Free Love Gone Wild: A Contemporary Romantic Comedy by Michele Bardsley Page B

to write shit down."
    "Tuesday." Dane's voice held a warning.
    The boy rolled his eyes. "Stuff, okay? I'm ready to write stuff down."
    Marissa's gaze strayed to Dane. She saw the hunger in his eyes before he blanked his expression. Tension radiated from him even though his stance was a casual one; his strength and his heat seemed to envelop her. The sensation was so weird she shivered.
    "You look fine."
    Tuesday punched him lightly. "C'mon, man. You can do better than that. You're gonna ruin the woman's self-esteem."
    "Can you excuse us a moment, Tuesday?" asked Marissa.
    "Yeah, sure."
    She waited for Tuesday to go into the living room then she folded her arms across her chest and looked at Dane. "You've been very moody. Do you want to talk about what's wrong?"
    "No."
    "Okay." She looped the small red purse hanging from her arm over her shoulder and started to slip past Dane. His hand shot out and encircled her wrist. She stopped and glanced at him.
    "You're not going to nag me?"
    The slight pressure of his fingers sent tingles up her arms.
    "No."
    He pulled her closer. "You're not going to insist I share my feelings with you?"
    "No."
    He pulled her closer still. Her hip grazed his thigh; her breasts brushed against his chest. "Not going to pout because I won't tell you what's on my mind?"
    "No, Dane."
    He let go of her captured hand, but she couldn't move away from him. She felt connected—no, not connected, but irrevocably drawn, like one of those hapless female victims in the old black-and-white movies who always fell under the vampire's gaze. Would Dane devour her, too?
    As if he'd heard her thoughts, he lowered his head toward her. She resisted the urge to show him her neck so he could nibble it.
    "You are unlike any woman I've ever met." He brushed a loose curl away from her temple. "You look gorgeous."
     He kissed the spot above her right eyebrow, then stepped back and gestured for her to go past him. She felt as though she'd just run a marathon: Her heart pounded, her breath quickened, her limbs shook. But she managed to escape the hallway...and Dane.
----
    " I UNDERSTAND THAT some men take women out for dinner before they make love." Marissa gestured with her breadstick. "But, really, you don't have to do that. I'm not interested in the mating ritual. No offense. You really are quite charming, but I don't want to develop a relationship with you. It seems pointless to spend money on dinner when I've already agreed to sleep with you." Marissa watched Brent choke on the wine he just drank. "Oh, my. Are you all right?"
    He nodded, his face turning an alarming shade of red as he attempted to regain his breath. Marissa put down her breadstick and offered him her untouched water glass. He accepted it and sipped the water.
    "Did I upset you?"
    Brent took a deep breath. "I wasn't prepared for you to say what you said. It took me by surprise."
    "Dane says I've an annoying tendency to be too honest."
    "That's about the twentieth time you've mentioned Dane in last hour."
    "I'm sorry. How rude of me to keep bringing him into the conversation." She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "I can't promise that I won't mention Dane again. I've been unable to stop thinking about him." She leaned forward. "I'm not experienced, but I am willing to learn. Have you read the Kama Sutra?"
    "Why do you want to sleep with me?"
    "You're handsome and strong and confident. I presume you'd be a good lover."
    "That's very flattering, Marissa." He took a gulp of water. "But I wasn't planning on going to bed with you."
    Relief snaked through her and she relaxed. How surprising! She wasn't the least disappointed by Brent's rejection. Marissa looked down at her salad. She was acting so silly. Was sex all that important? Since meeting Dane, she'd begun to doubt her desire to experience the mere physical act. It made more sense for making love to be the culmination of an emotional relationship rather than one night of incredible passion.
    "I