Page 74 of Mountain Defender
“Maybe because my feelings are growing for you. And I want to keep seeing you after this. Maybe I think there’s more between us than either of us expected.”
Her mouth hung open. While she processed that, he lifted the bottle and used the corkscrew the server left to open it.
When he poured the burgundy into one of the goblets, he watched the struggle playing over her face.
“Don’t like that, princess? You don’t know how to analyze away why you feel the same?”
She composed herself and reached for the glass he held out to her. “Of course not. I’m just thinking about that file.”
“Right.” He poured his own glass and brought it to his lips. “The same way I’m thinking about howRafefound the love of his life.”
She expelled a cough. “Love of his…life?”
He nodded and took a swallow of the wine. “Not half bad. It’ll pair well with my steak.”
She stared at him. “Bryson. We both know this would never work long-term between us.”
“Never underestimate me, Alexia. I’m known for being stubborn. And for getting my way.” He raised his glass to her, toasting his words. His feelings.
He toasted to his claim on her that she didn’t know about yet—and happiness.
Alexia focused on keeping her knee from bouncing but her nerves weren’t cooperating. They were mere miles from the small-town supermarket that she had driven to that day to make the video call to Bryson.
They’d stopped talking about what came next with the whole hit-him-with-the-government-vehicle thing. But that kicked off a chain of events that led her to this point.
The point where she didn’t want to part ways with him.
He was confident that they were only separating until she could get away again and come to town. Or he got leave to go to her. But either way, the man was delusional.
What did they have in common besides great orgasms? All right, so they shared a few laughs. That didn’t make for boyfriend material, even if hewasthe epitome of a bad boy.
Actually, that was precisely the reason why she shouldn’t entertain the notion about dating that he’d slam-dunked into her head.
God, she wished shecouldshake it. She couldn’t be distracted when she returned to her office. Eric would see right through her.
She sliced a look from the corner of her eye at Bryson, sitting there looking as relaxed as could be behind the wheel.
They needed to talk this through.
What was there to say?
She’d avoided answering his offer to keep seeing her—the equivalent of turning him down.
He made it pretty clear that he wanted her. As if that endearing display of jealousy with the hot server at the restaurant wasn’t enough, he declared he had feelings for her. And then proceeded to show her when hemade loveto her.
She cringed whenever she so much as heard those words, and she sure as heck never thought about it in connection to herself. She was a tough detective. She didn’t do emotions.
So why was her chest so tight and warm and her nipples peaking whenever she thought about making Bryson pull over so she could slip into his arms?
Or the back seat.
She groaned every time she recalled the pleasure they shared in that back seat.
Oh hell, this was going to wrench at her heart, wasn’t it? Leaving him. Even if he said it wasn’t forever, she didn’t even want a few days to slip by without him.
He made her smile. And laugh. The man had limped around for more than a day just to make her feel bad, and instead it only made her like him.
A lot.