“Not afraid. You’ve told me exactly that, more than once. In many ways.”
She had, she realized. When they’d first met. But why would her opinion matter? He couldn’t possibly…there was no way he actually, maybe, liked her, was there?
On the heels of that unexpected revelation came the thought that maybe she’d hurt him. It didn’t seem likely, let alone possible, but once the thought formed, she couldn’t let it go.
“Reid, I don’t think badly of you,” she whispered. “I can’t. You’re not what I thought.” She smiled. “Sometimes you’re worse, but mostly you’re better.”
He continued to hold her hand as he stared into her eyes. There was something compelling about his gaze, something that made her lean forward and wish.
“You confuse the hell out of me,” he admitted. “I prefer my women simple.”
Inadequacy swamped her. She jerked her hand free and stepped back. “I won’t keep you anymore.”
She started to turn, then he was there, in front of her, pulling her close, swearing softly, which was crazy enough, but then his mouth was on hers and crazy morphed into unbelievable.
She didn’t pull back because she couldn’t and she didn’t want to. She gave herself up to the slow brush of his mouth on hers. The kiss was slow. Sexy and enticing, but at a speed that implied they had all the time in the world.
He reached up and rubbed his thumb against her bottom lip. Her instinct was to bite down on his thumb, but that seemed too aggressive and sexual and it wasn’t anything she’d ever done before, so she stood there, feeling awkward and stupid.
“Relax,” he murmured, stepping closer until they were touching everywhere. He took off her glasses and put them on the coffee table. “Unless you don’t want to be doing this.”
She wasn’t sure what “this” was, but if it involved feeling the hard planes of his chest against her br**sts and their thighs rubbing, she was all for it.
“I’m fine,” she murmured.
“Fine?” His voice was teasing. “Wow. I’m excited now. I’ve made you feel fine. Maybe I do deserve what they said about me in the newspaper.”
She wanted to tease back, but she was too scared. She stared into his dark eyes and wished for inspiration.
“Reid, I…” There weren’t any words. She had no idea where this was going, but she didn’t want him to stop. More would be better. But how to say that?
In the end she gave up on saying it right and simply leaned forward a few inches and kissed him back. Lightly, almost chastely, lips on lips, her hand pressing against his chest.
He was warm all over. Heat seemed to radiate from him. She was aware of that, along with the faint scent of his body. He smelled clean and tempting at the same time. All man and sin and sex.
Need flickered to life. Maybe she was like all those other women, offering herself to him in the hopes that he would take her on. If so, there was nothing she could do about it. She was afraid of being rejected, but for once in her life when it came to a man, she was more afraid of not trying.
She raised herself up onto her toes, wrapped both arms around his neck and kissed him again. This time she put her body into it, leaning into him, trying to convey her desire with something as simple as a kiss.
For a second nothing happened. But just as she felt the waves of humiliation rising up inside of her, he wrapped his arms around her body and kissed her back.
He tilted his head and swept his tongue across her bottom lip. She opened for him instantly, wanting everything he could give her. When he eased inside, she met him eagerly, kissing him back.
Their tongues circled and stroked, rubbing, reaching, playing. He moved his hands up and down her back, each time dipping lower until he cupped her rear. When he grabbed her curves, she felt a surge of wanting rush through her. At the same time, she instinctively arched forward, bringing her belly into contact with his erection.
He was hard! The happy thought filled her brain like a confetti explosion. He was really, really hard. Guys couldn’t fake that.
She was so happy, she started to laugh, which made him pull back and study her.
“You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you?” he asked.
She couldn’t stop grinning. “No, I’m not. I’m enjoying myself.”
“You’re not supposed to laugh.”
“There are rules?” she teased, then rested her hands on his shoulders, pressed against him and rubbed her belly against his erection. “Come on, Reid. We can play, too.”
“I didn’t think you’d be the play type.”
She wasn’t, usually. But these were not normal circumstances.
“I’m not excited about playing escaped prisoner and the warden’s wife, but I don’t need every moment to be solemn.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Have you ever tried escaped prisoner and the warden’s wife?”
“No.”
“Then you can’t know if you’ll like it or not.” He stepped back and grabbed her hand. “Come on.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
LORI LET Reid lead her through the living room and into the massive bedroom. She had an impression of dark furniture and a bed the size of her kitchen. He released her, turned on a small lamp on the night-stand, then pulled back the comforter.
Oh, God. They were going to have sex.
It was what she wanted, she reminded herself. It had been what she’d wanted practically from the first moment she’d seen him. But this all felt strange. It was too conscious. She liked to feel a little swept away with her intimacy.