Page 14 of Heart in Waiting
CHAPTER SIX
When the day started, Dane never imagined it would have gone the way it had. One minute he’d been his normal pessimistic self without any hope for change, and the next minute he had the woman of his dreams in his arms kissing him. This had to be an alternate reality of some sort. Was she messing with his head, and if so, to what gain? He should put some distance between them, and in turn, gain some much needed perspective. He had a job to do and she deserved his best. Protecting her had to be his priority—not allowing her to kiss him until he lost all capability to think. As much as it killed him, he pulled away from her and took a step back.
“Why did you stop?” Reese moved closer to him and trailed her fingers up his chest. He barely repressed a groan. “We could have a lot of fun together.”
The problem was he wanted a hell of a lot more than fun from her. She meant too much to him, and he refused to be someone she used to forget about her problems. That was why she’d started drinking the scotch to begin with. He didn’t blame her for that. If numbing his brain with liquor would help him forget his brother, he might have taken it up a long time ago. Unfortunately, nothing would aid her in that quest.
Nolan shouldn’t be forgotten because then he’d have even more control over them. It was better to remember and learn from the mistakes of the past. Otherwise, the possibility of repeating them might happen over and over again... “I think you should take a shower and then go to bed. A good night’s sleep might help you see things more clearly.”
“I see things fine now.” She jutted out her bottom lip into a pout. “Why don’t you like me?”
He groaned. “I never said I didn’t. Why are you being so difficult?”
Instead of answering him, she stormed out of the room and he presumed to her bedroom. That was perhaps for the best. He really did think she’d regret anything that happened between them. She couldn’t be in the right frame of mind for making any important decisions. If she had kept on her current path, then they might have ended up naked in her bed—and just like that he pictured them rolling around together making love. God, he was a glutton for punishment. He wanted to be with her more than anything in the world, but not like this. If they ever took that step, he wanted it to happen for the right reasons. Her trying to forget his jerk of a brother couldn’t be one of them.
He stared at the bottle of scotch she left behind. It was tempting to pick it up and bury his misery in it. There had been many times he’d imagined kissing her. This scenario hadn’t been anything he could have conjured in his mind. It proved that no one ever could really plan for life. Reese wasn’t in a good place, and he didn’t want to hurt her any more than she already was. It smashed his heart open to see her so sad and hard on herself. If he could take her pain away, he would.
Dane stomped over to the bottle of scotch and swiped it off the table. Maybe the first step would be pouring it down the drain. Then it wouldn’t be a temptation for either one of them. He couldn’t lose himself in the liquor any more than she should.
“Tempted to drink it now too?”
He spun around and his mouth dropped open. There were a lot of things he’d assumed she’d gone to do, but once again, she managed to surprise him. She hadn’t gone to bed, and she didn’t appear to have any plans on going there alone either. She’d slipped out of her dress and into something sheer enough to leave little to the imagination. The lingerie consisted of scarlet chiffon mixed with ribbons and lace that wrapped around her gorgeous body. The romper had a deep V-cut that plunged almost to her navel and barely covered her breasts.
He clenched his fist at his side and prayed for control over the lust raging through him. His other hand tightened around the neck of the bottle as he fought the urges. He needed a cold shower and a lot of distance between them. Even in his wildest dreams he never imagined this. Sure, he’d wanted her and hoped one day she’d desire him too—but not like this—never like this. A drunk Reese wouldn’t make sound decisions. He’d prefer a sober and fully aware woman preparing to slide all over him enticingly. He loved her, damn it, and he would not use her or let her use him in return. They both deserved better than a quick fuck no matter how much it tempted either one of them to give in to that desire.
“I’m going to empty the contents in the sink.”
“A waste,” she said as she moved closer. “We might want it later. Give it to me, and I’ll put it away.”
He didn’t move. If he took even a step toward her he’d lose whatever semblance of power he had over himself. He was a man, and she was his one weakness. God help him, he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her until they forgot who they were and why they were there. “I think I’ll keep it here.”
“I thought you wanted to get rid of it,” she teased.
He wanted to keep his sanity more. “I can take care of it myself.” Dane cleared his throat. “Don’t you have a robe or something?”
“You don’t like this?” She trailed her fingers down the valley between her breasts. He followed her progress and swallowed the lump forming in his throat. She was a temptress, and before long he’d gladly be her willing love slave. “It’s quite comfortable. What do you think of the back?” She spun around and showed him that she looked as delectable from behind. Her hair tumbled down her back in bouncy golden waves. Reese’s lingerie had a similar design as the front with the plunging cut tied loosely with a ribbon at her neck. The lace cupped her ass and emphasized her curves. “Isn’t it simply fabulous?”
“Sinful, yes...”
“No.” She glanced over her shoulder. The corner of her lips tilted upward. “Simple, silly.”
He glanced at her mouth, but he didn’t linger there long. Dane couldn’t stop himself from looking at her ass. “Right. That’s what I said.”
She’d scrambled his brain. Who needed scotch when Reese strolled around in next to nothing? She’s accomplished the impossible and destroyed him from the inside out. If anyone stormed into her condo at that moment, he couldn’t be sure he’d be able to protect her. He was that close to losing his mind entirely.
***
REESE HADN’T BEEN THINKINGclearly when she’d gone to her room. She’d been a little hurt and a whole lot of frustrated when she’d left him in her living room. A huge part of her wanted to make him fall to his knees and beg her to make love to him. He had rejected her, and she’d wanted to have some kind of power over him.
Now, she saw the mistake for what it was. She kept making rash decisions without any thought to the consequences. Dane was there to protect her, and she’d been hell-bent on seducing him. For what? To make herself feel better about her situation? What had he done to deserve her disregard? The answer, of course, was not a damn thing. But she’d be lying if his sudden interest in her didn’t make her feel a little bit better about herself. He clearly desired her, and was almost stupid with it. Maybe he had before too but had more control over his emotions.
He moved closer to her, still clutching the scotch in one of his hands as if it was a life preserver and if he let go he’d sink, then drown. “The only thing that would be better than that scrap of cloth you’re wearing is if you lost it altogether.” His voice grew huskier with each word, and his eyelids drooped low, heavy, and seductive.
“Don’t you think I merit a kiss first?”
“We already did that.” He took another step. “Do you want to rewind and repeat?”
“Mmm,”she said then licked her lips. “I did like it. I wouldn’t be averse to tasting you again.”
