Read Online Wyne and Dine (Citizen Soldier Series Book 1) by Donna Michaels - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Donna Michaels
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great.
How in the world was she going to
face him now?
The sound of the door opening and
closing made it to her ears despite the pillow. Crap. She wasn’t ready. Not
yet. The shuffle of boots on the hardwood floor signaled he’d drawn near. She
could feel him watching her. The urge to burrow deep was strong, but she didn’t
move. Not one muscle.
“Lea, are you awake? We need to
talk.”
Yeah, she’d get right on that.
“Come on.”
The click of the lamp echoed in the
silent room while light cast away the shadows she could see from the edges of
her sanctuary.
“I know you’re not sleeping.”
“Yes, I am. Go away.”
He didn’t, but the pillow did as he
lifted it up and set it aside. “Can’t.” He knelt beside the bed to stare into
her heated face. Compassion and remorse mixed to cloud his gaze and soften his
tone. “I’m really sorry, Lea.”
“For what?” She snorted. “Not
wanting to have sex with me? It’s fine. Really. I just have to get through the
mortification process. I’ll see you in about ten years.” She made to roll away,
but a large, firm hand pressed into her shoulder and held her in place.
“That’s not what happened.”
“Really, Ben? Because it sure
seemed like it from where I was standing—in a damn sexy negligee, I might add.
With practically everything on display.” She fought hard to resist the urge to
pull the sheet up over her head. “But you walked out uninterested.”
“That’s not what happened,” he
repeated, then released her, troubled gaze boring deep. “I walked out because I was interested, Lea. So damn interested I couldn’t see straight. Still
can’t.”
Her heart rocked hard in her chest,
dislodging a startled gasp. “Really?”
“Yes.” He straightened from the
floor and sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re beautiful, Lea, and damn sexy.
Don’t think for one minute it was easy to walk away from you, because I wanted
nothing more than to take you up against that damn wall.”
She smacked his nearest shoulder.
“Dammit, Ben. I wanted up-against-the-wall sex.”
“Jesus.” He vaulted to his feet as
if the mattress had caught fire, then stumbled toward the wall. “You can’t just
say things like that. What are you trying to do, kill me?”
“No, I’m trying to make sense of
this.” She sat up and waved a hand between them. “If you’re attracted to me,
and I’m attracted to you, what’s the problem?”
“I watched you grow up,” he
replied in a solemn tone. “You’re Brandi’s best friend.”
“Who do you think sent the
negligee?”
His head snapped back. “What?”
“Well, her and Jordan and the other
bridesmaids.”
“Thanks. Now I know whose necks to
ring when I see them,” he stated, while leaning his long frame against the
Victorian dresser.
Her inner historian screamed in
protest, but she refrained from warning him to be careful. At the moment,
discussing her sex-appeal was a damn sight more important than the antique.
She lifted her chin. “So…you really
were turned on?”
“Yes.”
“But not enough to stay.”
Expelling a breath, he walked back
to sit on the bed and reached for her hand. “As great as the sex promises to
be, you’re a good friend, Lea, and I don’t want to ruin that friendship with
great sex. Would you?”
Yes, please. Take me now! But because that sounded wanton in her mind, she swallowed the words and shook
her head. “No.” He was right. She wouldn’t want any awkwardness between them.
He dipped his head, a ghost of a
smile tugging his lips. “So…we’re good?”
No. She wanted him to want her as
much as she wanted him. And because that barely made sense in her fogged up
brain, she lied. “Yes.”
As long as he only saw her as a
friend, they’d never be okay.
“Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow’s
going to be a long day,” he said, rising from the bed. “Breakfast is at O-eight
hundred, followed by a full day of outdoor activities, including the
How in the world was she going to
face him now?
The sound of the door opening and
closing made it to her ears despite the pillow. Crap. She wasn’t ready. Not
yet. The shuffle of boots on the hardwood floor signaled he’d drawn near. She
could feel him watching her. The urge to burrow deep was strong, but she didn’t
move. Not one muscle.
“Lea, are you awake? We need to
talk.”
Yeah, she’d get right on that.
“Come on.”
The click of the lamp echoed in the
silent room while light cast away the shadows she could see from the edges of
her sanctuary.
“I know you’re not sleeping.”
“Yes, I am. Go away.”
He didn’t, but the pillow did as he
lifted it up and set it aside. “Can’t.” He knelt beside the bed to stare into
her heated face. Compassion and remorse mixed to cloud his gaze and soften his
tone. “I’m really sorry, Lea.”
“For what?” She snorted. “Not
wanting to have sex with me? It’s fine. Really. I just have to get through the
mortification process. I’ll see you in about ten years.” She made to roll away,
but a large, firm hand pressed into her shoulder and held her in place.
“That’s not what happened.”
“Really, Ben? Because it sure
seemed like it from where I was standing—in a damn sexy negligee, I might add.
With practically everything on display.” She fought hard to resist the urge to
pull the sheet up over her head. “But you walked out uninterested.”
“That’s not what happened,” he
repeated, then released her, troubled gaze boring deep. “I walked out because I was interested, Lea. So damn interested I couldn’t see straight. Still
can’t.”
Her heart rocked hard in her chest,
dislodging a startled gasp. “Really?”
“Yes.” He straightened from the
floor and sat on the edge of the bed. “You’re beautiful, Lea, and damn sexy.
Don’t think for one minute it was easy to walk away from you, because I wanted
nothing more than to take you up against that damn wall.”
She smacked his nearest shoulder.
“Dammit, Ben. I wanted up-against-the-wall sex.”
“Jesus.” He vaulted to his feet as
if the mattress had caught fire, then stumbled toward the wall. “You can’t just
say things like that. What are you trying to do, kill me?”
“No, I’m trying to make sense of
this.” She sat up and waved a hand between them. “If you’re attracted to me,
and I’m attracted to you, what’s the problem?”
“I watched you grow up,” he
replied in a solemn tone. “You’re Brandi’s best friend.”
“Who do you think sent the
negligee?”
His head snapped back. “What?”
“Well, her and Jordan and the other
bridesmaids.”
“Thanks. Now I know whose necks to
ring when I see them,” he stated, while leaning his long frame against the
Victorian dresser.
Her inner historian screamed in
protest, but she refrained from warning him to be careful. At the moment,
discussing her sex-appeal was a damn sight more important than the antique.
She lifted her chin. “So…you really
were turned on?”
“Yes.”
“But not enough to stay.”
Expelling a breath, he walked back
to sit on the bed and reached for her hand. “As great as the sex promises to
be, you’re a good friend, Lea, and I don’t want to ruin that friendship with
great sex. Would you?”
Yes, please. Take me now! But because that sounded wanton in her mind, she swallowed the words and shook
her head. “No.” He was right. She wouldn’t want any awkwardness between them.
He dipped his head, a ghost of a
smile tugging his lips. “So…we’re good?”
No. She wanted him to want her as
much as she wanted him. And because that barely made sense in her fogged up
brain, she lied. “Yes.”
As long as he only saw her as a
friend, they’d never be okay.
“Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow’s
going to be a long day,” he said, rising from the bed. “Breakfast is at O-eight
hundred, followed by a full day of outdoor activities, including the
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