Page 16 of Blame It On Midnight

“Michaela.”

“Are you sleeping with her?”

“No.”

“But you’re thinking about it.”

“No.” Not really. Not now.

“Then you owe me an apology.”

“You’re right.” Benton closed the gap but kept a respectful few inches away. “I’m sorry for being an asshole. You caught me unawares.”

Her nostrils flared, and her pulse was erratic, a small beat at the base of her neck. He thought that he’d like to lick that neck. Then gave himself shit for thinking about it.

“You were more than an asshole.”

That was fair, so he said nothing.

“Why?” she asked.

He should just take the win and leave her alone. Nod and be on his way. But something about the tilt of her head and the look in her eyes kept him there. Or maybe it was because he wanted more than he was willing to admit. Either way, he was dancing with the devil under a moonless sky, and that couldn’t be good.

“You surprised me, and I don’t like surprises.” It was as close to the truth as he was willing to admit.

“Bullshit.”

“You calling bull on me?”

“I am.”

She was something else, this one. “Okay. I’d like to hear your take on things.”

“I scare you.” She answered right away. Didn’t hesitate. Didn’t skip a beat. And those eyes of hers were relentless. They bored into him, and he had the feeling it wouldn’t take much for her to discover all of his secrets if she put her mind to it. She was wrong about being scared, but he’d play her game.

“There are two things on God’s good earth that scare me, and you’re not one of them.”

“No?” She took a step closer. “What are you scared of, Benton?”

He liked the sound of his name on her lips. Not something he should be thinking about. Those lips. “A female grizzly protecting her cubs,” he said gruffly, moving back to her eyes.

“And what’s the other one?”

“Skydiving.”

She smiled at that one. “I think you need to amend your list to include a third.”

“That so.”

Collins nodded and inched closer. Then she pressed up against him, which, to be fair, he made no effort to stop. Hell, he wasn’t sure he could. She was too warm and soft and smelled like heaven. He realized then that he hadn’t been with another woman since Nashville.

“Yes.” Her breath was like little feathers across his cheek, and his body tightened. “You’re definitely scared of me.”

“I’m not backing away.” He should be. He should be clear across the other side of the damn parking lot.

“No, you’re not,” she slowly replied. “Why is that?”

He didn’t answer because he didn’t get the chance. She slid her arms around his neck and opened her mouth against his.

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