“This isn’t what you want?” He stepped back, expecting her to stop him. To wrap her legs around his waist and hold her to him, to protest the sudden chill that he could feel wrapping around his own body. Surely it was wrapping around hers, as well.
He made the mistake then of glancing down, seeing the hard little nipples poking against the thin bra beneath her dress. He almost went to his knees with a plea to just let him see them. Touch them. Suck them into his mouth and snack on them like the ripe little fruits he knew they would be.
She slid from the counter. A flush covered her cheeks, her neck. Arousal and a hint of anger burned in her gaze.
“Thank you very much for the locks on my doors and windows.” Her breathing was rough, and there was an edge of hurt in her voice.
“Hannah, what did you expect?” Exasperation filled him now. He wanted her so much he was about to burn alive with the lust.
She tilted her head and stared up at him, her gaze solemn despite the arousal that still darkened her bright green eyes.
“Why, I don’t know, Sheriff, a little romance maybe.” She waved her hand as though uncertain what to say or do. “A pretense of it anyway.” She shook her head as he stared back at her, confused. “Forget it. Maybe you’re just too old to remember what that means.”
Too old?
“How old do you think I am?” he growled, his gaze narrowing on her at the insult.
“I know exactly how old you are.” Her arms went over her breasts again, hiding the pert imprint of those hard little nipples. “I didn’t think thirty-seven was really that old until now. But if you’ve forgotten that the way to a woman’s bed is through her heart, then you’re older than I imagined.”
“Who the hell said I wanted your heart? What does that have to do with sex?”
Fuck.
Now, he knew better than that. He knew the instant the words left his lips that he’d just fucked himself right out of her bed.
“Good night, Sheriff.” Woodenly, chillingly polite, she moved past him to the kitchen doorway. “It was very nice seeing you again, and I do appreciate everything you’ve done tonight. But I need to wash my hair now.”
Wash her hair? The little minx. She was blatantly lying to him, using one of the oldest mocking excuses in the book just to piss him off.
Gritting his teeth, he moved past her, stalked through the house only to pause at the front door as she moved behind him.
“If you change your mind . . .”
“If I decide I want a cold, lonely fuck rather than a flesh-and-blood man, then I’ll make sure I call you first,” she promised sarcastically, her smile falsely bright as she opened the door, inviting him to leave. “But don’t hold your breath. It hasn’t happened once in my entire life, and I rather doubt it’s going to happen now.”
His lips thinned.
He had half a mind to jerk her to him, kiss her again, experience that heady, heated gut punch of pleasure, just to see if it was as damned good as he remembered.
Instead, he gave his head a hard shake and left, as she invited him to do.
For good, he told himself. He wanted her. He’d wanted her longer than he should have, but he’d be damned if he’d let her lead him around by the cock.
“Good night, Hannah.” He left, ignoring the ache in his cock, and the unfamiliar ache in his chest.
“Good night, Rick.” Her voice was soft, and a second later he heard the door close behind him.
He should have known better, he told himself. Damned kindergarten teacher, she was probably as immature as her students were. He was better off. He should have known better. He’d make sure he didn’t make the same mistake twice.
* * *
HANNAH LISTENED until she heard Rick’s truck reverse out of the drive and head down the quiet street she lived on.
Head lowered, eyes closed, she sighed heavily before forcing herself from the door. Locking it securely, she headed back to the kitchen and the dishes that had to be done.
She should have known better, she told herself. She should have remembered her luck with men and called this one quits before she ever offered him dinner, before she ever took him up on his offer to check out the house.
She should have saved herself the trouble of getting the best kiss of her life, only to realize that Rick Grayson wanted nothing more than a one-night stand.