Rashid couldn’t believe the fury another man’s name created within him. “Who the hell is Ryan? And why should he care if you’re alone with me?”
Sidra instantly felt bad for her lack of an explanation. She turned to face him fully, not wanting to play the normal games men and women played upon an initial meeting. He hadn’t done that with her and she would give him the courtesy of not doing that with him. “I’m sorry, that came out sounding awful and I didn’t mean to even try to make you jealous. Ryan is my older brother and he’s very protective of me. Sometimes I don’t even tell him when I start dating a guy because Ryan will have a background check done on the man and it’s a bit intimidating. I don’t like knowing all the bad things a guy has done before I even know what his favorite food is.”
Instantly Rashid felt better, both in hearing that she’s not dating another man as well as the fact that she had an older brother to watch out for her. “As well he should. I have two younger sisters as well and I doubt that I would allow them to be in the forest with a strange man under any circumstances. You should respect your brother’s wishes.”
She didn’t like those words. Was he telling her that he didn’t think she should be here? She wasn’t afraid of him so much as afraid of what she wanted to do with him, a completely different issue. Possibly still a good reason to leave the area and find a place where she was able to maintain her sanity, but she didn’t want to leave him. “Are you telling me that I should leave here immediately?”
Rashid stepped forward, seeing the hurt look in her eyes. An honorable man would tell her that she should leave and walk away as fast as possible. His intentions were not honorable. He wanted this woman with a driving intensity that seemed to be increasing the more he spoke with her. And yet, there was an odd, protective side to his feelings as well. Something he’d never felt before with someone outside of his family.
This woman with her soft, pretty hazel eyes was a mystery he wanted to unravel. Both with her kind, soft-hearted smile as well as her lush figure, he didn’t understand why he wanted to pull her down into the damp grass and make love to her, and at the same time, tell her to run as far away from him as possible. He was a dangerous man and being associated with him was hazardous in ways she couldn’t even begin to understand.
She’d been so honest with him, he couldn’t be any less to her, even if it wasn’t what he wanted. “You would probably be better off if you did so.”
Sidra heard the words, but there was something in his eyes that struck her. It was an odd vulnerability that she wouldn’t have thought possible in a man so strong and confident. “Are you really that dangerous?” she asked and stepped closer to him.
He saw how close she was and wanted to pull her against him, to bury his hands in her gorgeous, dark hair and kiss those soft lips. He wanted to hear his name on those lips as he pressed slowly into her heat and when she climaxed in his arms. “You don’t know me. How can you know if I’m telling the truth if I deny it?”
She laughed despite her racing heartbeat and wobbly knees. “If my friend Laura heard that kind of a statement, she would be telling me to get away from you. She watches all those criminal investigations television shows and would immediately think that you’re some sort of serial killer.”
Rashid laughed again, delighted with her sense of humor. “I guarantee that I’m not a serial killer.”
She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling. “Would a serial killer really admit that he was if he had his latest victim alone in the woods?” She was teasing him, but she sincerely felt safe with him. Well, safe from physical harm. Not safe from being kissed. Which she wished he would do.
“Probably not,” he replied, all laughter gone. “I’m going to kiss you though.”
Sidra thought her heart might stop in her chest with those words. And then began pounding so hard she thought it might just burst out of her body. Her fingers were shaking and her body was both clamoring for his touch and at the same time, telling her to run away.
Instead, she took a step forward and placed her hand on his chest. “I think I’d like that very much.”
He covered her hand, noting the shivering under his palm and he saw the pulse at the base of her throat increase visibly. “Why don’t you let me know when you’re sure,” he said and stepped forward, not touching her except where her hand was touching his chest. He wanted to pull her into his arm and ravage those full, red lips but something held him back. Take it slow, he told himself. This woman was not like the others who normally pursued him. She was too delicate, too soft-hearted. She didn’t know how to play the game, which was evidenced by the honesty she put forth each time she spoke.
She bit her lip and looked down, taking in the strong, tanned hand covering her pale one on his chest. She felt his heart and noticed that it was strong and sure, unlike hers that was racing in a way that made her almost gasp for breath. As she looked up at him, she felt his heartbeat increase and that gave her the confidence she needed to say, “I’m pretty sure.”
He smiled and moved his hands to her waist, feeling the softness and noting how slender she really was. “Getting better. But you’re not completely sure, are you.”
She took a deep breath and raised her face up to his. “Yes. I’m very sure. But I thank you for giving me the time to back out of it and run screaming out of the woods.”
Rashid stood there for a stunned moment, absorbing her words. Again, he laughed softly at her quip but didn’t hesitate any longer. He couldn’t. Kissing her had now become an imperative, an absolute that couldn’t wait.
He savored the anticipation though, enjoying her beautiful face and her scared but eager eyes looking up at him as he slowly bent lower. When his lips covered hers, he pulled her against him, feeling her full breasts and her soft body as it gently pressed against him. Almost innocently, he thought.
The kiss was gentle at first, just a flirtation of a kiss. He rubbed his lips over hers, testing the texture and enjoying the anticipation. With her sweet sigh, he lifted his head and looked down at her. The small smile and the way she almost pulled back, as if that were the end of their embrace and it made him rebel at such a tentative taste. There was no way he was letting her get away with just that touch. He wanted more. So much more!