Blame It on the Bikini - By Natalie Anderson Page 0,15

starts to get funny ideas. Better to have sex with too many women. Safer.’

‘Oh, real safe.’ She rolled her eyes. But he wasn’t denying it. Brad Davenport wasn’t a commitment kind of guy. He was a playboy.

He reached across the bar and ran a finger down her arm. Electricity sparked every millimetre of the way. She saw it. He saw it. There was no denying it. So she didn’t.

‘This isn’t anything more than lust.’ She turned and literally burrowed out more ice from the freezer.

‘So what?’ he calmly said behind her. ‘It’s still worth exploring.’

‘Even if I agree there’s chemistry, I’m not sure I can bear to feed your over-bloated ego by saying yes.’ But the feeling the guy could inspire with just a look?

‘You’ll always regret it if you don’t,’ he insisted.

‘And probably regret it if I do.’

‘Damned either way, then,’ he said with a laugh. ‘You might as well have the good moment and enjoy it.’

‘Moment?’ She suppressed the squeeze her muscles had in response to his laugh. ‘As in singular? What are you going for here, some orgasmic snuffle?’

‘You don’t need to worry. I’ll take care of you.’

‘I don’t need anybody to take care of me,’ she denied, affronted.

‘Really?’

Narrow-eyed, she watched him draw closer. It seemed to her there might be an imbalance of attraction here. Was it all about her wanting him? Or was the chemistry as insane for him as it was for her?

‘Maybe you don’t. But you keep thinking about that kiss,’ he said. ‘I can tell.’

She was shaking her head already but when she went to deny it he put his finger back on her mouth.

‘You can’t hide it. I see it in your eyes. It’s the same for me,’ he said simply. ‘I want to kiss you again.’

‘Brad—’

He straightened. ‘I accept that you’re saying no, for now, but don’t deny that the desire is there.’

‘I haven’t kissed anyone in a while.’ She shrugged. ‘What happened before was merely a reaction to that.’

He shook his head. ‘You were every bit as into it as I was. You’re as “all or nothing” in your approach to life. It’s just that you go for nothing and I go for all.’

‘Have you ever managed nothing?’

‘I am right now.’

‘Really.’ Not a question, more an expression of disbelief. ‘Almost two hours with nothing?’

‘Nothing,’ he said, as if it wasn’t an experience he was enjoying. ‘Not so much as an eyelash flutter since you.’

Mya chuckled and this time she reached across, clasping his wrist as if she feared he was about to have a heart attack. ‘How are you coping?’

‘Moment by moment.’ He clapped his hand over hers. ‘But I’m quietly confident.’

‘Quietly?’ she mocked. She leaned across the bar again and gave him some advice. ‘You shouldn’t hype yourself up so much. It’ll end up a disappointment.’

‘What orgasm was ever a disappointment?’

She tried so hard not to blush. ‘Is that all it is for you? The momentary thrill?’

‘It’s pretty much up there, yeah,’ he drawled. ‘I won’t lie.’ He lifted her hand with his and pressed her palm to his heart. ‘I fancy you.’ He paused. ‘Now, can you speak with the same kind of honesty?’

For a moment she couldn’t answer as she absorbed the strong, regular thud of his heartbeat. But while the moments of orgasm might feel good, it was the moments afterwards she was more worried about. She curled her fingers into a fist and pulled away from him. ‘I’m not on trial here.’

‘You’re a coward,’ he accused. ‘Is having fun so wrong?’

Mya answered with absolute honesty. ‘Not wrong. Inconvenient.’

‘Never inconvenient. You need to sort your priorities.’

She shook her head and laughed. ‘Oh, no, I have my priorities exactly right.’

No burst of heat was going to blow her balloon off course.

CHAPTER FOUR

THE next night Brad watched Mya stride into the all but empty bar like a bounty hunter on a hot trail. A satchel hung over her shoulder, she’d poured herself back into the black jeans, and her fiercely swept up hair all spelt business to him. The bar wasn’t officially open yet, but she was here to work, and anyone watching would know it.

No Messing Around Mya.

He bit back the amusement, because he was going to mess with Mya. He knew he had to play it carefully or she’d block him the way she’d blocked all those other guys at the bar. But he knew the party was a brilliant idea, and having to work with her to plan it? Genius. Because he hadn’t felt