Nice Girls Finish Last by Natalie Anderson

wanting it, and who wants it as much as I do. Be honest with me again, Lena.’
    â€˜You’re wrong,’ she said firmly, her ice-chipped eyes unwavering. ‘Not all women play those kinds of games. I don’t. I mean what I say.’
    â€˜But a massive part of you doesn’t want to say it.’ Her toe curling was giving it away. He hoped.
    â€˜You think?’ She glared at him, her ice dissolving in anger. ‘You’re actually a no-means-yes, take-it-willing-or-not brute?’
    â€˜You can try to be as insulting as you like but it isn’t going to work.’ He grinned. ‘You can’t manipulate me into getting angry and walking away.’ He’d literally fought to learn to control his emotions—it took a hell of a lot for him to give way to anger now. And he was miles off angry at the moment, more like amused. Her lashes lowered and he waited expectantly, eager to see her next move.
    â€˜It’s all about the game for you, isn’t it?’ She peeped a look back up.
    He smiled because she couldn’t resist that little look. And, yeah, she had his number, but he’d get hers, too. He’d tease it out. ‘I don’t think you can deny this, Lena. You were so hot the other day you exploded at first touch. How long had you been on the boil?’ He angled his head, leaning closer, deliberately trying to bait her because it was working. ‘I don’t actually think it’s me. Clearly working around all this testosterone gets you het up and after a while your safety valve blows. Best it blows with someone like me rather than one of those boys, though, right? You wouldn’t want to get messy in the workplace, would you?’
    She went pale. Seth’s radar zeroed in. Oh, that was interesting—was that why she was so stand-offish with the team? She’d once had a messy office affair? His curiosityraged. Yeah, there was the thing. This wasn’t just about getting her back into bed; he wanted to know all about her. Most of all he wanted to know what else would make her laugh.
    Lena drew breath and forced history back to the past. Seth thought she’d been horny from hanging with the rugby guys? He was crazy. Those boys were beautiful, but they didn’t light her fire. It was all him. Something in him called to her, something she feared was more than skin deep. But she was happy to let him keep his wholly wrong idea. The sass only Seth sparked bubbled up and she leaned forward, reckless. ‘It’s a once-a-year thing,’ she whispered. ‘Can you hang on that long?’
    â€˜Once a year?’ He laughed, predatory sharpness defining his features once more. ‘You haven’t a hope in lasting that this time. You’re still thermonuclear.’
    She pulled back, putting both feet down to stand her ground. ‘And you’re delusional.’
    â€˜No.’ He shook his head slowly. His lashes lifted and the azure-blue eyes gleamed at her thoughtfully. ‘What I am is honoured.’
    â€˜I’m sorry?’ He’d lost her totally now.
    â€˜An annual event at most, ’ he said, utterly serious. ‘Given you were worried you’d forgotten how, I’m honoured that you picked me the other night. And as it was such a rare experience for you, I take it to be a real privilege. And a compliment.’
    She ground her teeth. ‘The other day you were making out like I was in here getting the entire team off.’
    He nodded. ‘Amazing how wrong that first impression was, huh?’ He sidled closer with a snaky smile. ‘What was your first impression of me?’
    â€˜That you’re an arrogant jerk.’
    â€˜See?’ He beamed widely. ‘ So wrong.’
    She stared at him for a second and then couldn’t help but laugh. Her chuckle deepened as the tension eased. It felt good. ‘You’re…you’re…’
    â€˜Ready when you are,’ he