Dangerous Love(18)

Her body felt like lead weight. Amazing how a head injury messed with your entire body. When she'd taken the tumble off the bar, thanks to a spilled beer, she'd been embarrassed as hell. A trip to the ER confirmed she had a mild concussion. After orders to take a week off work, see a concussion specialist, and given pain meds, she came home and cried into her pillow. She was spent. Emotionally and physically. Her life was a royal mess. Things needed to change. Her life needed a new, positive direction. She was so sick of being this fragile woman with only small glimpses of fight. She needed to take control of her life instead of allowing circumstances and others to pull and yank her along. That was the way her life had played out since she could remember. There hadn't been a time in her life that she wasn't tossed around by others, as if she was an expendable piece of furniture. Enough was enough. And enough of feeling sorry for herself.

A knock on the bedroom door interrupted her self-imposed sorrow.

"Come in," she rasped.

The door opened and the bane of her existence sauntered in. All six foot three inches of pure menacing masculinity.

"Hey," he said softly.

She didn't move. She couldn't. Her body severely ached.

"I heard you took a fall," he said, shoving his hands into his jeans pocket and leaning against the chest of drawers.

She still refused to answer. Ass.

"I came to check on you," he said, shuffling from foot to foot.

That sort of amused her. She would place money on that he rarely felt uncomfortable in any given situation.

He took a couple short steps toward her.

"How are you feeling?"

His scent of cigarettes mixed with soap and shampoo wafted her direction. She closed her eyes and inhaled the intoxicating combo.

When she opened her lids, he was next to her, kneeling on the floor. He gently brushed her matted hair off her face.

"Do you need anything?"

Tears filled her eyes. He seemed genuinely concerned over her, yet she couldn't get the image of him fucking another woman in a public hallway out of her mind.

"I saw you." Her voice soft and shaky.

His brows knitted together, and he tilted his head to the side.

"Last night,” she elaborated.

He blinked, confused. Then it clearly registered when he figured out what she was referring to. His face grew surprised, followed by a quick panic, replaced by a coolness she was positive he constantly wore. He slumped down onto the floor and ran a hand across the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry," he said simply.

"If you supposedly like me so much, why would you do that?"

"M," he raised a brow, "you threw me out of your place. We're not in a relationship. Yes, I want you, badly, but we're not a couple. If you had a guy in here last night there's absolutely nothing I could say or do about that. Though, that doesn't set well with me." He paused. "Ironic, huh?"

Damn it, he was right.

He reached up and ran a calloused finger down her cheek. "Tell you what, why don't we start this over again. I came on too strong and fast. I'm used to getting what I want, when I want it. I see, I take. You, I need to savor."

Their eyes locked. He held onto her gaze, and she felt that raw pull between them. She'd experienced it that first night he gave her that scorching kiss. Like an invisible flame that burned from him and she was the moth. Unable to help herself from wanting to get close.

There was absolutely nothing in his personality that said he was a man who attempted to woo a woman. This wasn’t a hearts and flowers man. She should appreciate his brutal honesty. But what could they possibly have in common? Obviously, he was unscrupulous beyond comprehension. That was written all over him as if he advertised it. She was entirely opposite. Could opposites truly attract or was she setting herself up to take a fall? Again.

"I'm tired," she said softly, unable to think. The process painfully ripped through her.

He kicked off his shoes, stood, and whipped off his belt, then crawled on the bed and slid in behind her. He pulled her body flush against his and spooned her. Burying his nose into her hair, he murmured, "Get some rest."

For the first time in what felt like forever, her body melted into a man's warmth. She felt protected and safe. Derk’s scent wrapped around her senses, relaxed her. His muscular arm securely circling her waist made her feel tiny and dainty. Even though she didn't want to need that feeling any longer, she couldn't help to relish it. How could she possibly consider a relationship with a man like him? She couldn't. Their days would be numbered. It was only a matter of time before he’d grow bored. There was only one thing to do, if he truly planned to seduce and court her−protect her heart.