But then she wrapped her arms around her torso, some of the light leaving her eyes. Looking past him, she said, “I really appreciate your letting me get a glimpse of your world. But it’s not for me.” She tossed her hair, meeting his eyes, something like defiance in her face. “No,” she said, a sudden quaver entering her voice again as her eyes skittered away from his. “Definitely not for me.”
Hayden stared at her, taken aback by her abrupt about-face. What the hell…?
Then he grinned, getting it. He was genuinely amused at her denial in the face of such overwhelming evidence to the contrary. But no way in hell was he going to let her get away with it.
“You’re lying, sexy girl.” As he said the words, their truth resonated in his bones.
“Oh, yeah?” she retorted with a saucy toss of her hair. But not before he saw the sudden flash of longing in those beautiful eyes. It was as if she were silently begging him to break through her defenses once and for all.
Hayden reached for Dahlia, cupping the back of her head with one hand and circling her waist with the other. He dipped his head, bringing his mouth to hers. With a sigh, she parted her lips, and their tongues met. As he pulled her close, she melted into him, her nipples poking hard against his chest. She tasted sweet, like champagne with a hint of orange. Her skin smelled of jasmine and pure animal lust.
He found the hairpins that held her loose twist in place. As her thick, soft hair tumbled down, he gripped a handful and gave it a sharp tug, forcing her head farther back.
She gasped against his mouth in that sweet combination of pain and deep longing he knew well. But she didn’t pull away. If anything, her kiss became more ardent. When he finally let her go, her chest was heaving, her eyes shining.
“Oh, Hayden,” she whispered, both fear and longing on her face. “Maybe you’re right, just a little bit. Maybe there’s a place for me in your world. I just don’t know…” She trailed off, looking away.
Gently, he reached for her, cradling her cheek in his hand as he drew her gaze back to him. “I do,” he asserted. “And I’m going to prove it.”