breasts.
“Don’t stare.” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked away.
Moving his weight onto his knees, he clasped her wrists and imprisoned them above her head gently—but firmly. “That’s like telling me to stop breathing. Impossible.”
“I told you I didn’t want the light on. I don’t want your eyes taking a walk all over me. Now get the hell off.”
“Why don’t you want me to see you?”
How pushy was this guy going to get? “Going down on me doesn’t entitle you to an answer. Turn off the fucking light. I don’t like being stared at.”
“That’s not true. If you didn’t want men to look, you wouldn’t have been wearing a black leather miniskirt or that attention-getting red sweater that was like a second skin. You wouldn’t have that luscious gloss on your lips or the bright polish on your toes. You wanted to be seen at your party. But you’re afraid for me to see you naked. Why?”
Kata blanched, her heart stuttering. He had noticed way too much.
She tried to calm herself with logic. So far, he’d made observations, asked a few questions, pressed a little—not behaved like a world-class asshole. He wasn’t as loudmouthed as her stepfather, Gordon. That calmed her some. Taking back control would do the rest. Because whatever he was trying to pull, she wouldn’t be playing. “Either turn the lights off or let me up.”
He made no move to comply. “Did some prick criticize your body?”
Only her whole life. It wasn’t any one prick in particular. Starting with Sean Lampke in the second grade and moving right up to football jock Mike McKindle in high school. Not that any of them had seen her naked, but all the teasing, especially after her breasts had developed in the fifth grade . . . Their opinions didn’t matter. She was proud of herself. Fuck them if they didn’t like her. But opening herself up to Hunter? She didn’t do that for anyone.
“What are you after?” she challenged. “This is a one-night stand, and you don’t need to know my innermost secrets for that. If you want me, then turn out the damn light and let’s fuck.”
“Kata, I need to see you. All of you. I want to watch your face as I slide in deep. I want to see your lashes flutter closed and your skin flush as your arousal surges, right before your pretty hazel eyes flash wide open and orgasm slams through your body.” His eyes darkened with arousal. “I won’t let you hide from me, honey.”
There it was again: honey. The way he spoke to her made her sizzle. She shouldn’t like that dominant tone of voice that went with it, shouldn’t feel tingles down to her toes. Damn if he wasn’t everything she shouldn’t want.
“Won’t let me?” she parried. “You came here to share me with Ben, then encouraged him to drink until he was too wasted to participate. Now you’re trying to strip me of far more than my clothes. I barely know you. This control freak routine you’re pulling? It’s not happening.”
His lips curled up, and it couldn’t exactly be called a smile. “You’re tough on the outside. But inside, there’s a vulnerable woman. And there are times, like now, that you hate it. You don’t want anyone to see anything but your independent façade. You’re adventurous—when it suits you. You have a lot of friends but aren’t really close to anyone. You don’t like being told what to do, especially by a lover. Kata, I’m going to be the man who changes your mind. About everything.”
Her jaw dropped, even as goose bumps broke out all over her skin. God, Hunter had read her perfectly. He was clearly used to sucking in the universe, examining it, then bending it to his will. She’d bet he did it as naturally as breathing.
Anyone like that wasn’t for her, no matter how big a thrill he gave her.
“That’s arrogant. I won’t just . . . roll over and play dead. You’re not dictating to me. You know what?” She pushed against his chest. “I’m done here.”
He