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When Dash pushed away from the stove, his own expression unreadable, a new thrill danced up her spine Even noith him obviously disappointed in her early perceptions of him, she kneas determined to e to back up "What are you doing?"

He stopped in front of her and his big hands took hold of the quilt near her brsts "If you want to turn ers over the material meant his knuckles brushed her skin "But you knoould work better?"

She shook her head

With a s her naked "God, you have a kickin’ body"

The way he looked at her ined

His hands went over her, stroking her brsts again, caressing down her belly One hand s He bent and kissed her, a slow, thorough kiss with plenty of tongue that ain

He kissed her until she clung to hi, her skin hot

Gently he pulled away "Let’s see hoe’re progressing here" He stared into her eyes while the fingers between her legs examined her, then his eyes darkened with satisfaction "Nice It seeain"

"What"

"I’ht for you to be bothered a little, too, right?" Pulling off his shirt, he dropped it over her head, easily working her splinted arh first, then her other arm

It smelled of him, hot and delicious, and cocooned her in his scent

So unfair Now she was covered, but she had the view of his solid shoulders and wide chest

He pulled out her chair as if he expected her to sit "I hope you’re hungry, honey I o didn’t knohat to do He just stood there, waiting oh-so-patiently, his gaze unwavering, so daht Carnal need again racked her body

"Trust esture was so sweet, a way to help her give in, that she blew out a breath and did as he asked

Gratified, he bent and kissed her forehead--then went back to cooking as if the standoff hadn’t happened at all And damn it, that turned her on, too

It seeured out Theher inside out, o didn’t know if that was a good thing, or very, very dangerousfor her heart

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DASH FELT HER WATCHING hilass with iced tea "You can ask ht?"

Confusion kept her brows pinched down She tossed back the aspirin "The chicken srandrandma could put twenty pounds on anyone" He smiled as he served first her, then himself "But we both know that’s not what you want to talk about" He joined her at the table

It was the oddest thing, watching Margo screw up her nerve She was a fearless woman ould put herself in the line of fire to save someone else, but noith him, over chicken dinner, she seemed so uncertain

Dash sat back "Out with it, honey Then we can both enjoy our aze "Fine" It took a second as she seemed to search for the words "You saidyou said you loved it when I was" More searching, and she settled on, "Passive"

Noas she thinking? Dash crossed his aret So?"

"So I’m seldom like that It’s not really me, it’s just--"

"It’s you," Dash corrected her No ould he let her deny how good the sex was between theyeah, that burned his ass big-time Hopefully he’d already disabused her of that notion But it bothered hiht He worried for her injured ar that care would, in itself, be another form of foreplay

"You knohat I mean, Dash"

"I do" He knew her far better than she realized "Occasionally enjoying a sub sex is only a small part of who you are But it’s honest, and i on to her concern, he sat forward, his ar you all war for me to take care of you But I also love it when you’re cocky like you were today with that idiot in the truck Much as it scared rinned at her "I even like it when you’re all prickly, giving me a hard time"

She shook her head, maybe in disbelief, maybe in confusion

Dash reached for her hand "And I love how you are right now, uncertain but straightforith me, determined to draw some boundaries in our relationship"

"Is it a relationship?"

His gaze narrowed "Yes"

She searched his face for the longest tirinned "Then bring it on I guarantee I can handle it" Because I can handle you, every fascinating part of your personality But he decided not to voice that confidence just yet

"You wouldn’t mind?"