Forbidden: Her British Stepbrot - Lauren Smith Page 0,28

thinking. But what if he didn’t feel the same way? The thought of being a notch on his bedpost made her feel a little anxious. But she’d pledged to herself she was busting out of her shell, and dinner with Tristan was certainly a risk she knew she should take.

“Fine. Dinner tonight,” she said slowly, but she knew there might be more of something…maybe more kissing. She knew because her body and mind were warning her, warning her that she’d not last long against any sensual seduction. She might like whatever he did too much.

“Finish your dinner, and then we’ll talk.” Tristan towered over her until Kat was squirming.

Had he even realized he was bossing her around? It pissed her off, but it was also kind of a turn-on, and that also pissed her off. She didn’t like men telling her what to do. But there was something about Tristan and the way he did it that made her annoyance melt and her body flush with heat. She could imagine other ways he could order her around. Like in bed…

“How are your classes?” he asked after she’d taken her first bite of the delicious pasta.

His desire to attempt to make small talk with her was almost funny. Was this his way of trying to date her? Did he think if he chatted her up, she’d be more open to whatever he clearly was thinking would come next? The heated looks Tristan was sending her way gave her the impression that he was picturing how she’d taste if he nibbled on her. She pictured him doing just that, and the dirty thoughts that followed made her heart skip.

How did he have this effect on her? It was as though whenever he came near her, he flipped some “sexy” switch inside her, and she wanted to kiss him…and do a whole lot more. With a swallow, she tried to breathe and not let her face heat up.

“You’re really going to try and do the whole small talk thing with me after declaring you’re going to seduce me?”

Tristan focused on his food as he took a bite, then looked up at her. “I like the sound of your voice. It’s soft, husky. Like a woman well-loved in bed. If I can get you to keep talking, it doesn’t matter what we talk about.”

He liked the sound of her voice? Kat involuntarily reached up and touched her throat. When she realized what she’d done, she dropped her hand and gripped her plate of food. No matter what he said, small talk was safe. She could do that.

“Okay…we can talk. You asked about my classes. They’ve been good. I’ve had a lot of reading to do for exams.”

“And what do you study? Have you selected a focus area?” He seemed genuinely interested, and she was actually glad to talk about it.

“History.” She took a sip of her wine and then another bite of the food. It tasted as good as she’d imagined.

“Ahh, and what makes you like history? What do you plan to do with such an expertise?” The muscles of his forearms rippled when he picked up his plate again, and Kat had to collect herself before she could answer.

“I…uh, I want to teach. I plan to get a PhD. When I was little, I had a teacher who let us reenact the signing of the Magna Carta. Ever since then, I’ve been hooked. The stories about people from hundreds and thousands of years ago,” she paused, realizing she was rambling, and ducked her head.

Tristan leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. “Please, don’t stop. Finish what you were saying.” There was an earnestness to his expression that compelled her to continue.

“Well, it’s hard to explain but reading about people long after they’re gone, it makes me feel less alone.” She shouldn’t have admitted that. It made her sound lonely, but it was the truth.

“That makes sense. I enjoy history for the same reasons.”

Needing to change the subject, she turned the focus onto him.

“What about you? You said you were pursuing a Master’s degree in business. I bet those classes are hard.”

Tristan chuckled, leaning back in her desk chair. “It’s been a challenge, but one I’ve enjoyed. Most people cringe when they think of finance and accounting or investment strategies. I enjoy all of that.” Passion filled his face and, for a moment, it was hard to breathe.

He was so damn sexy, almost too sexy . A hint of a devastatingly perfect