Why Resist a Rebel - By Leah Ashton Page 0,33

what was wrong.

But at the last minute she didn’t, and instead glanced away. Of all things, there was a grand piano in the corner of the room, and her attention appeared focused on its glossy black surface.

‘I had a tummy bug a few weeks back,’ he said, for some stupid reason feeling the need to provide an explanation. ‘Lost some weight, and it’s taking a while to put back on.’ He shrugged. ‘I have a fast metabolism.’

She looked up at him, and nodded, but didn’t hold his gaze.

Her hand was still exploring, and she’d shifted slightly, so the arm around his waist was now more an embrace as she stood directly in front of him. Her fingers crept up one side of his body, tracing his pectoral muscle, over his flat nipple, then inwards to his breastbone. Then up, up, to the hollow at the base of his throat, across his collarbone, then curling, curling around to his neck.

But now her touch wasn’t so gentle. She slid her fingers along his jaw, tilting his head back to her. His gaze connected with hers, darkest brown and startlingly direct.

‘Is that why you can’t sleep tonight?’ she said, her words laced with scepticism.

‘That’s really none of your business.’

She closed her eyes for a long moment, then shook her head a little. ‘No, of course not.’

He felt her begin to withdraw from him, her heat moving away.

His arms, that up to now hadn’t moved from his sides, were suddenly around her, tugging her against him.

Her gaze fluttered up, her eyes widening. ‘Dev?’

He didn’t bother to explain—didn’t even know how he would.

All he knew was that he wasn’t ready for her to go yet.

So he leant towards her, and covered her lips with a kiss to silence her questions.

A crack between the heavy brocade curtains allowed the smallest slither of early morning light into Dev’s bedroom.

Ruby lay on her side, her head propped up on one arm, staring at Dev’s back as he slept facing away from her. Where the light hit his skin glowed a delicious olive: from the point of his shoulder it edged the side of his body, tapering gradually down from broad chest to narrow hips. There a sheet was bunched up, tangled around and over his legs.

He slept soundly, his breathing deep and regular.

Given their conversation of a few hours ago, she’d tried to wake him—to say goodbye. But he’d barely stirred when she’d gently touched—and later pushed—his shoulder, so she’d given up. Besides, given the shadows beneath his eyes that Hair and Make-up were spending so much effort covering up, he needed his sleep.

But she’d found getting out of his bed more difficult than she’d expected.

Before, when she’d woken alone, it had been easy. She’d basically leapt out of bed as her eyes had opened in the unfamiliar room—and reality had smacked her, hard.

What had she done?

No longer did a gaze she’d practically fallen into, or a touch that had made her whole body zap and tingle with electricity—let alone a kiss that was nothing like anything she’d ever experienced—cloud her judgment.

Now she could see the night for what it was. Not romantic, and surprising, and unexpected.

But a mistake.

Escaping had been the only option. Shoving the whole night somewhere right, right at the back of her mind where one day she might look back fondly and remember her date with a movie star.

Ha! More likely she’d remember what an idiot she was for falling for it.

Hadn’t she gone beyond this? Beyond being impressed by looks, and a smile, and strength? Beyond decisions that were based on daydreams and chemical attraction—not sense and logic?

Apparently not—as she hadn’t moved.

Dev moved though, and rolled onto his back.

In a flash Ruby was out of the bed, backing away until her heels hit the carpeted half-dozen steps that led to the penthouse’s sunken bedroom.

But Dev slept on.

As she watched his chest rise up and down, Ruby felt like a complete idiot. So she didn’t want him to wake up to see her still here but she also didn’t want to leave?

She ran both hands through her hair in despair.

This was typical—there was something about Dev that had her thinking and acting in contradictions.

Maybe that something is how he looked at me last night? The way he kissed me?

Ugh! No, she wasn’t going to do this to herself.

She was pretty sure she knew what she was doing—she was superimposing the heroes Dev had portrayed in his movies onto the man himself. Giving him traits