“I…I don't…” I stammer, feeling heat crawl up the back of my neck.
“You. Were. Watching us,” he accuses me, narrowing his eyes.
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I just…I was down at the river…how did you…?”
“I heard a twig snap and saw you running away like a drunken ostrich.”
“Did Dana—?”
“No, and I didn't tell her.”
“Thank god.”
“So? What did you think?” He smirks.
“Oh, I'm so sorry, again. I'm so embarrassed,” I rush on. It strikes me that this is the longest conversation I've ever had with my new stepbrother. And it's about how I'm a pervert. Fantastic.
“Why were you watching us?” he asks, stepping forward into my room. I take another step away from him.
“Um, I…I don't know. It just sort of happened. I didn't mean to.”
“Liar,” he comments lightly.
“Asshole.” It slips out before I can stop myself.
He tilts his head slightly. “Prude,” he levels at me. I look down. Maybe I am a prude, but I don't want to be. “What's that?” he asks. When I look back up at him, I see him gazing past me, to my book on the bed.
“Nothing, just a book,” I say, but he's breezing past me toward it. I hurry after him but he reaches the bed before me and picks up the book. “See?” I say defiantly.
“I know what Lady Chatterley's Lover is about,” he says, looking at me with a smug grin. Shit. “Maybe not such a prude after all,” he adds, running his eyes up and down my body. I swallow hard. “You know what I think?” he asks, stepping toward me. I step away again, feeling one of the posts of my bed against my back. “I think you want me. I think you can barely contain yourself.”
“That's mighty arrogant of you,” I comment. I begin to tug the ends of my hair nervously.
“Why are you doing that?” He asks, frowning.
“It's just a nervous habit,” I say with a shrug, and drop my hand.
“So I make you nervous?”
“No,” I reply quickly. “Just you being in here…”
“I'm only arrogant if I'm wrong.”
“Wrong about what?” I feel the urge to pull my hair again but don't want to give him the satisfaction.
“Wrong about you wanting me. Let's give it a test—” he narrows his eyebrows, studying me. “I'm going to kiss you now, and all you have to do is tell me to stop.”
“What? That's crazy. Not to mention you just fucked Dana, and now you expect me to kiss you?” I protest, but he steps toward me. I try to pull backward but I'm already pressed against my bedpost. Desire unfurls deep in my stomach as his eyes lock onto mine.
“If it's crazy, just tell me to stop,” he whispers teasingly, and moves closer. His musky scent fills my nose and my mind begins to swim. I feel wetness trickling down my thigh as he curls his arms around me, grasping the bedpost with both hands behind my lower back. He's so close to me. I can feel heat radiating off him. His legs and chest sink against me and he moves his lips toward mine. Just a few inches between Nate Thornhill's mouth and mine. Now an inch. Now two centimeters…I can feel his warm breath against my partially open lips…
“Stop.” I whisper.
He freezes but doesn't pull away, as though he can't believe what he's just heard. Though truthfully, I'm marveling at my own restraint. I can feel his erection against my thigh—I know he wants me, too. Now I can beat him at his own game. I lean forward slightly, allowing my lips to brush against his as I speak, “Unless you don't want to.”
His eyes, which were focused on my lips, flick back up to meet mine. I force myself to stay steady even as I'm consumed by the lust in his gaze. He stares at me for a moment, then pushes off the bedpost and steps back. He opens his mouth, about to say something, but nothing comes out. I remain pressed against the bedpost as he turns and moves toward the door. Without looking back, he shuts it behind him.
I stumble forward and take a deep breath. It's like he takes all the air out of the room and I can't breathe when he's around.
I can't believe I just rejected him. I'm stunned, but I also feel like giving myself a standing ovation. I just resisted the advances of Nate Thornhill, my fantasy of almost three years. I should win a willpower award. I knew that if I’d let him kiss me, I would forever lose any kind of power in our relationship. I'd be just be another pathetic girl who fell for his charms.
Of course, the downside is that I'm more turned on than I've ever been in my life, and I'm alone with a book again. I sigh and crawl back onto my bed. I have a feeling that whatever is happening between me and my stepbrother, I haven't seen the end of it yet.