Page 76 of Risk

“Yes, I do because you’re carryingourchildren. Half of me is in there.” He gestures to my stomach with a wave of his hand.

Jesus, if those words don’t turn me on something fierce. Christ, what is wrong with me?

I begin shifting on my feet, crossing one leg over the other, crushing my upper thighs together. I can feel my breasts starting to tingle, my nipples tightening.

“There is nothing I can do to help until the twins are born. It all falls on you, and I want to help, so let me help.”

“How can you help?”

“Financially.”

“Nope.”

He growls with frustration—actually fucking growls—and, my God, it does something to me. I grip hold of the counter to stop myself from launching my body at his.

“Why won’t you let me help in the only way I can?” I can hear the impatience and annoyance in his voice.

Well, there is another way you can help me—

Nope. Don’t say that. Don’t you dare say that, Artemis.

“Because…”

“Great reason.”

“I wasn’t finished.” I frown, even though I have no clue what to say. My normally quick-thinking brain is frazzled with sex hormones.

“Please, continue.”

He flicks his wrist at me, which would ordinarily annoy me. But all I can think about is his head between my legs, relieving me of this continual ache.

“I don’t want your money because…” Why don’t I want him to help me financially? “Because…well…because I’m an independent woman.” Yeah, that’s it. That’ll do it for a valid reason, and it’s a good, solid reason.

“That’s a stupid reason.”

Huh? That brings me out of my lust-filled thoughts for a second. “I’m sorry, what?”

He takes a step closer to me, and I get a lungful of his cologne and the scent that is just uniquely him.

“I said it’s a stupid reason. I know you’re independent, but this just feels like you’re being stubborn for the sake of proving a point.”

I jut my chin out, hands finding my hips. “I’m not being stubborn.”Am I?

He moves another step closer.

Oh, dear God, he’s so close.Tooclose.

The annoyance that’s blazing like a fire in his eyes is turning me on something silly. I fear it’s going to make me do something dumb. Like kiss him.

“This isn’t me trying to give you money like you’re some kind of charity case or whatever it is you’re thinking in that beautiful brain of yours. This is me trying to make life easier for you because you are the mother of my children, and I feel fucking helpless to do anything at the moment, and I don’t want to see you struggling because you’re too damn stubborn to let me help, to let me be a part of this with you.”

His chest is heaving like he’s just been running. I think mine is, too, because my heart is galloping off like a racehorse.

He’s so close, and he smells so fucking good that I can’t hold myself responsible for what I do. And what I do is throw myself at him and kiss him.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Oh my God! What am I doing? I’m kissing him, and he’s not kissing me back.

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