Into the Fire - Leslie Kelly [65]
When he took her home, insisting on walking her to the door of her apartment, she'd held her breath. Would he try to kiss her? What if he asked to come in? Lying here, a few hours later, she conceded that if he had, she'd probably have said yes.
He hadn't asked.
She didn't just want him. It was more than want, this feeling preventing her from falling asleep. This was need. A painful, intense need pounding throughout her entire body. Lacey almost resented him for showing her the passion of which she was capable. Almost.
As the hot night wore on, the dark minutes stretching into hours, Lacey remembered more of what he'd taught her, more of what she'd learned about herself Friday night. Until, finally, she relieved the pressure alone.
She supposed that was one thing she had to thank him for. Nate Logan had made her realize she was allowed to touch herself.
But her hands were a damn poor substitute for him.
* * *
Chapter 10
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B y the end of two weeks, Nate was ready to cry uncle. He would have done about anything—including sitting through a ten-hanky chick flick—if it got Lacey to give up on her plan. The only thing that had stopped him from grabbing her and kissing her until she tore off her own clothes was his promise. He'd agreed not to seduce her.
"You idiot," he muttered Friday night as he drove downtown.
"What'd I do?" Raul asked from the passenger seat.
"Nothing. I was talking to myself."
They were headed for a popular, trendy restaurant and bar, an after-hours hangout that had a reputation as a meat market. Lacey and Venus were probably already there. Lacey had e-mailed him an hour ago, saying they were going ahead with his original idea to check out the local singles scene. She told him he could show up, too, but only if he sat at another table.
"Is she crazy?" He didn't expect Raul to answer. "Doesn't she know what kind of guys hang out in places like that?"
Raul snorted a laugh, ignoring Nate's glare. "I'm sure she'll be fine. She can take care of herself. Besides, she's not alone. Amazon woman is there with her."
Nate shot him a look of disgust. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?"
Lacey was vulnerable right now, one walking case of sexual anticipation. Just like Nate. He hit the gas.
"Slow down," Raul said as he quickly budded his seat belt. "You're gonna get us killed."
Still thinking about the past several days, Nate ignored him. He couldn't believe Lacey hadn't caved in yet. They'd spent hours together, every day, some evenings as well, debating, interviewing, making phone calls, researching case studies and statistics. They'd lived on Chinese take-out and adrenaline, both too keyed up to sleep, both too stubborn to relent.
They'd scoped out trendy restaurants, college campuses, grocery stores and libraries. He'd talked to dozens of people, old and young, married and single. Lacey had done the same.
J.T. had mentioned their assignment during an interview on a local TV news program last week. The story had garnered a great deal of attention, even nationwide. Celebrities suddenly returned phone calls. Experts crawled out of the woodwork to throw in their two cents worth on the whole man-woman-sex-love debate.
Not that Nate much cared. The assignment had become a chore, a hurdle to overcome so he and Lacey could get back to where they'd been fourteen days before.
The sexual intensity, so powerful from the night they met, had become almost overwhelming now that they both knew what it could be like between them. With every shared smile, every casual brush of a hand or covetous glance, Nate felt his control slip further away. Lacey's, too. Those powder-blue eyes couldn't hide her feelings. She was as on edge,