Page 12 of Dating the Rebel
“And,” she continued, as if he hadn’t spoken, because she really, really wanted to ignore what he’d just said. While she didn’t react verbally, though, her body reacted to his words and to his gaze, which had been so hot—so wicked—that she’d nearly felt the heat of it. Her nipples tightened against the lace of her bra. And he hadn’t even touched her...
And she didn’t want him to. She really, really could not want Grant Snyder.
“And?” he prodded her.
Making her realize she’d lost her train of thought because of him. As usual.
“And,” she said, “I never agreed to this audition.”
“You must have changed, too,” Grant said.
“What—why?”
“Because the Miranda Fox I knew never did anything she didn’t want to do,” he said.
If only that had been true...
But her mother’s flightiness had made it necessary for Miranda to grow up fast—too damn fast. She let a wistful sigh escape before murmuring, “You didn’t know me at all...”
Her statement jarred Grant, so much so he inadvertently jerked the yoke, and the plane, in her direction.
A little squeak escaped her lips now like that wistful-sounding sigh had moments ago. “You are trying to kill me,” she exclaimed as she pressed a hand over her heart. But with the words coming through the smile curving her lips, she didn’t sound afraid; she sounded excited as she stared out at all the gorgeous water.
That was the Miranda he knew: the daredevil who’d always gotten Blair into trouble with her many misguided adventures. But had there been more to Miranda Fox than he knew?
There was certainly more to her now: a sex appeal that had tension gathering low in his belly, in his groin. When had she gotten so damn hot? It radiated off her—totally at odds with that pale blond hair and those pale blue eyes. While she looked like an ice princess, she was too sassy, too smart, too sexy to ever be mistaken for one.
While he easily righted the plane, he struggled for control of his body, of his desire for her. Because another thing she’d said earlier kept reverberating inside his head:I am your sister’s best friend, you know. If you do anything to hurt me, she’s going to hate you.
He hadn’t considered that.
For some misguided reason, Blair really did love this woman and considered her the sister she’d never had. It had just been him and Blair...
Their mom had been too busy trying to make their dad happy, and their dad had been so unhappy despite all their mom’s efforts that neither of them had had any time for their children. So he and his sister were close, so close that she would understand.
Wouldn’t she?
Not that he intended to hurt Miranda. He wasn’t even sure that was possible. He’d been eavesdropping outside the office door before she’d opened it and slammed into him. He could still feel the softness of her body against his.
But her body was the only soft thing about Miranda Fox. Even her sisters didn’t think she had a heart. So there was no way he could hurt Miranda, even if he wanted to. And he didn’t want to...
He only intended to make sure that she didn’t hurt his sister. And if she messed up Blair’s relationship with Teo, like she’d messed up every other relationship his sister had had, she was going to hurt Blair very badly.
“I’m not trying to kill you,” he assured her. “That would be a horrible first date, and there would be no way for you to enroll me in your service then.”
She chuckled. “That might be your plan, though. You would be able to talk my sisters into anything.”
“But not you?” he asked.
“Have you ever been able to talk me into anything?” she asked.
“I haven’t tried...” She’d been too young for him to even look at the way he was looking at her now.
She snorted. “Every time you saw me you tried to talk me into making other friends and leaving your sister alone.”
While Blair had had other friends than Miranda—giggling, happy friends—Miranda had seemed to have only her. He’d wondered then if that was because she’d been so dark and brooding back then. But Blair had always laughed more with Miranda than she had any of those giggly, happy girls.
“Let’s say I haven’t tried then the way I’m going to try now,” he amended.
