Page 35 of Dangerous Temptation
‘You should be.’
She pushed her arms into the jacket he held for her. When she went to release her hair, his hands were already there. He lifted the dark swath with care, sliding his fingers through it as he smoothed it down her back.
‘Your hair is mesmerising,’ he said quietly.
Her crowning feature, as her mother called it.
Elena looked at the floor, trying to get herself under control. Her body wanted to lean back into him, but the track lighting in the kitchen was so much brighter than the candlelight she’d adjusted to. It made everything seem so exposed, so glaring. So judgmental. She cinched up her trenchcoat. ‘Thank you.’
He traced her barrette. ‘Why don’t you spend the night? You’re going to get drenched if you head back to the lake house, and there are plenty of extra rooms here.’
‘I’ll run quick.’
‘In those heels? They’re sassy as hell, but they’re not good for a trek in the mud.’
She licked her dry lips. He’d noticed her shoes. ‘I’ll be fine.’
‘All right then.’ He took another jacket from the coat rack, and her head snapped towards him.
‘The least I can do is walk you there.’
‘But … OK,’ she conceded. The book that she was using as an excuse was lying on the counter. Leonard had wrapped it for her. She caught it up against her chest like a shield, such as the knights of old carried for protection.
She waited for Alex to put on his jacket and then opened the door. The wind was waiting. Seeing an opening, it rushed in. The chill smacked into her face and rain splattered against her legs. She wasn’t prepared for the force of it and the door swung back, knocking into her.
‘Ooh.’ She sucked in a surprised breath. Cringing at the thought of going out into that, she nonetheless ducked her head and started forward.
She jerked when the wolf behind her reached past and shoved the door closed, blocking out the howl that threatened.
‘Stay.’
His breath was against her ear, and his chest was hot against her back. Elena’s knees wavered, and she clutched the book so tightly it dug into her breasts.
This request was different. He wasn’t offering her a spare room.
‘Why?’ she whispered.
‘Because I slept the whole night through last night.’ His low voice was so close to her ear, she could feel his lips. ‘And because this time I intend it to be about you, not me.’
The book slipped from her fingers and became wedged between her hips and the door. She’d never heard anything sexier in her life.
There he was. This was the man who’d made love to her in the gymnasium, uncaring of where they were or who might find them. This was the virile male she’d worried she’d find if she came here tonight.
And, at the same time, feared she wouldn’t.
‘We … we shouldn’t,’ she stammered. That pink elephant was now stamping its feet, demanding attention.
‘Why not?’
Because he was amoral and unapologetic. Greedy and self-centred.
Although she hadn’t seen that side of him tonight … or at all since he’d returned to the manor …
‘Ishouldn’t,’ she amended.
‘Most people would agree with that.’ His other hand settled possessively on her hip. ‘Then again, they’ve already got the Wolves and Bardots in bed with each other.’
Warmth spread from his hand around to her stomach and down to her core. She leaned her head against the door. Her resolve was wavering.
