Crazy in Love (Blue Lake #3)(38)

“Well you asked if—”

“I thought I could fix her up with my drummer.” He coughed into a husky laugh. “You think I’m losing sleep because of Lucy? Do you honestly think I’m so twisted over your friend that I forgot my lyrics?”

“How am I supposed to know what you—”

“You clearly don’t know anything.”

She flinched. “Englighten me, then.”

“You don’t want to hear a damn thing I’ve got to say right now.” Groaning, he rubbed the heels of his hands over his eyes. “You don’t want to hear that I’m strung out over you, Rachael. You’ve got me spinnin’ so many circles I can’t see straight. I can’t think about anything but getting you into bed.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “But that’s not romantic at all, which is what you want, and I clearly can’t give that to you.”

He wanted her? Badly, apparently. The anger that’d been building in her belly waned at the thought.

“That’s n—not what I expected.” Rachael shivered beneath the heady weight of his stare. “But it doesn’t change anything.”

He was still leaving. She was staying behind. He was a rock star from Hollywood and she was a country girl from the mountains. They may’ve had chemistry that ranked off the charts, but in what universe would the two of them have a future together? And that wasn’t what he wanted anyway, she reminded herself. He didn’t want anything long-term.

“You don’t want me,” he said, “that’s fine. But keep your anger to yourself, because it’s screwing with my head.”

“Who says I don’t want you?”

He moaned from deep in his throat. “Don’t tease me, woman.”

He pinned her in place, one hand on the wall over her shoulder, another palming her stomach. And when all the air she had in her lungs whooshed out on a breathy exhale, he wedged his knee between her thighs. He searched every feature of her face: her eyes and nose, her chin, until finally, his gaze honed on her mouth.

“I’m not teasing.” She looked up at him, wanting him to kiss her, knowing she’d be lost if he did. “I want you so bad, but I can’t go there with you.”


“And you shouldn’t.”

Her breath came out in jagged pants. “I know how this ends.”

“Yet we haven’t even started.” He lowered his head to hers. “Tell me to walk away and I will.”

Her knees shook as the words left her lips. “I…can’t.”

“Then tell me to kiss you.”

Time stood still as he stared down upon her, the gaze in his heavy-lidded eyes hungry and wild. One glimpse into those smooth, melting-honey eyes and she was a goner. With his body hovered over her this way, possessive and strong, it was easy to forget that she wanted something more than a fling.

God, did it matter? The other times she’d gotten involved with guests, she’d thought there was a future. Of course she’d gotten hurt when it didn’t pan out.

But this time could be different.

There was no future with Cole Turner; she knew that.

What was the harm in wanting to taste or feel something one time? If she wrapped her head around the fact that this was it, one night, one romp, she might not be disappointed when he left.

She looked up at him and sighed. “Kiss—”

It was all she got out before he claimed her mouth and plunged his tongue past her lips.





Chapter Twelve