he was giving me time to pull back. A different kind of hunger stirred, and without thinking, I leaned into him. He grinned against my mouth before slowly, at decadent leisure, deepening the kiss. Such perfect pressure on my lips, such skill and passion, sent shivers racing through me. Koda’s tongue traced the contours of my mouth, gently. When I parted my lips, he groaned deep in his throat.
His hand found my nape and tilted my head to a better angle, allowing him greater access as he twined his tongue with mine. I shifted hungrily, my own hands rising to fist in his luxurious midnight hair. The feel of his warm, broad palm cupping my butt sent heat spiraling through my belly and I gasped into his mouth. An answering groan rumbled in his chest and he pressed me closer.
Then an awful thought slammed into me—so brutal, I actually flinched. Shoving clear of him, I put the room’s width between us.
“Why do you pull away?” he asked softly.
“Why do you kiss me?” I watched him through narrowed eyes as he rose from his chair. “Is this like dinner?”
Koda went still, watchful. “What do you mean?”
I just looked at him.
His face flushed with anger when he got it. “You think I’d…I’d whore myself out? You think I’d go that far to get you off your suicidal path?”
“You said you were trying to show me the finer things,” I accused.
He smirked. “You think I’m fine?”
Damn, he was arrogant! That he was also right only pissed me off more. “Luxury hotel, expensive meal…” I drifted off, looking at him pointedly.
“Excuse me all to hell,” he snarled. “But I’m not on the menu.”
Wondering if I’d gotten it wrong, I looked at him, uncertain. “Then why—”
“Did I kiss you? I’m beginning to wonder that myself.”
Stung, I got my chin up. “You didn’t seem so conflic…conflic…confused with your hand on my ass.”
He crossed the room, freezing a few feet away when I stiffened. “Your English is slipping. Why?”
“You kissed me,” I shot back. “Why?”
He bristled with anger. Then he went still and his eyes gleamed, like he’d suddenly solved a puzzle. “Just what are you running from, Coyote?”
Alarmed by the new awareness in his gaze, I stammered, “I am not knowing what you meaned.”
“You know exactly what I mean.” A languid smile lifted one corner of his inviting lips. “Speak straight.”
“Now you mock my words!” I snarled.
His jaw muscles flexed. “I meant I want you to tell me the truth.”
“Truth,” I echoed, my mind working furiously as I delayed answering him.
“Yes, dammit.” Koda’s eyes flashed and he took a step toward me, baring his teeth with angry triumph when I moved to keep distance between us. “Answer me.”
“I run from nothing!”
“Just me.” He gave me a hard look.
“I am sure I do not knowing what you mean,” I sniffed as my heart kicked into triple-time.
A long, appalling silence stretched between us—one I refused to break. Yeah, right. As if I had a clue what to say.
Koda nodded to himself and leaned away from me. In a low voice, he said, “It has been a long day and we both need to rest.”
As startled by his abruptly backing off as I was relieved by it, I edged around him, refusing to acknowledge the perception in his gaze. Arbitrarily going into the closer bedroom, my breath stuck in my throat as I stared at the bed. Sensing Koda’s presence, I turned to see that he’d come no further than the open doorway.
His eyes were veiled and he looked…hurt.
Quickly looking away, I pulled back the ridiculously thick comforter. My efforts to sit on the bed got the robe tangled around my legs. Yanking the thing out of the way, I sat down, tucking my hands into the terry cloth to mask their shaking.
Had I hurt Koda? By questioning his reasons for kissing me?
“Sephti?” His voice was low, rough, as he moved into the room. “Everything okay?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.
His hand found my nape and tilted my head to a better angle, allowing him greater access as he twined his tongue with mine. I shifted hungrily, my own hands rising to fist in his luxurious midnight hair. The feel of his warm, broad palm cupping my butt sent heat spiraling through my belly and I gasped into his mouth. An answering groan rumbled in his chest and he pressed me closer.
Then an awful thought slammed into me—so brutal, I actually flinched. Shoving clear of him, I put the room’s width between us.
“Why do you pull away?” he asked softly.
“Why do you kiss me?” I watched him through narrowed eyes as he rose from his chair. “Is this like dinner?”
Koda went still, watchful. “What do you mean?”
I just looked at him.
His face flushed with anger when he got it. “You think I’d…I’d whore myself out? You think I’d go that far to get you off your suicidal path?”
“You said you were trying to show me the finer things,” I accused.
He smirked. “You think I’m fine?”
Damn, he was arrogant! That he was also right only pissed me off more. “Luxury hotel, expensive meal…” I drifted off, looking at him pointedly.
“Excuse me all to hell,” he snarled. “But I’m not on the menu.”
Wondering if I’d gotten it wrong, I looked at him, uncertain. “Then why—”
“Did I kiss you? I’m beginning to wonder that myself.”
Stung, I got my chin up. “You didn’t seem so conflic…conflic…confused with your hand on my ass.”
He crossed the room, freezing a few feet away when I stiffened. “Your English is slipping. Why?”
“You kissed me,” I shot back. “Why?”
He bristled with anger. Then he went still and his eyes gleamed, like he’d suddenly solved a puzzle. “Just what are you running from, Coyote?”
Alarmed by the new awareness in his gaze, I stammered, “I am not knowing what you meaned.”
“You know exactly what I mean.” A languid smile lifted one corner of his inviting lips. “Speak straight.”
“Now you mock my words!” I snarled.
His jaw muscles flexed. “I meant I want you to tell me the truth.”
“Truth,” I echoed, my mind working furiously as I delayed answering him.
“Yes, dammit.” Koda’s eyes flashed and he took a step toward me, baring his teeth with angry triumph when I moved to keep distance between us. “Answer me.”
“I run from nothing!”
“Just me.” He gave me a hard look.
“I am sure I do not knowing what you mean,” I sniffed as my heart kicked into triple-time.
A long, appalling silence stretched between us—one I refused to break. Yeah, right. As if I had a clue what to say.
Koda nodded to himself and leaned away from me. In a low voice, he said, “It has been a long day and we both need to rest.”
As startled by his abruptly backing off as I was relieved by it, I edged around him, refusing to acknowledge the perception in his gaze. Arbitrarily going into the closer bedroom, my breath stuck in my throat as I stared at the bed. Sensing Koda’s presence, I turned to see that he’d come no further than the open doorway.
His eyes were veiled and he looked…hurt.
Quickly looking away, I pulled back the ridiculously thick comforter. My efforts to sit on the bed got the robe tangled around my legs. Yanking the thing out of the way, I sat down, tucking my hands into the terry cloth to mask their shaking.
Had I hurt Koda? By questioning his reasons for kissing me?
“Sephti?” His voice was low, rough, as he moved into the room. “Everything okay?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.
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