Introduction To Romance (10 Books). Кэрол Мортимер

all you had to do was say so. Friends don’t hurt friends, Brody.”

      * * *

      DIRECT HIT.

      Brody grimaced at the baffled pain in Genna’s eyes.

      Why was he doing this?

      He shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks to keep his fists from finding a wall to pound on. He had so much anger broiling inside him, but it wasn’t aimed at her.

      He didn’t give a damn if she was rebelling. Hell, she deserved to. Her parents were manipulative assbites who were ruining her life with their fears.

      It made no difference to him if she hid their relationship, either. She was the one who was going to have to live with the talk after he was gone, not him.

      As she said. Friends didn’t hurt friends.

      But Brody was a lousy friend. Just ask Carter.

      “I should go,” he decided.

      “No,” she said quickly. “What is going on? I thought we were going to dinner. I thought we were friends. So either feed me or talk to me, but you aren’t leaving until you do one or the other.”

      She was so damned cute when she got feisty. Brody couldn’t help but smile a little. Actually, she was so damned cute all the time, feisty or not. And sexy. Fascinating, entertaining, fun.

      His smile fell away.

      Maybe that was part of the problem.

      He’d thought they could be friends. He hadn’t been able to resist spending time with her, and had thought he could control the intense attraction he felt for her. That he could channel it into making up for some of the lousy deal she’d gotten after he’d left.

      But he felt as if he’d signed up for a torture project. Days spent talking and joking. Watching her bake, listening to her dreams. Nights spent hard and horny, diving into dreams so hot he thought the bed was on fire. He was a man used to pushing through the pain, well trained to overcome his body’s weaknesses. Except, apparently, the ones Genna inspired.

      “Look,” he said, taking a deep breath and hoping for some semblance of tact and diplomacy. “This friendship thing, it was a mistake.”

      Her eyes widened, surprise and hurt flashing. Then, with a sweep of her lashes, her expression changed. Intensified. It sent an itch down Brody’s spine.

      “We’re not going to be friends anymore?” she asked in a calm, friendly tone. If it wasn’t for the fact that she was saying the right words, he’d have figured she hadn’t understood him.

      As soon as he nodded, she gave him a brilliant smile and tossed off her coat. It hit the floor with a swoosh just as she reached behind her back. The move was quickly accompanied by the sound of a zipper. And Brody’s hiss.

      “What, exactly, do you think you’re doing?” he asked, hoping like hell it wasn’t what he thought she was doing.

      “Seducing you.”

      Damn.

      That’s what he’d been afraid of.

      Brody’s breath was a little labored, but he tried to reel in his reaction. This wasn’t happening, he warned his dick. No point getting ready for a party they weren’t gonna attend.

      His dick, always ready to party, ignored him and hardened rock-solid anyway.

      “Genna—” he started to say.

      But she interrupted before he could figure out the rest of his protest.

      “I figure this is part one of a two-part solution to our problem,” she said. “You were trying to pretend we’re just friends. Except we aren’t. We might be building a friendship. But what we are is crazy attracted to each other. So part one is to act on that attraction once and for all. The total act, with you naked. I’m willing to be on top if you’re still holding on to that friendship myth of yours. That way you can tell yourself I took advantage.”

      Brody couldn’t help but laugh. Sure, the sound was strangled and a little painful. But it was the best he could do with the blood streaming south so fast his head was spinning.

      She tugged at one sleeve, the red fabric tight from wrist to shoulder. Then she tugged at the other to loosen it, too.

      “And then there’s the issue of you thinking I’m ashamed of you. I figure after we’ve had our way with each other’s bodies a few times, we’re going to be hungry. We can go to the nearby café and get something to eat. Since I figure you’re really good at sex, even if I am on top, what we’ll have been doing will be obvious. That should take care of that issue.”

      He made some sort of choking sound, sure if he had any blood left in his brain it would have been words of protest.

      Then she let her dress fall to the floor. Brody actually gulped trying not to swallow his tongue.

      She was gorgeous.

      Ivory limbs glowed like silk, the long sleek length of her interrupted by tiny pieces of black lace. He didn’t know where to start. At the top, where the lace cupped the gentle slope of her breasts. Or at the bottom, where it was barely held in place by two tiny strings.

      His gaze as hot as the blood rushing through his body, he decided to settle for the middle. At the cherry-red jewel decorating her belly button.

      Screw friendship. And screw good sense.

      He was gonna let Genna Reilly seduce him.

      10

      GENNA HADN’T HAD many opportunities to be ballsy and brave in her life. So she figured she’d been saving up, and this was the perfect time to put every bold instinct she possessed to work.

      She didn’t want Brody’s thinking she was ashamed of him standing in the way of whatever they were building together. If it took being outed to her parents to prove that, then fine.

      She wanted Brody Lane.

      And, dammit, after ten years, she was finally going to have him.

      Except he was standing there, fully clothed and still wearing his coat, one hand flexed as if reaching for the doorknob.

      And she was standing here, almost naked except her undies and high heels. It wasn’t that she minded the almost-naked part. It was the clothing inequality that bothered her. And the fact that he wasn’t making any moves to change it.

      Her bravado waned a smidge. What had she been thinking? That he’d take one look at her underwear, lose his mind and do her against the wall? Clearly her thinking needed an adjustment. Since her state of nakedness did, too, her fingers itched to grab her dress.

      Then she saw the look in his eyes. It was as if the golden depths had turned molten, his gaze was so hot. She saw his jaw clench, and the pulse at the base of his throat was pounding hard.

      Relief surging through her, washing away the nerves and making way for desire, Genna almost did a happy dance right there in the entryway.

      He wanted her. Maybe not enough to grab her and do her against the wall, but that look made her think that maybe she could change his mind.

      Knowing that, she didn’t feel naked anymore.

      She felt powerful.

      “C’mon, big boy,” she said, her tone husky and suggestive. “Let’s see what you’ve got.”

      Brody laughed, just as she’d hoped he would. Then, his eyes still hot and locked on her body, he shrugged off his jacket and stepped closer. Close enough to touch.

      She didn’t wait for him to make the first move.

      She’d said she was seducing him, and she meant it.

      So she grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him closer, ignoring the ping as one of his