The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [136]
She no longer felt she needed or wanted a man in her life, and she’d decided she was better off on her own. But how she felt around Morgan was so different from those other relationships. She did crave him, and ignoring Morgan was like trying not to breathe—impossible.
By reflex, she put her hand over his, intending to pull it away, but instead, she held it tighter to her. “Kent…Kent was like most men, saying the right things to get my attention. I wanted to believe that he cared, so I did. But he never really wanted me, not like—” She stammered into silence and blushed.
Morgan gave her a satisfied smile. “You mean, like I do?”
How could he expect her to answer that? “All he really wanted,” she said, ignoring his question and her embarrassment, “was the convenience of being with one woman. He never really cared about me.”
“He was obviously a goddamned fool.”
She looked up at him, then felt snared in his gaze. “Men flirt by nature. It doesn’t mean anything. And it doesn’t matter who the woman is or what she looks like.”
“There’s flirting, and then there’s flirting.” Morgan gave her a small smile. “You can believe I’ve never disabled another woman’s car, or dragged her into a gazebo.”
Misty managed a laugh. “No, probably it was the women dragging you into private places.”
Morgan’s fingers on her abdomen began a gentle caress that made it difficult for her to remain still. “Let’s try this from another angle, okay? Forget Kent—he’s not worth mentioning. And he’s hardly a good example of the male species. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“So. Has Nate been hanging around your desk? Talking to you a lot? Has he asked you out?”
She could barely think with his palm pressed so intimately to her body. Her khaki slacks weren’t much of a barrier. And she could feel his breath on her cheek, could smell the delicious scent of cologne and soap and man. His wrist was so thick where she held him, her fingers couldn’t circle it completely. “Um, yes, yes and no.”
He nuzzled his nose against hers. “Yes and no what?”
“Yes, he talks with me, and yes, he stops by my desk. Just about everyone who comes into the station does.”
Morgan dropped his forehead to hers. “I need to put a paper sack over your head. I hadn’t realized it, but I’d have been better off hiding you away here at the house.”
Misty couldn’t help but smile. “No, he hasn’t asked me out. He invited me to lunch once, but that hardly counts as a date. That was just a friendly visit between employees. I think he gets lonely at lunchtime, because now he usually eats at the station with me.”
Morgan looked at her like she was a simpleton. “He’s flirting, Malone.”
“No, he’s not.”
Morgan drew an exasperated breath and shook his head at her. “I’m going to put a stop to it.”
“Jesse and Howard are always there. And don’t you dare suggest they’re flirting, too.”
He tipped his head back and groaned. “I’m surprised every single male in the area isn’t there hanging on your damn desk. From now on, I’m going to make sure I’m around to take you to lunch. And stop shaking your head at me!”
“Morgan, you’re being unreasonable.” But deep inside, she was pleased by his jealousy. She had to admit that maybe, just maybe, she was fighting a losing battle.
“I want to make sure you eat right.”
“Uh-huh. I can tell that’s your motivation.” Misty quit denying him. “If you want to take me to lunch, that’s fine with me.”
“Then it’s settled.” Triumph shone in his gaze. “And about damn time, too.”
“You know, Morgan, if everyone found out I was pregnant, that’d likely put an end to any interest—imagined or otherwise.”
Morgan kissed her brow, then her nose. “Don’t count on it. It didn’t do a damn thing to make me want you less.”
He was about to kiss her again, and she was about to let him, when Sawyer emerged from his bedroom