“No,” she repeated, and forced her fingers to unclench from his neck and hair. Not feeling the rejection at all, she kept her tone flat and monotone.
“That’s what I thought you said.” The growl of want matched her raging desire, but he slid her down his length until her feet touched the ground. The man had a thing for picking her up, yet he didn’t act like she was dead weight. Cataloging the behavior along with all the other sexy things he did—kiss, touch, breath—she held her hands away from him, but his were still firmly attached to her ass.
Professional. Seduce without fucking. She could totally do this. Besides, she had questions. Like, why did he give her the pin code to his encryption? He had to know she’d stolen his info. So why help her? How had he gotten her phone number for a cell she hadn’t had all that long, and never used unless it to touch base with her team?
Probably the same way he knew you stole his info, dumbass.Ignoring the sarcastic inner chide, she waited a beat for him to let go of her ass. He squeezed once, then held his hands up, palms forward.
Sliding back a half-step, she appreciated his mirrored move. His hair, disheveled from her fingers, added a roguish touch to his already deceptively good-looking appearance.
A snort escaped before she could stop it. They were facing each other in a parking lot, hands up as though they each had a gun. The corner of his mouth kicked higher in a grin. Laughter followed her snort, and although she tried to smooth over her expression, the chuckles kept coming. When he began to laugh, she paused. The warm baritone of his laughter proved as provocative as his touch and as seductive as his kisses.
“I can’t think clearly when you look at me like that.” His accusation lacked heat.
“Like what?” Curiosity killed the cat. Apparently, it would be the death of her, too.
“So utterly fuckable.” The combination of raw desire and soft tones sent a stroke through her pussy.
Locking her thighs together, she curled her fingers into her palms and lowered her arms. Surrender wasn’t her thing.Of course, it isn’t surrender if I’m the one ripping his clothes off.And enough of that. “Well, we’ve already been there and done that.”
“Yes.” He dropped his hands and slid them into his pockets. The move drew her gaze to his cock. The slacks did little to disguise how firm or thick it had grown. “Of course, the first time could have been a fluke.”
Resisting the urge to lick her lips, she schooled her features to not reveal anything she didn’t want him to know. Survival was a powerful mechanism. “Fluke?”
“In a classroom, against the wall? It was hot, and I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the hell out of it, but I want to take my time. I want to lick my way across your body and taste you as you come…again. Make sure I didn’t imagine how fucking wonderful you are. Of course, that’s just to start.” He took a step toward her, and her muscles locked. Fight or flight had been beaten out of her in basic. When combat threatened, most people ran the other way. Not out of cowardice, but for survival, the most basic instinct. The Marines trained her to be more—to walk, run even, into the fire, then lead the charge.
He closed the gap, and she held the line. Fleeing wasn’t in her nature. “Sounds like you’ve been thinking about it a lot.”
Carefully, he asked, “Haven’t you?”
“Nope.”Liar.“I tend to live in the moment. It was a nice moment. Moment’s over.”
“Damn.” He shook his head and chuckled. “Harsh.” Despite the declaration, fresh interest seemed to be reflected in his gaze. With her back to the restaurant, she had a good view of his face under the parking lot floodlights, even though they were on the edge of the lot and far from the building itself.
“You can take it,” she told him, as much to confirm her supposition as to tease him.
“Yes,” he agreed. “I can.” Then he added, “I’m glad you took me up on my invitation.”
“How do you know I did?”
“Because you’re here with me.” As though stating the obvious weren’t enough, he added. “You kissed me.”
“You started it,” had to be the worst line she’d ever said out loud. Not to mention, she couldn’t recall who reached for who. Shaking her head, she scanned the area around them. Better to be aware, since she’d been focused wholly on him since his arrival, and an entire damn division could have moved in while she got all hot and bothered.
“Have dinner with me, Copper.”
“No.” Automatic. Kneejerk. A restaurant had too many accesses and vantage points, not to mention surveillance. Thankfully, they’d fucked in a camera-free room at the college. The last thing she needed was to ask Ant to scrub an inopportune sex tape off the Internet. Fuck up once, shame on her. Fuck up twice, well—most people didn’t get that opportunity.
“No to dinner? Or just no to dinner here?”
The insight said a lot for his powers of observation. Uneasiness slid through her. Gabriel’s awareness could be another strike against him. “Why do you want to have dinner?”
“Because I want to spend time with you.” Direct, no hesitation, no pause. “I also want you naked and beneath me again. Or on top, if you prefer, or on your hands and knees. I’m not picky.”
Desire pricked her reserve. How the hell she could go hot and tight at the same time her body softened? It made no damn sense. Like a magician, his words conjured images of them tangling together, and who needed words for that?
“Naked’s not happening in the restaurant.” Which was as far from no as she could get.
“True. Then where do you want to get naked?”