But just to be on the safe side, I’ll be quick about making the coffee, and then return to my bedroom.
The kitchen door’s ajar, and the clinking sounds of a teaspoon stirring something inside a cup carries over. I’m about to turn around and walk back to my room when I hear the sound of a chair pulling.
“Good morning. You’re not avoiding me, are you?” Kellan calls from inside.
I can’t see his expression. But I can hear the amusement in his voice, and it irritates the hell out of me. Raising my head high, I step through the doorway into the kitchen and head straight for the coffee maker.
“Avoiding you?” I laugh, squeezing as much nonchalance into my voice as I can. Though I’m pretty crap at the nonchalance part. “You wish. I slept in. I hadn’t slept in in ages, so I thought I’d use the opportunity.”
“You call getting up at six a.m. sleeping in?”
“I usually get up at five.” That part’s a lie. I spend so many late nights at the office that I rarely make it home before midnight and often don’t get up before ten a.m.
I help myself to a cup of coffee, deliberately avoiding Kellan’s penetrating stare, which is burning a hole in my back.
“Judging from the way you look, I doubt you had an ounce of sleep. You were probably too busy thinking about my dick inside you.”
I almost jump in my skin when I feel Kellan’s breath on my earlobe.
Holy shit!
Does he have to stand so close? And does he have to be so crude?
The guy’s obviously never heard the term personal space, or why else would he keep invading it?
“You should have asked me to help you out.” His finger traces down the nape of my neck, scorching my skin. “I’m always happy to oblige.”
I step aside too quickly and manage to spill half of my coffee over the counter and down the front of my shirt.
“Aaaah.” A faint yelp escapes my lips. “It’s hot.”
“Let me help you,” Kellan says, amused. Before I can realize what’s happening, his fingers are busy undoing the buttons of my blouse and pushing it aside to reveal my bra.
“Seriously?” I ask. “That was so not necessary.”
“Pouring coffee over yourself can easily result in first-degree burns.”
He grabs a napkin and is patting the liquid off my chest. His green eyes are glued to my breasts, and he licks his lips lasciviously. The way he looks at me, I feel stripped bare of my clothes, completely exposed to his gaze and touch.
I should slap him, but instead I find myself strangely aroused.
No one’s ever looked at me with so much want.
No one’s made me instantly hot for him.
Is that his thing? Making a woman feel wanted so she’ll gladly part her legs for him?
Even if it is…oh, fuck it!
My fingers wrap around his hand, but instead of pushing him away, I press it against my chest, holding him in place.
Our eyes connect, and my breath hitches.
Something passes between us.
I don’t know what it is. I only know that it makes my head spin.
“I’m already burned,” I whisper.
“So am I.”
His lips come closer to mine, until his mouth is less than an inch away. I can feel his hot breath. I’m wondering what he tastes like.
In a bold moment, I lick across his upper lip, then pull back. A feral sound escapes his lips. His hands go roughly around my waist, pressing me against his body.
He’s hard—just like last night.
“I want you,” he mutters.
He seems surprised, as though feeling that way about a woman for longer than a few days isn’t usually the case.
“Seems like you didn’t have a good night either,” I say, a little smug.
“I actually did. Twice.” His hands cup my ass and press me against him. His erection feels amazing against my core. I moan unwillingly. “But that was just my warm-up.”
“Ava?” Mandy’s voice calling from the hall rattles me.
I push Kellan aside and walk past him, my face on fire, just in time before Mandy’s head pops in.
“I’m in here,” I say needlessly and peer up at her.
The suspicion is written all over Mandy’s face. Heat shoots up my neck to my cheeks as I realize I’m only wearing my bra, holding my blouse in my hand.
I turn away, but I’m pretty sure you can see my blush from a mile.
“What were you two up to?” Mandy asks casually, like she hasn’t seen us in ages and is trying to catch up.
I’m pretty sure she can see that I’m half naked.
“Breakfast,” Kellan says.
Wow, he’s the god of casual.
I dare to peek at him. He’s leaning against a counter with his arms crossed across his chest, his biceps bulging. And there’s something else that’s bulging.
I swallow and peel my gaze off his jeans, albeit unwillingly.
He’s big. I saw that firsthand when he took care of his needs. I noticed it again last night, but I hadn’t realized just how huge he is until now.