Page 37 of Burning Daylight

“You don’t like it? I can go back toPrincessif you want.”

She raises a brow. “I get to choose?”

“Always.”

Her face changes then, heaviness flickering in her eyes. “I’ve had a really shitty day, and when I saw you at the coffee shop…”

She trails off.

I take another step in, until we’re so close the air vibrates between us. I give into the urge, my hand dropping to the juncture between her neck and shoulder, my stomach flipping at the contact. “Youwhat?”

Her tongue peeks out, wetting her lips. “I realized that every time we’ve talked, I’ve been mean to you. Even when you didn’t deserve it.”

I skim my fingers across her flesh until they rest lightly at the base of her throat. “I can handle you.”

She sucks in a shaky breath, her eyes dropping to my mouth. “I don’t need to behandled.”

I slide my palm up until it’s wrapped around the dip beneath her jaw. “Doesn’t mean you wouldn’t like to be.”

Her breathing stutters, but then she snaps out of it and takes a step back. “You’re awfully bold for someone who won’t tell me his name.”

I grin and cross my arms. She’s flustered. Her chest is rising and falling rapidly, and a dusting of that perfect rose sweeps across her face. I bet if I pressed my fingers against her neck, I’d feel her pulse beating wildly.

Goddamn, she’s sexy.I need to get her out of here, or else I need to think about something entirelyun-sexy, like the Pythagorean Theorem or my eighty-year-old nurse from elementary school named Mrs. Tucker who hated me because I got the entire fifth grade to call her Mrs. Fucker instead.

Oh. Yep. There it is. Boner averted.

“I accept your apology,” I say, raking a hand through my hair. “Is that all?”

She shifts, biting her lower lip. “I thought maybe I’d take you up on your offer.”

My brows shoot up. “I’ve made several offers when it comes to you, so you’ll need to be more specific.”

“To draw me,” she clarifies, her hands wringing together.

I won’t lie and say I’m not interested in doing it. I originally offered that as a way to get under her skin because she’s cute when she’s feisty, but now that she’s put it on the table, I want it. Badly.

But maybe that’s exactly why I shouldn’t. I’m having a hard enough time keeping her out of my head as it is. No need to willingly make it worse.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I admit reluctantly.

She blanches and then looks down at the ground like she’s searching for her dignity, her toe rubbing a nervous half circle into the hardwood. “You’re right. That was a stupid thing. Of course you weren’t serious… I just thought it might be a good distraction, and Ineeda distraction right now.”

Funny. I thought the same thing about her.

And to be honest, I don’t like the way she suddenly looks so sad, like she’s desperate for someone toseeher and to make the bad go away. It tugs on that piece of me deep inside that I keep locked up tight, where I beg for the same thing.

“Lie down.”

Her head jerks up. “Excuse me?”

I smirk. “I’m not asking you to get naked, Princess. I just want you to be comfortable when you pose. So, lie down.”

She nods, her gaze flicking from the couch to the bed and then to me before doing it over again. She’s nervous, and I tamp down the smile that wants to break free.

“The couch is fine.”

“I prefer the other one, by the way, if you insist on calling me by a ridiculous nickname,” she says as she moves to the sofa and positions herself against the cushions.