Read Online A Numbers Game by Tracy Solheim - Free Book Online

optimistic that they were making headway to recapturing what they’d lost.
     • • • 
    “I have a confession to make,” Merrit said as they walked from his car to her condo later that evening. Heath squeezed her hand where his fingers were threaded through hers.
    “You didn’t want to go to a bar because you couldn’t wait to get me home so you could have your wild way with me,” he said.
    She felt her skin flush and was thankful for the darkness so he couldn’t see how close he was to the truth. He’d suggested they grab a drink in one of the bars on Market Street in downtown Annapolis, but she’d declined, saying she worried the noise might be too much for his head. It had been a partial truth.
    Sexual tension had been simmering between them all evening and Heath was right, she couldn’t wait to get home to pick up where they’d left off earlier. Her rational self was still sending up yellow flares of caution, but at the same time, she felt the anger and bitterness that had weighed her down for the past ten years fading away. And it felt good to finally be free of it.
    “About the crabs,” she said, dodging his statement. “I didn’t really need your help before. I already knew how to pick crabs.”
    He stopped in his tracks, pulling her to a halt beside him. The porch light illuminated his cocky grin as he wrapped his fingers around her ponytail and gently tilted her head back.
    “And why would you do that, Merrit Callahan? If you wanted me to sit next to you, all you had to do was ask,” he whispered against her temple. Her knees went weak as his other hand cupped her bottom, pressing her against his already semi-aroused body.
    “I don’t know. Maybe I wanted to let you feel superior,” she teased. “To let you be in charge.”
    His nostrils flared at the double entendre, his ragged breath fanning her cheeks as his lips hovered above hers. “Invite me inside, Merrit.”
    It was the same command he’d issued last night, except this time she didn’t feel any of the trepidation and anger she had then. Just desire
.
Desire to feel the things that only Heath could make her feel.
    The key turned the lock on her first try and Heath followed her into the darkened condo. She switched on one of the lamps and when she turned, he gathered her up in his arms. Stretching up on her toes, she nuzzled his neck, breathing in his woodsy scent.
    “I need to tell you something first, Merrit.”
    She buried her face into his shoulder and groaned. “No! Talking involves thinking. And remembering. And I’m feeling pretty good without any of that tonight,” she mumbled into his shoulder. “I don’t think we should ruin it.”
    Heath pushed her away from him, holding her at arm’s length, his fingers caressing her shoulders. “That isn’t good enough for me, Merrit. I want more than just tonight and I’m pretty sure you do too. We need to get this right.”
    Her heart seized up in her chest. Last night’s interlude aside, confrontation was not easy for her. But being with Heath again had given her back some hope: Hope that she perhaps she was desirable and loveable after all. Hope that she could have the future she’d always dreamed of. All she had to do was work around the sticky issue of trust.
    Swallowing around the boulder in her throat, she bobbed her chin, because she wanted more than just tonight, too.
    “It was never a game to me, Merrit,” he said as his fingers dragged the strap of her dress back up to her shoulder, the caress of his fingers warming her skin. “
You
were never a game to me. I was twenty-two and stupid. Yeah, I was following some prescribed list of how to score with a girl, but it was only because I didn’t want to mess up. What we had was precious to me,” he whispered. “It still is.”
    His heated gaze and determined voice spread heat straight to her core. Heath was right; the words had to be said. And Merrit didn’t care about the game anymore. She was convinced that