Page 35 of The Plan

“It had to be done. I couldn’t let them think I couldn’t defend and protect you, if the need arose. It’s a caveman thing.”

"Subtle as a neon sign, all of you." She tried to stand, but his arms held firm. She found herself right there on his lap, feeling his warm body pressed all close and personal with hers. “George."

"Hmm?" His lips found that spot behind her ear. She had never sat on a man’s lap in her entire life. She had also never been more aware of a man in her life before, either.

What was it about George Hiller that did this to her? Every hormone in her body was flipped on right now. She just wanted to press closer.

And… what was she even doing here in George Hiller’s house for the second night in a row? She’d sent Anthony over to her apartment to check her mail and grab her clothes for work tomorrow, for heaven’s sake.

"Let me up. I should go home. I have spent far too much time with you today.” It was just a test, of course. She wanted to see what the man would say.

"No." Simple. Direct. Pure George.

George had made up his mind. Ronnie was his, because she was incubating his spawn. To him, she… was his. And he had a plan.

Probably intending to seduce her the first chance he had. Her body melted even thinking about it.

His hair was all mussed. She loved it when it looked like that. Before she could stop herself, her fingers were in that hair. It was still damp from his shower. Well, he felt he had the right to touch her every time he wanted now. Didn’t that work both ways?

"This isn't going to work." But her body betrayed her, melting back against his chest.

"What isn't?" His fingers trailed up her spine, his hand cupped the back of her neck. And he just pulled her closer.

Oh, she had no willpower at all, did she?

"This..." She waved at the scattered renovation plans. "All of your planning. You’re plotting worthy of a master criminal. Newsflash, I have not agreed to move in. We are not a couple. We are not together. I am not going to sleep in your master bedroom with you. I am just… here. We were never a couple.”

“I think that is the problem.” He stood, and she was just… scooped right off her feet and into his arms. “In my head… we were a couple. Long before I touched you.”

“Start explaining.” And why was he holding her like he was just going to carry her away? Or… carry her right into that master bedroom on the second floor with its antique bed that just screamed king of the castle? It had smelled like him in there, when she’d been sleeping the night before. And… dreaming of his arms around, wanting him to just hold her forever.

Damn it.

If they kept up like this, she was going to end up naked again. In the next five minutes.

Or… five seconds, rather. She had no willpower. She just didn’t. Maybe it was time she accepted that.

“I kept you late all those nights because… I wanted to spend not just my days with you, but my evenings, too. I lived for theweekdays, so I could be with you. No other woman in the world has ever made me feel the way you do.”

Ronnie just stared at him. She knew him well enough to know when he was lying. At least to her.

He wasn’t very good at it. And never had been. She’d always been able to see right through him… “So why didn’t you ever tell me?”

What would she have done if he had?

If he had just turned to her, and touched her and kissed her…

And…

Oh. Hell.

That had already happened.

She would have melted right in front of him, gotten him naked, and had her way with him. Because, damn it, she had always wanted him too.

No man had made her feel more like… her… than this one. Made her feel like he saw her, appreciated her exactly as she was, flaws and all. No man had ever made her as angry as this one could either.

That had to count for something, right?

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