Page 14 of Hideaway Heart

“Yes.”

“Does it smell good?” She sort of swung the bowl past my face, so the aroma of tomatoes and garlic and basil wafted toward me.

“Yes.”

“It tastes good too,” she said, almost flirtatiously. “I bet you haven’t eaten in a while.”

I was starting to sweat. Were we still talking about food? “What do you want me to say, Kelly? Please?”

“Hmm. Please is nice, but I was thinking maybe you could beg.”

“Beg? Like, on my knees?”

“Oh, good idea.” Smiling, she brandished the pasta again. “You want this, you get on your knees and beg.”

She had a huge grin on her face, and yet I couldn’t tell if she was joking. “I’m not getting on my knees for spaghetti, Kelly. Is this some kind of game?”

“What, you don’t like being told that you can’t have what you want unless you do it on someone else’s terms?” Her eyes pinned mine, driving home her point.

I opened my mouth to argue, then snapped it shut. Focused on my screen again. “Forget it. I’m not hungry.”

She stood there for another moment, saying nothing. Then she bent down, put the bowl at my feet again, and went into the house.

I thought about not eating it to make a point, but after precisely five seconds, I picked it up and scarfed down every single bite.

It was delicious.

I decided I would have begged.

FOUR

kelly

I couldn’t believeI’d said that.

Beg on his knees?

What waswrongwith me?

I made a beeline for the kitchen counter and picked up my glass of wine. Took a huge gulp.

Within seconds, I heard his fork clanking on the bowl out on the porch. It made me smile. Guess he was hungry after all.

Why did men have to be so stubborn? Did he really prefer eating alone on the porch with his food on his lap to sitting in here at the counter with me? Or had he rejected my offer for spite?

It was only because he’d given me so much attitude that I’d snapped. I wasn’t even a temperamental person by nature. Passionate, sure. Feisty? Sometimes. Tenacious? Always. Despite the fact that I was scared to stand up to my label, I wouldn’t have gotten this far withoutsomespunk. But when you had to keep saying yes when you wanted to say no, swallow your opinions, and hold back your real feelings much of the time, they got all bottled up. The pressure built.

Just now, it had exploded.

But darn it, Xander didn’t belong here! I’d wanted to be by myself. He’d let himself into my vacation home like he had the right. He’d announced he was staying like I had no choice in the matter.

He’d seen me naked.

I shivered on the stool, recalling the shock and humiliation of running into him in the living room wearing nothing but my birthday suit. I’d hightailed it back into the bathroom as fast as possible, but there was no doubt he’d gotten a good look.

I wonder how he’d react if I suggested he get naked and let me look at him just to even things out. Then I smiled, figuring he’d probably do it. I’d only known Xander Buckley for a couple hours, but something told me modesty was not his thing.

Still, as I finished my glass of wine, my conscience continued to nag me. I’d been rude, and that wasn’t my style. It wasn’t how Mama had raised me.You don’t need money to have class, she always said. (Although now that we had money, she admitted having both was more fun.)