Ren smiled and narrowed his eyes at me.
If he kept up this line of questioning, he was bound to catch me in a lie. I’m not a very good liar.
He sat back in his chair. ‘Fine. I’ll let you off the hook for now, but we will talk about this later. Tigers are relentless once they set their minds to something. You won’t be able to evade me forever.’
Casually, I replied, ‘Don’t get your hopes up, Mr. Wonderful. Every hero has his Kryptonite, and you don’t intimidate me.’ I twisted my napkin in my lap while he tracked my every move with his probing eyes. I felt stripped down, as if he could see into the very heart of me.
When the waitress came back, Ren smiled at her as she offered a smaller menu, probably featuring desserts. She leaned over him while I tapped my strappy shoe in frustration. He listened attentively to her. Then, the two of them laughed again.
He spoke quietly, gesturing to me, and she looked my way, giggled, and then cleared all the plates quickly. He pulled out a wallet and handed her a credit card. She put her hand on his arm to ask him another question, and I couldn’t help myself. I kicked him under the table. He didn’t even blink or look at me. He just reached his arm across the table, took my hand in his, and rubbed the back of it absentmindedly with his thumb as he answered her question. It was like my kick was a love tap to him. It only made him happier.
When she left, I narrowed my eyes at him and asked, ‘How did you get that card, and what were you saying to her about me?’
‘Mr. Kadam gave me the card, and I told her that we would be having our dessert . . . later.’
I laughed facetiously. ‘You mean you will be having dessert later by yourself this evening because I am done eating with you.’
He leaned across the candlelit table and said, ‘Who said anything about eating, Kelsey?’
He must be joking! But, he looked completely serious. Great! There go the nervous butterflies again.
‘Stop looking at me like that.’
‘Like what?’
‘Like you’re hunting me. I’m not an antelope.’
He laughed. ‘Ah, but the chase would be exquisite, and you would be a most succulent catch.’
‘Stop it.’
‘Am I making you nervous?’
‘You could say that.’
I stood up abruptly as he was signing the receipt and started mak-ing my way toward the door. He was next to me in an instant. He leaned over.
‘I’m not letting you escape, remember? Now, behave like a good date and let me walk you home. It’s the least you could do since you wouldn’t talk with me.’
Ren took my elbow and began to guide me out of the restaurant. I was acutely aware of him, and the thought that he was walking me back to my room and would most likely try to kiss me again sent shivers down my spine. For self-preservation purposes, I had to get away. Every minute I spent with him just made me want him more. Since merely annoying him wasn’t working, I’d have to up the ante.
Apparently, I needed him not only to fall out-of-like with me, but to hate me as well. I’d frequently been told that I was an all-or-nothing kind of girl. If I were going to push him away, it was going to be so far away that there would be absolutely no chance of him ever coming back.
I tried to wrench my elbow out of his grasp, but he just held on more tightly. I grumbled at him, ‘Stop using your tiger strength on me, Superman.’
‘Am I hurting you?’
‘No, but I’m not a puppet to be dragged around.’
He trailed his fingers down my arm and took my hand instead. ‘Then you play nice, and I will too.’
‘Fine.’
He grinned. ‘Fine.’
I hissed back. ‘Fine!’
We walked to the elevator, and he pushed the button to my floor.
‘My room is on the same floor,’ Ren explained.
I scowled and then grinned lopsidedly and just a little bit evilly, ‘And umm, how exactly is that going to work for you in the morning, Tiger? You really shouldn’t get Mr. Kadam in trouble for having a rather large . . . pet.’
Ren returned my sarcasm as he walked me to my door. ‘Are you worried about me, Kells? Well, don’t. I’ll be fine.’
‘I guess there’s no point in asking how you knew which door belonged to me, huh, Tiger Nose?’
He looked at me in a way that turned my insides to jelly. I spun around but awareness of him shot through my limbs, and I could feel him standing close behind me watching, waiting.
I put my key in the lock, and he moved closer. My hand started shaking, and I couldn’t twist the key the right way. He took my hand and gently turned me around. He then put both hands on the door on either side of my head and leaned in close, pinning me against it. I trembled like a downy rabbit caught in the clutches of a wolf. The wolf came closer. He bent his head and began nuzzling my cheek. The problem was . . . I wanted the wolf to devour me.
I began to get lost in the thick sultry fog that overtook me every time Ren put his hands on me.
So much for asking for permission . . . and so much for sticking to my guns, I thought as I felt all my defenses slip away.
He whispered warmly, ‘I can always tell where you are, Kelsey. You smell like peaches and cream.’
I shivered and put my hands on his chest to push him away, but I ended up grabbing fistfuls of shirt and held on for dear life. He trailed kisses from my ear down my cheek and then pressed soft kisses along the arch of my neck. I pulled him closer and turned my head so he could really kiss me. He smiled and ignored my invitation, moving instead to the other ear. He bit my earlobe lightly, moved from there to my collar-bone, and trailed kisses out to my shoulder. Then he lifted his head and brought his lips about one inch from mine and the only thought in my head was . . . more.
With a devastating smile, he reluctantly pulled away and lightly ran his fingers through the strands of my hair. ‘By the way, I forgot to mention that you look beautiful tonight.’ He smiled again then turned and strolled off down the hall.
Tiny quakes vibrated through my limbs like aftershocks following an earthquake. I couldn’t steady my hand as I twisted the key. I shoved open the door to my dark room, entered, and shakily closed it behind me. Leaning back against the door, I let the darkness envelop me.
24
Endings
The next morning, I quickly packed up all my things and waited for Mr. Kadam. I sat in the easy chair, nervously tapping my foot back and forth. Last night had convinced me that I needed to do something about Ren. His presence was overwhelming.
I knew that if I spent any more time with him, he would persuade me to become serious about him, and I absolutely could not allow that.
I would end up crushed. Oh, it would be great for a while. Really, really great. But, it would never last. He was an Adonis, and I was no Helen of Troy. We’d never make it. I had to be realistic and to take control of my life again. I decided that when we got back to the house, he and I would have a woman-to-tiger talk.
Then, if he still wouldn’t give up, I’d just go home as Mr. Kadam had suggested. Maybe distance would help. Maybe Ren just needed time apart from me to realize that a relationship between us would be a mistake. With that resolve, I braced myself to see him again as we left the hotel.
I waited a long time for Mr. Kadam. I was almost ready to call his room, when, finally, there was a knock at the door. Mr. Kadam stood there alone.
‘Are you ready, Miss Kelsey? I’m sorry that we’re getting such a late start.’
‘It’s okay. Mr. Wonderful was probably taking his sweet time, right?’
‘No, it was actually my fault this morning. I was busy with . . . paperwork.’
‘Oh. Well, that’s alright. Don’t worry about it. What kind of paperwork?’
He smiled. ‘Nothing important.’