Chapter Two

Chapter Two

For all her talk of their being alike, she pitied him. Ryan could see it on her face.This was why he never came home. It didn’t matter that he’d moved on with his life and made something of himself, or that he was part of one of the most elite professions within the Air Force. They’d never see him as anything other than Ryan Flannery, Drunk Billy’s youngest boy, and the Boy Who Burned Down the High School.

The people here had no desire to know the real Ryan. The woman sitting across from him was no different. Hell, she fit in here better than he ever had.

As much as it pained him to admit, there was something about her that got under his skin. He shouldn’t care what this near stranger thought of him. She was no one.

Except hedid care. It didn’t make any sense. She wasn’t flashy or oozing sex appeal like some of his exes, but she had an understated look that made him sit up and take notice.

She smiled as the waiter brought their food, and even thanked him as if she really was the sweet woman Ryan had been promised. As the man walked away, she took a bite of her spaghetti, closed her eyes, and made a sound that he’d remember to his dying day. It was a cross between a whimper and a moan and it brought to mind all sorts of thoughts he had no business entertaining.

He shifted, unable to take his gaze off her face, and equally unable to stifle his body’s reaction to her. Holy shit. She looked even softer with her eyes closed and a small smile on her face. His body went on high alert, his instincts demanding he reach across the table and touch her. He must have let some of that desire through, because when she opened her eyes, she blushed.

“Stop staring at me.”

“We’re on a date. Staring goes with the territory.” He let himself look his fill, coasting over the mass of dark hair, the blue eyes her glasses couldn’t quite hide, and those lips, rosy and too damn kissable for his frame of mind. He leaned forward, ignoring his plate. She bit her lip, looking uncomfortable with his attention. This, at least, fit with how his brother had described her. Shy. Needing to be taken out and shown a good time. Which left the question of why. “So tell me. What are you hiding from?”

Bri went rigid. “I’m not hiding from anything.”

He’d struck a sore spot, one he couldn’t help poking at again with how irritated he was by his reaction to her. “Sure you are. Look at the way you dress—”

“I am not mousy.”

“—and the way you wear your hair.” He reached across the table and twined his finger through the lock closest to her face, enjoying the way she blushed harder. He would have enjoyed it a lot more if her hair wasn’t just as soft and thick as it looked. After giving it a tug, he released her and sat back. “All signs point to you hiding. From what?”

She set her fork down and took a sip of her wine with shaking fingers. It was nice knowing he wasn’t the only one with frayed nerves. But by the time she set the glass down, her calm mask was back in place. “I have nothing to hide from.”

She was lying, which only made him more curious to know what made a woman like Bri tick. While it was obvious he wasn’t getting answers tonight, he couldn’t resist one last dig. “In that case, you’re really trying too damn hard to fit the picture of what a librarian should be. Because, seriously, you’re wearing cat-eye glasses and frumpy clothes.”

She glanced at him from under her fringe of bangs, those eyes like a kick to the gut he didn’t want to deal with. “How would you know? I doubt you’ve spent much time around books, let alone in a library full of them.”

Well, hell, that stung. “You don’t have a damn clue what you’re talking about.”

“Then why are you so angry?” She pushed her plate away. “I’m not really hungry, and I think we’ve put in enough time for this favor to be considered successful. I’m ready to go home.”

She was done, just like that? “So eager to run home and read to your fish.”

“Mr. Smith is significantly better company than I’m keeping right now.”

It figured that she’d think that. She’d started this date looking down her nose at him, and it appeared she was going to end it the same way. Ryan picked up his beer and drained the last of it. “That’s all well and good, but I’m having another beer.” Being at the same table with this woman was enough to drive a saint to drink, and he sure as fuck wasn’t that good of a man.

“Do whatever makes you happy. I’ll get a cab home.”

Like hell she would. That was just what he needed—her telling Drew he was being an ass, and then having to explain to his brother and Avery why things had gone so horribly wrong. He would rather get her home and forget this shit ever happened. With a sigh, he motioned her back down. “Relax. I’ll pay the tab and drive you home. No need to get your panties in a twist.”

Her knuckles went white where they clutched her purse. “My panties are none of your concern.”

Their bill arrived and he pulled out his wallet. “Honey, if there wasn’t such a large stick up your ass, you’d be begging me to rip off those lily-white granny panties—with my teeth.” She gasped, but he ignored her response and pushed to his feet. “But that might be too much excitement for a prickly little librarian like you.”

…

By the time Ryan pulled up in front of her house, Bri was ready to throw herself from the SUV to get away from her own mind. His words had sparked her imagination in the worst way possible. All she could picture was him kneeling before her, his huge shoulders parting her legs, and pressing his mouth against herthere. No one had ever done that to her before, so she’d never felt the loss. Now? Now she clenched her legs together in an effort to tell herself she didn’t needit.

All the while, he sat there in the driver’s seat, sending off waves of… She wasn’t really sure what. Anger? Annoyance? Lust? Whatever it was, it was too charged to be labeledheat.

And that parting line right before they left the restaurant? How dare he! The insult hit even closer to home because just imagining him kissing her between her legs made her entire body shake. Actually doing it in real life might kill her. Heck yes, it was too much excitement. What was so wrong with that? This was the first date—even if they’d hit it off, there was no possibility of things going further than a good-night kiss.

She should have stayed home and finished her book. At least then she’d be guaranteed to be spending her time with a man who wasn’t pushing every single one of her buttons—only the button guaranteed to spin her out of her mind with pleasure.

Instead of driving off like she wished he would, Ryan got out of the car and walked her to the porch door, his hand once again settling on the small of her back. How could he do that, cut her legs out from beneath her and then touch her with such a casual possessiveness? She brushed against him with every step, his cologne making her want to move closer and press her nose against his neck.

What was she thinking? She could barely stand this man. She had no business considering pressing any part of her against any part of him. Unless it was her front door to his face.

They reached the steps of her porch. He held the screen door open for her and ushered her through. It should have been romantic, standing there in the soft light with the wind rustling the tall bushes surrounding her screened-in front porch. If they were in her book right now, the entire night would have been working toward this very second.

They were most definitely not in a romance novel.

“I would say it’s been a pleasure,” she said, “but I don’t make a habit of lying.”

“Of course you don’t. You’re practically a goddamn saint, aren’t you?”

She poked a finger into his chest. “It’s not being a saint to expect a little conversational courtesy on a date. You’ve gone and shot all that to hell. Don’t think for a second you’re getting a good-night kiss.”

“A kiss from you?” He stepped forward into her finger, forcing her to open her hand against his chest or take a step back. She refused to budge. He leaned down, crowding her. “I’d rather kiss a snake.”

“Then it’s too bad it’s winter, because they’re in short supply.” She pushed at his chest again, nearly snarling when he didn’t move. “You should just burn something else down. That might draw a few to the heat.”

“Or maybe I’ll just set fire to your goddamn granny panties. That’s sure to create a big enough blaze.”

Her jaw dropped open and she swallowed hard. “As if you could.”

“Watch me.”

He grabbed her hips and yanked her against him. Bri gasped. There was so much heat in his blue eyes, it was a wonder every single article of clothing she wore didn’t go up in smoke. “You—”

But then she saw it. The challenge hidden behind the heat. He didn’t think she could handle this. Handle him.

His mouth curled into a smirk, and his hands tightened on her hips. The feel of his fingers digging into her flesh through the thin fabric of her skirt made her want to throw all caution to the wind. He thought he’d won, did he?

“Screw it.” She grabbed the lapels of his shirt and went up on her tiptoes to smash her lips against his. He froze, then stumbled backward and slammed into the wall of her screened porch, taking her with him. A wave of victory went through her. For all his talk, he hadn’t expected her to make a move. She moved one hand to the back of his neck and tipped his head down so she could set her teeth into his bottom lip.

Just like that, he came alive in her arms and pulled her tighter against him. His tongue delved into her mouth, stroking hers with no hesitation, igniting her passion until she couldn’t fight back a moan. How could one giant brute taste so decadent? She slid her tongue along his, not sure if she was searching for an answer or simply enjoying the way her very nerves seemed to spark and dance at every place they touched.

Would her whole body do that if they were naked?

Whoa. Where had that thought come from? She was proving him wrong, not jumping into bed with the man. She tried to pull away. “I think—”

“Stop talking.” Ryan cupped her backside and devoured her mouth, grinding her against…holy hell. Her entire body went soft, knees weakening until it was only his firm grip that kept her from melting to a puddle at his feet. She’d been kissed before, but nothing like this. Never like this. She looped her arms around his neck, suddenly sure that getting closer was the only cure for the warmth pulsing through her body. It wasn’t enough, not with his tongue doing wicked things to her mouth and his body a hard counterpoint to her own.

She made a desperate noise in the back of her throat, and he responded by taking two large steps back and sinking onto the porch swing. The new position left her straddling him, and her flowy skirt immediately got in the way, bunching between their bodies and creating yet another barrier. They groaned together when she shifted, yanking the fabric up so she had access to his hard length. When she rocked against him, he groaned again and grabbed the arm of the swing.

“Hey. Keep your pyro hands off my house.”

His big hands moved under her shirt and up her sides to cup her breasts. Bri only had a moment to thank God it was dark enough that he wouldn’t notice the plain cotton bra before he pulled the cups down so he could stroke her nipples. “The only place my hands are going to be is here.” He squeezed her breasts and then reached down to press his palm against the vee between her legs. “And here.”

“Oh.” She rocked against him again as he kissed down her neck, his fingers stoking the need inside her until it was almost a pain. His whiskers rasped over her skin, and she whimpered. “Please, Ryan. Please.” She wasn’t even sure what she was begging him for, only that she needed it and needed it now.

“I’ll give you what you need. I promise.” He pulled her shirt over her head, his mouth leaving her skin barely long enough for the fabric to slide past. Then Ryan unhooked her bra and dropped it somewhere behind her.

Oh dear God, I’m nearly naked on my front porch.His lips closed around her nipple and her entire ability to reason shorted out, along with any worries she had about giving her neighbors a show. As his tongue slid over her, she shivered. This was… There were no words.

How could there be no words?

“Not enough,” he muttered against her skin.

“What?”

His only answer was to stand up, pull her legs around his waist, and set her back on the swing, going to his knees in front of her. Bri met his gaze, very aware that she was topless with her skirt shoved up around her waist. She should have felt exposed and embarrassed, but all she could see was her own need reflected in his eyes. Ryan reached up to cup her face. “Are you sure—?”

She was already nodding. They couldn’t stop now, not when she was poised on this precipice. To ensure he didn’t get any crazy ideas, she leaned forward and kissed him again. It felt so terrifyingly good, better than the best kind of chocolate, the kind of thing she may never get enough of. “Please don’t stop touching me, Ryan. Please.”