He was out of his chair and leaping after her in seconds. Catching her arm, he swung her around. Transferring his grasp to her shoulders, he pulled her against him and looked fiercely down at her. “What, exactly, do you mean by that?”
“I’m leaving.”
“No. That crack about men like me don’t go out with girls like you. What’s that about?”
“Come on, Rick, stop with the innocent routine.” Her eyes flashed fire, colour mounting in her cheeks. “All right, let’s be blunt about this—”
“Oh, please do.”
“Fine. You have women panting after you, I’m just a friend to men.”
“That last part doesn’t even make sense. What are you on about?”
“I’m fat. There, you got me to say it. Happy?”
A small spark of anger flared. “Now who’s acting like she’s five years old?”
“It’s true.”
“And on what grounds do you make such a stupid statement?”
“Experience.”
“You mean those idiot teenagers in the park calling you names? I thought you had better sense than that.” He added as an after-thought, “Though I’d have kicked their arses for them right then and there if I’d been present.”
“Experience in that I’ve stood by and watched men take out the slim, pretty girls on dates. I got the laugh, the shoulder slap, the ‘See you later, Cherry. You’re such a pal.’ Not one man was interested in me when I stood next to a more, shall we say, yummier version of the female variety.”
Rick couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing.
That only made her angrier. Humiliated, she shoved him hard. “Laugh it up, you dick! You men are all alike!”
“Wrong.” He chortled. “We’re not all alike. Hell, Cherry, you can’t just say what you did and think I’d not find it funny.”
“You think it’s funny no man was interested in me?” She tried to pull from his grasp but he refused to release her.
“No, I think your ‘yummier version of the female variety’ is funny.” Seeing the humiliation still making her cheeks red, he sobered. “You’re not kidding. You really believe that shit?”
“What, you don’t?”
“No.”
“Come on, Rick. When faced with two women, one fat and the other slim, you’d take the slim woman.”
“To argue this, I could say something that’ll get my face slapped.”
“Don’t stop now. You’ve got a whole lot of slaps coming your way.”
“That’s not very encouraging.”
“But truthful.”
“Then let’s go for it. I’d choose you.”
“The fat one?” Her tone was filled with derision.
“The one who caught my attention.” He gave her a little shake. “You stubborn little chit. I’m not interested in other women, regardless of their shape. I’m interested in you, regardless of your shape.”
“Pfft.”
He sighed. “What’ll it take to convince you?”
“Nothing you can say.”
Gazing down at her, he arched one brow. “Really?”
She lifted her chin.
A slow smile curved his mouth.
Her eyes narrowed.
She was so warm against him. Every breath she took he felt, that magnificent bosom pressing against his chest, and her faint, sweet scent stole through him. Heat flickered inside him, starting low in his loins and spreading out in rapid warmth.
Rick lowered his head towards her. “So nothing I say will convince you?”
Her eyes widened.
Sliding one hand from her shoulder to lie across her lower back, he cupped his other hand around her nape. “Maybe you trust actions more than words, my sweet little Cherry.”
“Oh no.” She started to back away, only to stop when his muscles locked and she found herself unable to move without struggling. “Rick, don’t you do this. Don’t you—”
He caught her mouth, muffling her words, and proceeded to kiss her. Deeply. Hotly.
Christ, she was so soft. So soft and warm and sweet. Her lips were soft, her skin soft, her hair tickling his hand soft. Her curves were soft. She was just so damned soft he wanted to sink into her and never again come up for air.
Her struggle was brief, her surrender fast. Her lips opened to his marauding mouth, and she moaned when he swept inside to taste her. The flavour of hot honey, decadent and sweet all at once, she burst upon his tongue and he wanted so much more.
His shaft thickened, hardened, pressing demandingly against the soft swell of her stomach, and he couldn’t stop his hand from sliding down from her waist to cup one generous buttock, his fingers spreading to flex and squeeze the globe.