“What’s to expand? I’ve got time and I’m taking it. We’re going to get this mess figured out one way or another.” As he spoke he rounded the island so that he was a couple of feet from her.
His proximity and the way he said we did something strange to her insides. It was like now that he’d decided to admit his attraction and go all protective he’d let down some sort of wall between them. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it. “Okay. Well, thank you.” She slid off the chair, her hot chocolate mostly untouched. She’d needed the warmth but her stomach was too tied up to handle much—and she needed space from him. Right now she was feeling weak where he was concerned. Getting involved with Aaron would be monumentally stupid for her heart.
His spicy scent teased her as he looked down at her, and she fought the instinct to lean in to him, to touch him. Her nipples pebbled under that intense stare, making her glad she’d put on a sweater.
His closeness wasn’t helping her reaction to him either.
“What?” she asked when he just watched her.
“Just wondering if you’re ever going to respond to what I told you earlier.” His voice was deep, curling around her, pulling her in and making her feel stupidly secure.
Something she couldn’t afford to feel. Not now.
She didn’t need for him to specify what he meant. In fact, if he said the actual words again, told her that he was attracted to her, she wasn’t sure she could handle it. She cleared her throat. “I don’t know what to say. Right now isn’t really a good time for me to think of…anything related to…stuff.”
A hint of amusement danced in his dark eyes. “Stuff?” He took a step closer, minimizing the distance between them. It was subtle but he was crowding her personal space.
Forget being chilled. Heat spilled through her and she felt her cheeks start to warm as she looked up at him. Had he always been so broad, so tall? “Yes. Stuff. Between you and me.” Gah, why did her voice have to tremble?
Before she realized what he intended, he was cupping her cheek, his hold so gentle and sweet she had to resist leaning into it. Oh so softly, he rubbed his thumb against her cheek. A shiver rolled through her. “Now’s not a good time. I get it, but…I’m interested. And I’m not going anywhere.”
His deeply spoken words rolled over her, enveloping her. Since she couldn’t find her voice she just nodded. He was simply putting it all out there, telling her he was interested. But that could mean any number of things. He was probably just interested in sex.
The truth was she was, too. More than sex, though. She didn’t want something casual, not with a man like Aaron. But…no. She simply didn’t have time to think about sex or relationships or anything else. Not tonight. Not when she had a meeting with a federal agent in the morning to talk about the probably not-so-dead gangster or someone else who might be trying to kill her. That thought was enough to douse her with metaphorical cold water.
“I’m going to reset the alarm.” Aaron dropped his hand, his gaze still all-consuming as he took a step back from her, giving her the space she desperately needed.
The second he did it was like she could breathe again. She sucked air into her lungs as he strode from the kitchen. Even the way he walked was sexy.
Sighing, she rubbed a hand over her face. She needed sleep. Unfortunately, she had a feeling it wasn’t going to come easy. Not tonight.
*
Sticking to the low speed limit, Alec Rossi drove down Tegan O’Kelly’s quiet residential street. Cute little townhomes and bungalows lined the curving road, and most vehicles were in the driveways and out of sight. Some kids’ toys had been left in front yards, but for the most part all the yards were neat and tidy. The majority of homes had Christmas lights adorning them or at least a wreath on the front door and festive ribbons on the mailbox. It was late, after midnight, but the neighborhood was big enough that it wasn’t strange to see someone driving home.
Of course he wasn’t going home. He didn’t live here.
When Alec saw an unmarked cop car in Tegan’s driveway he kept driving. Hers was one of the few homes without decorations or lights. He cracked his knuckles, frustrated by the extra security. But it was to be expected after the bombing. If there hadn’t been anyone outside her place he would have been even more suspicious.
There were two entrances to the neighborhood so he used the other to leave instead of heading back down the street. If he did the latter, just circling back by the cop car, it would draw attention he didn’t need. For all the cop knew, he lived here, and Alec didn’t want the guy to see him twice.
Not in this vehicle anyway. He’d have to ditch it now and procure another one.