LITMIR.BIZ

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to bring that up. My admission was made in the heat of the moment. Besides, I was twelve.”

      “I’m fascinated because I had no idea.”

      “Are you serious?”

      “I am.”

      Kate laughed. “I thought I was so pathetically obvious.”

      “Nope. You were such a tomboy, I figured you were just trying to keep up with Joe, Clint and me.”

      “Jeez. All that angst for nothing.”

      “So let me get this straight. You only had the hots for me when you were twelve and then it just disappeared?”

      “Shut up.”

      Mitch chuckled. “I like the idea of being the coveted older man.”

      “As if you didn’t have enough girls chasing after you. If I recall, the entire cheerleading squad drew straws to see who you and Clint would take to the prom.”

      “Right.”

      Along with the sarcasm, she thought she detected a hint of embarrassment in his voice, and she grinned. “Besides, I got over you by the time I went to college.”

      “Cast aside for those college hunks, huh?”

      “I rarely saw you anymore.”

      The sudden tension radiating from his body put her on alert. Although the Colters never confided disappointment in their son’s frequent absences, it had to be an issue. She was sorry to have brought it up.

      They lay there in silence until she wondered if he’d fallen asleep. As exhausted as she was, she was suddenly keyed up. The mere act of lying here with Mitch was so surreal it was impossible to relax. Plus, she was wearing a teddy, for heaven’s sake.

      Darn it, why did she have to remember that? It shouldn’t matter. The thick quilt was quite an effective barrier between them. The thought of the sheer black lace that did nothing to hide her breasts made her squirm anyway. This was so not her style.

      He lightly squeezed her shoulders. “I thought you were asleep,” he whispered.

      “I thought you were.”

      “We both should be.”

      “Yeah.” Right. She was snuggled against Mitch’s broad strong chest. His rock-hard biceps held her a willing prisoner. Sure. She was going to get all kinds of sleep. “I have another confession.”

      He rested his chin on the top of her head. “Do I want to hear this?”

      She smiled. “Probably not.”

      “You’re going to tell me, anyway.”

      Kate wrinkled her nose, her courage slipping. It seemed funny a second ago, but maybe this was too much information. “Never mind,” she murmured.

      “Now I’m curious.”

      She nibbled her lower lip. “I used to kiss my pillow and pretend it was you.”

      He hooted with laughter. “How did I do?”

      “You weren’t bad.”

      “At least better than a bedpost, I suspect.”

      “Oh, much.”

      Mitch laughed again. “I’m not going to ask.”

      She lightly pinched his ribs. At least she tried. But he had no spare flesh. Just lean muscle that reminded her how near-perfect he was, and that she hadn’t exercised since school let out last month. “Tell me you didn’t practice kissing when you were a kid.”

      “I did my share, except it always involved a girl.”

      “Of course, silly me. You had them lining up.”

      “You have a warped sense of history, young lady.”

      Kate knew better, but she said nothing. If she were to pinch anyone, it should be herself. She was lying in bed with Mitch Colter. So he had on his clothes, and she was stiflingly swaddled like a newborn. It didn’t matter that the AC was on, this was July and the evenings didn’t cool down all that much. Normally she’d sleep with only a sheet covering her lower half. The heat from Mitch’s body didn’t help, either, or maybe it was her own rising temperature, but she had no intention of moving.

      Her mind helplessly returned to Dennis. If it were him beside her, she wouldn’t hesitate to put some distance between them or tactfully point out that it was too warm to be this close. Not that he’d ever been the physical type. The lack of affection had bothered her at first, but after a while she’d gotten used to it. In fact, she’d never been crazy about the way he kissed. Too stiff, too perfunctory. And damn it, kissing was important to her. So why had she been willing to overlook such a major flaw?

      “Dennis was a lousy kisser,” she muttered, for an instant uncertain whether she’d said that out loud, and then wishing she hadn’t.

      Mitch shifted slightly, his chin grazing her temple, but he didn’t comment.

      “Sorry, I guess I shouldn’t be talking about him.”

      “Go ahead. I told you we could talk. Let it out.”

      She sighed. “Maybe it was me. Maybe I just wasn’t…” She paused. This wasn’t helping. She was still too raw to censor herself, and this wasn’t the kind of conversation she wanted to have with Mitch.

      “Wasn’t what?” He almost sounded angry.

      She’d clearly overstayed her welcome. First she’d barged in uninvited, and now she was depriving him of sleep. “I should go. It’s late and neither of us is likely to get any rest.”

      “If we don’t get to sleep, it’s because it’s too damn hot.” He freed his arm and swung his feet to the floor.

      She threw back the quilt, untangling her legs, and preparing to crawl around him. Facing him tomorrow was going to be a bear. But right now she only had to worry about getting to her car, which she’d parked in the back, in the dark. Crap.

      “Hold on. I’m just taking off my shirt.”

      She swallowed, tempted to linger and get a good look at his naked chest. She rose before she changed her mind. “This is crazy. There’s no reason for me to stay.”

      “Look, if you leave now, I’ll have to follow you back to your ranch,” he said, sounding weary. “Someone will hear us. Then Joe or Clint will come out and want to know what’s going on. Is that what you want?”

      “I live fifteen minutes away, in case you’ve forgotten. You’re not following me back.”

      “You’re not leaving unless I do.” He unfastened the last button, and then met her eyes with irritating authority.

      “Wanna bet?” She planted a hand on her hip, ready to do battle, but then he did something totally unfair.

      He shrugged out of the shirt.

      The moonlight hit him just right. Helplessly, she stared at the rippling muscles of his smooth chest, the way they flexed and relaxed with the flow of his movements as he tossed the shirt toward the oak chair in the corner.

      When she finally lifted her gaze, she found that he was staring at her breasts through the sheer black teddy. His preoccupation made her feel marginally better. At least he hadn’t caught her ogling him.

      He blinked, briefly met her gaze and then pushed the quilt to the foot of the bed. “A sheet should be enough,” he murmured.

      “Enough for what?”

      The question drew a crooked smile from him. “Get back in.”

      Kate pressed her lips together. She was enjoying this. No matter how small the chink in his armor, this was a human side to Mitch she’d never experienced. He’d always seemed controlled and in charge.

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