Page 22 of Mr. Dangerous

9

Naomi

We walkeddown a tree-lined avenue after we’d gotten our ice cream, enjoying the breeze off the ocean. I licked chocolate-coconut ice cream out of a sugar-fragrant cone. “Feels like we’re playing hooky,” I said, swiping stands of windblown hair out ofmyface.

“It does,” he said. “And I’m even thinking of running awayfromhome.”

“What?Why?”

He shook his head. “She’s going to parade suitable women in front of me until Ileavetown.”

The thought gave me apang. “Why?”

“Shewants—”

“Not that.” I cut him off; the thought of Rob making babies with another woman made my heart hurt. I didn’t need to imagine it all over. “Why now? She really thinks she can sort your love-life out in two weeks’vacation?”

He quirked an eyebrow at me, as if I’d misstepped, then took another lick of his ice cream cone. His tongue was long and pink and made my mind go to dirtyplaces.

“You think my love life’s in such desperate straits?” heasked.

“I think you need therapy,”Isaid.

“I thinkyoudo.”

I nodded. “Probably. I mean, I haven’t had a boyfriend in a millionyears.”

He gazed down at me tranquilly. “Maybe you haven’t met therightguy.”

“Maybe I’m just thewronggirl.”

He shookhishead.

“What?” My tone came out irritated. That tone couldn’t have something to do with my datelessness,right?

“I don’t like hearing you talk about yourselflikethat.”

“Even though you’ll make fun of menon-stop?”

“It’s different when I do it,” he said. He held his ice cream cone between two fingers so he could cup my shoulders in his big hands, turning me to face him. Which I did, reluctantly. “Because I see who you really are,Naomi.”

I had to roll my eyes. “Oh? You know me better than I know myself? Despite being gone the last tenyears?”

“I see a beautiful, smart, independent woman.” His tone was mild, as if he didn’t notice mine. “Someone who could stand her own against anyone my grandmother dragged into thehouse.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. But I couldn’t help thinking about all the lonely nights I’d had in those ten years of myindependentlife, all the weddings I’d smiled through and all the times I had cuddled with my cats on the couch and wished I had someone to watch a movie with. But not just anyone. Someone like impossible RobertDelaney.

And suddenly tears were filling my eyes. Oh my god. I was face-to-face with Robert Delaney, and I was getting weepy. His eyes widened. Despite his SEAL-team-cool, the tension etched around his eyes and mouth suggestedpanic.

I had to do something.Andfast.

So I tugged his shoulders down to me. He leaned forward, those broad shoulders comfortingly solid as I dragged him close, and I planted my lips on his. I kissed him too hard, too suddenly, my nose bumping into his. I felt my cheeks flare withembarrassment.

Rob slid a finger under my jaw, tilting my face up to his. He kissed me. He had lush, soft pink lips. They were the one soft spot on that toned andhardbody.

My lips parted against his, welcoming him in. His lips felt cool, and his mouth tasted like mocha ice cream. His tongue swept into mine, sure and confident. As his tongue slid against mine, I felt a reckless throb of desire that ran through my body. Involuntarily, my hips swayedagainsthis.

His casted arm closed on my lower back, holding me tight against his chest. The warmth coming from his body wasmagnetic.

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