when he met her gaze, so close their noses almost touched, so close she inhaled the minty freshness of his breath. A few inches and she’d TEMPERATURE’S RISING
87
be able to taste his lips, feel the heat as his tongue rav-aged her mouth. She drew in a shuddering breath.
“Put me down,” she whispered frantically. It wasn’t natural for her to feel this surge of desire when he touched her. Not when she didn’t even like the man.
“The curtain next door moved. We’re being watched,” Conor said, his breath tickling her ear with each word he spoke. She leaned closer. Then realized what he’d said.
He cradled her in his arms because someone watched, not because he wanted her there.
Her cousins’ snickers effectively grounded her the rest of the way. She knew exactly what the topic of conversation would be at the next family gathering. Didn’t Conor know his actions were only making her life miser-able?
Yes, he probably did. He’d made no secret about not wanting her there. And she hadn’t seen any movement at the window. Her eyes narrowed. Was this his game? Scare her off with blatant flirting?
“We’re newlyweds, remember,” he stated as if he sensed her disbelief. “Isn’t this customary?” She studied his look of innocence for a long minute.
Okay, so maybe her imagination had gone into overdrive, and she was reading too much into his actions.
He strolled inside as if she weighed no more than a box of cartridges. She noticed he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to let go.
“You smell nice, by the way.” His voice turned husky.
“That scent suits you.”
His words sent a shiver of longing over her, and when he released her, he did it in a way that pressed her body intimately against his. She longed for more . . . to caress with her hands, to test each sinewy muscle beneath her fingers.
A noise from outside brought her back to her senses.
88
Karen Kelley
She stepped out of his reach, legs trembling. Damn it, he was doing it again.
“If you think you’re going to run me off, think again.” She’d meant her words to be harsh, but they sounded more breathy than anything.
He probably thought she was pathetic. That she’d even enjoyed being carried inside. Okay, she might have liked the strong feel of his arms wrapped around her, and the way he’d cuddled her close to his hard muscles, but she wouldn’t give in to the temptation of Conor Richmond.
Grunting and groaning from the doorway drew her attention.
What was her cousins’ problem? Lucas grumbled to himself as he struggled with his end of the mattress. He scrunched and mashed while Jimmy shoved from outside, trying to make it fit through the doorway. Good grief, couldn’t they carry in a stupid mattress?
It burst through and popped back into shape. Her eyes widened. This was taking things too far. Had Conor been instrumental in this? His tactics hadn’t worked a minute ago and they wouldn’t work now. When she glared at him, he only raised his eyebrows. Her cousins’ laughter didn’t help matters.
“There isn’t a darn thing funny about this. Of all the juvenile stunts! A heart-shaped mattress? I would’ve thought you had a little more imagination.” Conor shook his head. “Hey, this wasn’t my idea.
Blame someone else for the sense of humor.”
“I’m not laughing,” she ground out, her gaze swinging to her cousins.
They held up their hands at the same time, then grabbed for the falling mattress. “Not us. We swear, cuz.” Lucas grinned from ear to ear, then nodded toward her.
“Don’t twist your button off, squirt.” TEMPERATURE’S RISING
89
She frowned and clasped her hands together in front of her. Damn nervous habit.
If not them, and not Conor, then who? Her father could’ve sent the mattress. No, surely not. She glared at the monstrosity dominating the hall. Angie? No . . . well . . .
maybe. She glanced at Conor again.
He shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I don’t have any idea.” She shook
87
be able to taste his lips, feel the heat as his tongue rav-aged her mouth. She drew in a shuddering breath.
“Put me down,” she whispered frantically. It wasn’t natural for her to feel this surge of desire when he touched her. Not when she didn’t even like the man.
“The curtain next door moved. We’re being watched,” Conor said, his breath tickling her ear with each word he spoke. She leaned closer. Then realized what he’d said.
He cradled her in his arms because someone watched, not because he wanted her there.
Her cousins’ snickers effectively grounded her the rest of the way. She knew exactly what the topic of conversation would be at the next family gathering. Didn’t Conor know his actions were only making her life miser-able?
Yes, he probably did. He’d made no secret about not wanting her there. And she hadn’t seen any movement at the window. Her eyes narrowed. Was this his game? Scare her off with blatant flirting?
“We’re newlyweds, remember,” he stated as if he sensed her disbelief. “Isn’t this customary?” She studied his look of innocence for a long minute.
Okay, so maybe her imagination had gone into overdrive, and she was reading too much into his actions.
He strolled inside as if she weighed no more than a box of cartridges. She noticed he didn’t seem to be in any hurry to let go.
“You smell nice, by the way.” His voice turned husky.
“That scent suits you.”
His words sent a shiver of longing over her, and when he released her, he did it in a way that pressed her body intimately against his. She longed for more . . . to caress with her hands, to test each sinewy muscle beneath her fingers.
A noise from outside brought her back to her senses.
88
Karen Kelley
She stepped out of his reach, legs trembling. Damn it, he was doing it again.
“If you think you’re going to run me off, think again.” She’d meant her words to be harsh, but they sounded more breathy than anything.
He probably thought she was pathetic. That she’d even enjoyed being carried inside. Okay, she might have liked the strong feel of his arms wrapped around her, and the way he’d cuddled her close to his hard muscles, but she wouldn’t give in to the temptation of Conor Richmond.
Grunting and groaning from the doorway drew her attention.
What was her cousins’ problem? Lucas grumbled to himself as he struggled with his end of the mattress. He scrunched and mashed while Jimmy shoved from outside, trying to make it fit through the doorway. Good grief, couldn’t they carry in a stupid mattress?
It burst through and popped back into shape. Her eyes widened. This was taking things too far. Had Conor been instrumental in this? His tactics hadn’t worked a minute ago and they wouldn’t work now. When she glared at him, he only raised his eyebrows. Her cousins’ laughter didn’t help matters.
“There isn’t a darn thing funny about this. Of all the juvenile stunts! A heart-shaped mattress? I would’ve thought you had a little more imagination.” Conor shook his head. “Hey, this wasn’t my idea.
Blame someone else for the sense of humor.”
“I’m not laughing,” she ground out, her gaze swinging to her cousins.
They held up their hands at the same time, then grabbed for the falling mattress. “Not us. We swear, cuz.” Lucas grinned from ear to ear, then nodded toward her.
“Don’t twist your button off, squirt.” TEMPERATURE’S RISING
89
She frowned and clasped her hands together in front of her. Damn nervous habit.
If not them, and not Conor, then who? Her father could’ve sent the mattress. No, surely not. She glared at the monstrosity dominating the hall. Angie? No . . . well . . .
maybe. She glanced at Conor again.
He shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I don’t have any idea.” She shook
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