“Probably.” Wyatt finished tucking away all the papers and turned to her with a thoughtful gaze. “But, every once in a while, someone comes along that deserves the benefit of the doubt.”
Now Mia knew he was bullshitting her. “No, they don’t.”
“Oh?” Wyatt shoved his hands into his pockets and leaned against the table. “Sounds harsh.”
“Sounds safe.” Her response was snippier than she’d intended, and she realized Wyatt had somehow managed to sneak past her guards and push one of her buttons.
“I’m sorry someone made you feel that way,” Wyatt said in that sincere and understanding tone that grated against Mia’s nerves. She was not going to let him play this dirty game with her.
“It’s not about feelings, it’s about rationality,” she replied in an indifferent tone, mimicking his posture and leaning against the door with her hands tucked behind her back. “When we choose rationality, we give up a lot of exciting and questionable things that we would otherwise pursue without a second thought, don’t we, Wyatt?”
His eyes lit up at the underlying meaning of her words, and though nothing else about his body language indicated she was affecting him, the air between them fill with sparks. This wasn’t part of her strategy, just a way to divert the conversation from uncomfortable topics, and Mia knew it would backfire. She wasn’t immune to whatever this thing between them was, but she preferred it to Wyatt psychoanalyzing her.
“What’s your angle, Mia?” Wyatt asked, his voice low. “You’ve been at it since the day I set foot in the lab. What are you playing at?”
“Who said it was a game?” Her heart was beating erratically in her chest, a pulse starting low in her abdomen when Wyatt stood and started towards her in a slow prowl.
“What is it then?” he asked, russet eyes intense as they stayed focused on her face. “Are you trying to prove how untrustworthy you are?” He was getting closer, and Mia pressed herself into the door. She wasn’t afraid of Wyatt, rather of him feeling the heat she was sure was radiating off of her like a furnace. “Because the rational course of action would be to let me believe you’re on my side, use it against me.”
“Maybe I just enjoy seeing you lose your cool and show your true colors.”
“Is that so?” Wyatt caged her between his arms, a sinful half-grin breaking across his face.
“Yes, it proves you don’t have what it takes to run this lab.” She stuck out her chin, daring him to take a step back and resume his professional façade, unsure if she wanted him to. “You can’t separate what you want from the logical course of action.”
“Thelogicalcourse of action would be to fire you,” he grumbled, more to himself than to her, it seemed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “You smell like pears.” One palm slid from the door to her neck, thumb rubbing against her pulse. “A very prickly pear.”
Mia’s body was throbbing, painfully aware of Wyatt’s body almost pressing against hers.
“Tu es une bête,” she repeated the insult she’d thrown at him his first day at the lab, though with less venom this time.
Wyatt’s eyes opened lazily, meeting hers with unwavering confidence and a burning fire, thumb pressing more firmly against her pulsing vein, sending a bolt of desire through her. “If I’m a beast, does that make you the belle?”
“Google translate?” Mia asked with a snicker. “It also means brute.”
“I like my version better,” he replied with a smile of his own, loosening his hold on her neck. “You keep talking about what I want, but what do you want, Mia?”
“I want what’s rightfully mine.”
“And bewitching me with those indigo eyes is how you’ll get it?” Wyatt bowed his head, and Mia’s eyes fluttered shut, her lips parting, expecting the soft contact of his. Instead, his breath was light on her ear. “Or are you having a hard time separating whatyouwant from what makes sense as well?”
Mia was close to her breaking point. She was desperate for him, wetness pooling between her thighs as his scent clouded her mind.
“You don’t get to fuck me over twice, Wyatt.” She placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back, needing room to pull herself together and remind herself who,or rather, which body part, was in control.
“I haven’t fucked you over at all,” he reminded her.
Mia was about to retort when a knock on the door stopped her.
“One minute,” Wyatt called out, closing his lab coat to hide the tenting in his slacks before opening the door, his façade cool and calm. “Yes, Giles?”
“We’re headed out for lunch. Are you two joining?” Giles asked with a big, friendly smile that indicated he had no idea what he’d interrupted.
“I have some work to catch up on…” Mia sensed the next words out of Wyatt’s mouth were going to be about her staying and helping him, so she stepped into Giles’ line of sight.
“I’m starving,” she said in a hurry. “Give me a second to grab my bag?”
“Sure thing.” Giles gave her two thumbs up before turning back to Wyatt. “Should we get you takeaway?”