and her eyes blazed with anger.
If she’d been one of their ancestors, she might have taken a shot at him with one of those old sonic Disturbers worn by almost everyone at that time. They’d put a man or animal down with violent stomach cramps and nausea long enough for the user to get to safety. Now only the Planetary Defense and police forces carried weapons and owning even something as benign as a modern Disturber required undergoing evaluations and enough bureaucracy to deter most people.
“Yes, you’re acting as if I’ve done something to you.” Jericho deliberately kept his voice questioning and frowned as if he couldn’t understand why she would be angry. He understood, though, up to a point. He’d done everything he could to spare her pain while he was building a life for them.
“You have a lot of nerve.” She took a step forward. “You break up with me, leave and come back years later expecting to slip back into my life and bed? Before this, I never thought you were stupid.”
“But we both know it’s not simply nerve. It’s reality. I will be back in your bed, soon.” He took a slow step closer to her, not wanting to spook her into running.
“No, you won’t.” Her finger poked against his chest. “You didn’t want me enough then. I don’t want you now.”
There was the fire. “You don’t? The way you look at me says that you do. You’re angry, but it’s not going to make any difference.”
He circled behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. Her muscles tensed beneath his palms. At least she wasn’t screaming at him or stomping away from him yet. It would happen, but he hoped to learn a little more about why she was so angry. Well, other than the fact that he’d broken up with her, left and now wanted to get back with her.
She looked over her shoulder and raised a brow. “What look would that be? The scowl when you irritate me or the frown of confusion because you won’t give up.”
“Well, those are always interesting, but no, not those. It’s that little hooded stare when you think I’m not watching.” Jericho let one of his hands slide down her back to her waist.
“That’s me contemplating what I want to do to you. Believe me. None of it is sexual.” Her voice was even and firm.
She wanted him to believe that look spoke of anger and her plotting. He wasn’t falling for the lie. In spite of the years that had passed, he knew her. He knew that particular expression and the rush of heat up her cheeks.
“Oh, so you’re not thinking about the way our bodies fit together?” He eased in closer until he was pressed from chest to thigh against her back. He kept the contact light, but he wanted to pull her back against him and feel his cock pressed between the rounded cheeks of her buttocks.
“Why should I? One man is the same as any other.” She didn’t turn her head, but he heard a quaver in her voice. Her voice always wavered when she lied. Not that he’d clue her in to it.
“I can tell when you’re lying. One man isn’t the same as another for you. You think about kissing me and the nights we spent together.” His hand slipped around her waist and over her stomach. He didn’t sweep it up to cup those full breasts, although his palms burned to feel their weight again.
“I think about a lot of things, but our past encounters are the farthest thing from my mind.” She pulled his hand away from her stomach. “When are you going to understand that one chance is all you get? You walked away from it.”
“Never, because once you get over being mad at me, we’ll pick up where we left off,” Jericho said cheerfully.
Her elbow connected with his stomach as she slipped free of his hold. His breath whooshed from him. He clutched at his stomach a moment before shaking his head and looking up at her. Well, that had drawn a reaction.
“Where we left off is nowhere, broken up with you walking away without a word. You may have been good in bed, but you’re
If she’d been one of their ancestors, she might have taken a shot at him with one of those old sonic Disturbers worn by almost everyone at that time. They’d put a man or animal down with violent stomach cramps and nausea long enough for the user to get to safety. Now only the Planetary Defense and police forces carried weapons and owning even something as benign as a modern Disturber required undergoing evaluations and enough bureaucracy to deter most people.
“Yes, you’re acting as if I’ve done something to you.” Jericho deliberately kept his voice questioning and frowned as if he couldn’t understand why she would be angry. He understood, though, up to a point. He’d done everything he could to spare her pain while he was building a life for them.
“You have a lot of nerve.” She took a step forward. “You break up with me, leave and come back years later expecting to slip back into my life and bed? Before this, I never thought you were stupid.”
“But we both know it’s not simply nerve. It’s reality. I will be back in your bed, soon.” He took a slow step closer to her, not wanting to spook her into running.
“No, you won’t.” Her finger poked against his chest. “You didn’t want me enough then. I don’t want you now.”
There was the fire. “You don’t? The way you look at me says that you do. You’re angry, but it’s not going to make any difference.”
He circled behind her and put his hands on her shoulders. Her muscles tensed beneath his palms. At least she wasn’t screaming at him or stomping away from him yet. It would happen, but he hoped to learn a little more about why she was so angry. Well, other than the fact that he’d broken up with her, left and now wanted to get back with her.
She looked over her shoulder and raised a brow. “What look would that be? The scowl when you irritate me or the frown of confusion because you won’t give up.”
“Well, those are always interesting, but no, not those. It’s that little hooded stare when you think I’m not watching.” Jericho let one of his hands slide down her back to her waist.
“That’s me contemplating what I want to do to you. Believe me. None of it is sexual.” Her voice was even and firm.
She wanted him to believe that look spoke of anger and her plotting. He wasn’t falling for the lie. In spite of the years that had passed, he knew her. He knew that particular expression and the rush of heat up her cheeks.
“Oh, so you’re not thinking about the way our bodies fit together?” He eased in closer until he was pressed from chest to thigh against her back. He kept the contact light, but he wanted to pull her back against him and feel his cock pressed between the rounded cheeks of her buttocks.
“Why should I? One man is the same as any other.” She didn’t turn her head, but he heard a quaver in her voice. Her voice always wavered when she lied. Not that he’d clue her in to it.
“I can tell when you’re lying. One man isn’t the same as another for you. You think about kissing me and the nights we spent together.” His hand slipped around her waist and over her stomach. He didn’t sweep it up to cup those full breasts, although his palms burned to feel their weight again.
“I think about a lot of things, but our past encounters are the farthest thing from my mind.” She pulled his hand away from her stomach. “When are you going to understand that one chance is all you get? You walked away from it.”
“Never, because once you get over being mad at me, we’ll pick up where we left off,” Jericho said cheerfully.
Her elbow connected with his stomach as she slipped free of his hold. His breath whooshed from him. He clutched at his stomach a moment before shaking his head and looking up at her. Well, that had drawn a reaction.
“Where we left off is nowhere, broken up with you walking away without a word. You may have been good in bed, but you’re
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