actually touch her, but his life force crossed the space separating them and sucked her in to the sensation of being surrounded by him.
“Kensington floated your boat, did he?” Mere inches separated their faces.
She stared into his stormy eyes. Her gaze dropped to his all
-to-kissable mouth. “Yes,” she breathed.
Rob’s mouth tightened at her lie. He bent in closer, and Jill held her breath. Was he going to kiss her? She licked her lip to make sure she didn’t have breadcrumbs stuck in the corners of her mouth.
“Good.” His one word stuck like an arrow in her heart and she lost her cool.
Good? What the hell did he mean good? Oh yeah, ratings. Frustrated anger fumed within her as she glared at him. “Maybe we should play for my having sex with him just so those ratings will go up for you?”
Jill didn’t so much as flinch beneath his unreadable stare. His warm breath caressed her skin. In the blink of an eye, his expression changed to one of amusement. “So, you admit I’d win if we played again?”
Jill’s mouth plopped open. “That’s not what I said, and you know it.” She poked her finger into his chest. “I’d win.”
His gaze lowered to where her finger touched him, and her breath caught as she waited to see if he’d comment on the fire raging back and forth from that miniscule area where only the soft cotton of his shirt separated their flesh. He didn’t. Only shook his head and half-smiled. “That you might.”
Without another word, he brushed her cheek with his knuckles and spun on his heels.
Jill’s gaze dropped to the wedge of her sandwich she’d shared with him. Seemed Rob wasn’t willing to let her satisfy any of his cravings. Just as well since she needed to stay away from him.
She picked up the untouched sandwich half and took a bite.
How come she only remembered the reasons why she needed to avoid Rob when he was nowhere near?
Chapter Nine