The Love Experiment (Stubborn Hearts 1)

“I wouldn’t—oh.” That was more like it. “I really want to kiss you.”

“That’s definitely in the plan.”

“Video?”

“Questions first, video later. And that ravaging you wanted, I believe it can be arranged.” But still no smile. He was dressed like weekend Jack, but his manner was all office.

“Who burned you?”

“It’s not so much who as what.”

Ah, he was talking about the downside of his slice of fame. “I’ve seen behind the curtain, Jack, and I still like what’s there.”

He gave her a slow perusal she met with one of her own. Weekend Jack was all about the arms and shoulders and the way his T-shirt fell against his body and the fact she knew he wasn’t office-soft from too much sitting.

“Twelve questions before you can make that assessment,” he said.

All right then. Still going to want to trace that raised vein that started near his wrist and charted territory all the way to his elbow.

She pulled a printout of the questions from her pocket. “We each have to make three true ‘we’ statements, like ‘We’re both happy to be in the park.’”

She frowned at the paper. The question implied they understood each other. Odd how that made her uncertain.

“I’ll start. We’re both a little nervous with each other.” She looked at him for confirmation.

“That’s not going to get you ravaged.”

But it was true, and he wasn’t protesting it. “We both enjoyed kissing last night.”

“Much better.”

“We’re both looking forward to tonight.”

“My turn.” He reached over the box and took the page from her hand, but he didn’t spare it a glance. “We’re a crash course in chemical attraction. We’re lab rats let loose and juiced up on conversation. We’re as ill-advised as we’re inevitable.”

Gulp.

“We’re staying at opposite ends of this blanket because all I want to do is get my hands on you, taste you, smell that fruit in your hair, hear the way you lose your breath and feel your body grinding up on mine.”

And she’d wondered if he was having second thoughts.

Chapter Sixteen

It was possible Jack had frightened Derelie off. He needed to lighten up. They were on a picnic for God’s sake, and picnics were meant to be easy. Children went on picnics; how hard could it be? But he’d been wound up since he’d talked Derelie out of his apartment last night and seeing her sitting cross-legged opposite him with expectation in her eyes was making it hard to keep his distance.

He needed the distance, or he would definitely come on too intense. “What I said about what I want with you, was that too much?”

She tipped her head to the side and a hunk of bright curls fell over her shoulder. He knew that hair would be unruly. “It was especially perfect.”

There was hope for him yet. This he didn’t want to wreck. He looked at the page. “‘Complete this sentence. I wish I had someone with whom I could share, dot, dot, dot.’”

“I wish I had someone with whom I could share how I felt about the city without being told to come home,” she said, eyes down on the blanket.

“You’re stuck pretending everything is fantastic.”

She nodded. “My family and friends mean well, but they don’t understand why I want to live in a place I can barely afford and work in a job that’s not secure.”

When she said things like that he didn’t feel like they were worlds apart, that he was too jaded and she was too romantic. “I wish I had someone with whom I could share the feelings that make me want to chase a black eye.”