“It suits my needs,” he said gruffly, annoyed that her judgment pricked under his skin.
He had very few needs. He’d learned early on that there was a lot he could live without. He’d had to. And he’d discovered he liked it simple. Everything was easiest that way.
“It’s boring.” She walked over to the counter and disdainfully flicked over a couple of pages of the newspaper.
“Maybe I’m boring.” And he didn’t give a damn what she thought of him.
Why was she so restless? Why wasn’t she looking at him? Why did he give a rat’s ass?
But to his surprise she laughed. A little, low, bitter laugh. “You could never be boring.”
She glanced over her shoulder, caught his gaze. Imprisoned it—him, in that sea of blue.
Heat washed over him, lighting a suspicion he couldn’t believe. Refused to.
But he couldn’t resist the urge to move closer. It was like she was the burning flame and he the very stupid, blinded moth.
He saw her touch her tongue lightly to her lips, like they were dry. He saw how her pupils dilated as he neared. Could be from fear, sure. But he knew it wasn’t. He knew that look. He felt it. The heat in his gut consumed him, driving him forward.
“What are you doing?” she asked as he breached her personal space. She spun round so her back was to the steel counter. She was facing him. Staring at him.
The princess had nowhere to run. Good.
“Look at me,” he said.
He needed to see that expression again. Confirmation.
“I am.” But she wasn’t looking at his eyes.
Fuck. Every muscle within him tightened. Rocco couldn’t believe it. Nor could he walk away. He leaned in.
“No, look here.” He pointed to his eyes.
She lifted her lashes, dragging her gaze from his abs all the way to his eyes. She lingered along the way, taking in his tight nipples, his shoulders, his throat, his jaw. Defiance shone from the sparkling blue. Defiance and something else. Something very particular.
“There’s no need to stand so close,” she whispered.
“No?” he mocked. She was both right and wrong. “You want me to step away?”
Her glance raked down his chest again. Damn if he didn’t want to suck in his abs and preen. And seeing that heat? That giveaway reaction? That blatant hunger?
Shocked, but reckless, he pushed. “Or do you want me to step closer still?”
This was so wrong but he ached to know. Ached to hear her say it. It was the only idea filling his head.
“I…” she swallowed, licked her lips again. “What do you mean?”
He leaned closer, not enough to touch, but so he could watch every tiny reaction in her eyes, could see the color bloom in her cheeks, could hear the hitch in her breathing. “You want me.”
“What?”
He’d laugh if he weren’t so strung out. She was all outraged indignation. But there was that breathlessness, that blush, those blue eyes ultra wide.
And this close he could see it—she was almost shaking.
Not fear. Everything but fear.
There was no going back now. This was everything he hadn’t wanted. And yet he did. He wanted her answer—her honest answer—more than he’d wanted anything in his life.
But then, he wanted Danielle Hughes herself more than he’d wanted anything in his life.
“You want me,” he repeated. “That’s why you’re weird about staying in my room. Because you’re hot for me.”
“That’s some ego you’ve got.” Her voice was a thin, cracked version of its usual volume.
Every sinful thought he’d been holding at bay surged into his head in the one second. All the things he’d do and say, the way he’d hold her, the way he imagined she’d feel…
Jeez. He was fucked. He pushed his palms into the counter either side of her waist. Fighting for control. For cool. He couldn’t let this happen.
Because Danielle Hughes was the absolute definition of forbidden.
“Maybe,” he muttered. “But I’m right.”
He knew it, right in his bones. Her blush was now a nice match for the scarlet cushion decorating the sofa. But her eyes held that hunger, that heat. They raked over him again as she stood silent, her chin tilted at that daring angle.
He tensed, barely holding back from smashing his mouth on hers. He craved it. He wanted to thrust inside her mouth, to taste, tease, torment the way she freaking tormented him just by being. He wanted to make her sigh. Make her speak.
Make her scream.
“Danielle?” For a moment he didn’t know what he was asking.
He blinked, pulled back, pretty sure his wants had been written all over his face. It didn’t help that he had a hard-on the size of Jupiter to go with it. And she’d snatched a quick glance at his pants a second ago. And yeah, even though they were a relaxed fit, there’d be no mistaking the bulge.
So he might as well go all out honest. He was that desperate to hear her say it.
“Would it help if I admit I’m hot for you too?” he said, throat scratchy.
She actually trembled. For a sliver of a second he saw the tremor run through her. Then she stilled—with effort.
“Why’s it so important that I admit it?” she asked, drawing her lower lip between her teeth and biting down.
He winced. He wanted to suck her lip between his to soothe it. “Because then it’s out there in the open and we can deal with it.”
Her mouth parted as she drew a sharp breath. The shadows in her eyes grew. Finally, she answered.
“How are we going to deal with it?”
Chapter Three
DANIELLE STARED UP at Rocco, unable to believe this was happening. She was in his home and she was backed up to the counter and he was almost pressed against her.
Heaven was almost here.
Had she fallen and hit her head and this was all some fantasy while she was unconscious? Maybe she was dreaming and the day hadn’t begun? Maybe the fight with Logan and finding out about her father’s interference with her bank cards was all an earlier nightmare and now the dream had morphed into her ultimate fantasy?
He was hot for her.
She bit down hard on her lip again to make sure she was awake—and heard Rocco’s sharp inhalation. And even though he wasn’t touching her—yet—she could feel his heat.
She could never have dreamed up something so good. This was too, incredibly, real.
“You have to admit it first,” he said, not moving from where he leaned too close. Towering. Trapping.
“Or what?” She stared up at him. She wasn’t giving herself away. Not yet.
“Are you daring me?” he asked softly.
His manner wasn’t menacing, but goosebumps peppered every inch of her skin. Another part of her, deep inside, melted.
“You want me to make you admit it?” he asked, looking like he wanted exactly that.
Ummm.
Dani squeezed her toes so she stayed standing. “How would you try to do that?”
His jaw became more angular, like he’d clenched his teeth. Slowly he lifted his hand from where it rested beside her.
She pressed against the steel counter at her back. Like that was going to help her? She swallowed, not taking her eyes from his, yet aware of him lowering his hand so damn slowly, bringing it nearer her.
There was only an inch between them—eyes, mouths, chests. So close to full body contact.
He placed his hand on her belly. She tensed. Through her thin wool sweater, she felt the pressure and warmth of him. His thumb stroked, a sweep towards her breast, just the once. Desire rippled through her. She tried to stop the trembling, but something raw was uncoiling deep down in her belly.
“Admit you want me.” He leaned in, his whisper tickled her lips. He was so, so close.
Oh she wanted. She’d wanted for a long, long time.
And really, what was there to lose when there was everything to gain? His kiss. His mouth on hers. That’s what she wanted. Well, for starters anyway. Her brain blanked as he pressed more powerfully on her belly, as if he sensed the hunger growing there.
“I… ” ...can’t think.
“Want me to touch you?”
She drew another shaky breath.
“Kiss you?”
Another stroke of his thumb.
Love you.
She closed her eyes. “Yes.”
“Yes,” he replied flatly.
Dani’s eyes flashed open in time to see him pull back.
“So now we know.” He straightened, dropped his hands and turned on his heel.
He was on the other side of the room before she could blink.
“You bastard.” Stunned she stepped forward.
Of all the rejections in the last two days, this was the worst. This was the one that sent her over the edge. “What—”
“You’re the baby sister of my best friends.” He turned back and interrupted with words that bit. “You’re staying here because it’s a safe place. I’m supposed to be safe for you.”
“Then what the hell was that all about?” she snapped at him. “Ego trip of the day for you?”
His head jerked up but he planted his hands on his hips. “Danielle—”
“Or was it some mean joke?” Hurt sliced into her now. He knew, didn’t he, about her stupid crush. That she’d been dreaming about him for the last five years. “You were lying to trick me, right? Humiliate me for your own sick amusement.”
And she was so, so hurt.
“Please.” He gestured roughly towards his groin. “My body can’t lie.”