He let out his breath on a sexually unfulfilled sigh. “I’ll let you get your rest now.”

He closed her robe. He wanted more. He wanted her touch. She knew it. Why was he holding back? Because he didn’t want her to get the idea that he wanted her in a more permanent way?

In disbelief, she stared at him. She didn’t want to rest. She wanted to feel every naked bit of him. She’d seen him that way enough times, and every time she’d wanted to touch and stroke all those glorious muscles.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, unable to hide feeling a little bit rejected. She knew that he was right. That this was the best thing to do. But she felt it was like offering a secret to a friend and the friend not offering one in return. She felt vulnerable, exposed.

He took her hand and kissed it as if he was trying to appease her.

She didn’t want to be appeased. She pulled her hand free.

“You should rest.” His voice was husky with unfulfilled need. “I’ll…see you in the morning.”

That was it?

“Are…” She frowned, then folded her arms. “Don’t tell me you’re afraid of me.”

He smiled, and the look was pure alpha wolf—the hot, sexy male variety who was not afraid of anything. Least of all her.

“How did you guess?” Then he was off the bed and heading for the door.

Wait. He was going to leave her on his bed after what he did to her?

He didn’t say good night, and she didn’t either. They looked at each other with considering gazes, a million thoughts running through her mind, and then he shut the door on his way out.

She was so frustrated, she could scream. She threw his pillow at the door. Then feeling half-aggravated and half-satiated, she curled up on his mattress, smelling the sexy alpha wolf and wishing they could have snuggled together in the big bed for the rest of the night.

And knowing just why he chose to leave her alone. Neither of them wanted a mating. So why was she wishing otherwise?

She heard the shower going in the bathroom adjoining hers, and she wondered if Grant was taking care of his own unfulfilled sexual frustrations. If she’d wanted a mating, she told herself, she’d have joined him in the shower and let her feelings be known.

She stared at the bed canopy for what seemed like forever. She definitely couldn’t sleep in his bed sober and smell his scent all over the sheets all night long. Grumbling, she left his bed and returned to the lady’s chamber. She retrieved her phone from her purse and called Julia. What she needed was someone to talk to. Someone who knew her. Someone who could tell her that she had to get her mind on track.

“I want to get together with you tomorrow. Would that be all right?”

“Absolutely. We’ll have our girls’ day out party. Can you stay overnight?”

“Yes!”

“Good, but here’s what I want you to do. Don’t let anyone catch you at it,” Julia said with a conspiratorial challenge to her tone of voice as she explained what she wanted Colleen to do.

That’s just what Colleen needed to hear. They were going to have fun.

Here Grant thought being rough and gruff with her would have chased her away. Sharing one-sided intimacies had done the trick better than anything else he could have done to make her want to leave and never come back.

“Is everything all right?” Julia suddenly asked.

“I’ll talk with you tomorrow.” No, everything wasn’t all right.

Chapter 16

Grant didn’t want Colleen to feel he was leading her on, coming on too strong, or creating a problem for them both with the direction they were headed. But damn if he didn’t want more. All of it. Her, the mating, the whole savory, sweet pastry that was Colleen—a feast he couldn’t get enough of.

She had been just too enticing sitting in her robe and slipper boots, her knees brushing against his. He had tried to stick with the conversation, one that had been well overdue.

When she told him that she had thought he had come for her at the airport when it had been Archibald, he wanted to show her just how much he regretted not coming for her instead.

Grant had pulled back, wanting to see her reaction. Still wondering about the kisses they’d shared in the glen and later in the keep. She hadn’t pulled away either, and he kept thinking about kissing her again. Just…kissing her. One thing led to another, and before he could stop himself, he was stroking her to completion.

He told himself it couldn’t be helped. How was he to know that when he slipped his hand inside her robe, he would connect with flesh, feeling no barrier between them, no nightshirt covering her breasts or anything else beneath the robe?

She had a drugging effect on him. That was the only way he could explain his reaction to her—because he’d had no intention of taking it that far with her. Ever.

Even a cold shower had done nothing to alleviate his need for her. He couldn’t stop thinking of the wounded expression she wore when he ended the intimacy between them, but if he’d stripped, he would have wanted to take it all the way. Neither of them was ready for that kind of long-term commitment.

So why was he becoming aroused all over again, just thinking of her naked body lying on his bed and her responsiveness to his touch? And why did he want to join her in his bed in the worst way?

***

A small bag in hand the next morning, Colleen hurried to find Lachlan and ask for the keys to Grant’s car. She had gotten up really early, hoping Grant was still asleep so she wouldn’t run into him.