Page 60 of Delicious Surrender

At his silence, she grew more anxious. “I have been working long hours and my place has gotten a bit out of hand. It’s not usually like this. I’m normally very tidy…” Her voice trailed off.

“You have quite an eclectic taste in books.” His gazetraveled up to the top shelf. “And erotica.”

She rolled her eyes, exasperated. “It’s for research. I’m writing a novel, and so I’ve been studying the craft.”

He laughed. The sound was gravelly from disuse, and it reverberated along her nerve endings. Collecting herself, she filled the kettle and found some clean cups. When she turned to ask him how he took his tea, he was gone.

“Jesus,” she said under her breath and hurried toward her bedroom, plowing into him in the doorway. He steadied her, and she caught sight of something bright pink in his hand. She blushed at the roots of her hair. “Give me that! How dare you touch my things? Have you no manners?”

Amusement twinkled in his eyes. “Just trying to unlock the mystery.”

“No mystery. Just a red-blooded woman with needs!” She held out her hand.

He ignored her and kept studying the thing. When she grabbed for it, he held it up out of her reach. He was grinning, and the sight of his smile knocked the breath out of her.

“Explain to me how this works,” he said playfully.

She made an unladylike snorting sound. “You mean you can’t figure it out?”

He turned it over and found the switch. Fortunately, nothing happened. He lifted an eyebrow. “Och.” He grinned at her. “Did you wear it out, Red?”

Brynne noticed his accent became more pronounced as he teased her. He had found her broken Womanizer sex toy. Shestuck her chin out and lit the proverbial match. “If you must know, I rode it to death.”

His eyes darkened as he stalked toward her. She backed away until she was up against the refrigerator. He stopped just short and looked down at her. “You like playing with fire, don’t you, Brynne?”

The way he said her name kick-started her pulse. “I know what I want, if that’s what you mean.”

He planted his hands on either side of her head. “Tell me what you want.”

“For you to stop playing games. If you want me, then take me to bed.”There, she’d said it.This chemistry had been building since the first day she laid eyes on him. He might be unwilling to admit it, but she was past caring.

He took another step and pressed his whole body up against hers. She gasped when he maneuvered a foot between her legs and nudged them apart. The heat from his body seared her skin; his distinctive scent of citrus and sandalwood overwhelmed her senses. He took a fistful of her hair and pulled her head back, forcing her to look at him. “Will you do exactly what I tell you to do?”

She responded by grinding up against the muscular thigh wedged between her legs.

His grip tightened. “I need you to say it.” His deep, gravelly brogue ignited her like a tinderbox.

She glared at him. “Yes. If that’s what it will take. Anything to get you out of my system!”

Brynne saw the muscle twitch in his cheek. She sensed his control was slipping by the minute, which was exactly how she wanted him. Slowly, his head descended, his mouth hovering over hers, just out of reach. She tried to close the distance, but his grip on her hair was unyielding.

He spoke in a strangled whisper against her mouth. “You think one night will be enough?”

She brazenly stuck out her tongue and licked his bottom lip. “There’s only one way to find out.”

His eyes burned into hers and the hand that imprisoned her suddenly cradled her head, and his mouth was on hers. He kissed and licked and nibbled at first. She wanted more, her fingers clutching his shirt. She opened for him, and their tongues met and danced. Still, he held himself back, like a starving tiger chained just out of reach of his prey. She wanted him to pounce and devour her.

He stepped back, and she almost sank to the floor, a whimper escaping her lips.

“Give me your wrists.”

She tentatively put her hands together and extended them toward him. He grabbed one of her tea towels and twirled it at the corners to make a long band.

His face had changed, all playfulness gone. “Turn around and put your hands behind your back.”

Brynne shivered and pleaded with him. “Couldn’t they be in front?”

“That’s one.”