CHAPTER 10 (2)

Her heart stuttered and stopped, then beat as wildly as it had speeding along in his car with the top

down. As crazily as it had the moment she’d grabbed his shirt and dragged his mouth down to hers.




“I intend to touch you.” He slid his hand lower to bracket her throat loosely, his fingers a light

caress that turned her skin hot. “I intend to make you moan with pleasure.”




She leaned back, gripping the counter behind her. Her legs seemed so weak that she was barely able

to stay upright as he bent his head until his lips were only a breath away.




“I intend to kiss you so slowly, so thoroughly, that you’ll be begging me to never, ever stop.”




Didn’t he know every inch of her already burned for him, inside and out? He was a master of the

slow, agonizing caress, and everything inside seemed to be melting, every part of her burning up.




She felt the moistness of his breath along the shell of her ear. He inhaled slowly, scenting her, his

chest rising, but he didn’t press against her, didn’t let her feel the rest of his body, which somehow made it all the more sensual and erotic.




“And I intend for you to have your taste of me, too.” Those wicked hands of his skimmed down her sides, barely touching but laying down fiery tracks of heat nonetheless. “As much of me as you

want, Nathalie. As much of me as you need.”




She almost whimpered, almost said yes.




Yes, please.




She had to hold onto the breakfast bar behind her for dear life...otherwise she was in danger of

leaping on him and begging for everything he promised.




She wanted him now. Needed him now. Was crazy for him now. And all she had to do was take—

put her hands on him and take.




But right then, he stepped back, giving her room to breathe again.




Barely.




“Now you know my intentions for both of you.” His voice was low, intense. He backed up two

more steps, then added, “As for Zion, I’m guessing he might learn some new skills. It could be

good for him to have a man around. I should have the first shipment of parts a week from

Saturday.”




When he put it that way, she felt churlish for saying no. Especially when she knew he was right,

that working on the kit car together could be good for Zion. Her brother had blossomed around

Darius, even if it was only chatting on Skype in the evenings. Did she have the right to deny him

this opportunity? She wanted to watch out for him, but she didn’t mean to stifle him, too.




Nathalie took a deep breath, one that didn’t give her nearly enough oxygen to make up for all that

Darius hot words had just stolen from her. “Okay, I’ll let you work with Zion on the car. I know

he’ll be ecstatic when you tell him. But as for you and me...” She licked her lips and, despite the

desperate need racing through her, forced herself to tell him, “I know I might have given you some

mixed signals the other night—” And again today when I all but dared you to kiss me. “—and I

regret doing that, but I still can’t date you.”




“Can’t?” He raised an eyebrow, the dark heat still in his eyes. “Or won’t?”




She raised an eyebrow right back at him, even though she wasn’t doing a good job tamping down

the heat glowing inside her. “Is there a difference?”




“Can’t means you’re already with another guy and aren’t available to date me. Won’t means you

still don’t trust me enough to let me take you out again.”




“We had a nice dinner, and you’ve been very sweet to my brother, but I don’t know you, Darius. All

I know are your intentions.” Very wicked ones, at that. Deliciously wicked, some might say.




“I’m not asking you to decide about us today, but I am asking you to give me another chance before

you make up your mind about whether to shut me down or not.”




He held her gaze for another long moment, letting her see his desire—and something more.

Something she couldn’t quite define, but that touched her all the same. Maybe because it mirrored

the longing for him she couldn’t figure out how to stop feeling.




“I like you, Nathalie. I like how straightforward you are. I like how smart you are. I like how you

care so deeply for your brother.”




She was nearly speechless from all the wonderful things he’d just said about her. Had any other

man ever noticed—or appreciated—so much about her? Or thrown her quite so far off her game all

at the same time?




“And I sure as hell like kissing you and holding you in my arms.” With that, he pushed away from

the kitchen counter and said, “I’d like to tell Jeremy about the Maserati Alfieri kit when he calls

tonight, if that’s all right with you.”




Even if she knew that she needed to say no on her own account, she couldn’t say no for her brother.

“That’s fine with me.”




“And will you be able to bring him over the Saturday after next to start the work?”




“Yes.”




But she honestly wasn’t sure whether she was saying yes for Zion.




Or for herself.





* * *





Darius punched the gas and veered around a slow car in the fast lane as he headed away from

Nathalie’s house and to his office. The Bugatti Veyron shot ahead, and the burst of speed was a

rush.




But it wasn’t anywhere close to the rush he’d felt with Nathalie.




She’d had every right to call him on his intentions with Zion. But he still wasn’t sure she




understood that the cost of the Maserati Alfieri kit was nothing compared to what Darius would get

out of it. Zion made him feel like he had a second chance to make up for the worst of the things he’d done when he was a kid.




And Nathalie simply made him feel.




He’d been charmed by the animal mugs, and her endearingly messy house, so in contrast with the

professional façade she wore. On the surface, she was polite and polished, but after seeing her at

home, he now believed more than ever that there was a wild—and delightfully unruly—woman

inside of her dying to break out.




She was so strong as she’d peppered him with her questions—and so sexy that he’d been this close

to pushing for everything he wanted, right there in her kitchen. But he’d only let himself push a

little bit. Only let himself tease her with words and brief touches until they were both panting with

need.




Sweet Lord, had she ever been heaven against him. The leggings had revealed every gorgeous

contour of her legs, while the sweater had made him desperate to uncover the rest of her sweetness.

Even the striped toe socks had kicked his heart into high gear. She’d smelled delicious, like fruity

shampoo and shower gel and lotion, and without makeup, her skin had been peaches-and-cream

smooth.




In the end, though it had nearly killed him to push away from her and walk out of that kitchen

knowing he wouldn’t see her again for nearly a week and half, the big tease had been perfect.

Because they’d been riding the edge together. Soon, he’d push them both over.




Until then? Darius knew he’d be going crazy with anticipation.




And if he’d played his cards right in her kitchen, hopefully Nathalie would be going more than a

little crazy, too.