Destiny Blaine

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Doreen should’ve shot him where he stood. She glared at the man who not only kissed away her angst, but had distorted her better judgment altogether. Backing away from him hadn’t helped either. She was torn between stalking away and jumping back into his arms.

His upper cheek twitched as he stared back at her. Those sea-blue eyes held a misty glaze full of wantonness. “Doreen, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Was that an apology, or an open ended statement? Where did he expect her to go from there? Was he awaiting another round or hoping for an explanation, a reason why a grown woman would stop him from taking her straight to the bedroom?

She took a deep breath and started to speak, but as she exhaled, she became too aware of sensitive body parts and that alone irritated her to no end. She didn’t lose her better sense of judgment like this. She wasn’t one of those women who had a collection of morning after excuses. She didn’t tell her friends what it was like to lose herself in the moment because never—not once—had she craved such moments. Those crazy lust-driven one-night stands didn’t happen in her world.

Nick narrowed his gaze. He was summing her up and she didn’t like it. There was only one way to redirect a stud’s attention when he was set on breeding. Remove the mare flipping her tail in hopes the stallion might hurry up and mount her.

She turned around and fled, marching straight through the kitchen and living room without uttering another word. Slamming her bedroom door, she hid there for a few minutes trying to think of the best way to handle the situation and annoyed when she realized this was the second time she’d hidden from him. It wasn’t the first time she’d leaned against her bedroom door and tried to figure out what was on Nick Taylor’s agenda.

Behind the panels, she heard his heavy footsteps. He was waiting for her. Why didn’t that surprise her? Had she really thought he was the kind of man who would walk away, run?

No. Oh no. She’d known from the beginning exactly what kind of man Nick Taylor was, and perhaps that was part of his allure, the reason she found him completely irresistible. He was one of those Alpha types, dominant and fierce. A man who didn’t just ask for what he wanted, but took it.

Kind of like he would take a woman—when and where he wanted her.

Doreen’s skin prickled with the thought. Dragging her fingers through her hair, she looked in the mirror hanging from the wall across from her. Her cheeks were stained a pink as colorful as fully bloomed roses.

She was a grown woman who looked as if she’d just spent the better part of the last hour in the backseat of an automobile. Desire stamped its place upon her face. Her lips were swollen from the bruising kisses he’d delivered and she’d devoured.

A satisfied sigh seeped from her lips as she revisited their moment. Yes, he’d enjoyed the kiss as much as she had. There was no question in her mind. If she hadn’t stopped him, they’d be naked by now.

Like she wouldn’t have stopped him. She frowned at her reflection. Come to think of it—why had she thrown a wrench in his apparent plans?

There was no way to deny her interest in him after she’d kissed him as if she’d never been kissed. Heck, she’d even released one of those do-me-now, lust-filled sighs while he’d pursued her neck, acted as if he might mark her, stamp her as his.

Nick knocked. “Doreen, let me in.”

A zip of nervous energy shot through her body. Her chest heaved as her fluttering heartbeats sped up once more.

Taking a few ragged breaths, she slung the door open and faced him. God in heaven help her. If she’d ever wanted a man, if she’d ever longed to use one just for pleasure alone, Nick represented those wants, those unquenchable needs.

Instead of jumping his bones, which was probably what most single females would’ve done, she said, “Nick, I’m just not that kind of woman.”

“Well, we may have a problem then.” His eyes flickered with amusement. “Because you see, Doreen, I am that kind of man.”