Page 25 of Broken Rules
“I waited for you at the restaurant. I thought something happened to you.”
“I’m sorry I worried you.”
“When did you get here?”
“Sometime ago.”
“Why didn’t you come out when I first arrived?”
“I didn’t want to intrude upon your tea.”
She blew out a long breath. “Once again, you’re very considerate for a thief.”
What was she doing? She had been ready to get a good night’s rest. For pity’s sake, the man had broken into her house! She should be kicking him out, or better yet, calling the police.
But that’s not what she did...
“Take off your mask.” The words came out in a rush.
“Okay,” he started to reach for his mask, but her stomach flipped.
“Stop,” she squeaked. Clearing her throat and composing herself, she continued, “I mean, I didn’t think you were actually going to go through with it.”
He made of show of scanning her room. “Why? Do you have cameras? Not that I would be opposed to a little video in the right context.” Again, she could hear the smile that his mask hid.
“Do you want me to keep it on?”
She swallowed hard. “No, it’s not that. It’s just...I’m nervous.”
He reached for the zipper of his vest and began to inch it down. “What if I do it slowly?”
She covered her face with her hands. “Oh God.” She took a deep breath. “Okay.” Peeking through the V’s of her splayed fingers, she watched him slowly lift his mask. First, his familiar chiseled jaw and full, nibble-worthy lips came into view. Then he whisked the dark fabric away.
They locked eyes.
He was devilishly handsome. She drank in the sight of his mussed black curls and deep-set, amber eyes, framed by thick black brows. There was a passionate strength in his square jaw and the elegant lines of his face.
He looked at her expectantly, almost hesitantly.
Not knowing what to say, she stared at him awkwardly.
Then he seemed to relax as he took a step toward her. His powerful, well-muscled body moved with easy grace. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but it was, suddenly, so dry. She licked her lips, watching him come closer and closer. He stopped in front of her. She craned her neck back, never wishing to look away. His intense eyes held hers captive.
Then a slow smile spread his lips wide, revealing even, white teeth. “Hi,” he said.
She blushed and cleared her throat. “Hello.”
He reached out and gently grabbed her waist, pulling her toward him.
“I can’t.” She thrust her hands against his hard chest, stopping him. “I have this new rule, and you’re against it.”
A smile tugged at his full lips. He shrugged. “Some rules were made to be broken.”
“Maybe, but not this one. You see, I’ve sworn off guys like you,” she confessed as what little resolve she had crumbled beneath the weight of his fiercely sexy gaze.
“What kind of guy am I?” he asked softly while his thumb grazed her bottom lip.
She groaned. “The kind that breaks into your apartment and comes up behind you when you’re wearing nothing but a towel. You know...the bad kind.”
