Page 38 of Do Opposites Attract?

‘No, I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I’m not prepared to try.’

Her chin was angled, her head held high, daring him to disagree with her. This time his smile was spontaneous. ‘I can see that, and I admire you for it.’

He was amused, and surprised, to see her blush at his small compliment. It made him wonder if she was ever complimented on anything other than her looks. ‘I take it Margaret liked your ideas?’

Her face lit up with pride. ‘Yes, she did. She’s agreed we should look at making Medic SOS a specialist trauma group. It’s there already, really. We’d just be formalising it and then capitalising on it.’

His interest piqued, he sat forward on the chair. ‘We’d need more equipment and training. Definitely more staff, as we’d need specialists rather than the on-call generalists we tend to rely on. That all requires money.’

‘I can get that.’

He raised his eyebrows and couldn’t resist a short laugh. ‘I bet you can.’

They discussed the charity for a bit longer and it was dark outside when Brianna finally stood up. ‘I guess it’s time I hit the road. You look done in.’

As she eased off the sofa and bent to pick up her shoes, Mitch’s breath caught in his throat. It was right that she was going, he reminded himself as his body made a mockery of his tiredness by becoming instantly alert at the sight of her rounded backside in that tight skirt. Those endless legs. They couldn’t continue to sleep together. Not now she worked for the charity.

‘You don’t have to go.’ Christ, where on earth had those words come from? He’d just broken every one of his promises to himself. He was weak, so flaming weak — but he wanted her. In fact at that moment it went beyond a simple want. He needed to have her.

She straightened up, her face looking as shocked as he felt. ‘I thought you said you weren’t capable of doing anything more than boiling a kettle?’

Slowly he raised himself off the armchair and stood in front of her. Mouth aligned with her inviting lips, chest aligned with the curve of those tantalising breasts. ‘A man would have to be comatose not to be able to respond to you,’ he replied hoarsely.

A grin split her face and she raised her arms to encircle his neck. ‘So you do give out compliments.’

He shook his head. ‘It wasn’t a compliment. I just tell it the way I see it.’

‘Well then, I’d be delighted to stay.’ She moved in and lightly kissed his lips. With a groan he yanked her harder towards him and deepened the kiss.

As her body moulded to his, Brianna was very aware of Mitch’s lean shape and strong muscles. Also of his very obvious desire for her. This was what she’d dreamt about for the last week, she acknowledged as she melted in his arms. But as the kiss grew hotter and his hands snaked underneath her clothing, he abruptly pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.

‘For both our sakes, I need a shower first.’

Brianna leant in and took a deep smell of musky, travel-worn man. ‘You don’t have to on my behalf.’

Groaning he grabbed hold of her hand and started up the stairs. ‘Come and have a shower with me.’

Clothes flew around the room and it wasn’t long before they were standing under the hot, steamy spray of the shower.

‘I hope you’re not expecting foreplay,’ he said roughly as he pushed her against the shower wall.

Intoxicated by him, she laughed. ‘Nope. You’ve already told me you’re not a fan of that.’

His eyes fell to her breasts and he dipped his head. ‘Maybe with you I’ll make an exception.’

As his tongue played with her nipples, her breath came out in a lusty moan. ‘Umm, I’ll look forward to that. But not this time.’ Reaching her arms around his neck, she pulled herself upso her legs were round his hips. ‘Take me now, Mitch. I’m all yours.’

As he thrust hungrily into her, Brianna had just enough time to wonder about the truth of the words she’d spoken. Then she lost the ability for any conscious thought.

Chapter Eighteen

The following morning Brianna was carefully watching a pan of spitting bacon when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up at the stairs, but there was no sound from the bedroom where she’d left Mitch half an hour ago, still sound asleep. Should she answer it? Or was that too personal a thing to do for a man she didn’t really know?

There was another knock.

‘Hello, Mitch. Are you there? It’s Edna.’

Hearing the old lady’s voice through the letter box, Brianna turned the gas down low and went to open the door.

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