Free Body Heat (Vintage Category Romance) by Maddie James Page A

went on. “I don’t want to talk about it. I told you that.”
    “ Then why…?”
    He turned on her then. “Dammit, Blaire. Get off of it! You’re like a puppy nipping at my heels! I don’t want to talk about Vermont or anything connected with it. I don’t want to think about my past. It’s none of your goddamned business, so stay the hell out of it!”
    “ Fine!”
    “ Great!”
    “ It’s your life!” Retreat, Blaire. Get away from him. Remove yourself. Do you have to be so damned nosy? Where’s your P.I. bedside manner? Why do you goad him so?
    She rushed across the room, shutting him out of her head, and physically taking him out of her line of sight. Damned man! Makes me so angry! She spotted a book on a shelf and picked it up.
    “ Yeah, it is!”
    “ Good!” She plopped herself on the bed, crossed her feet at her ankles, and opened the book in front of her face . So, if he wants to be the beast, let him be the beast. I will not let him get to me. He can wallow in pain in this cabin for eternity, for all I care. So there, sucker.
    Be the goddamned beast!
    She nosed her face to the book.
    Darian stood across the room and watched her.
    For a long time.
    She could tell.
    She could sense his every movement and felt his stare. After a moment, her gaze still fixed to the pages in front of her, she heard the plank floor boards creak as he approached the bed. Her insides twittered.
    She turned a page. H er eyes followed the line of words.
    He sat on the edge of the bed. She turned another page.
    He leaned closer. She rolled to her side and propped the book squarely between them.
    “ Good book?”
    “ Fantastic,” Blaire blurted out.
    “ Excellent author, don’t you think?”
    “ Wonderful.”
    “ I must say that I prefer the author’s earlier fiction rather than her poetry. What do you think?” He leaned closer.
    “ I prefer the poetry.” Her nose buried deeper between the pages.
    “ Oh, but her early short stories about Ireland are quite a riot, don’t you think?”
    Blaire turned another page, ignoring him. “Actually I prefer the later works.”
    “ Such as?”
    She lowered the book and glared at him. “Such as why don’t you leave me the hell alone.”
    Darian jerked back. The bed creaked. “Sure I’ll let you get back to Phillips.”
    “ Phillips?”
    He towered over her . She moved the book back up to her face.
    “ Yeah,” he said. Taking the book from her, he closed it, and shoved the front cover in front of her face. “ Effective Speaking by Arthur Edward Phillips. A classic. Doesn’t hold a candle to the poetry though, does it?”
    Blaire jerked the book out of his hand. “Give me that.”
    He pulled it away.
    Blaire scrambled to her knees and grasped the book. When she did, he jerked again. She held on tighter, with two hands now, until he pulled her up off the bed. Blaire tugged back. He pulled once again. And then finally, her gaze locked with his, her teeth gritted, she took a deep breath and with all her strength jerked on the book once more.
    And Darian let go.
    Blaire sailed backward, her fanny landing on the bed. Darian followed, his body covering hers from head to toe, pinning her against the mattress.
    Immediate and intense heat poured over her body. Tension melted from her body and she became a puddle of mush as she looked up at him. She felt her lips go slack. A slow tingle started deep in her chest and traveled to every outer extremity she had as she connected her gaze with his.
    And his face softened too. That was what frightened her. His fingertips grazed the side of her cheeks.
    “ I’m sorry.”
    “ What?” Her heart tripped in her chest.
    Darian took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “For a minute ago. I’m sorry.”
    “ I was being nosy.”
    “ You have beautiful eyes,” he whispered.
    Blaire felt those eyes widen at the turn of events. His finger touched her nose.
    “ A cute pixie nose.”
    Her eyes closed as his finger trailed down her