His forehead was still furrowed. ‘I don’t want to see her get hurt.’
‘She’s in love. Of course she’ll get hurt.’
His gaze met hers. Held it steady. ‘Have you ever been in love?’
Aiesha laughed. ‘Are you joking? I’m not the falling-in-love type. I use men and spit them out once I’m done with them. Surely you know that much about me.’
‘I know you don’t like people getting close to you.’ He was suddenly close enough for her to smell his cologne. Close enough to see the flare of his pupils. Close enough to feel the desire wafting off him like a hot summer breeze. It warmed her from head to foot. Burned her. Scorched her. ‘I know you like to show everyone how tough you are, when on the inside you’re anything but.’
Aiesha goaded him with her gaze. ‘You want to get close to me, James? Then get your gear off and let’s do it.’
He took her by the top of her shoulders and slowly but surely brought her flush against his body. ‘I think my mother has some weird notion that we’ll fall in love with each other.’
‘She’s dreaming.’
He brought his mouth down to the corner of hers, his lips barely touching her top lip. ‘That’s what I told her.’
Aiesha’s insides shivered as his warm breath skated over her lips. ‘It would never work. You’re too traditional. Too straitlaced and proper.’
‘And you’re too wild and unpredictable.’ He moved his mouth to her lower lip, pushing against it in soft little nudges that made her legs threaten to give way. ‘Too uncontrollable.’
She pushed her lips against his, teasing him the way he was teasing her. Tempting her. Torturing her. Why don’t you kiss me, damn it? ‘Control is your middle name, isn’t it? James Control Challender. Got quite a ring to it, hasn’t it?’
He smiled against the side of her mouth. ‘I think you secretly like that about me.’
She put her hands against his neck, leaning into his erection. ‘What? You think I like you?’
He brushed his lips against hers, not a kiss, not a caress, but something in between. ‘You don’t want to like me. You don’t want to like anyone. My mother is the exception... Oh, and Bonnie, of course.’
Aiesha jerked her chin back against her chest. ‘That overweight and incontinent hair machine?’
He cupped her left cheek with the broad span of his hand, his sapphire-blue eyes holding hers. ‘There was a chewy treat on her bed when I brought her in from her last walk. I didn’t put it there, so that only leaves you.’
She hadn’t realised he would find it before Bonnie. She had tucked it in under the cushioned bed so Bonnie could sniff it out later. ‘Your mother gave me instructions on how to take care of her dog. I’m only doing what I was told to do.’
He put his hands on her hips, bringing her close again. ‘I told myself I wouldn’t do this. I promised myself I wouldn’t complicate things by getting involved with you.’
‘It’s just sex, James. People do it all the time. It doesn’t have to mean anything.’
His eyes searched hers for a beat or two. ‘I want you, but that must surely be obvious by now.’
Aiesha brought his head down so his mouth was within a breath of hers. ‘Then for God’s sake do something about it.’
He covered her mouth with his in a long and passionate kiss that fanned the flames already burning inside her. His lips were firm and gentle in turn, a tantalising mix of dominance and reverence that made her wonder why she had thought him so uptight and starchy. His tongue tangled with hers, taming it into submission, only to let her have free rein to do the same to him. Desire raced through her, heating her core, turning it to liquid as he took back control of the kiss. His tongue stabbed and thrust, rolled and dived, flicked and darted and then caressed and soothed. His hands moved from her hips to skim over her breasts, the touch so light and yet it made her flesh shiver and sing.
He made a deep, growly sound as he slid a hand under her sweater and found her lace-covered breast. He cupped her through the cobwebby fabric, rolling his thumb over her tight nipple, swallowing her gasp as he deepened his kiss.
Aiesha felt his hands move behind her back and unclip her bra. It fell to the floor as she raised her arms to haul off her sweater. His eyes drank in the sight of her, his hands moving over her in a caress that was possessive and yet worshipful.
‘You’re beautiful...so damn beautiful.’ He bent his head and took her nipple in his mouth, sucking on her with such exquisite tenderness she felt every nerve in her body tremble in response. His tongue circled her nipple and then he moved to the underside of her breast, dragging his tongue along her flesh, making her mindless and breathless with want.