A Family Kind of Guy by Lisa Jackson Page A

and tasting, dancing with her own.
    Strong arms surrounded her and his hands splayed possessively over her back. She thought she heard a disturbance somewhere behind her but discarded the sound as part of the rush of blood through her brain. Mason didn’t stop kissing her and Bliss’s heart, damn it, thundered in her chest.
    Stop this lunacy now, rational thought insisted.
    Don’t ever let him go, her heart replied.
    She heard a soft wanting sound and realized it had come from her own throat. It had been so long, so damned long…and she wanted, needed, so much more.
    â€œIt’s always been this way with you,” he said as if disappointed, and she realized that their kiss had been a test, to see if he, like her, would respond.
    â€œAnd it can’t be.” Though her breathing was as ragged as his, she was angry with herself for falling into his trap, for letting her body dictate to her mind. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, let this happen again. “It…just can’t.”
    Slowly he let go of her. Shoving his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, he cleared his throat. “I didn’t mean to—”
    â€œOf course you did,” she retorted. “You just didn’t expect to be affected.”
    â€œSo now you’re a shrink?”
    â€œWell?”
    A muscle worked his jaw. “I was curious.”
    â€œSo was I.” She took a step even closer to him and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “But anyone can get caught up in lust. We did before, remember?” The words as they passed her lips stung. She’d always thought she loved him, but she had to stop this destructive urge right now, because she wasn’t about to take a chance on letting this man hurt her again. “And just for future reference, cowboy,” she continued, “that kind of Neanderthal tactic might work on some of the women around here, but with me—”
    â€œI’m sorry.”
    She couldn’t believe her ears. Never had this man apologized to her. “What?”
    â€œI came on too strong. You made me see red and then all of a sudden…” He leaned against the wall, sighed loudly, then before her eyes drew himself upright. “It won’t happen again.”
    â€œYou bet it won’t!” she said, not sure if she was relieved or disappointed. Her pulse was still beating erratically and the taste of him lingered on her lips. “And as for my dad, just leave him alone, okay?”
    His eyes narrowed. “Don’t know that I can.”
    â€œWhy not? What makes you want his place so badly?”
    Mason shrugged as he held open the door and she passed through. “It’s the right time.”
    â€œThe right time for whom?”
    â€œBrynnie, to begin with, and, yes, me. I need a place down here. Cawthorne Acres has everything I want.”
    â€œExcept a for-sale sign on the front door.” She reached into her purse for her keys and, as she extracted the ring, cut herself on a pair of nail scissors tucked into an inner pocket. “Ouch. Oh, damn.” A drop of blood oozed from the tip of her forefinger and before she could do anything, Mason took her hand in his and eyed the wound.
    â€œLet’s see.”
    â€œIt’s nothing.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œI said, it’s…” Her voice faded as he slowly placed her finger to his lips. “Oh, no, don’t—”
    But his lips were warm, and the flow of blood was quickly stanched, the inside of his mouth so slick and seductive Bliss could scarcely breathe. Why, oh, why did this one man still get to her? What was it about him she found so damned irresistible?
    â€œI’m okay,” she said, retrieving her hand.
    â€œI know.” He rocked back on the heels of his boots and had the decency to look uncomfortable. “I, uh, don’t know what came over me.”
    He actually looked perplexed for an instant.
    â€œListen,