Forged of Steele Bundle (Books 1-4) - Brenda Jackson [145]
Caught completely by surprise, she needed a moment before she could say anything. When she found her voice she said, “I usually don’t open the door before finding out who it is first. I assumed you were my neighbor.”
His lips twitched briefly. “I thought we had a serious discussion about the dangers of assuming anything.”
She tipped her head and stared at him. Emotions she didn’t need or want began clogging her throat. “What are you doing here, Bas?” she asked tightly. She hadn’t seen him in three days and she wished to God she hadn’t been counting. But she had.
Bas pushed away from the rail and took a couple of steps forward. He figured if he were to tell her the real reason for his visit—that he wanted to devour her mouth—the door would get slammed in his face, so instead he said, “It’s early. I didn’t want to go to the office, and I wasn’t ready to go to bed yet. We had a great weekend down at Cedar Springs and I could only think of one way to end it.”
“And what way is that?” Jocelyn’s fingers tightened around the doorknob. Her mind was suddenly filled with forbidden yet romantic thoughts. Bas’s gaze was locked on hers and she was beginning to feel this luscious, hot sensation flow all through her. She even felt the floor beneath her feet give way a little. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, and in response she felt something tug deep in the pit of her stomach. Her world began to rock and she waited with bated breath for his reply.
“A rematch. I want to play another game of pinball with you.”
Chapter 10
Jocelyn drew a breath, leaned in the doorway and stared at Bas. She guessed she should have been grateful that a game of pinball was all he had in mind but still…It wasn’t helping matters that since meeting him and sharing two kisses, her body had become somewhat treacherous whenever he was around.
Her system automatically went on overload and it took everything she could muster to retain the common sense she was born with and had kept intact over the years. But another part of her being reminded her that she’d been celibate for a very long time…ever since senior year in college over six years ago. Why let the explosive spontaneous combustion she felt with Bas go to waste?
Because you’re too sensible and dignified to play the games men want to play, she assured herself immediately. Although she was single, mature and unattached, with basic human urges like the next person, that didn’t mean she was into casual sex. When the time came for a man to touch her again, by golly it would mean something and not be an appeasement of curiosity like the last time, which had left her totally disappointed.
“So you want to play pinball?” she finally asked, cocking her brow. “Didn’t you learn anything from our last game?”
He flashed a quick grin. “Oh yeah, I learned a lot. I know not to let my guard down again.”
“Is that what happened?”
“Yes. I concentrated more on you than the game.”
She hadn’t expected him to admit that. “So what’s your game plan this time?”
“Do you really expect me to tell you?”
She chuckled. “No, but I thought it wouldn’t hurt to ask.” She stepped aside. “Come on in and let the game begin.”
An hour or so later Jocelyn glanced over at Bas and narrowed her eyes. He was leading by over one hundred thousand points and she was the one who was finding it hard to concentrate on the game. Frustration began to surface. It wasn’t that she didn’t like losing; she just didn’t like the reason she was losing—her inability to focus.
“Winning this rematch means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” she finally asked when he scored once again.
He grinned over at her. “Worried about losing?”
“No. But it does seem like you’re deliberately dragging this game out.”
“While staying ahead in points.”
“For the moment, yes.”
“Um, I’m just consolidating my shots and economizing my ball time,” he said. “A strategy that works best for me.”
“You’re working too hard