She was silent for a moment. No doubt trying to determine if she should run back to her room or not. “Um, yeah. Sounds good. Thanks. I was having a hard time sleeping.”

“Yeah me too.”

Glancing up the stairs, she licked her lips nervously. “Did everyone head to bed?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Angel went to bed soon after you two did.”

She cleared her throat. “Listen, I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to call you back the last couple of days. I got a little busy.”

I slid her a glance and handed her a mug. She took it from me, careful not to let her fingers slide over mine. After a tentative sip, she moaned.

I took a sip of my own and watched her carefully. “You really want me to believe that you weren’t running from me?”

She straightened her back, which only made those full breasts of hers jut out. I tried desperately to focus on her dark eyes.

Lift you tossers, lift. I could do this. Show her I was a good bloke who was interested in what she said. And I was. Just so happened I was also very much interested in her tits.

“I wasn't running, I just need—”

“Let me guess, space?”

She made a frustrated sound and put a hand on her hip. “Yes. Space. Look, it’s a good thing that call from Xander interrupted us the other day.”

I lifted a brow. “How do you reckon?”

“It stopped us both from doing something stupid. I mean, I barely know you. And you sure as hell don’t know me. And you made it clear yourself that you think this is a bad idea. You said we shouldn’t. I'm choosing to listen to you.”

I took another long sip and let the warm chocolate ease down my throat before I spoke again. “And if I said I was tired of trying to be good? And remember… I only said I shouldn’t. Not that I don’t want to.”

Her eyes turned wary, and she took a cautious step back. “See, that's what I mean. You keep telling me you’re not a good guy, and frankly, I'm in need of a good guy. I spent the last several years of my life dealing with someone who pretended to be something he wasn't.”

“Abbie, I'm being honest with you about who I am. Is it a good idea for you to stay away from me? Probably. But will I hurt you? No.” I took a step toward her, and she didn’t retreat. “I think you already know you can trust me. I think you feel it every time you're with me. It was why you let me touch you the day you took me to the lab.” I placed my mug on the island before closing the distance between us.

She didn’t move. “Alexi, I—”