Free Natural Born Trouble by Sherryl Woods Page B

suggested eventually.
    â€œChemistry’s a whole lot like fire,” she warned. “You shouldn’t play with it unless you know what you’re doing. In this case, way too many people could get burned.”
    â€œYou could be right,” he admitted. “But I’ve always been a man who liked living on the edge.”
    â€œIf it were only you and me involved, maybe it would be worth the risk,” she conceded.
    â€œIt would be worth the risk,” he retorted emphatically.
    Heaven protect her from the male ego, Dani thought. “You and I are not the only ones involved,” she reminded him impatiently. “That makes the situation intolerable for me. You’re a decent man. Everyone says so. You’re doing right by your sons under difficult circumstances.”
    â€œDon’t make me out to be a saint,” he protested.
    She grinned at his irritation. “Hardly that.” She deliberately reached up and touched his cheek, intent on keeping the gesture as casual as a handshake, as reassuring as a pat on the back. Unfortunately, even that simple contact sent a jolt of pure longing straight through her. She pulled her hand back and jammed it into her pocket, then started briskly down the hall, determined not to let him see how shaken she was.
    To her relief, he didn’t follow, but his softly spoken taunt did.
    â€œIt won’t work and you know it,” he called after her.
    She hesitated, but refused to look over her shoulder. “What?”
    â€œPretending that there’s nothing between us.”
    She turned then and met his gaze evenly. “There is nothing between us,” she said flatly.
    He shook his head, a smile on his lips. “Darlin’, if you believe that, then I’ve got a spread of land smack in the middle of a swamp I want to sell you. In fact, I can probably convince you it’s suitable for skyscrapers.”
    When she would have snapped out another retort, he held up his hand. “No, don’t say something you’ll just have to take back later. I’ve got time. There’s no rush when it comes to romance. In fact, all the experts say slower is better.”
    He managed to imbue the words with enough seductiveness to set off a stampede of erotic images.
    â€œWhat happened to friendship?” she asked, fighting the helpless feeling of being caught up in a whirlwind.
    He shrugged. “It’s a starting place.”
    â€œIt’s the beginning and the end,” she insisted. “Accept that or stop coming around.”
    He shook his head. “There’s that dare again, darlin’.”
    â€œIt’s not a blasted dare!” she shouted, then sighed. “Forget it. Obviously, you don’t have a clue what I’m all about. Unfortunately, I can read you all too clearly.”
    â€œCan you really?” he said doubtfully. He covered the distance between them in three long strides. He framed her face in his hands and settled his mouth over hers before she could blink, swallowing her protest.
    This time she did fight him. She planted her hands squarely in the middle of his chest and shoved. When that didn’t work, she stomped down hard on his foot.He stopped kissing her then, but he didn’t release her. He kept his gaze fastened on hers until she was the one who finally sighed and looked away.
    â€œI gather I made my point,” he said softly, his thumb caressing her cheek.
    â€œWhat point would that be?”
    â€œThat all the protests in the world won’t convince me that there’s nothing between us. The evidence says otherwise.”
    â€œBelieve what you want to. It doesn’t matter,” she said, forcing herself not to evade his gaze or to react to his touch. “All that matters is that I do not want to become involved with you. Period. End of story.”
    â€œI’m sure as an Adams you’re used to getting what you want in life,” Duke