Page 9 of Must Love Alligators

“Uh, no.”

Chase turned.“No?You started it.”

“Yeah.And I was going to say something like it would be a bad idea to take money from you because that would make the kiss I wanted really gross.But I changed my mind.”

“The kiss would begross?”

“If I kissed youandtook money from you.That’s kind of icky, right?”

“There is nothing icky about us kissing, Bailey.”He paused.“I mean, I assume.Since we haven’t actually done it yet, I guess I’m notsure.”

Her eyes got a little wider at that and she planted a hand on her hip.“You think it would be icky?Even without the money thing?”

Even his attempts at levity weren’t going as planned here.“I wouldn’t put it quite that way.I haven’t described anything as icky since I was about five.”

When her eyes got even wider, he held up a hand.“Of course it wouldn’t be icky.Or gross.It would be…”

He shouldnothave trailed off.That became clear almost immediately.Trailing off indicated that he was trying to find a nice word.And that wasn’t true.He was trying to figure out what he expected a kiss with Bailey to be like.He really wasn’t sure.At all.The things he thought of when he thought of Bailey were not as simple ashot.He suddenly realized thathotwas such a weak word.What did it even mean?It was superficial and over-used and somehow not appropriate for a smart, impassioned, hard-to-impress scientist who came to bars because she simply liked the beer.

“I cannotbelieve that you can stand there, staring at me like a dope, saying nothing and yet beingincrediblyinsulting,” she said.“Wow.”

“I’m not trying to insult you,” Chase protested.“I was trying to imagine kissing you and all I can think about is you sitting at the bar with a highlighter and the fact that you tromp around in hip waders trying to protect alligators.”

He should probably stop talking now.

“You should probably stop talking now,” she told him.“That whole kiss idea was stupid and I’m thrilled that you think of my highlighters and hip waders when you think of me.Goodnight, Mr.Dawson.”

Without thinking, Chase reached out and snagged the back belt loop of her pants, stopping her.“Hey, just a second.”

She whipped around, opening her mouth to no doubt tell him to go to hell.But before she could say more than, “Wha—” Chase leaned in to cover her mouth with his.

At least, that had been the intention.She was still talking and he ended up somehow kissing her teeth.Kind of.It wasn’t really a kiss so much as it was his mouth landing on—or sort of inside—hers, then their foreheads colliding, her jerking back, and him stepping on her footagain.

He lifted his head and met her eyes.Geezus.

He let go of her belt loop and she took a step back.Two of them.

“I’m usually pretty good at this,” he said.

Her eyes narrowed.“I’m sure you think so.”

“If you would just stand still and keep your mouth shut, I’d show you.”

Again, wrong thing to say to the woman who clearly didn’t know when he was kidding around.Of course, hedidreally want to show her.Not just because he really wanted her to know he was good at this, but because hereally, inexplicably wanted to kiss her.

“Gee, if my mouth is shut, how will I go on and on about what an amazing sex god you are?”

The sarcasm was strong with this one.“Good point.You’re allowed to say the following words,Yes.More.Harder.Oh, Chase.Andyou’re the best I’ve ever had.”

There was a flicker in her eyes that told him she knew he was being an ass on purpose this time.

“You know, I think I’m going to stick with the big lizards that Iknoware going to bite me if I get to close rather than the…animals I’m not as sure of.”

Animal, huh?He gave a little growl.“I’ll bite you, but only if you ask really nice.”

She gave him a smile.The kind that he’d wanted from the beginning of all of this—genuine and just a little flirtatious.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

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