“Because I realized something, and I’m not happy about it, but it’s nothing you need to worry about,” he muttered, staring down at her mouth.
“Well, like that’s going to work,” she scoffed. “What did you realize?”
“None of your business.”
“The hell it isn’t.” She bit down on her lip, and his gaze fell to her mouth. When it rose to hers again, there was a hunger in it that called to her very soul. “What did you realize?”
“I fucking want you.”
Her stomach clenched. “Yeah. I thought you already knew that. I mean, you asked me out on a date and all, then said those…things.”
“Yeah. I know. But I don’t just want to kiss you or fuck you. I want…” He hesitated, his hand slipping up her side, tracing her curves. “I want more.”
“How much more is there than that?” she asked breathlessly.
“I don’t know,” he admitted, his forehead wrinkled. “And that’s what bothers me so damn much. Around you, I don’t know a damn thing except that I want to know how your naked body feels against mine. But even more importantly? I want to know everything there is to know about you. Your fears. Your dreams. Your favorite flowers. All that shit. I want to know it.”
There he went again.
Saying perfect things.
“That sounds an awful lot like a relationship to me,” she pointed out. “I’m not saying I want one of those. I don’t. But the things you’re describing, when there is sex involved, is called being in a relationship.”
He paled in front of her. Legit paled. “I don’t do relationships.”
“Yeah. I know. Me, either.”
“Good.” He swallowed. “Call it what you want, or what it’s
supposed to be, but that’s why I’m tense. Because you’re making me want things I never wanted before. It scares me.”
“Then leave.”
He frowned. “No.”
“Why not? It’s the simple way to make it stop.” She licked her lips, and bit back a moan when his eyes followed the damp path her tongue left behind. “In all reality, we’ve hung out a few times, but that’s it. It should be easy to walk away.”
“But it’s not.”
She lifted her chin. “Well, I’m walking away the second I get that job offer.”
He didn’t say anything.
Just stared at her.
After a while, he broke the silence. “I know. And I’ll help you pack.”
“Good,” she said.
“Good,” he echoed.
Then they stared at one another again.
The tension in the room was palpable.
If she had a knife, she could cut it.
“You should probably go,” she said.