Page 44 of Do Opposites Attract?

He shook his head, laughing softly. ‘I’m not sure I will, but okay. I run along the beach, windsurf, read the newspapers, relax.’

‘That sounds a bit lonely,’ she remarked quietly.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. ‘I’m not lonely. I enjoy my own company. When I’m working, I’m surrounded by people all of the time. When I come home, it’s nice to chill.’

But even when you’re on camp you don’t socialise, Brianna wanted to retort, but she thought better of it.

* * *

It was a lazy Sunday and Brianna was amazed to find it after six o’clock when she finally looked at the time. They were snoozing together on the sofa, having spent most of the afternoon making love. When it came to sex, Mitch had both stamina and a voracious appetite, a very welcome combination in her book.

‘I guess it’s time I hit the road.’ She sat up slowly, uncaring that she was naked. He loved her body. She knew by the way his eyes darkened when he looked at her. It felt incredible to know she had that power over him, physically at least.

‘Have I tired you out?’ He stretched his tall frame across the sofa, arms folded behind his head, his hair flopping messily over his forehead.

God he was beautiful. Not conventionally of course. His face was too rugged for that. But there was so much coiled strength, both in his mind and his body. She hadn’t realised what an aphrodisiac that was. Cocking him a grin, she reached over to run her fingers over the hard planes of his chest. As his taut abdominal muscles quivered, she felt another stirring of desire.

‘Brianna, you need to stop that now, or you won’t be going anywhere.’

Pouting provocatively, she bent to pick up her clothes. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind.

‘Damn you woman, why can’t I get enough of you?’ His voice was harsh, almost angry.

Brianna turned to say something, but her mouth was captured by his and once more she was lost.

* * *

‘I really have to go now,’ she said a little while later as she finally moved off the sofa and started to get dressed.

For a moment his eyes rested heatedly on her chest. ‘I’ll be sorry to see those breasts tucked away, but it’s probably for the best. If we carry on like this I’ll end up hospitalised with clinical exhaustion.’

She was thrilled she had that effect on him but much as she loved the sex, she wanted more. Would he let her in? ‘When was the last time you went to the cinema?’ she asked, shrugging on her shirt.

‘Cinema?’ He’d hauled himself off the sofa and was tugging on his jeans, concentrating on the buttons of the fly. ‘I can’t remember. Probably to seeThe Guns of Navarone.’

Brianna widened her eyes in shock, then threw a sock at him. ‘Very funny, though knowing you it won’t be too wide off the mark. Why don’t you come up during the week and I can show you what normal people do on a night out?’

Her invitation was met with a wall of silence. She couldn’t read his expression, his head was bent, but she saw his fingers falter on the buttons. Damn, she’d pushed him too far.

Wordlessly they finished dressing. Then he walked over to the patio doors and looked out at the rolling waves. ‘Brianna, I just want to get one thing clear. I don’t do relationships. If you want cosy dates, followed by hearts and flowers, you need to go and find somebody else.’

Her heart plummeted and her hands shook slightly as she wrestled the remaining boot onto her foot. ‘Well, you’re certainly honest.’ When she’d finished she stared up at his profile, so aloof, so distant again. What was he so bloody afraid of?

‘I believe in total honesty,’ he replied, turning slightly so she could see his full face. Not that it helped, he was so flaming unreadable. ‘That way nobody gets hurt.’

It’s too late for that. ‘So, if I don’t get hearts and flowers and protestations of love, what do I get?’

‘Heat, passion. You and me, in bed.’

He wasn’t wrong there, but she was starting to wonder if that was enough. Her feelings were running beyond simple lust and into something . . . more. He wasn’t immune to her, she could see that, but he had this big wall around him he didn’t seem to let anyone through. Would he let her in, given time?

‘Mitch, have you ever had a proper relationship with a woman?’

He looked slightly taken aback. ‘Define proper.’

‘You know, a commitment between two people that you’re not going to see anybody else. A relationship where you make plans to see each other again, go on dates, enjoy weekends away.’

He looked back at her through narrowed eyes. ‘No, not in those terms.’

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