body, as his lips and mouth aroused her in sweet and loving ways.
His hands glided away, then found the buttons of her blouse. He unfastened one, then the next. Anxiety warred with excitement. She stilled his hands.
“I … uh … sorry, Sloan, but … I have plans. I really have to get going.”
“Can’t you cancel?” He sent her a devilish grin. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
She had no doubt about that, but she did not want to mislead him by giving him the idea that they could settle into a relationship with just the two of them. It wouldn’t be fair to him.
She drew away. “No, I’m afraid not.”
Disappointment glazed his features, but he released her. Feeling like a total bitch, she walked toward the doorway. “I have to go get ready.”
“Can I give you a lift somewhere?”
She glanced back at him from the doorway. “No, that’s okay. Thanks.” Then she hurried to the bedroom, wondering if he’d still be there once she’d finished changing.
* * *
As Sloan stood at the door, he drew Janine into his arms and kissed her again, not wanting to leave, but she drew herself from his embrace and stepped back.
“So what are your plans this afternoon?” she asked.
“Well, a buddy is moving this weekend and I told him I’d help him unload the truck. He should be ready in a few hours.”
“That’s great. Maybe I can meet him sometime.”
He didn’t know whether to take that as a hopeful sign that she thought it might work out between them—and she would start meeting his friends—or if she meant that she’d like to add his friend to her harem of men.
“Maybe. I’m more interested in when I can see you again.”
“Well, I can set up something for next Saturday, if that works for you. Jonas won’t be in town, but Derek could probably join us.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s not what I had in mind.”
“Oh? And what did you have in mind?”
He smiled and stroked her cheek. “Just the two of us would be nice.”
She sighed and gazed at him like one might a child. “Sloan, I told you right up front that I’m not interested in an exclusive relationship.”
“One date doesn’t mean we’re exclusive.”
“But you’re not talking about one date, are you? You’d like every date to be just the two of us.”
“That’s pretty normal for most people, you know.”
“Yes, but not for me. And not with you. Not when you’re trying to prove that you can handle my dating style.”
He compressed his lips. He had hoped that after last night and this morning, she would realize that her attraction for him could be so much more … that she could fall in love with him … and then she would want to be alone with him.
Of course, maybe his plan had worked. Maybe she had realized exactly that and now wanted to put distance between them because she didn’t want to give up her wild lifestyle.
Either way, his best shot seemed to be to show her he could be just as wild as she could.
“All right, then. I have a proposal.”
She quirked her head. “I’m listening.”
“Derek arranged a stranger fantasy for you, but my appearance ruined it.”
She grinned. “Well, as things turned out, I wouldn’t exactly say it was ruined, since it’s led to such an interesting turn of events.”
He smiled. “Good. But I still feel I owe you one. How about I set up a stranger fantasy for you?”
Her eyebrows arched upward. “You?”
“Sure. Why not? I have friends.”
She pursed her lips and gazed at him. “Okay. Bring it on.”
* * *
Sloan grabbed the last box, labeled KITCHEN , from the rental truck and carried it into Liam’s new house.
“Any more?” Liam asked as Sloan placed the box on the pile in the corner of the kitchen.
“Nope. All done.” Sloan grabbed a cola from the fridge and pulled open the tab, then took a sip. Moving was hot work.
“I’ve ordered pizza. We can take a break and then get to the unpacking.”
Sloan grinned.
His hands glided away, then found the buttons of her blouse. He unfastened one, then the next. Anxiety warred with excitement. She stilled his hands.
“I … uh … sorry, Sloan, but … I have plans. I really have to get going.”
“Can’t you cancel?” He sent her a devilish grin. “I’ll make it worth your while.”
She had no doubt about that, but she did not want to mislead him by giving him the idea that they could settle into a relationship with just the two of them. It wouldn’t be fair to him.
She drew away. “No, I’m afraid not.”
Disappointment glazed his features, but he released her. Feeling like a total bitch, she walked toward the doorway. “I have to go get ready.”
“Can I give you a lift somewhere?”
She glanced back at him from the doorway. “No, that’s okay. Thanks.” Then she hurried to the bedroom, wondering if he’d still be there once she’d finished changing.
* * *
As Sloan stood at the door, he drew Janine into his arms and kissed her again, not wanting to leave, but she drew herself from his embrace and stepped back.
“So what are your plans this afternoon?” she asked.
“Well, a buddy is moving this weekend and I told him I’d help him unload the truck. He should be ready in a few hours.”
“That’s great. Maybe I can meet him sometime.”
He didn’t know whether to take that as a hopeful sign that she thought it might work out between them—and she would start meeting his friends—or if she meant that she’d like to add his friend to her harem of men.
“Maybe. I’m more interested in when I can see you again.”
“Well, I can set up something for next Saturday, if that works for you. Jonas won’t be in town, but Derek could probably join us.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s not what I had in mind.”
“Oh? And what did you have in mind?”
He smiled and stroked her cheek. “Just the two of us would be nice.”
She sighed and gazed at him like one might a child. “Sloan, I told you right up front that I’m not interested in an exclusive relationship.”
“One date doesn’t mean we’re exclusive.”
“But you’re not talking about one date, are you? You’d like every date to be just the two of us.”
“That’s pretty normal for most people, you know.”
“Yes, but not for me. And not with you. Not when you’re trying to prove that you can handle my dating style.”
He compressed his lips. He had hoped that after last night and this morning, she would realize that her attraction for him could be so much more … that she could fall in love with him … and then she would want to be alone with him.
Of course, maybe his plan had worked. Maybe she had realized exactly that and now wanted to put distance between them because she didn’t want to give up her wild lifestyle.
Either way, his best shot seemed to be to show her he could be just as wild as she could.
“All right, then. I have a proposal.”
She quirked her head. “I’m listening.”
“Derek arranged a stranger fantasy for you, but my appearance ruined it.”
She grinned. “Well, as things turned out, I wouldn’t exactly say it was ruined, since it’s led to such an interesting turn of events.”
He smiled. “Good. But I still feel I owe you one. How about I set up a stranger fantasy for you?”
Her eyebrows arched upward. “You?”
“Sure. Why not? I have friends.”
She pursed her lips and gazed at him. “Okay. Bring it on.”
* * *
Sloan grabbed the last box, labeled KITCHEN , from the rental truck and carried it into Liam’s new house.
“Any more?” Liam asked as Sloan placed the box on the pile in the corner of the kitchen.
“Nope. All done.” Sloan grabbed a cola from the fridge and pulled open the tab, then took a sip. Moving was hot work.
“I’ve ordered pizza. We can take a break and then get to the unpacking.”
Sloan grinned.
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