Simply Sinful (Simply 1)

She met his gaze with a determined one of her own. “You want an argument, I’m ready. Because you can’t talk me out of this.”

“I don’t want to fight with you, sweetheart.”

She narrowed her eyes in obvious confusion.

“Then what do you want?” Kayla asked.

The scene in the library replayed itself in his mind. She didn’t think he wanted her. He did. With a need so deep and intense it would have scared him, if he were capable of rational thought around her.

He brushed a soft strand of hair off her cheek. Her pupils dilated at the brief contact.

What did he want? The question hovered between them. Kane knew the answer, just as he knew she needed more. But he couldn’t control his need for her any more than he could dictate the outcome of this case. The most he could do was guide things in the direction he wanted and hope for the best.

He turned to Kayla and answered. “I want to finish what we started earlier.”

* * *

Of all the arrogant, self-assured, conceited statements, Kane’s was at the top of the list. Kayla chopped salad ingredients with more force than necessary, sending tomato juice and seeds flying onto the backsplash against the kitchen wall. To finish what we started earlier.

As if she’d allow it without question. Not that she didn’t want to sleep with him again. She did. But that was her body talking, not her mind. A ribbon of warmth curled through her stomach each time he walked into the room. What other proof of desire did she need? However, more important things were at stake than raging hormones. Her life, for one. Her business, for another. And, finally, her future.

It came down to a balance of power, Kayla thought. He thought he could control the situation and her. First, by withholding sex. Then, by preventing her from helping to wrap up this mess with Charmed! And now, by informing her he intended to pick up where they’d left off earlier. More like where he’d left off.

Everything with Kane revolved around his choices and his whims. Well, no more. S

omeone had to show Kane McDermott he couldn’t always be in control. He might not like her plan to uncover her uncle’s illegal dealings, but his superior obviously had.

Kayla hadn’t looked to deliberately thwart Kane, even if that had been the ultimate result. She wasn’t trying to be deliberately contrary now, either. But he was about to find out seducing her wasn’t as easy as it had been before.

She still wanted to reach him on a deeper level, but she’d been wrong to think sex was the means. He’d ended up taking control of the situation by giving without letting her do the same. The detective was about to discover she had a mind and some requirements of her own first.

She added the salad bowl and tongs to the table, set with two places. “Dinner’s ready.” She called loudly because he’d been dozing in front of the television set in the family room.

Neither one of them had gotten much sleep last night, and because they wanted to go through the books tonight, they’d agreed to rest for an hour before dinner. Kayla had been too worked up to rest.

Kane walked into the cozy kitchen she’d decorated with her sister. He’d pulled off his Henley earlier. His rumpled T-shirt looked comfortable, slept-in, and extremely sexy. He was a man who wore anything well, and her pulse skyrocketed just having him near. Not a good sign, considering she planned to keep a physical distance.

He paused by one of the empty chairs, taking in the kitchen cluttered with pots, pans, and cooking ingredients. “I thought we were bringing in.”

“And I told you I prefer home-cooked to takeout. Have a seat.”

He eased himself into the cushioned chair. “You didn’t need to cook for me.”

She’d wanted to. As much to vent her frustration over his take-charge attitude, as to get back some semblance of normalcy in her home. She’d also wanted to give Kane a taste of real life, two people sharing a meal and talking over dinner. Since he bolted at the first sign of intimacy, she doubted he’d ever had the experience before.

“I hope you like sirloin.” She placed their plates on the table.

He leaned forward in his seat. “This smells great. The last time I had a home-cooked meal was at the captain’s house last Christmas.”

She could believe that. The man was the ultimate loner. He’d mentioned his mother’s suicide but had omitted many details about his father. Kayla didn’t think now was the time to ask, but with the right opening, she would.

“I admit I don’t have the time to cook all that often, but every once in a while my stomach rebels against takeout. Then I roll up my sleeves and dig in.” She cut into her rare steak, and juice oozed onto the plate.

She glanced at him, catching him eyeing her plate in barely hidden disgust. “I made yours well-done.” At his raised eyebrows, she grinned. “Educated guess. I couldn’t imagine you eating anything that still looked alive.”

“Good call.” He finished his first taste. “And good steak. So why all the fast food? I’d have thought your sister, the cooking expert, handled kitchen duty.”

“When she’s around, but her school hours and jobs are pretty irregular, so I’m often on my own. Cooking’s not my thing. It’s hers.”