Go away, she whispered, mortified to find her eyes spilling over. But hed scared her, and she really hated that. Before tonight, nothing had scared her.
Hey. Lifting his hands, watching her from those light, light eyes, he spoke softly. Its just me.
I know. And she did, but it was just that for one bad moment, shed been transported back into Eddies living room, back to that guy in the dirty long underwear shirt, and hed been reaching for her-
Reilly took her hand. Just me, he repeated very quietly.
I know that.
I want you to lie down and try to relax.
Relax. She bit back her hysterical laughter. Sure. Ill relax.
Great, because youre wound up tighter than a clock.
Yes, well, this hasnt been exactly a good day.
I know. He contemplated her in silence for a while. Are you cold?
Yes. She was cold. And hungry. And tired. And, apparently, letting this whole situation really get to her.
Come on, he said. Still on his knees before her, he wriggled his fingers, clearly indicating she could take his hand.
Tessa closed her eyes. She didnt want to take his hand. She wanted to crawl in a hole and have a meltdown. She wanted to be alone while doing it, thank you very much. Go to sleep, she said.
I cant do that now, said the contrary man.
Of course not. Because heaven forbid one thing go her way tonight.
3
TESSA, COME ON. Lie down.
Only a moment ago shed been holding it together just fine, and then Reilly had to come close with that long, sleekly muscled body glowing in the faint light and go all sweet and sensitive on her.
Ha! As if he could ever even pretend to be sweet and sensitive.
Come on, he said gently. Gently.
Didnt he know that was how to break a woman down-show a tender insight and perception, along with near nudity so magnificent it made her mouth water?
Tessa?
And the way he said her name in that low, husky voice It brought to mind hot summer nights and satin sheets and wild but sweet lovemaking.
Not that she knew much about hot summer nights combined with satin sheets and wild but sweet lovemaking, but a girl had her fantasies.
And he was a walking fantasy.
Taking her hand in his, he rose. Up you go. He led her to the cot with a hand at the small of her back. As if he was kind and compassionate. Lie down right here.
No questions at the end of his sentences, not for Reilly. Nope, he never said, Okay? or Would you like? He was a guy, through and through, and an extremely confident one at that. Not to mention demanding, because really, why ask when clearly he knew everything?
Tess. Lie down.
He shortened her name. No one else had ever done that, and it seemedextremely intimate, and on his lips, almost unbearably sexy.
Suddenly the room felt so small, too small. She needed wide open space and she needed it now. Forget adventure, had she ever said she wanted adventure like this? No! She wanted her cozy little apartment, her sisters nightly visit bearing ice cream and a good movie. Maybe a call from her brother just to say hi.
Sit.
She shivered again-what was the matter with her? She was safe, she was fine, and now she was going to fall apart? But she sat on the cot. It wasnt as soft as it looked, and didnt have any covers on it. I dont understand this room, she said, and shivered again, knowing she was talking out of nervous reaction, but unable to help herself. The rest of the house is so beautiful and warm and comfortable.
Reilly looked around him and shrugged. For all Eddies wild and extravagant living, he doesnt like servants-its the subservient thing, I guess. At least ones who dont sleep in his bedroom. Fixing this room would be a waste of his time, he probably never even uses it.
He talked about Eddie as though he didnt like him. She didnt understand that either. Your father is a wonderful man.
What does that have to do with the fact he goes through women like some of us go through water?
Since she couldnt deny that, she lay down and curled on her side facing away from him. Im not a bed hog. You can have half.
Its not big enough.
Fine. No skin off her nose. Tessa planned to lie there and wait for dawn, but the late hour, combined with her heavy workweek, not to mention the evenings events, had taken a greater toll than shed imagined, and miraculously, she drifted off
Only to dream about being grabbed from behind, about the thick, muscled forearm cutting off her air-
She jerked straight off the cot and gasped for the breath to scream but when she blinked into focus the small, rather dark room and the silent man standing there propping up the far wall, she sagged.
Just a dream, he said.
Imagine that.
Go back to sleep.
Right. She sat down, and realized she was chilled to the bone.
Sleep, he said. Not sit.
Im cold.
He tipped his head back and glanced at the ceiling as if seeking divine intervention. He moved forward until his knees bumped the cot. Theres no blanket.
No. She wrapped her arms around herself and kept her eyes straight ahead, which landed themoh, only about eye level with the best-looking male stomach ever.
Lie down.
She had no idea why she obeyed him, but with another shiver, she did, and then went flat onto her back, where she held her breath as he lowered himself onto the cot as well. He lay on his side facing her. He held up his head with his hand, setting his other very lightly on her stomach.
Her belly quivered. Other parts did, too, and she looked for a diversion. She found it in the closed access above them. If only hed just climb up there-
His fingers tightened on her and he leaned in, just a little. Sleep.
Right. Since his broad shoulders, chest and amazing eyes filled her vision, she closed her eyes. Only problem, without a visual, her other senses kicked in. His scent came to her, a little soapy, a little woodsy and a lot male. His heat and strength seemed to seep into her chilled bones and, helplessly, she relaxed a bit, because maybe, just maybe, he really was kind and sweet and sensitive behind all that
You dont snore do you?
Her eyes flew open. No. Do you?
No. He lowered his head to the cot and closed his eyes.
Hmm. New problem. Now their faces were only an inch apart. He hadnt shaved in a few days, she guessed, given the shadow on his lean jaw. He had the longest, darkest eyelashes. A complete waste on a man, especially this man. There was a white jagged scar running along one eyebrow, another high on his forehead. Where had he gotten such scars? His nose was long and straight, his mouth fixed in a grim, hard line. His dark hair was so short it stood straight up, and she imagined he rarely bothered with a comb. She wondered if it was soft or-
Are you going to think this loudly all night? he asked, but then another shiver wracked her and he let out a long breath. Okay, but only in the name of shared body heat He gripped her around the waist and tugged, turning her at the same time, until she was snuggled firmly against him, her spine to his chest, the backs of her legs to the front of his and all the spots in between perfectly aligned. All in the name of shared body heat.
Oh boy.
She tried to go to sleep, she really did. It proved an impossibility while she was holding her breath as she was. Behind her, Reilly lay utterly silent, utterly still, not pressing any of hispartsagainst her unduly.
And shed already noticed he had parts. Oh my, did he have parts.
Scooting free so that she could roll onto her back and look at him, she instantly wished she hadnt. He was so close, and so warm and wellsexy as hell.
And also annoyed, very annoyed.
Im sorry, she whispered. Its just thatits all hitting me. She was horrified to hear her voice waver and blamed it on adrenaline. Anyone would be feeling it, she assured herself. Its making my mind rush and my body shake, and I hate that. I dont mean to keep you up, but I cant stop wondering.
Wondering what?
Are they still out there, and what if they decide to come back-
He put a finger to her lips and waited. When she didnt try to talk around him, his mouth curved. There. See if you can hold still, just like that.
She grabbed his wrist and freed her mouth. I realize that you can turn off the feelings and emotions with ease, but I cant. Im scared, if you want the truth, and Im feeling a little claustrophobic here. I want
His eyes heated. What?
Comfort, she whispered, and trembled again, her body betraying her, which really made her mad.
A sigh rumbled from him and he settled one big hand at her hip and pulled her closer. There. The comfort shed wanted. Yet with him looking down at her with that disconcerting gaze, with his body so close, so big and warm and unintentionally sexy-and it was unintentional, she knew he wasnt trying to drive her crazy-what she felt was far, far from comfort. In an almost out-of-body experience, she whispered his name in a voice no longer quivering with trepidation but with something else entirely.
Something that felt shockingly likehunger. Need.
She had no idea what was happening to her but it was so much better than being afraid. Infinitely better than the cold. She came up onto her side, so that they were once again body-to-body, only now face-to-face. Reaching up, she slowly slid her hand around the back of his neck and tugged him closer.
His fingers, in the act of gently skimming up and down her hip in the name of shared body heat and comfort, froze. Tess-
If this was a dream, she didnt want to wake up. If it was indeed an out-of-body experience, she wouldnt complain, but something made her put her mouth to the very corner of his.
He held perfectly still. Unnaturally still but she didnt care. The connection of their mouths had spread warmth through her like nothing else ever had, so she nibbled at the other side, too. Adrenaline? Fear? She didnt know, didnt care, because the ball of warmth deep inside her started smoking now. To stoke it into a full-blown fire, she opened her mouth and took his bottom lip in her teeth.
This wrenched a deep rumble from his throat, a warning from the beast, which should have stopped her, would have in any other place and time, but not tonight.