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Watching her phone screen, she took a step back to get a better shot of the splintered floorboards Her heel popped through a weak spot in the floor and she stu her arms outward but it was too late Gravity wasn’t about to let her go

Mateo’s strong hands gripped her waist, pulling her back froh force to nearly knock the breath out of her At least that was the excuse she was using to explain why she let her cheek rest against his soft cotton shirt for a few beats longer than needed and took an extra-deep inhale of his spicy cologne It was all medically necessary

“Thanks”

“No probleered on her hips

Not that he had to hold her there The force keeping her glued to the spot didn’t have a da to do with physical touch It was all about hiry She licked her lips, needing the sensation and anticipating more

His grip tightened and he froze, inches away froet “I don’t need aa damsel in distress” His hands dropped back to his side and he took several steps away

The words, said so low she barely heard hi in her ears, didn’t process at first Then her brain ht connections

“You are such a jackass” Her cheeks pulsed and her heart knocked against her ribs like a felon with a tin cup in a black-and-white jailhouse movie “I don’t pity you No one needs to pity you because you’ve got that down to a science already”

“If it wasn’t pity, then as it?” He snarled the question

“Temporary insanity” That still had her in its razor-sharp talons “You are the last man in the world I’d ever want to kiss”

He strutted over, his boots sending up small clouds of dust as he crossed the center’s littered and cracked hardwood floor, stopping half a foot froerous Confident God, the ether in one e Her body practically vibrated with need and she parted her tingling lips withoutto It just happened

No That was a lie Her right-thinking brain just couldn’t keep up with her bad-behaving body

“The last man you ever want to kiss, huh? Oh honey, we’ve done a lothands and tilted her face up toward him His hazel eyes darkened to the color of shadedmouth “Anyway, you’re a shitty liar”

God help her, she was, because when he leaned down and kissed her, the last thought she had before her br

ain turned to mush was: Hell, yes