stared at his plate with a look of disdain. “I’m not going to like it.”
“You won’t know unless you try it.”
He met her gaze, his dark eyes leveled on hers. “That’s true in some instances. But I have good instincts about these things. Sometimes you just know when you’re going to enjoy something. And when you’re not.”
She wanted to ask for examples, but that damnable smoldering look on his face, the suggestion in his voice, told her exactly what he meant. “Just take one little bite. If you find it totally unpalatable, you can make a ham sandwich.”
When he reached for the salt, Mallory grabbed it up and played keep-away. “No you don’t.”
Now he looked confused, understandably so. “Why not?”
“I’ve already seasoned it. And too much salt isn’t good for you.” Too much wasn’t conducive to having a girl, according to the list, a detail she wouldn’t reveal.
He took a bite, grumbled, then took another bite while Mallory began to eat, too, not tasting much of anything. Before she knew it, he was completely through with every scrap on his plate. On the other hand, she had a hard time swallowing more than a few bites.
She sent him a satisfied smile. “Guess it wasn’t so bad after all.”
After pushing his plate aside, he sat back and propped his hands behind his head. “Not too bad. Now what’s for dessert?”
Oh, Mallory could think of several sweet things to offer, if she had the guts to serve herself up on a plate. “There’s some ice cream in the fridge.”
“Got any mint chocolate chip?”
“Yes, but I only bought a pint since you don’t usually eat that.”
He grinned. “I don’t usually imagine my roommate naked, either. And mint comes in handy when you plan to occupy your mouth later with something other than ice cream.”
Mallory shivered as if she’d joined the ice cream in the freezer. “Just two more days, Whit,” she reminded him again.
“Two more days until we consummate. Nothing says we can’t get to know each other better in the interim.”
Good sense told Mallory that might be hazardous and that Whit was somehow testing her. She chafed her palms down her arms, now covered in goose bumps. “I believe we should probably hold off until the appropriate time.”
“Sure thing. If you really think you can.” He came to his feet and rounded the table with a slow, determined gait. After pulling her chair at an angle away from the table, he leaned over and braced both hands on the arms. “Come to the den.”
“I have to take a shower.”
He brushed his hand over his groin. “Can I join you?”
Mallory hopped up and nudged him aside to clear the plates. “I swear, Whit, if this is how you seduce your girlfriends, I’m surprised you’re so successful. I can hear it now. Hi, I’m Whit, let’s have dinner, and afterward I’ll introduce you to Mr. Happy.”
His smile appeared again, a teasing one. “Sometimes I bring flowers first.”
Jerry had always given her flowers after he’d been out all night. The only thing he’d given her during their brief marriage aside from grief. Aside from the baby that wasn’t meant to be. “Does that automatically send them straight into your bed?”
A pall crossed over his face. “I’m just kidding, Mallory. I’m not totally crass and not always on the make. And if you’ll remember, this pregnancy thing was your idea.”
True, Mallory thought. Still, she suddenly felt like a means to an end, and in a way she was. So why did that bother her so much?
With both plates balanced in her hands, she turned to him and tried to smile. “I know you’re kidding. You’ve always kidded me mercilessly.”
“That’s because you’ve always been like one of the…” His words trailed off and so did his gaze.
“One of the guys?” Admittedly, that stung her more than a little. “I realize that. But you’re not going to have a baby with one of the guys.”
He looked highly frustrated. “You don’t think I realize that, Mallory? Believe me, when I imagine what’s going to happen two days from now, the guys are the last thing I think about.” He took a couple of steps toward her. “And you know something else? This is going to be one of those instances where you won’t have to try it to know if you’re going to like it. I guarantee you will, whether you want to or not.”
If only she had his brand of confidence in the bedroom. “It doesn’t matter whether I like it or not. I just want you to make me pregnant.”
“And I’m going to make sure you like it.” He moved forward until he was standing right before her. “One taste, and you’ll want more.”
Her breath caught in her chest. “I want a baby, Whit. That’s all.”
“Sure you do, Mallory. But I’m going to give you that, and more.”
After taking his own plate from her, Whit left Mallory standing alone, her thoughts in a jumble as a few untouched peas rolled onto the deck.
Whit Manning was proving to be a real challenge for Mallory O’Brien. One she hoped she would survive.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
