She’s quiet for a moment, then sets her wine on the table beside her and turns to face me, and her green eyes, full of anger and frustration, take my breath away.

“I promised myself that I would never again let a man determine the way I feel about myself. I wouldn’t play games. I’m worth more than that.”

I raise a brow. “Agreed.”

She laughs humorlessly and stands to pace around her small balcony.

“You confuse the heck out of me! You were so fun and easy to be with yesterday. I actually thought we were…friends.”

Friends. That particular word leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

“And then I see you today and you barely speak to me, then run out on your own family dinner!”

I stand and lean my hands on the railing, looking her in the eye. “I’m trying to keep my hands off of you, Kate.”

“Oh, please.” She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest. “I’m not irresistible, Eli. Trust me, I know.”

“You’re wrong. You’re practically family—”

“I’m not part of your family.”

“And I didn’t know if you were already taken.”

“I wouldn’t have spent all day with you yesterday, not to mention let you kiss me the way you do, if I were taken.”

“Is your divorce final?”

This makes her pause. “Of course it is.”

“And Rhys is your cousin?”

She scowls. “Are you kidding me right now? You can’t be jealous of my cousin.”

“Oh, dawlin’, it seems I’m jealous of my own fucking brother when it comes to you. I wanted to rip Dec’s arm off his body when y’all came in Mama’s kitchen today.”

“Declan and I are friends!” She stomps away again, really worked up now, and I have to work to keep the smile off my face.

My God, she’s magnificent.

“Friends the way you and I are friends, Kate? Does he kiss you like I do?”

“It’s none of your bloody business!” She points her finger at me and keeps railing. “You don’t want me anyway! I’m bloody divorced, and I have bloody male friends, and I’m not going to apologize about any of that to you!”

“Come here,” I reply softly. She stops in her tracks and stares at me, chest heaving with temper.

“No.”

“I won’t tell you again, cher.”

She narrows her eyes and steps closer. “You don’t get to talk to me like—”

Before she can finish, I cup her face in my hand and brush my thumb across her soft cheek. Her skin is smooth and simply irresistible. I lean across the railing and stop my lips from covering hers by just a breath.

“Say fuck, Kate, it’s okay.”

“I don’t swear,” she whispers. “I have enough Catholic guilt as it is.”

“Just this once. I won’t tell.” My lips are tickling hers as I talk, and I feel the shiver run through her. She licks her lips and swallows thickly, and I’ve never been so hard in my damn life. “Say it.”

“Fuck,” she whispers, and I crush my mouth to hers, kissing her with all the pent up frustration and need that I have inside me. I push both hands to the nape of her neck, holding her still as my tongue tangles with hers, then lick to the corner of her mouth to tease.

She moans, gripping onto my forearms, but not pushing me away. I want to be in her arms. I want to wrap my arms around her and pull her into me and lose myself in her.

I want to strip her bare and feast on her.

But I pull away, gently caressing her face, tucking her auburn hair behind her ears, keeping her gaze caught in my own.

“Say goodnight, Kate.”

“Bad idea,” she whispers, still gripping my arms with all she’s worth.

“Maybe not such a bad idea,” I reply hoarsely. But not tonight.

“Eli—”

“Say goodnight, Kate,” I repeat and back away when I’m sure she has her feet under her.

“Goodnight, Kate.” She presses her fingertips to her mouth and watches me with wide green eyes for a long moment, then turns and walks into her loft, locking the door behind her.

Chapter Seven

Kate

It’s too hot in here. I jerk my right leg out from under the covers and roll to my left side, staring into the darkness. I swear I can still taste Eli, but it’s been hours since that crazy kiss on the balcony.

He confuses me unlike anyone I’ve ever met, including Daniel. It’s clear that he’s attracted to me, and let’s face it, it’s reciprocated. But he’s fighting it as if he’s almost afraid of it.

How could he possibly be afraid of me?

And, honestly, it’s probably for the best that he fight it, and I should be fighting it too. I’m only here for six weeks, tops. I love his siblings as if they were my own, and sleeping with Eli could make things awkward.

Although, things seem to be awkward already, so that’s probably not a great argument.

Now I’m too bloody cold.

I pull the covers back over me and roll onto my back, staring at the ceiling. A car drives by outside, sending light and shadows over the walls, and then my phone pings next to me.

I frown and reach for it. Who the heck is texting me in the middle of the night?

I’m thinking of you.

Eli.

I bite my lip and reply. Why are you awake?

A moment later, he responds with: Because I’m thinking of you.