AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Her parents would be appalled at the ‘seductive moves’ she’d learned from many a role, but her sisters would cheer. Especially if they could see this handsome cowboy and Navy SEAL lieutenant who’d rescued her. Eva was slightly embarrassed that she was using tricks from her acting career to draw this man in, but she owed him at least a hug of thanks, if not one sweet kiss.
She waited, and Miles took the bait. He eased closer and touched the moisture with the pad of his thumb. Eva sucked in a breath at the feeling of his touch just below her lip. Then he took it to the next step, trailing his thumb up and over her lower lip.
She felt like she had entered the romance scene of an action movie. On screen, it was all business and no real feeling. Right now, she experienced every feel. Miles’s touch, Miles’s heated gaze, Miles’s large frame overshadowing her. His touch was magical, better than anything actors could try to replicate. She’d never been part of such a slow, tender moment. Most men came at her hard and fast, thinking they could get her to like them if they went at her with gusto.
Miles was in no rush. She’d never met a hero the likes of this guy. Maybe what she’d been doing wrong was dating celebrities. She should’ve been looking for a military cowboy. Not just any military cowboy. Only Miles would do for her.
Her lip trembled under his touch.
“Eva,” he murmured in a husky groan, his blue eyes deepening to a smolder that made her heart race out of control.
She set the glass on the counter and slid her hands across his muscular shoulders, and he let out a soft, telling moan. He cupped her jawline with his large palm and continued to gently trace her lower lip. Her mouth parted in anticipation, waiting for him to replace his thumb with his lips and create unparalleled sparks. They would deepen this bond between them, and she would relish every moment.
Miles didn’t kiss her. He studied her, as if checking for sincerity, or maybe he was too much of a gentleman to kiss a woman he hardly knew, and a famous woman at that. She wanted the man she fell for to want her for her, not because she was famous. Miles had known who she was, probably from the first look as he was running. She hadn’t liked that, but it wasn’t his fault. They’d only met an hour ago, and he’d done everything to protect her and help her, with no thought of reward.
She was ready to give him a kiss of gratitude, but he wasn’t complying.
Arching up onto tiptoes, she slid her hands up and around his neck, threading them along his scalp and eliciting another groan. His hand came around her neck, into her hair, and created the most incredible sensation as he gently massaged her scalp.
His other hand cupped her waist and hip, bringing her body flush against his.
Eva was on fire and looking forward to a better kiss than she’d ever experienced in her life. When he still didn’t bend down to kiss her, she moistened her lips again and said, “Is it out of line to give you a kiss of gratitude for rescuing me?”
His body stiffened against her, and he said in a rush, “Eva … you have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now, but …”
Eva liked everything about his sentence. Except for the but. She waited. He didn’t continue. Was she acting too forward? She spoke her mind and was bold, but she’d never had to beg for a kiss before.
“But you’re protecting me?” she guessed.
He swallowed and nodded.
She fell back onto her heels, disappointed.
“And there’s a girl back home …” He took a deep breath. “Ah, man.”
“Sheesh!” She ripped herself away from his grasp and knocked the glass of water over. “Dang it all to heck!”
Miles righted the glass before she could and grabbed some paper towels, mopping up the mess.
Eva backed away and watched him, pressing the heel of her hand into her forehead. She’d forgotten all about her headache while he touched her and she anticipated his kiss, but now it came back full force. What had she been thinking? What had he?
A girl back home? Someone he’d always loved? A committed relationship or simply the girl he’d never been able to forget? Was Miles a two-timing jerk? She’d been around far too many actors who insisted they could ‘hook up’ while on location and then go back to their respective spouses and girlfriends. She’d had fans and even stalkers who claimed she was the love of their lives and that they were ditching their spouses for her. She wanted no part in such immoral exchanges. She wanted real, devoted, loyal.
And this five-minutes-ago-perfect-to-her man … Miles had protected her, made her feel special. She’d never experienced a connection and draw like this. The cowboy and Navy SEAL lieutenant coming on to her while he had a committed girl waiting for him? It didn’t fit.
Was this all about her making the moves on him, pushing him when he wasn’t interested? Yet he’d held her hand, touched her, protected her, given her those longing looks.
She hung her head. She’d obviously been seeing it all wrong. Miles had been taking care of her and being a gentleman, not hitting on her. It wasn’t like they’d had a lot of time to talk about … anything. She barely knew his name; she was the one making a mess of this situation. She felt more sympathy for the men who’d hit on her when she wasn’t interested. This was more awkward than a cow in a prom dress from the pursuer’s standpoint.
“Excuse me,” she murmured. “I’ll just … use the restroom.” She looked around, but all she saw was the massive great room, some stairs, and a loft area above them.
Miles glanced at her, his hands full of wet paper towels. He looked somber and regretful. Maybe he wished he didn’t have a girlfriend or a ‘girl back home’, whatever that meant. It didn’t matter. She wasn’t into two-timing. She’d heard lewd comments such as, ‘My wife would understand, since you’re my hall pass,’ from male fans, and ‘What happens on location stays on location’ from fellow actors. Such sentiments were disgusting, immoral, and unacceptable. Miles would never be gross like those men. She’d instigated the exchange, and he could have easily kissed her. The fact that he was loyal to his Montana girl made her respect him, and made him off-limits.
He pointed. “There’s a bathroom off the garage or four bathrooms attached to each of the suites downstairs. Upstairs is the master where Chalisa’s clothes and toiletries would be.”
She nodded, dodged to the stairs, and pumped up them. She wasn’t going to change her clothes and get comfortable, but she wouldn’t mind washing up and using some lotion.
“Wait, please.”
