Page 66 of A Shot at Love
He didn’t. In fact, his hands tightened around her arms as he stepped so close she had to tilt her chin up to see him clearly. Those gorgeous hooded eyes softened under his glare. He cocked his head to one side and took a breath so deep, she felt the air around her pull into him. When he let it out, it fanned, hot and moist, against her face. She felt her nipples tighten, her stomach muscles go slack, as he continued to stare at her.
Good Lord, the man made her want.
He opened his mouth to say something just as Bannerman called into the house, “You coming to help me or not?”
*
She’d done it because she was worried about him.
Ky couldn’t get that statement out of his mind.
Or, how she’d felt in his arms.
And let’s not forget the way she tasted.
She’d disobeyed him, risked her life, because she had his back.
Ky didn’t know whether to be mad, glad, or worried.
It was his job to protect her, not the other way around. He was responsible for her safety and well-being.
But Jesus, she’d purposefully put herself in potential danger by opening that bedroom door without any consideration for her own safety. She’d admitted she hadn’t known their intruder was Bannerman until she’d seen his face. Until that moment she’d been prepared to fight the threat with him.
Funny thing was, he knew she could. Gemma was more than capable with a firearm, as she’d proven to him, and equally as able with hand-to-hand maneuvers.
The second her words penetrated through him, all his anger flew, replaced by something overwhelming. He wouldn’t put a label on what he felt, it was crazy to, but something had changed between them. Something he was powerless to fight against and, truthfully, didn’t want to.
Her response when he’d taken her in his arms had been surprising. Not to mention mind blowing. She’d never given him one single indication she found him desirable, in fact, until she’d kissed him back, he thought she considered him barely tolerable. But that kiss hadn’t been one of tolerance. No, she was fully invested in it and if he wasn’t mistaken, she’d been as turned on as he had.
If the alarm hadn’t sounded he’d have tossed her over his shoulder and run into his bedroom, dropped her onto the narrow bed and climbed on top of her.
Then again, they might not have made it that far. The kitchen counter certainly looked sturdy enough for what he’d had in mind.
Her giggle pulled him out of his musings. She was standing in the kitchen, her arms leaning on that same counter he’d been thinking about, watching her friend eat the remaining pasta she’d cooked for dinner. Her eyes crinkled at the corners as she laughed.
“So when are you gonna marry me, Cleo?”
Ky’s senses went on hyper alert, his insides clenching.
“You are so easy.” Gemma rolled her eyes. “Give you a hot, home-cooked meal and you pledge your eternal devotion. That’s so lame.”
“I’m not easy, I’m smart. I know a good thing when I see it.”
“Easy.” She nodded and pointed her finger at him. “You don’t want someone you might have to—God forbid—share emotions and feelings with. You don’t want a wife, you just want someone around who’ll feed you and clean up after you. Get a maid.”
Bannerman laughed and shoved another forkful of pasta into his mouth. “You know me too well, Cleo.”
“And remember what they say about how familiarity breeds contempt,” she shot back, with a smirk.
Her eyes flicked to Ky and the smirk died.
“Why do you keep calling her Cleo?”
Ky regarded their visitor through assessing eyes. Roughly the same height as he, Bannerman’s shoulders were doorway-wide, his arms and torso looking like they were a frequent occupant of a gym. Ky could still feel the force of the man’s elbows against his ribs. It was surprising none were cracked.
Military-cut dark hair framed a wide forehead. His eyes were equally as dark, their expression guarded and closed as he looked across the room at Ky.
“It’s because of the way I wear my hair,” Gemma said for him.
It took him a moment. When the meaning burst through, he nodded. “Cleopatra.”
“He started calling me that one day at the shooting range. It stuck.”
