Page 424 of Dark Love

“As soon as you stop thinking about kissing me and let me inside, I’ll make you dinner. Then we’ll watch a movie and eat our ice cream before bed.”

Why aren’t you thinking about kissing me? “You’ve made a lot of plans.”

“I always have a plan.”

Do any of those plans involve kissing me? “Why don’t you want to kiss me?” Death would have been a smarter choice than the words I just uttered.

Vex practically drops the bags as he takes a step forward until he’s looming over me.

To hide from the intensity of his gaze, I drop my eyes to the ground.

A calloused finger brushes against my chin, then lifts it until my eyes meet his. His eyes burn with an intensity I’ve never seen before. “When I close my eyes, I dream of kissing you. When I open them, all I think about are your lips. Never doubt that I want to kiss you.”

“Then why won’t you?” the foolish question slips out of my mouth.

“Because you were hurt just a short time ago, and you need time.”

“I do?”

“Yes, you do. Now stop tempting me.”

But I don’t want to stop. I want you to kiss me. I want you to ravage my lips like a man in a romance novel.

“Dahl, you don’t play games like this with a man like me.”

Games? I’m not playing games. He’s right though, I’m not ready to kiss him even though I want to. “Fine.” With a step back and a shift of my body, I move out of his way. “Though you should know, I like mushy ice cream.”

The fire fades away and a soft smile flits across his face. “Is there anything you don’t like?”

“Bubble gum and rum raisin ice cream.”

“Does anyone like bubble gum ice cream?” He grabs the bags off the floor.

I reach out to help him, but he gives me an eyebrow raise and walks towards the kitchen.

“You didn’t need to buy groceries.”

“Oh really? You’re telling me inside those two small bags is something more than snacks?”

“There are veggies. I’ll have you know I planned to have a salad for dinner.” At one time. But popcorn sounded tastier. To prove it, I take it out of the fridge.

“You store the food you plan to eat now in the fridge and leave the rest of the stuff in the bag?”

Why did a perceptive man have to be the one that saved me? “I planned to eat it, eventually.”

He sets the bags he brought on the counter and goes to mine. “There isn’t a single other fresh vegetable in here.”

I lean over his arms since his shoulders are too high up and pull out a bag of frozen veggies. “These are just as good.”

“And easily forgotten. How do you stay alive?”

It’s not like I’m starving. “Tea and cookies mostly.”

“And is that what you were planning on having for dinner?”

What does he think single women do? Spend hours cooking four-course meals for themselves. “Leftover popcorn.”

Vex shakes his head. “You need to get used to eating vegetables and actual meals.”

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