drop by to speak to the Chief, I’d grab a cup to take back with me.”
Esther picked up a spoon, fished her teabag out of her mug and dumped it in the garbage, all the while feeling Ryan’s gaze upon her.
“I thought you were off today?”
“I was.” She reached for her mug. “Got called in because Angie had to go home sick and they couldn’t get anyone else.” And she was babbling. It was time to shut up and go back to work.
Ryan stayed her hand before she could touch her mug. He laid his own cup on the counter. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she snapped. He raised one eyebrow in question and she sighed. “Really. I didn’t sleep well and I wasn’t expecting to have to work today.” She offered him a weak smile and reached for her mug again. She really needed to put some space between her and Ryan. Work beckoned like a lifeline.
Ryan raised his hand and cupped the side of her face, freezing her in place. “Bad dreams?”
Esther felt all the blood drain from her face. How could he know? She stared up at him, lost for words. He was watching her expectantly, almost as if he wanted her to tell him about her dreams. But he couldn’t possibly know about them. No one did.
Common sense finally kicked in. He was just making conversation. He couldn’t know about her dreams. And thank God for that. It was nothing more than a polite question. “I’m fine.” For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to lie and say that she hadn’t had any dreams.
“I have dreams.” His voice, low and intimate, sounded so much like the one he’d used in her dream that her core began to throb.
Ohmigod. This wouldn’t do. This wouldn’t do at all. She could not stand here and talk to him any longer. Her panties were damp. It was humiliating, the effect he had on her without even trying. The only consolation was that there was no way he could know what she was feeling.
“Don’t you want to know what my dreams are about?”
“No.” She kept her voice crisp and firm as she grabbed the handle of her mug, sloshing some of the brew over the sides.
Ryan shifted behind her, placing his hands on the countertop. His heat surrounded her, enveloped her. She wanted to lean back into his arms and feel his chest against her back. Even though he wasn’t touching her, she knew he was aroused. How she knew this, she didn’t know. Maybe it was the tension emanating from his body. Or maybe it was the heat rolling off his skin. It didn’t really matter. All she knew was he wanted her.
Her own body was jumping. Her nipples tightened, her breasts felt full and heavy. It took all her willpower not to let her head fall forward. She could almost feel the brush of his lips against her nape just as she had in her dream. Her sex clenched hard with need, sending a fresh trickle of cream to coat her panties.
“Esther.” His voice was ragged with need.
She shook her head, refusing to answer him.
“I dream about you. About us.” Not one part of their bodies was touching, but Esther felt as though her flesh was on fire.
“I don’t want to know.” It was cowardly, but she released her hold on her mug and placed her hands over her ears.
His fingers wrapped around her wrists, tugging her hands away. “You have to listen, Esther. We need to talk.” She could hear the urgency in his voice and it frightened her.
She knew Ryan would never hurt her, not physically. But she knew in her soul that he could shatter the fragile barrier around her heart and lay her bare. She couldn’t allow that to happen.
Her family history was riddled with relationships that ended tragically due to fire. Her mother had given her heart to her father, her ancestor had given her heart to James, and what had that gotten either of them?
Pain and heartache.
Marshalling her defenses, she turned and faced him. His large body loomed over hers, almost protectively, as though he wanted to make sure that no one or nothing ever hurt her. That was ironic since
Esther picked up a spoon, fished her teabag out of her mug and dumped it in the garbage, all the while feeling Ryan’s gaze upon her.
“I thought you were off today?”
“I was.” She reached for her mug. “Got called in because Angie had to go home sick and they couldn’t get anyone else.” And she was babbling. It was time to shut up and go back to work.
Ryan stayed her hand before she could touch her mug. He laid his own cup on the counter. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she snapped. He raised one eyebrow in question and she sighed. “Really. I didn’t sleep well and I wasn’t expecting to have to work today.” She offered him a weak smile and reached for her mug again. She really needed to put some space between her and Ryan. Work beckoned like a lifeline.
Ryan raised his hand and cupped the side of her face, freezing her in place. “Bad dreams?”
Esther felt all the blood drain from her face. How could he know? She stared up at him, lost for words. He was watching her expectantly, almost as if he wanted her to tell him about her dreams. But he couldn’t possibly know about them. No one did.
Common sense finally kicked in. He was just making conversation. He couldn’t know about her dreams. And thank God for that. It was nothing more than a polite question. “I’m fine.” For some reason she couldn’t bring herself to lie and say that she hadn’t had any dreams.
“I have dreams.” His voice, low and intimate, sounded so much like the one he’d used in her dream that her core began to throb.
Ohmigod. This wouldn’t do. This wouldn’t do at all. She could not stand here and talk to him any longer. Her panties were damp. It was humiliating, the effect he had on her without even trying. The only consolation was that there was no way he could know what she was feeling.
“Don’t you want to know what my dreams are about?”
“No.” She kept her voice crisp and firm as she grabbed the handle of her mug, sloshing some of the brew over the sides.
Ryan shifted behind her, placing his hands on the countertop. His heat surrounded her, enveloped her. She wanted to lean back into his arms and feel his chest against her back. Even though he wasn’t touching her, she knew he was aroused. How she knew this, she didn’t know. Maybe it was the tension emanating from his body. Or maybe it was the heat rolling off his skin. It didn’t really matter. All she knew was he wanted her.
Her own body was jumping. Her nipples tightened, her breasts felt full and heavy. It took all her willpower not to let her head fall forward. She could almost feel the brush of his lips against her nape just as she had in her dream. Her sex clenched hard with need, sending a fresh trickle of cream to coat her panties.
“Esther.” His voice was ragged with need.
She shook her head, refusing to answer him.
“I dream about you. About us.” Not one part of their bodies was touching, but Esther felt as though her flesh was on fire.
“I don’t want to know.” It was cowardly, but she released her hold on her mug and placed her hands over her ears.
His fingers wrapped around her wrists, tugging her hands away. “You have to listen, Esther. We need to talk.” She could hear the urgency in his voice and it frightened her.
She knew Ryan would never hurt her, not physically. But she knew in her soul that he could shatter the fragile barrier around her heart and lay her bare. She couldn’t allow that to happen.
Her family history was riddled with relationships that ended tragically due to fire. Her mother had given her heart to her father, her ancestor had given her heart to James, and what had that gotten either of them?
Pain and heartache.
Marshalling her defenses, she turned and faced him. His large body loomed over hers, almost protectively, as though he wanted to make sure that no one or nothing ever hurt her. That was ironic since
Similar Books
