Learning Curves(9)

“Really?” Shit. Why did that bother him so much?

“Yeah.”

The turmoil behind that one word haunted him. His anger rose sure and swift, and brought out his protective side. “He hurt you, didn’t he?”

She stiffened and wrapped her arms around herself, a defensive move. Okay, so he’d clearly hit a sore spot. Did she still love the guy? He sure as fuck hoped not. For the last year it damn near killed him seeing her with him. He wanted nothing more than to drag her away and show her how a real woman should be treated. But he wasn’t an asshole who horned in on another man’s girl, no matter how much of a douchebag the guy was.

“Linc, about this weekend.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was either stalling, or choosing her words carefully. “I know this is about sex, and I’m afraid…”

“Afraid what?”

“I’m afraid that you’re going to be disappointed.” She waved her hand over her body. “Look at me. I’m not the kind of girl you normally go out with.”

No, she wasn’t, but there was more going on here. She wasn’t telling him something, and his gut said it had to do with that asshole Matthew. He cupped her chin and tipped it until their gazes met.

“What did he do to you?” he asked directly, fighting back his anger. If that guy had so much as touched a hair on her head the wrong way, he’d kill him.

She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her. “Nothing…he didn’t do anything.”

“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me.” He could be patient, when he wanted to be.

“Look, it’s nothing. He just said I was…boring.”

“Boring how?”

“In the…”

“Answer me.”

“In the bedroom,” she blurted out. Her cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink.

His heart jumped. Fuck. He should leave right now and go punch the bastard in the throat. But he wouldn’t, because she needed him here with her, and that was more important.

“He said I couldn’t please him,” she mumbled under her breath.

He cupped her elbow and pulled her to him as the tumblers began falling into place. Before they went any further, he needed to set her straight. No fucking way would she be boring in the bedroom. He’d known from the first time that he met her. Sensed that she was so much more than she appeared. Obviously Matthew had no idea what a woman like Lauren needed. But he sure as hell did. Go ahead, call him cocky. An arrogant son of a bitch. But one simple fact remained. He had what it took to make her moan—no, scream his name. His name.

“And could he please you?”

Her head jerked back. “What?”

“Sex is a two-way street, Lauren.”

A long moment of silence then, “No, he couldn’t. But that’s my fault because I can’t…” Her words fell off, and she lowered her eyes again, a pink stain of embarrassment all over her face.

“Orgasm?” he said, finishing her sentence.

A noise crawled out of her throat, and she covered her flushed face with her hands. “I don’t know why I’m telling you any of this.”

Something inside him softened. She was embarrassed, afraid to put herself out there again, worried the experience would be disappointing for them both, and he’d humiliate her for it. Yeah, he really was going to punch that douche the next time they crossed paths.

“I do,” he whispered, cupping the back of her head and brushing his thumb along her nape.

She blinked up at him. “You do?”

“Yeah, and I’m sorry for being such a jerk. I never should have forced you into this. It’s just that I want you, Lauren. I want you so fucking much. You’re all I can seem to think about.”

“You do?” She blinked dark lashes over even darker eyes, bewilderment all over her face. “I am?”

Christ, did she not know how gorgeous she was?

Need whipped through him, his cock in agony as it pressed hard against his zipper. “Yeah. I close my eyes at night, and all I can see is you.” He paused and looked at her clothes, his gaze a slow, leisurely caress of her body. “You, dressed like this.” As much as he wanted to strip her naked and fuck her here and now, this changed everything. He briefly pinched his eyes shut and glanced upward. “You drive me crazy, in a good way, but I’m sure you never would have come home with me if I’d simply asked. You snarl whenever I come into a room.”

She whacked him, and he felt it all the way to his cock. “I do not snarl.”

His eyebrow cocked upward because she wasn’t being honest.

“More like a sneer.” She smiled. “And, well, maybe I misjudged you.”