Never Gonna Happen - Cynthia Eden Page 0,38
“Coming in here was a mistake. You don’t wave a red flag right in front of a bull’s face, not unless you want him to charge.”
“So I’m a flag now.”
“You’re the woman I want most, and you’re scared to death of me. Hardly good for the self-esteem.”
Her gaze rose to lock with his. “Like you have a problem with self-esteem.”
A muscle jerked along his jaw. “I told you about your brother. You didn’t have to trade kisses or promises or anything else for the news I gave you.”
“Is that what you thought I was going to do?” Her hair slid over her shoulders as her head cocked back. The better to stare up at him. “Make some kind of sexual deal with you?”
“A guy can dream.”
“And you dream about me?” She sounded doubting because, no, he didn’t.
“Only when I’m lucky.”
She didn’t know what to say.
“But I’m guessing you’ll have nightmares about me tonight, won’t you, Alyssa?” He gazed down at her hand. “You should stop touching me. When you touch me, it makes me want you more.”
Slowly, she pulled her hand away. Alyssa took a step back. One. Another. Then she stopped retreating. “Have you ever killed anyone?” The question came out as a hushed whisper.
His mocking laughter came again. “You shouldn’t ask questions when you don’t actually want to know the answers.”
Her stomach was doing crazy flips. “I do want to know the answer.” She wanted to know who he truly was.
“If I say yes, will that make you run back to your room faster?”
“I’m not running. I’m standing right here, in front of you.”
“For the moment.” Sebastian raked a hand over his face. “No, I haven’t ever killed anyone. You good now? I haven’t been in a situation where it was necessary. I’ve broken laws, though. Plenty of them. Back in the day, I got my ass thrown behind bars more times than I could count. That’s how Uncle Sam found me. Turned out the government didn’t like it too much when a punk kid hacked past a supposedly secure server.” His hand fell. “I’m not like Antony. I didn’t grow up in a fancy house with a mom and dad who doted on my every move. I didn’t even know my parents. I bounced around the foster care system, and I caused trouble because that was what I was good at doing. Even when I landed with good people, I fucked it up. That’s what I do. I fuck things up.”
There was pain in his voice, and it made her heart ache. “Not always. You’ve made a super successful company. You’re one of the richest—”
“Money isn’t every fucking thing. Back when I didn’t have it, I thought it was. But I learned it doesn’t buy you what you want most.”
Don’t ask. Don’t ask. Don’t ask. “What do you want most?” And, of course, she asked.
He stared straight at her. The green of his eyes blazed with lust. With a dark desire that had her breaths coming even faster. She should leave. Right then. Absolutely. She should go back to the guest room. Climb into the bed. Try to sleep.
She didn’t move. But she did ask, again, “What do you want most?”
“Not what. Who.” And he said, “You.”
Alyssa shook her head.
A grim smile curled his lips. “Most days, I think I’d kill to have you.”
Her drumming heartbeat filled her ears.
She turned, slowly, on her heel. Took a few steps toward the door.
“Knew you’d run.” His low voice followed her. Rough. Ragged.
And…
Why am I running?
Because she was moving blindly. Because her whole world had just flipped upside down. Because… Tell him. “I want you so much that it scares me, too.” For once, she didn’t blurt out the truth. Alyssa had to force out that painful confession.
She heard Sebastian suck in a sharp breath behind her.
Stop being afraid.
She whirled around to face him.
“Screw it,” Alyssa mumbled. She ran toward him. She grabbed his shoulders and yanked him down toward her. Her mouth crashed into his.
Chapter Ten
Alyssa was kissing him. Alyssa had run to him. For once, just like in his fantasies, she’d rushed toward him.
For a moment, Sebastian was absolutely stunned. So stunned that he didn’t move. Her mouth was on his, her sweet tongue sliding past his open lips. Her hands were on him. And—
She said she wants me.
She’d grabbed him. She’d kissed him. Her hands were on him, her mouth was on his, and as she’d just said…
Screw it.
He wasn’t backing off any longer. Alyssa had just