Doctor's Delight(38)

Heat flared through him and he swore her curvaceous body was forever imprinted on his harder flesh. Her scent, her flavour, her softness, it seeped into him and fed his desire until it was so hot he could barely think, and he grabbed the hem of her blouse and started to tug it up.

When her hands gripped his wrists and her protests finally penetrated his haze of heat, he stopped, his hands unwilling to still but his mind taking control. Sluggishly, true, but taking control nevertheless.

Cherry’s eyes were dark with desire, but wariness warred there as well. “No.”

“No?”

“No.” Her hands on his trembled as she fought the desire that burned between them.

“Why?” Taking a deep breath, he lowered his forehead to rest against hers and gazed directly into her eyes. “You feel this passion between us, Cherry, why do you deny it?”

“I…” She licked her lips, so swollen from his kisses, so red from his mouth, and it made him want to taste her again. “I don’t believe…”

Shit. He closed his eyes. “You don’t believe I want you.”

“No. Yes. I mean, no, I don’t believe you want me.”

“Even with this boner I have?”

“That’s crude.”

“But true.”

He could feel her trembling against him and he cursed every twisted idea of beauty that taunted larger women every day, from every media article both in magazines and the television.

“Let me go.” Her voice shook.

Taking another deep breath – any more deep breaths and he was certainly going to start hyperventilating – Rick opened his eyes and lifted his head. Sliding his hand slowly up her back, he felt her tremble under his touch and it made him even more determined.

Placing his palms each side of her throat, he rubbed his thumbs against her cheeks. “You want the truth, Cherry?”

Silently she looked up and the pain in her eyes clawed at him. The stubborn chit was waiting for a nasty remark. She was in for a surprise.

Always one to believe in blunt honesty, Rick wasted no time. He spoke quietly, authority in his voice as he looked her directly in the eyes. “Do you remember that night when I said Tim knew just what I needed?”

She stiffened.

“Don’t.” He allowed the thread of steel to seep into his tone. “I said that because I love voluptuous women. Tim knows that. He knows I love a woman with curves, with softness. I love the rubenesque figure. It’s womanly. Sweet. Seductive. I thought he’d sent you to my room because he knows my preference. However, Cherry, you are more than that, more than a preference. I love your full body, your curves, your figure. But it’s you I find intriguing. Your fire, your stubbornness, your sweetness, your shyness, your nature. You. Does that say it all?”

Having bared his innermost thoughts, he waited.

Cherry licked her lips.

Jesus, she was going to be the death of him. Baring his innermost thoughts was one thing, but when she did things like that his male drive wanted to take over and throw her on the bed so he could pound into her and revel in that softness. Knowing that wasn’t what she wanted or needed right now, he kept his steely resolve.

Heaven surely had a place for him. He’d racked up enough points around her to last him at least the week.

“Cherry,” he prompted quietly.

She glanced away.

“Look at me,” he insisted. “You owe me that.”

Her gaze flashed up to his. “I owe you nothing.”

“Wrong. I told you exactly how I feel. You owe me the same.”

She was silent for so long that he thought she wasn’t going to answer, but suddenly she sighed and all the fight seemed to go out of her. “I can’t believe you. How do I know you aren’t playing me? How do I know this isn’t just some game for you to amuse yourself?”

A flicker of anger was squashed beneath the understanding of how much she’d been hurt in the past. “How do I prove myself to you?”

“I don’t know.”

It was his turn to sigh as he dropped his hands to her shoulders.

She looked up at him in resignation. “It’s all right, Rick. I’ll go and we’ll forget this ever happened.”

Every dominate male instinct he had sprang to life. “Like hell!”

The chit had the gall to blink in surprise.

“I shouldn’t have to prove myself to you, Cherry, just as you shouldn’t have to do the same to me.” Yeah, that took the wind right out of her sails, so he forged ahead. “But it looks like I’ll have to. Fine.”

Looking suddenly guilty, she began tentatively, “We can be friends.”

“Friends?” He couldn’t believe he was hearing this. “I don’t bloody think so. My interest in you as a friend only is just not happening. I want you in my bed, in my life, and being friends only is not going to cut it. If I had my way, we’d be in my bed and I’d be inside you right now.”