His scowl and the dark stubble on his chin made him look dangerous. A man not to cross. He glared at her. “How long do you think you can avoid me? Or pretend that I haven’t kissed you. Twice.”
She lifted her chin. “I haven’t been avoiding you,” she lied. “There’s a lot of preparation involved in my being gone for several weeks. I’m sorry if you feel I haven’t been a suitable hostess.”
Blue lightning flashed from his eyes. “You can take your damned etiquette and shove it. You know what I’m talking about.”
“Wow. Someone woke up in a bad mood.”
“God help me, Winnie. You’d better back off. I’ve had three hours of sleep and you’re treading on thin ice.”
“Back off or what?”
She took a step in his direction. Was she actually trying to make him lose his temper? She knew what anger could do to a man. It turned normally rational human beings into animals. Could Larkin be like all the rest? Would he explode?
His entire body seemed to tremble with fury. Unfolding his arms, he closed the gap, thrusting his face close to hers. “You don’t want to mess with me this morning. I’m warning you.” His coffee-scented breath was warm on her face.
Fear mixed with an insatiable need to know. “Do your worst, big guy. I’m not afraid of you. Are you going to hit me?”
In an instant, his entire demeanor changed. His expression went blank, he backed off physically and a look of revulsion crossed his face. “Why in the hell would you ask me that?”
Now she felt ridiculous. And ashamed. As if she had hurt him somehow. “It’s a fair question. You were furious.” She didn’t know what he was now. The entire mood of the room had changed.
Larkin scrubbed his hands over his face and leaned backward to bang his head softly against the upper cabinets. “I may be certifiably insane by the time you leave Wolff Mountain.”
“What does that mean?” She was a calm, even-keeled kind of woman. No one had ever accused her of being temperamental. “If you weren’t going to hit me, then what was going to happen? I saw your face. You were at the end of your rope. Aggravation times a thousand.”
The flicker of a smile curved his lips. “Are you really that clueless about men? I’ve had a hard-on for the better part of twenty-four hours. You’ve been deliberately avoiding me as if I’ve somehow sullied your pristine reputation. It’s called sexual frustration, Winnie. And this is what I was going to do.”
He took her wrist and reeled her in, steadying her in the V of his legs while he took his time with her mouth. His agitation had apparently melted away, replaced instead with sheer male determination. Though he was gentle as falling snow, he overwhelmed her, surrounded her, mastered her. His coaxing kiss took the starch out of her knees and made her stomach quiver with helpless desire.
Standing became difficult, but Larkin held her shoulders in big hands, literally supporting her while he took what he wanted.
Suddenly, he pulled back, searching her face. “Put your arms around my neck, Winnie.”
The gruff command was one she was happy to answer. She nestled closer to his broad, hard chest, and when their hips pressed together, she felt the strength and size of his arousal. Her compliance tore something in his control. Now his kiss was ravenous, stealing her breath, nipping her soft lips, tongue thrusting and mating with hers.