Sort of.”
“You think I’m going to kick you out into the street if it doesn’t work out? Is that it?”
Sure, let him think that. It was better than the truth. “Maybe.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
I know. “Like I said, I hardly know you.”
He stepped back and ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. Oh, how she’d love to do the same. Was it soft or coarse? Would it tickle her or feel luxurious?
And his lips. She’d dreamed of kissing those lips since the day she saw his photo. Now he was standing in front of her, wanting to date her, and she couldn’t say yes. It was better to dream than live in reality.
His face lit up. “If I can make it where you feel safe from eviction, would that help?”
He affected her brain. Or maybe her hearing. “What?”
He stepped in and placed his hands on the garage door, trapping her. Being this close caused her heart all sorts of commotion. And her brain? Gone. So was her headache. Her head was blissfully peaceful.
“How about I write up a contract leasing you the house for six months? I can’t evict you no matter what. Would you date me then?”
“Why? You hoping I’ll date you out of some kind of obligation, then?”
“I don’t want you to feel obliged. I just want a chance.” He leaned in closer. “I’ve never felt like this with anyone else before. I’ve never wanted to be with anyone like I want to be with you. Are you telling me you don’t feel anything?”
Oh, why couldn’t she have met him before? But if she gave in, it would only end badly. She blinked back the sting of tears.
“Bridget.” He lifted her chin. “What are you afraid of?”
Of falling in love and having her heart stomped on. Of seeing the repulsion in his eyes once he saw the real her. She ran her tongue over parched lips and stared at him.
He stroked her cheek and she closed her eyes, enjoying the stimulating sensations coursing through her body. Without the pain in her head, she should be able to think. But she couldn’t. Even breathing became a chore. The man sure knew how to mess with the elements.
His breath tickled her mouth. “May I kiss you?”
If she’d had any common sense, she would have said no and pushed him away. Instead, she must have nodded because his mouth covered hers. Soft and hesitant and oh so good.
* * * *
Her lips were softer than he’d imagined and he wanted to devour her, but he had to practice restraint. She was a flight risk. Still, his body ached with need and his cock sprang to life. He slid his hand behind her back, intending to pull her close.
“Bridget?” A woman’s voice came from behind.
He froze. Damn, he hadn’t heard anyone drive up, no less a car door close.
Bridget pulled away and muttered a curse. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
Mom? He straightened and turned to face an older version of the woman he’d been kissing.
“I came to take you curtain shopping.” She fixed her gaze on him and narrowed her eyes. “Who’s your…friend?”
Oh great, just what he needed. An angry mother would not give him any points to win Bridget’s favor. Time to put on the charm.
Bridget stood beside him. “This is Rob Gentry. Rob, this is my mother, Mona Quigley.”
He held out his hand. “How do you do Mrs.—”
“Is that any way for a landlord to treat their tenant?” Her glare rivaled that of a Star Trek phaser that wasn’t set to stun.
Holy shit! Mama Bear was out and ready to defend and he was her target.
“Mom! Stop it. You’re being rude.”
“Rude? He was molesting you.”
Now there was a strong word. He’d barely touched her.
Bridget clenched her fists. “I hardly think a kiss is molesting.” She held out a key to her mother. “Will you wait for me inside, please?”
Mona glanced between the two of them before taking the key and heading for the front door. Bridget waited until her mother was inside before she spoke.
“I’m sorry about her, but I can’t do this.” Her hand waved between
“You think I’m going to kick you out into the street if it doesn’t work out? Is that it?”
Sure, let him think that. It was better than the truth. “Maybe.”
“I wouldn’t do that.”
I know. “Like I said, I hardly know you.”
He stepped back and ran a hand through his thick, dark hair. Oh, how she’d love to do the same. Was it soft or coarse? Would it tickle her or feel luxurious?
And his lips. She’d dreamed of kissing those lips since the day she saw his photo. Now he was standing in front of her, wanting to date her, and she couldn’t say yes. It was better to dream than live in reality.
His face lit up. “If I can make it where you feel safe from eviction, would that help?”
He affected her brain. Or maybe her hearing. “What?”
He stepped in and placed his hands on the garage door, trapping her. Being this close caused her heart all sorts of commotion. And her brain? Gone. So was her headache. Her head was blissfully peaceful.
“How about I write up a contract leasing you the house for six months? I can’t evict you no matter what. Would you date me then?”
“Why? You hoping I’ll date you out of some kind of obligation, then?”
“I don’t want you to feel obliged. I just want a chance.” He leaned in closer. “I’ve never felt like this with anyone else before. I’ve never wanted to be with anyone like I want to be with you. Are you telling me you don’t feel anything?”
Oh, why couldn’t she have met him before? But if she gave in, it would only end badly. She blinked back the sting of tears.
“Bridget.” He lifted her chin. “What are you afraid of?”
Of falling in love and having her heart stomped on. Of seeing the repulsion in his eyes once he saw the real her. She ran her tongue over parched lips and stared at him.
He stroked her cheek and she closed her eyes, enjoying the stimulating sensations coursing through her body. Without the pain in her head, she should be able to think. But she couldn’t. Even breathing became a chore. The man sure knew how to mess with the elements.
His breath tickled her mouth. “May I kiss you?”
If she’d had any common sense, she would have said no and pushed him away. Instead, she must have nodded because his mouth covered hers. Soft and hesitant and oh so good.
* * * *
Her lips were softer than he’d imagined and he wanted to devour her, but he had to practice restraint. She was a flight risk. Still, his body ached with need and his cock sprang to life. He slid his hand behind her back, intending to pull her close.
“Bridget?” A woman’s voice came from behind.
He froze. Damn, he hadn’t heard anyone drive up, no less a car door close.
Bridget pulled away and muttered a curse. “Mom, what are you doing here?”
Mom? He straightened and turned to face an older version of the woman he’d been kissing.
“I came to take you curtain shopping.” She fixed her gaze on him and narrowed her eyes. “Who’s your…friend?”
Oh great, just what he needed. An angry mother would not give him any points to win Bridget’s favor. Time to put on the charm.
Bridget stood beside him. “This is Rob Gentry. Rob, this is my mother, Mona Quigley.”
He held out his hand. “How do you do Mrs.—”
“Is that any way for a landlord to treat their tenant?” Her glare rivaled that of a Star Trek phaser that wasn’t set to stun.
Holy shit! Mama Bear was out and ready to defend and he was her target.
“Mom! Stop it. You’re being rude.”
“Rude? He was molesting you.”
Now there was a strong word. He’d barely touched her.
Bridget clenched her fists. “I hardly think a kiss is molesting.” She held out a key to her mother. “Will you wait for me inside, please?”
Mona glanced between the two of them before taking the key and heading for the front door. Bridget waited until her mother was inside before she spoke.
“I’m sorry about her, but I can’t do this.” Her hand waved between
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