Together, too in unison for Kara’s comfort, they stepped into the elevator and Blake stayed by her side, only inches separating their arms. Kara punched the button for the garage level. Blake turned to face her, resting a shoulder on the wall, watching her.

Kara turned to face him, taking in his hooded gaze, his long, dark lashes concealing the thoughts she desperately wanted to read. “Are you just going to stand there watching me?”

“That’s the plan.”

His tone was lazy, but she caught a hint of amusement etched in its depths. She didn’t like it. Not at all. “Because you’re trying to make me nervous.”

“Because I’m trying to figure you out. If that makes you nervous, you must have something to hide.”

The doors opened and a man and a woman entered, saving her from a reply. Thankfully, Blake pushed off the wall and faced forward, giving her a small reprieve from his intent inspection. Another stop and a group of people shoved inside. Suddenly, Blake was pressed to her side, from hip to shoulder, and she could barely breathe. Memories of him touching her, of him naked and on top of her, inside her, beneath her, assailed her. The car moved ridiculously slow, leaving too much time for the vivid replaying of hot, erotic shared moments with an enemy she should never have slept with. Yet he still tempted her. She felt selfish and weak, shallow even for allowing lust and attraction to dictate her desires, when there was so much on the line.

Finally, the doors opened and several people exited. Blake had room to move, but he didn’t. Kara’s gaze lifted to his, challenging him to step away. His lips twitched, his hot stare filled with refusal. He wasn’t going anywhere and neither was she.

By the time they reached the garage level and the rest of the crowd had piled out before them, Kara was on fire, tingling from head to foot. She was also ready to face the facts. She’d made sure she kept her life simple, free of bonds that could be broken, bonds that were painful when ripped away. Therefore, she’d radiated toward men she knew felt the same way. In theory, Blake fit her profile perfectly, except for two very distinct reasons, most importantly that he stood for everything she despised. Which made the second difference all the more baffling. Unlike other men before him, she was completely, utterly affected by Blake, even fully dressed and trying not to be.

They exited the stairwell with several other people nearby and she motioned to the silver 4Runner sitting in the space by the door. “That will be you, and the keys are in the ignition. The bag you brought was transferred from the car that picked you up from the airport.” She dug her keys out of her purse.