Page 20 of Cold Comeback
"Riveting."
That got me a quick glance before he pivoted to examining the door frame. "Landlord wanted me to check a few things."
"Such as?"
"The, uh..." He paused, clearly making it up as he went along. "Water heater. Upstairs."
"The water heater's in the basement."
"I meant downstairs."
I sat on the edge of my bed and watched him pretend to inspect my baseboards. "You're bad at this."
"At what?"
"Avoiding me."
His shoulders tensed. "I'm not avoiding you."
"No? Then why have you been treating me like I have a contagious disease all day?"
He straightened. "I haven't."
"Gideon. You handed me a box earlier so carefully I thought it might house a time bomb."
"You're being dramatic."
"Am I?" I stood and closed some of the distance between us. "From where I stand, I think you want to be alone with me."
"I don't want that."
"Then why are you still here, making excuses to stay?"
His jaw was tight, hands clenched at his sides. A battle was raging in his eyes.
"I should go."
I nodded. "Should, but you won't."
"Thatcher—"
"Tell me I'm wrong." I took another step closer. "Tell me you haven't spent much time thinking about what happened in the arena hallway."
"We were wrong."
"We were?"
"Yes."
"Then why do you want to touch me again?"
He didn't answer, but he didn't back away either.
I moved until only inches separated our lips. The heat of his body radiated against mine. "You know what I think, Captain?"
"What?" The word was barely audible, his voice a rasp that sent a shiver up my spine.
"I think you're scared of wanting something you think you shouldn't have." I let my gaze trail down his body, lingering on his hard, muscular pecs, and the narrow cut of his hips.
