“So use your time here to assert a little independence. Buy some stupid shit. Pick out your own clothes.” A small smile curved her mouth. “Dare to go sockless.”
“I’m starting to think you don’t take me seriously,” he whispered. Arousal was flooding through him, heightened by the fact that she’d been standoffish for the last week. Was his complaining going to break through the barriers between them? She was impossible to predict.
Then again, maybe he should have stopped trying to predict and started acting on his words. He wanted to convince Taylor to marry him so he could go home, and what was he doing? Moping about socks and having lunch with strangers while she poked around on her laptop. This wasn’t him. Normally he was the pursuer; the confident, fearless one.
It was time to remember who he was and take control of the situation again.
So he pulled her forward and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close until she fell against his chest, her palms pressing to his shoulders. “I am normally quite the daring man.”
“You are, are you?” Her voice was a throaty purr. “I don’t know if I can believe that without a demonstration.”
She was in a playful mood now. He liked that. His cock hardened in response and he slid a hand down her back until he cupped her arse. She had a delightfully rounded one that was just begging to be touched.
Instead of pushing him away, she flung her arms around his neck and began to kiss him wildly. All right, now he was getting frisky Taylor. He returned the kiss, his hands roving over her body. Her tongue flicked against his and she rocked her hips enthusiastically.
With a groan, he pushed her down onto the couch, rolling their bodies until she was pinned under him. The kiss continued, hot, wet, and deep. Her leg went around his hips and he ground his cock against her pussy, the friction mimicking all the things he’d love to do to her.
And then she put a hand to his shoulder, and her mouth pulled away from his. “Loch,” she breathed. “I can’t.”
He pulled back, studying her face. Was there something going on that she just wasn’t telling him? “What is it?”
Her cheeks pinked. “Nothing. I just . . . Now’s not a good time.”
He frowned down at her, because the signals she was sending didn’t make sense. She kissed him like she wanted him, and then two seconds later, pushed him away. No wonder he was so confused lately. “Is there someone else I should know about? Because I’m not a fan of cheating.”
Taylor’s eyes widened. “What? No! Of course not!” Her hand smacked his shoulder. “I’m not a fan of cheating, either!”
He leaned in and nipped at her lower lip, and noticed that her eyes got soft with need when he did. “Then tell me what it is. You saving yourself for marriage now? Because I’ll marry you.” Loch grinned down at her, almost hoping she’d be impulsive enough to take the bait.
“What?” She giggled and then shook her head. “Now you’re talking crazy.”
“Am I?” He traced a finger down her cheek. “I’m just trying to figure out why, after we had such a good time the other night, you push me away like a leper every time I kiss you.”
She bit her lip, and the look on her face was . . . embarrassed? “I can’t talk about it.”
“Shall I kiss you until I get it out of you?” He traced a finger around the shell of one sensitive ear and she shuddered in response, her breath catching.
“God, you don’t play fair. It’s that . . . the timing is bad.”
He gave her a blank look. “Because of work?”
Taylor smacked her forehead. “Because of my period, if you must know.”
Ahhh. Suddenly everything made sense—her weird awkwardness around him, her sudden love of baggy clothing, and the fact that she seemed to stiffen every time he pulled her against him. And while it wasn’t his favorite time of the month to be with a woman, he wasn’t deterred. His hand slid to her breast. “I’m game if you are.”
She made a face. “I might be crazy for saying this because you’re seriously the hottest thing on the planet, but that area’s off-limits for another two days or so.” Her expression was disappointed. “Which sucks.”
“It does.” Because touching her was making him horny as a schoolboy. He rubbed her erect nipple through her clothing thoughtfully. “It’s truly a shame, because I like touching you.”
Her squirm of response was rather gratifying, as was the thready little moan that escaped her. “Oh, man, I like it when you touch me, too.”
That gave him the go-ahead he wanted. Loch leaned down and nipped at her chin, then began to press small kisses along her jawline, even as he continued to tease her nipple. “Then we’ll just keep our clothes on and have a little bit of teasing fun?”
The little gasp of excitement she gave was delicious. “You drive a hard bargain.”
“Then I’m lucky you like hard things.”
“Mmm, do I ever.” Her hand went to his arse and she gave it a squeeze, pulling him down between her hips. “Pants stay on, everything else is fair game. Deal?”
He’d take whatever she offered. “Sounds good to me.” Then he leaned down and began to move lower, until his mouth was over one breast. “You ever come with your clothes on?”
“Oooh,” Taylor breathed. “I can’t remember. But the idea of trying is making me incredibly turned on.”
Him, too. Head down, he nibbled at the tiny, hard little peak of her breast that strained against her clothing.