Intrinsical - Lani Woodland [115]
“What did Neal say to you before he went into the light?”
“What you’d expect: words of love and thanks. He also asked that I let my parents know what happened.” Brent gave me a little wink. “Oh, and that my girlfriend was hot.”
“You’ll have to introduce me to her someday,” I teased, resting my elbow on the arm of the chair and tucking my hand under my chin, watching Brent.
“I’ll set it up,” Brent said, stretching his legs out in front of him. “It’s so weird to not know your every thought.”
“I know,” I agreed. “What are you thinking?”
He used one of his fingers to lift my chin, forcing me to look at him. “You look incredible tonight. In fact, you look so delectable that it’s hard to keep my thoughts gentlemanly.”
My cheeks burned and I started to protest, shaking my head adamantly, unable to accept the compliment and waved my hand at him dismissively. I gently pulled back, his fingers tentatively released my chin. I let out an un-ladylike snort. “Fine, don’t answer.”
He raised his eyebrow in response. “Don’t believe me? I can prove it.” He then took a moment to let his eyes slowly wander over me in an embarrassingly intimate and appreciative manner that made me shiver slightly. Brent tilted toward me with a wicked smile, accompanied by a newly-formed desire for me in his eye, that I refused to believe was real.
“Oh, shut up, Brent,” I said, angry at myself for almost falling for his smooth words and sexy eyes.
“Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to.” He chuckled, reclining back again.
“Only if you stop saying things you don’t mean,” I retorted, trying to force my voice to sound light as fluff.
Brent rose from his chair and strode to the window of the commons building looking into the building’s game room, his shoulder resting against the brick. His reflection in the window mirrored his amused grin. “This coming from the girl who took advantage of my weakened state and, while I was sleeping, moved so close to me she practically forced herself into my arms.”
“Oh, please. You’re the one whose arms were wrapped around me,” I argued out of habit, folding my arms with a scowl.
Brent’s warm breath touched the clear windows, steaming them slightly. “You’re also the one who kissed me while in my previously mentioned weakened state. Then you claimed to not mean it. Tell me, do you take responsibility for any of your actions?”
I jumped out of my chair, one of my hands on my hip, the other wagging at Brent as I walked toward him. “It was an accident,” I snapped. “Not to mention, you kissed me first.”
Brent looked almost bored with the conversation and gave me an exaggerated yawn before answering. “That was to stop your meltdown. It didn’t count as a kiss.”
“Right,” I fumed, my index finger poking him in the chest. “So we’re even then. My kiss didn’t count because it was an accident and yours didn’t count because it was strictly for medical purposes. Neither of them counted as kisses.”
“Would you have wanted them to?” Brent demanded suddenly, bending his neck so he whispered it in my ear. His mouth gently grazed my earlobe, his breath caressing my neck. He lifted my finger that was still digging in between his ribs and circled his own around it, then slid his hand down until our fingers were intertwined. My insides melted into a sticky Yara-puddle of romantic goop.
Sandpaper lined my throat. I opened my mouth, intent on making some snippy comment. “I . . . I mean . . . you . . .” My traitorous brain allowed words to abandon me, leaving me stuttering and flushing like an idiot.
“I thought so.” Brent pulled back and examined my face with a smug smile that made my racing pulse skitter to a stop.
“Why, you . . . of course I—”
Brent cut me off in the most unexpected way. He took me in his arms where I gave a feeble token struggle. He held me tightly, both our hearts beating loudly in a harmonious rhythm, before he pulled back enough for his supple, soft lips to find mine. The whole atmosphere around us changed. The air felt thicker, full of something new, exciting