Needing to lighten things up before she went to mush in his arms and remembering how he’d toyed with her mother, she whacked him on the shoulder and he let loose a moan.
“Hey, what’s with all the abuse?” he questioned, faking exasperation. But that exasperation quickly gave way to passion. “You keep it up and you’re going to get a spanking of your own.”
Anna’s breath grew shallow, and she gulped air, trying for normal. “What’s with teasing my mother like that and telling her you wanted me to go to a football game? She’ll be clinging to that for weeks. You know as well as I do that she wants us together.”
Without an ounce of humor in his voice, he said, “So do I, Anna.”
Her insides twisted. Okay, she understood he wanted her physically, the last few days had proven that. But what she wasn’t sure about was why. Because she was the one he couldn’t have? Or had he changed and matured over the years, and like her, knew how good they could have been together?
“Why, Daniel. Why do you want this?”
He ran his thumb over her bottom lip. Despite the cold, her cheeks flushed hot and her legs felt a little shaky beneath her. The tender intimate way he looked at her took her breath away. Heaven help her, she was fighting a losing battle here. He was charming, seductive, persuasive—the attraction far too powerful for her to ignore any longer. “Daniel—”
Instead of answering her, he grabbed her hand and tugged. “Come on.”
“Where?”
He gestured toward the huge tree branch that hung over the fence. “We’re going up. I’ll show you the view.”
With unhurried movements, he dropped her hand and grabbed the branch to test it. As he pulled himself up, her glance moved to his perfect backside, enjoying the view from where she stood. Instantly, with her brain on overdrive, she couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe he was right and an adventure was in order. And she wasn’t necessarily talking about climbing the tree.
As she warmed to the idea, she slipped her arms through his coat, zippered it, then grabbed the branch to climb. Her tight jeans protested the movement. “These are my favorite jeans, so help me if I rip them—”
“I’ll buy you a new pair,” he offered and reached down a helping hand.
She scoffed, half-heartedly, aware that she found the situation a little exciting. Not to mention fun and spontaneous. “Couldn’t we be normal adults and use the front door? I’m not really a fan of heights.”
“Nope. The only way to my front door, is through your front door. And since you’re avoiding the sharks…”
He was right, the fence circled the yards, and she wasn’t quite ready to go inside and face another swarming.
“Plus this is a little exciting, don’t you think?” he teased with a wink. “Sneaking into my room late at night.”
In spite of herself she laughed. “I’ve had more excitement watching paint dry,” she lied, masking her enthusiasm. Heck, she didn’t want to make this too easy on him, letting him think he was finally going to get what he’d been after for years.
But deep inside her she was excited. Damn excited. Growing up, Anna had always been a rule follower and had never done anything quite like this before. Being here with Daniel and climbing this tree took her back to her teen years when she used to go to bed and dream about sneaking into his room with him, dream about being the one girl he wanted, really wanted.
She grabbed his hand and he hauled her higher. Once they reached the top, Daniel shimmied his window open, climbed inside, then helped her in.
When her flats hit the floor, she let out a breath. Feeling much more comfortable on solid footing, she shut the window behind her. Daniel flicked on his lamp, and as the warm light bathed the room, she took in the décor. A single bed was up against one wall, a navy blue comforter haphazardly thrown over it. On the other wall, there was an open laptop sitting on a small wooden student desk. Trophies and medals adorned the numerous shelves above the bed, and a football lamp sat on his nightstand.
“Nice room.”
He walked across the floor and locked his door. A fine tingle ran through her. Despite being all grown up, something about sneaking into his room felt so forbidden, and it shocked her how much that excited her.
“It’s a shrine,” he teased. “Mom left it the way it was, hoping I’d come back to it I guess.”
“Now her wish has come true. You’re staying here, aren’t you?”
He grinned. “Just temporarily.” Something strange passed over his eyes—it was the same look he’d given her earlier but one she didn’t recognize—when he went on to announce, “I bought the old Murphy house down by the lake. Now I’m just waiting for my goods to arrive. I never thought they’d sell it, but lucky for me, the Murphys recently retired and moved to Florida.”
“You bought the old Murphy place?” She widened her eyes in surprise. “I love that place.”
Again, there was that odd look. “I know you do.”