Page 8 of Keep Me Safe
“We can’t,” I said, despising how breathless I sounded, or that he might have picked up on the longing I struggled to bury.
He was a cocky, arrogant piece of work, a God’s-gift-to-women type. He was sure to be selfish and controlling too. At least, that was my experience with a man like him, a man in power. And beneath it all,thatwas what I most disliked about Shawn. His personality was like Paul’s.
Only on steroids.
My hands rested in my lap, but they tensed when I replayed the moment my ex-husband had appeared in my office. He was only an elevator ride away, but Shawn, on the other side of town, had beaten him to check on me.
Only because Shawn wants something from you.
Paul didn’t come running because I wasn’t capable of giving him what he wanted. Maybe it had been petty to make him jealous, but I didn’t care.
“Lunch,” I reminded. “There’s a drive-thru a few blocks over.”
Shawn laughed. “How totally American.”
“Didn’t you grow up here? Aren’t you American?”
“I have dual citizenship because my father was American,” he said. “Ich bin Deutsch.” Then he said something else in German, a long sentence that sounded threatening.
“Did you just order my death?”
“What? No.”
“Sorry. German always sounds angry to me.”
He didn’t look offended. More German rolled from his lips and the warm desire in his eyes left little doubt that what he’d said was sexual in meaning. I treated him to a blank stare. And for the first time, I saw it. A momentary weakness in his armor. Words were weapons of seduction to him, and I’d just disarmed what I assumed was his biggest gun.
“I said that I happen to prefer American women, like the utterly gorgeous one sitting beside me.”
I ripped my gaze away from him. It was just a line. So why, deep down, was I somewhat flattered? There was no way around it—he was undeniably attractive. But there was no way I’d give him the satisfaction or power of admitting it.
The sound of my laptop bag thudding to the floorboard broke my train of thought. He’d pushed it out of his way.
“I’m sure it’s fine,” he said when noticing my concern. “If not, I’ll buy you a new one.” He was right beside me, his leg resting against mine. I told myself to scoot away, but there was nowhere to go, no escape.
“It’s not mine.”
“Fine. I’ll buy your company a new one.” The weight of his body on the seat forced me to lean into him, and the heat inside me rose again, this time to a dangerous level. He was far too close. His rich, dark-brown eyes promised me nothing but sinful things, and I couldn’t look away. No matter how much I wanted to.
DidI want to?
His large hand cupped my face, his fingertips brushing over my rain dampened cheek. The touch sent a jolt of electricity down through my body, and I shivered.
“I’m cold,” I said, to explain my reaction.
He didn’t say anything. All he did was bring his mouth to mine and set me on fire.
Just the slightest brush of his soft lips against mine caused my heart to trip and tumble through my body. If I didn’t stop him, if I let him do it again, I knew I’d be doomed and give in to him completely.
“Don’t,” I gasped, turning away from the kiss.
His expression was a mixture of amusement and desire. “You keep refusing me, and I’m going to get my feelings hurt.”
“That’s your fault. I already told you that we can’t. Was I unclear?”
My mind was set, but my body hummed with desire, and I struggled to hold it at bay. I would continue to convince myself I had no interest in him, even as his touch made me melt into the seat beside him. He was much too arrogant.
“The only thing you’ve made clear is that you don’t want... to want me.”
