Holding Strong

“The SBC lets you wear your hair that long?”

Denver cocked a brow. Yeah, his hair now hung to his shoulders. Long, but who cared? He didn’t. “Doesn’t bother anyone.”

“Huh.”

As the people behind Denver exited the elevator, he allowed himself to be pressed closer to Leese. He started to speak—and Cherry leaned into him.

“I like your hair,” she said. Then she went a step further and reached up to tunnel her fingers through it. In a playful tone, she said, “It’s sexy.”

Denver frowned at her. Sexy was never his intent. He just didn’t bother getting it cut. But sexy? There were still five people crammed in the elevator with them and he felt his ears getting hot.

Cherry looked at Leese. “When you’re as successful at fighting as Denver is, I doubt anyone worries about the length of your hair.”

Leese jutted his jaw enough to look obnoxious. “You’ve only had one fight with the SBC, right?”

Denver didn’t get a chance to reply.

“And he won,” Cherry said with emphasis. Just then, the elevator stopped at her floor and, clutching Denver’s hand, she departed with a brisk, “Have a good evening.”

The hallway was empty, so after the elevator doors closed, Denver drew her up short and backed her to a wall. “What was that about?”

“What?”

“I don’t need you to defend me to that guy or anyone else.”

“I just stated facts!”

“And that bit with my hair?”

“It is sexy.” Again she trailed her fingers through it—and shivered—before getting serious. “But I wasn’t really defending you.”

“No?”

“You were giving poor Leese your patented death stare, and I figured you were about to level him, so...I wanted to defuse things.”

He drew back in insult. “You think I’d start brawling in a crowded elevator?”

“No. But you wouldn’t have to. Your ability is light-years away from Leese’s level and he knows it. He was already intimidated and acting like an ass. I didn’t want you to say anything that would...”

“What?” Even more disgusted, Denver asked, “Hurt his feelings?”

Gaze softening, her attention went all over his body. “Seriously, Denver. Did you really want to argue right now?”

He searched her face. “No.” Hell no. Especially not with her looking at him like that. He moved in again, one hand on the wall by her shoulder. “Thing is, I’m not sure you want what I want.”

For the longest time, their gazes held while her breathing quickened and her cheeks warmed. Finally, in a whisper, she asked, “Do you want me?”

With one short nod, he pressed her to the wall, feeling her all along his length. “Have for a long time.”

“You hid it well.”

“Then I’m one hell of an actor.” He brushed his mouth over her forehead. “We have a lot of talking to do, but I’d as soon do it after.”

“After?”

“After I’ve had you. Maybe several times.”

She dipped her head down so that he stared at the crooked part in her fair hair. He brushed his nose against her, down to her temple, her ear.

Her hands clutched at him. “I got the feeling you didn’t like me.”

“I like you.” It was how her flirting made him feel that he didn’t like so much.

“We’re finally going to have sex?”

Having her spell it out like that, as if he’d just given her a gift, added fuel to the fire. He closed his eyes, drew a breath. “That’d sure be my preference.”

Pushing him back so she could see his face, she asked anxiously, “You won’t change your mind?”

The laugh tried to escape, but he wanted her too much to take a chance on pissing her off. “Where’s your room?”

“Close.” On a sharply inhaled breath, she stepped him back a few paces and darted around him in a rush. “Come on.”

At first he just watched her, the sway of that stellar ass, how her breasts moved, her obvious urgency, the way her hair teased over her shoulders. She stopped halfway down the hall and fumbled in her purse before pulling out a key card. She opened the door, jammed the key card back into her purse, and glanced at him.

Ah, hell. Definitely close. In a few long strides Denver reached her.

Seconds later they were in her room.

A second after that he was kissing her.

* * *

OH GOD, HE tasted good, even better than she’d imagined—which seemed incredible because she’d done a lot of explicit imagining. Big and bold, he slanted his head and nudged her lips open so he could lick in with his hot tongue.

Whoa, the man seriously knew how to curl her toes.

And so much hunger! If she didn’t know better, she might think that he’d wanted her as much as she’d always wanted him. But that couldn’t be true because he was the one who’d started avoiding her. No way had she misunderstood that.

She just didn’t know why.

He was here with her now, though, and she wanted to do this right.

Gasping for air, Cherry said, “Wait.” He lifted his head but stayed close, his hard body pressed to hers, thrilling her. She’d wanted him for so long that the reality of this happening, finally, almost made her frenzied to seal the deal. She could feel his warm breath, the flexing muscles in his chest and arms, and the intimidating rise of his erection.

But if she thought about that right now, she’d totally lose it. Better to concentrate to keep things on track.

Holding on to his biceps—so sexy—she licked her lips, swallowed, and managed to say, “The door?” It still stood open because the second she’d stepped into the room he’d kissed her.