How could he do that? Look so cold and imperious in the same instant he was setting her skin aflame?
She shifted her stance, trying to quell her mutinous flesh and disguising her purpose by digging through her purse for her keys.
‘Who can say?’ She took a step closer, holding her keys pointedly. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me?’
He didn’t move an inch, still leaning against the car door, and she was left wondering about the wisdom of moving closer to him.
‘You’re not curious enough to find out?’
She tilted her head up to his face, taking in the challenging glint in his eyes and the crooked smile. Why was he here? Did he see her as an easy target? Did he expect her to fall into bed with him the moment he reappeared in her life and take up where they’d left off in the library?
Or was there just the remotest chance he was really interested in getting to know her?
Oh, yes, she was curious all right. And it had nothing to do with what they had or didn’t have in common. But, whatever he wanted, there was no chance she’d be swept away by irrationality again. Once was more than enough.
And, if he was honestly interested in getting to know her better, he’d soon work out that ambushing someone in the car park after a long day was hardly the way to win friends.
She forced what she hoped would pass as a smile to her face. ‘Not in the least bit curious,’ she lied. ‘And I really have to be leaving now, so if you’ll kindly sprawl over your own car instead, I’ll get going.’
He laughed out loud, pushing himself upright, away from her car. At last, she thought, sensing escape was near at hand. But still he didn’t move his feet. And now he was even closer. Close enough to bring memories of that night, of being next to his body, held by his arms against his muscled torso, crashing over her. Close enough that if she just reached out her hand she could once again touch him, could feel his heated skin through her fingertips, feel the beat of his heart pulse its way into hers.
‘Are all Australian women as refreshingly direct as you?’
His words broke into her consciousness, snapping her out of the crackling tension of her imagination. What the hell was she thinking? Another moment and she would have been imagining tumbling him into bed. She had to get out of here, and fast.
She raised her chin. ‘Are all sons of Greek success stories as frustratingly obstinate as you? I asked you very politely to get out of the way.’
He stood surveying her for what seemed like for ever, his brown eyes frosted and unreadable, a twitching muscle in his jaw his only movement. Finally, when she’d all but given up hope of ever getting into her vehicle and was contemplating hailing a cab instead, he suddenly moved to his left. It gave her enough room to pull the wide door open, but not enough to ensure she wouldn’t have to brush past him as she sat down in the driver’s seat. But it would have to do.
She stepped forward, hoping to get by as quickly as possible, steeling herself against the prickle of sensation that she knew would come with passing so close to him.
‘You haven’t even asked me why I’m here,’ he said, once she was safely in her seat.
‘You’ve had more than enough opportunity to tell me,’ she replied, turning the key in the ignition and gunning the engine for effect.
He hunkered down alongside her, ignoring her blatant desire to get out of there as quickly as possible, one elbow resting on the window, the other above her on the roof and his face perilously close to her own. Instead of feeling in a position of strength, suddenly sitting down in the car made her feel more vulnerable than ever. He dwarfed the sports coupé’s entry, his limbs spread wide like a spider about to encompass its prey.
‘So humour me for one more minute,’ he urged, his warm, masculine scent beckoning like a drug. She could almost feel herself being drawn further and further into his web. ‘Let me explain why I’m here.’
Her eyes looked longingly through the windscreen to the car park exit and the main road beyond, her hands grimly clawed on the leather-covered steering wheel. She was so close to escape, so close to getting away. But would one minute matter? Why not let him say what he wanted to? Then she could be out of here. Then she would be able to think straight again.