“I really fucking love the way your mind works, you knowthat?”
I stared at him. “You’re making fun ofme.”
“I swear I’m not!” His hazel eyes were completely sincere. “You are the most fascinating, kind,goodperson I’ve ever met. And you’re hot, too.” He bent his head and pressed a swift kiss to my lips. “Truefact.”
I shook my head. I had no idea how he took my awkward, goofy self and transmuted me into whatever he thought I was. Alchemists had better luck turning lead intogold.
“And here’s another truth. You ready?” He didn’t wait for me to answer, but reached behind me to grab a sweater hanging from a hook behind the door, brushing his chest against mine in the process. “I find your animal facts interesting. And your intelligence is a total fucking turnon.”
“Uh huh.” He was putting me on. He had to be. Even my own family couldn’t stand the way I turned simple conversations into an episode of AnimalAdventures.
He pulled the sweater over his head and… shit. The dark greenish blue looked really, really good on him.Insanelygood. It was a little tight across his shoulders and loose around his waistand…
“Need proof?” he asked, stepping closeagain.
“P-proof?”
He smiled. “I love rattling the calm and collected Dr.Ross.”
Rattling me? It felt like he’d done nothingbutthat forweeks.
“But, yeah, animal facts,” he repeated. “Toss me one. Watch what happens.” He wiggled hiseyebrows.
For once, all of my animal trivia deserted me. All I could see were his eyes, which shone greener than usual thanks to his sweater,and...
“Okay,” I said, my voice way huskier than usual. “Okay, how about this: When male and female birds look alike, like with doves and finches? It means they mate for life. But when a male gets all fancy in his plumage, like turkeys and cardinals and… others,” I said, tugging at the hem of his bright sweater. “That means they like gettingaround.”
Daniel’s laughing eyes narrowed. “Wait, are you calling me a turkey, or amanwhore?”
I laughed breathlessly. “Eh. Little of column A, little of columnB…”
He grabbed me around the middle and dug his fingers into myribs.
“Hey!” I gasped, squirming away and only managing to back myself into the wall near the door. “No tickling! I told you I hate it! That’s… that’s…” I broke off, howling withlaughter.
Honoria ran in to see what she was missing and skidded to a halt near myfeet.
“Payback?” Daniel said, fingers dancing. “Justice?”
“Mean!” I said. “The GenevaConvention—”
“Only applies in times ofwar.”
“Dammit. Fine, I take it back!” I gurgled. “Stop, stop! I take itback!”
His fingers stopped moving and I sucked in a breath, but he didn’t step away. Instead, he pressed closer, moving me up against the wall so our bodies were aligned, my chest to his torso, his cock against myabs.
“I want a forfeit,” he said, staring at my lips. The temperature in the already-warm room ratcheted up severaldegrees.
“What kind of forfeit?” I asked, confident Iknew.
He grinned as he pressed his lips tomine.
And at that exact moment, I swear, the phone in my back pocket began to vibrate, making a hollow, clattering sound against thewall.
Shit.Shit.
“Does this mean we’re late?” Daniel asked, his mouth hovering overmine.
