He cocked his head to the side as he regarded me with an expression somewhere between amusement and a tenderness I could drown in. “The statement could probably go either way. This teacher is definitely pretty uptight, but I did, in fact, mean that statement with a comma after pretty. But now that I’m really thinking about it, beautiful would have been a better adjective.”
Suddenly, I noticed how close he was. Much too close. Much too comfortable. His eyes were roaming my face before landing on my lips. I made the mistake of catching his gaze, and it was…in a word…smoldering. Oh my gosh. I needed to remember to ask him if he had a pen name or something—for romance books he must secretly write. He didn’t put anything like this into his adventure books. I mean…from what I’ve heard…they’re not romantic.
Shoot. Shoot. Shoot.
“Well,” I said, my chin raised high, determined to keep us on track. “I’ve enjoyed my cabin, but that’s about it.”
He breathed out a chuckle. “Such a little liar.” He slowly gathered me tighter until his arms were wrapped comfortably around my waist. It was December in Vermont, okay? I was going to lock in that heat source, so I allowed him to embrace me. I was half tempted to lean my head against his shoulder. I couldn’t tell if that would be better or worse than actually looking at him.
“Who can see us?” I asked. We were within view of the lodge now, but currently, my view was blocked by his shoulder.
“Nobody.”
“What? Hey!” I pushed myself out of his arms only to have him pull me back again. I’d give myself a solid D- for effort in resisting him.
“I would neverfakedate somebody I didn’t already want to be dating.”
The hair on my arms stood at attention with his words. Why was he whispering?
I drew in a breath and tried again to step out of his arms. He let me go a little, but not all the way. “You can’t tell me that.”
“Tell you what?”
“That you…that you…” I was lost for words.
“That I like you?”
“Yeah. That you like me.” I whispered the words like the idea was crazy. Because itwascrazy. It had to be.
His lips curled into a smile. “Why not?”
“Because it’s only Tuesday. We’ve got three more days here. I don’t want this to be more awkward than it already is. We work together.” My eyes narrowed onto his, trying to look intimidating. “Take it back.”
By this time, pure delight colored his eyes. “Take it back? Like we’re five?”
“Yup.” I folded my arms, trying to bargain with my racing heart.Heart, if you slow down, I promise I’ll try running again. Later. In the summer. Maybe.
He scoffed. “You want me to wait until the end to tell the girl how I feel? I refuse to be a cliché. Like a real man, I told you in the middle.”
“A realwhat?” I countered, trying to buy some time.
He pulled me closer. “I think you know.”
“You don’t really like me.”
“I do.” All the hairs on my body stood at attention. I ignored them.
“No. You can’t. And I absolutely don’t date people I work with. Been there, done that. I’ve made thatveryclear.”
“That’s not what you told your sister.”
“I was desperate!” I stamped my foot. A definite sign of a mature woman.
He went on talking, almost as if he hadn’t heard any of my protests. “Honestly, it was surprising how likable you were once we got you out into nature. Although, that could be the spanking talking.”
It took me a moment to formulate words after that, with Miles’s all-knowing eyes watching me with growing amusement. “Well, I reject your statement. You’ve just flustered me. That’s all.”
“Huh,” he mumbled, stepping closer, his coat pressing against mine while his hands found my waist. “So that leaves me three days to convince your lying heart otherwise?” He leaned in closer, his mouth a whisper away from mine. The heat from his breath smelled minty and warm, and I wanted nothing more than to get lost in it. To breathe it in and…kiss him.