Giant of Mesabi

"Nor forgiven," Alanna added darkly.

"Do you expect me to apologize?" It was obvious by his tone that he found the thought amusing.

Her fingers curved over the leather arm rest, golden tan to match the upholstery of the seats. She wished it was his hard flesh her nails were digging into instead of the pliant leather.

"Not you," she declared in a contemptuous breath. "I don't think you have any code of ethics."

"Ethics?" A dark eyebrow arched. "What does ethics have to do with a kiss?"

Alanna sputtered for a few seconds, too incensed by his apparent disregard for the fact that she was his brother's friend and, she hoped, more than that.

"I am dating your brother," she pointed out tightly. "And I don't think it's accepted conduct to go around kissing his girl."

"Are you his girl?" His narrowed gaze pinned her. Knowing she couldn't answer, he negated the need with a cool smile. "Not that it matters whether you are or not. I've always taught my brother to share."

"I have some say in that," Alanna retorted. "And believe me, I have no interest in you—"

"—making love to you," Rolt finished for her, the wolfish slash deepening near his mouth.

"I was about to say 'paying attention to me,'" she snapped, reddening under his bluntness. "But if you want to be more explicit, I'll agree with that, too."

Her sideways look of reproach did not meet his gaze. After she had glanced away, Alanna found herself looking back at the strong hands gripping the wheel of the powerful car. They controlled it with such ease, supplely guiding the car into curves and around

corners. She knew these same hands would be just as expert guiding a female form into the intricacies of love. Their touch would be firm and authoritative yet teasing and arousing as they caressed her—

With a guilty start, she stared straight ahead. Her cheeks flamed at the direction her thoughts had taken. She despised the man! How could she possibly even imagine such things? Had she suddenly lost all sense of decency and self-respect?

"Why are you so upset because of one kiss?" His gaze flicked to her heightened color.

Self-consciously she flipped a thick strand of tawny hair over her cheek, smoothing it over her skin to conceal her embarrassment and appear nonchalant.

"Or do I just rub your fur the wrong way?" His low drawling voice seemed to reach out to stroke it right. "Does it bother you that I find you—"

"Amusing?" Alanna filled in the adjective to deprive him of the opportunity to mock her further.

"Is that what you think?" Rolt returned smoothly.

Her chin lifted a fraction. "It's true. That is the way you think of me—something that's amusing, someone you can tease with your cynical humor. Understand this, Rolt, I will not be an object for your amusement. You'll have to find one somewhere else."

"Maybe I don't want to look elsewhere. What then?" he baited.

Alanna stared out the window to avoid his mocking visage, letting her violet gaze study the commercial district of Hibbing. "Don't toy with me, Rolt," she said tautly. "I'm not interested."

"'But maybe I'm interested in you." He said it quietly and so seriously that Alanna's curiosity forced her to glance at him. The bronze mask of his features told her nothing, but the lazy glint in his eyes seemed to make light of his statement. "Is it so difficult to believe that I might find you attractive?"

His gaze swept over her figure with disturbing assessment. Its brief hesitation on her legs caused Alanna to draw the buttoned front of her skirt together at the hem. The cruel line of his mouth quirked at her action. He had done it deliberately, knowing the way it would unnerve her. And she hadn't disappointed him. She bit into her lower lip to keep from screaming her frustration and anger.

"It's impossible," she insisted, more because she thought there was a chance it could be true and doubted her own ability to fence with a master of the game.

"Tell me, Alanna—" he slowed the car at a stop signal and gave her his undivided attention as the car idled at the red light "—are you still a virgin?"

She breathed sharply. "That's none of your business!"

"You're going out with my brother," Rolt pointed out. She became even more agitated when she noticed he was watching the uneven rise and fall of her breasts. "I was curious."

"You can keep on being curious!" she flashed.

The light changed to green and he shifted the car into drive, laughing softly in his throat. "I don't have to be. You've already answered my question." There was a sliding blue look, glinting and mocking. "Are you saving yourself for Kurt?"