She didn’t want to see his face, to know he thought she was crazy. Why had she said anything? Would she ever learn? She was falling in love with him, and it was far too soon. Love wasn’t supposed to happen so fast, rushing at her like an avalanche. She knew better. She spooned loose-leaf tea into the teapot, thankful the kitchen was a chef’s delight and so well stocked with everything. Once again she was blowing her chances with a man she could care about because she admitted her affinity with animals.
Maia spun around. “You know what? I don’t care if you believe me or not. This is who I am, and I’m not going to apologize for it.” She pushed her hand through her hair in agitation. “I like animals better than people anyway.”
His eyebrow shot up. “You don’t like them better than you like me.”
“Yes I do. I don’t know what I was thinking.” She glared at him, angry at herself for being so vulnerable to whatever he might think of her.
“You were thinking the animals might be warning us about something, and it was important.” He tried his hand at teasing her. “ Has anyone ever called you Dr. Doolittle?”
“No! And they’d better never do it either.”
His blue eyes moved over her face with cool amusement. “You have a temper.” Obviously he wasn’t that good at teasing, but he liked her reaction.
“No, I don’t. Well,” she hedged. “Okay, maybe I do. But the fact is, I don’t care whether you believe me or not.” She couldn’t tell if he was making fun of her or whether he really meant what he said—that he was worried the animals were warning them. It didn’t seem possible that he could believe her.
“Yes you do.”
His voice was low, a seduction of her senses that she felt all the way through her body. “I hate that you’re so good at flirting, Steele. You’ve been a playboy for so long, you don’t know when to stop.”
He stood up, an act of aggression, and she recognized it as such, stepping back until she was pressed tightly against the sink, one hand up to stop him. “I’m tired of you calling me insulting names, Maia.”
“I wasn’t insulting you, I was stating a fact. You’re too experienced, and you know it and you use it, and I just want to kick you for it,” she defended.
He walked right up to her, his chest pressing into her palm until it was the only thing between them. She could feel his muscles beneath the thin shirt, the rise and fall of his breath, the steady beat of his heart. His skin radiated heat. “Back off, Steele.”
“I’m about to apologize again. I seem to do that a lot nowadays.”
There was genuine amusement in his voice. Real laughter even if his mouth didn’t curve into a smile. It was in his eyes, in his voice. She felt it in his chest. She had given him that gift, and she knew it. There was seduction in the knowledge. She stared, fascinated at the warmth that replaced the ice in his eyes. He lowered his head until his lips were inches from hers. Until his breath was warm against her mouth.
He kissed her hard, taking her breath, devouring her rather than coaxing her. His arms swept around her, pulled her to him, fitting her body into his.
Maia melted into him, her body going pliant, her mouth answering with a ravenous hunger of her own. Her arms slipped around his neck, fingers tangled in his hair, and she gave herself up to his kiss. His hand slid up her back inside her shirt, fingers splayed wide to take in as much bare skin as possible. Heat spread, heat and hunger and need. His kiss deepened, and his hand closed possessively over her breast.
Maia gasped and arched into his palm. His mouth left hers, blazed across her chin, down her neck to nuzzle at her breast until she moaned a soft protest, her arms cradling his head to her. “Stop. We have to stop.”
“Actually, I’d rather not.” He kissed his way back up to her mouth, settled there with long, persuading kisses.
Maia kissed him right back but kept a hand wedged between them. “I’m not quite ready for this.”
He groaned and rested his forehead against hers. “I am.”
“Yes, well now I’m the one apologizing,” Maia said. “I have to be certain of what I’m doing and what I’m getting into. I’m sorry, Cole. I’m just made that way.”
“I like the way you’re made, Maia, but dammit all, I want you in my bed.”
“I do rather like the way you apologize,” Maia said, touching her fingertips to her mouth, a faint smile appearing as he swore. She could still feel him burning on her lips. Could still feel his hands on her skin. She ached, her body tight and full and edged with need. She had to go upstairs, right away, or she was going to take her clothes off right there in the kitchen and give him more than he ever bargained for.
“Good. I have the feeling I’m going to have spend a lot of time apologizing to you.”
“You’re probably right.” She removed the teakettle from the heat. “I’m going to bed now. Alone. It’s the only safe thing to do.”
“You’re certain I can’t change your mind?”
“No, that’s why I’m leaving now before it’s too late.” She slipped past him and hurried away, leaving him standing in the kitchen with a rueful expression on his face. She was fairly certain it was a good thing he couldn’t read her mind.
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