You're the One Read online

  His eyes crinkled at the corners in amusement.

  “Glad you find it funny,” she muttered.

  Straightening, Moz retained his grip on her hand, using it to pull her around the kitchen bench as he walked in her direction. Even as she wondered what he was going to do - trying to kiss her now wasn’t such a good idea - Del watched him warily.

  He didn’t try to kiss her but instead simply backed her to one of the two high stools against the kitchen bench, grasped her waist with both hands and lifted her easily onto one of the stools, settling and releasing her before she could even grasp what he’d done.

  “Moz, what-”

  “Just sit there. I’ll make the tea, we’ll talk.” Moving behind the bench, he switched the kettle off and started to pour hot water into the mugs. “First of all, I’m not amused by your declaration.”

  “You sure looked amused.”

  “At your exasperation. You’re cute when you’re exasperated.”

  “Huh.”

  “As for what you said, I respect your decisions and beliefs.” He placed the kettle back on the stand. “Everyone has their own set of values. Milk?”

  “Please.” Okay, maybe this wasn’t going to be so hard. She relaxed a little.

  Moz poured the milk, returning the bottle to the ‘fridge while carefully stepping over Missy who was playing with a ping pong ball. Returning to the bench, he frowned. “Biscuits?”

  “I’m out.” At his blank look, she added, “Haven’t done the shopping yet.”

  “Huh.” He looked thoughtfully down at the mugs before stirring hers. “I’ll have to bring some around.”

  Weird. “You don’t have to buy them, Moz.”

  “Buy?” He actually looked shocked. “Baby, I don’t buy biscuits, I make them.”

  Okay, him calling her ‘baby’ had her insides do a little flip, his admitting he baked had her blinking. Then she remembered. “Oh right, you cook.”

  “I do.”

  “You’d have made a good husband for Simon. You cook, he eats.”

  “Not my type.” He leaned his forearms on the kitchen bench, bringing him down to her eye level.

  “Not female?”

  “Not you.”

  She blinked.

  “Plus, you know, Elissa got to Simon first.” He grinned.

  So had she really heard him say his type was her? Or was it just her imagination?

  A little flustered all over again, she looked down at the mug, wrapping her palms around it, only to jerk them back as the heat permeated the porcelain.

  Reaching out leisurely, Moz took her hand, raising it to his lips to press a kiss on her palm.

  Holy heck, her insides jumped, her lips parted and her breath caught. Lifting her gaze to his eyes, she saw the meld of heat and gentleness combined in the brown depths.

  Not to mention she still felt the imprint of his lips on her palm. Burned like a brand.

  That enigmatic gaze dropped to their hands, and she looked down as well, watching as he turned his hand, placed their palms together and slid his so-much bigger fingers between hers, curling them around in a warm, secure hold.

  “So right,” he said softly.

  That had her shifting her attention back to his face.

  Cripes, the way he was watching her in turn. Knowing, warm, so different to the usual Moz she knew. The man who stood head and shoulders above the Gully’s Fall citizens, who could make a person feel silly with one steady look, who tolerated no bullshit and went his own way. A man who could stand alone and almost thrive on it.

  This was Elissa’s brother, Simon’s brother-in-law, and until now all he’d been to her was friendly. Until now…

  “Why now?”

  He knew instantly what she meant. “No idea.”

  That floored her. “What?”

  “No idea,” he repeated calmly. “At first you were just a friend of my sister’s, then we kind of became friendly because I was included in my sister’s group of friends when I visited, then I knew you a little better after shifting here, but truthfully? I’m not sure when I felt the attraction.”

  “Okay. Wow. That’s honest.” Hell yeah, it was. No declarations of love at first sight, no heartfelt confessions of secret desires.

  “Actually,” he frowned a little in thought, “I think I felt the first twinge when Harding and his mob waved to you when you were sitting on the roof.”

  Oh yeah, she remembered how he’d looked around before saying something to the blokes that had them dropping their hands. So maybe when Harding and Dawson bailed her up later there had been a real reason. “Hey, did that have something to do with them stating you were my boyfriend?”

  “Hmmm.” He considered it. “Maybe. Possibly. I just told them you were my friend, you know, to give them the hint that if anything happened to you I’d go over there and knock their blocks off.”

  Geez, was that romantic or what? “Huh.” She couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.

  “And then when I tried to warn you, you got all defensive and I pinned you up against the wall there.” He glanced at the kitchen wall and back to her with a mixture of amusement and heat. “That’s definitely when I felt a bit more for you than just friendly feelings.”

  Warmth slipped though her. “Yeah, I get that.”

  “Do tell.” He almost purred the words, kind of like a satisfied beast of prey. “You felt the same.”

  “You stating that or asking it?”

  “Let me see.” Pursing his lips, he debated.

  Man, he had amusement bubbling up inside her. Who knew Moz Baylon had such a teasing streak? Ruggedly handsome, tall, strong, sexy, hot in the sack, and a sense of humour to boot. Why had she never noticed all that before?

  Probably because though she’d acknowledged his rugged handsomeness and tall, strong body, she’d certainly never had sex with him or experienced his teasing humour. That was a game changer, all right.

  Moz regarded her with a slight grin. “I do remember saying I was going to do something to you and you said, and I quote, ‘oh sweet mother mercy, yes please.’”

  She flushed a little. “I don’t remember saying it quite like that.”

  “Baby, it was burned into my brain. Word for word.”

  “Yeah, well…” Del cleared her throat. “So if you felt something for me, why did you kiss me then run?”

  “You’re never going to let that go, are you?” he asked ruefully.

  “It made for a memorable first kiss. For all the wrong reasons, I might add.”

  He sighed. “Fair enough.” His fingers flexed lightly around hers. “I only meant to get socks, but you were right in front of me, all warm and soft and smelling good.”

  “You make me sound like a loaf of freshly baked bread.”

  “Good point. Fresh baked bread does smell good.”

  Del rolled her eyes.

  Moz grinned, a flash of white teeth against tanned skin. “I’ll prove it to you.”

  “Never mind that.” She made a ‘come on’ gesture with her free hand. “Spill.”

  “You’re a little tenacious, did you know that?”

  “Moz.”

  “Yeah, Del?”

  “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  Amused, he laughed, the deep rumble filling the air.

  Arching an eyebrow, she drummed her fingers on the bench top.

  “Okay.” Controlling his laughter, Moz’s eyes nevertheless sparkled. “You smelled good, you were so close to me I could feel the warmth of your body, and then you turned around and I was a goner. Just had to kiss you, especially when you said, and here’s another quote, ‘anything else you want?’”

  “Also burned into your brain?” she asked dryly.

  “Bet your cute little arse,” he drawled. “Baby, I wanted so much right then. I kissed you, it rocked my world, I didn’t know exactly what happened and yep, I panicked. Didn’t know what to say or do, was terrified that I’d insulted you, and I beat a retreat.”
r />   That was so damned cute Del couldn’t help but grin. “Aw.”

  It was Moz’s turn to arch an eyebrow. “In my defence can I just say that I have never ever done that to a woman before. Ever.”

  “So I’m to feel honoured?”

  “I kiss and keep on kissing, or I kiss and it goes on from there. I have never run after one kiss.”

  “Hmmm, I’m not sure how to take that confession.” When Moz just waited, she explained, “That I’m not like other women. In fact, I’m apparently so scary that I made you run for the first time in your life.”

  “Del, you’re not scary.” He tugged her hand, drawing her toward him a little so that she had to rest her weight on her forearms, the position placing her beneath his eye level again, making her look up at him. “You’re special.”

  Oh boy, this man definitely had a way with words and actions, making her feel warm all over, a little tingle sparkling through her. “Special enough to run from?”

  “Special enough to throw me off balance,” he corrected. “Special enough to make me realise that I wanted more than just one kiss, more than just sharing a laugh, a take away meal on a movie night, more than just saying ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’. Del, I want the whole package.” His eyes were sincere, his expression honest.

  That had her pulse leaping. It also had her feeling like she might be treading on quicksand.

  Eerily attuned to her - or maybe he just read her expressions so well, curse her inability to hide her thoughts - Moz ordered quietly, “Your turn to spill.”

  “Um…what?”

  “Fair’s fair. I spilled to you, its time you spilled to me.”

  “I’m not sure there is anything to spill.”

  Moz just looked at her.

  Del looked right back up at him, studying his face, the honesty, the warmth, the patience, and yep, that little warning glint in his eyes that said he wanted the truth and was going to get it.

  Hmmm, he might be like a big, sexy bear right now, but there was still a side of him that wouldn’t be swayed from the truth. How hard would he fight to get it? That had a little tingle go through her again. How far would he go to make her confess? How would he make her? Oh boy, that thought had her belly dipping.

  Moz angled his head to one side. Yep, he was trying to gauge her thoughts.

  She smiled at him.

  “How about we just go back to bed?” he asked bluntly.

  Del snapped upright. “What?”

  “If we’re not going to talk, let’s have sex instead.”

  Her mouth fell open. “I don’t believe I’m freakin’ hearing this!”

  “The sex was good,” he pointed out.

  “Good? Just - wait, just good?”

  “Well, great, if you want to get down to it. Hot. Smouldering.” He winked. “We can go hotter.”

  “We can?” Intrigued, she stared at him, only to shake her head. “Wait. No. Now just a minute. Moz, you’re obviously no stranger to shagging a woman you don’t know that well, but mister, I’m telling you right now, hot or not, I don’t go around shagging men I think are sexy.”

  “Does that mean you don’t think I’m sexy?”

  “Of course you’re sexy, it just means I don’t have sex with you because of it.”

  “But we had sex,” he pointed out reasonably.

  “I know. Yes, we did.” She blew out an exasperated puff of air. “I don’t know why.”

  “Because I’m sexy?”

  The man was laughing at her, his eyes sparkling with mirth even though his face was perfectly expressionless.

  Del’s eyes narrowed. “You’re being an arse.”

  “I’m being honest. You’re not. Now why is that?” he mused. “Delia Miller, straight-talking, truthful, candid Delia Miller, avoiding the subject.”

  “I’m not avoiding it.”

  There went that look again, those eyes cutting into her. Oh boy, the glint was a whole lot sharper, too. He might be teasing her, might be amused, but the man was determined and yep, damn it, he could see right through her.

  Del sighed.

  Moz didn’t let her hand go, just squeezed her fingers encouragingly.

  Leaving her hand in his - like she had a choice, it’d probably be a battle to the death if she tried to pull further away - Del looked soberly at him. “I know some women are okay with sleeping with a man the first time they meet him. That’s fine, their choice. But it’s not me. I don’t sleep with men I don’t know.” She hesitated, glanced down at their hands. “Um…in fact, I’ve only…you know…”

  Another squeeze of her fingers, his thumb running along the side of her palm.

  Well, heck, might as well just say it. Wasn’t like it was big deal or anything. “I’ve only slept with one bloke. Well, not really slept. I got carried away after our date, let him persuade me to…you know…” She had to get a grip, be an adult. Straightening her shoulders, she lifted her head and looked Moz right in the eyes. “We had sex in the back seat of his car. I thought I was in love, he was in lust, we were both on different paths. Broke my heart to see him with someone else a couple of days later.”

  Moz regarded her steadily.

  “Awhile later I thought there could be something with another man, a visitor to town who decided to wine and dine me. When I refused to sleep with him straight away, I saw him knocking around the next night with Yvonne, one of the girls in town. I almost agreed just to get him back, but then I found them in the car park behind the pub in the back of his car, fair rocking that thing on its wheels. He obviously didn’t think much of either of us, to go straight from me to Yvonne. It hit me then that that could have been me, just another easy shag. Made me a little sick, made me remember my first time. Made me damn glad it wasn’t me, especially when he left the next day. Poor old Yvonne thought he’d left her up the duff.”

  “Some would,” Moz murmured quietly.

  “Yeah, it was a big relief to her when she found out it was a false alarm. But it made me realise that I didn’t want that. If I was going to sleep with a man it would be for more of a reason than just that he was sexy and available.” Del returned his regard steadily. “It’s just not for me.”

  The silence in the room was oddly comforting, Moz accepting her explanation without derision or condemnation.

  “How old were you the first time?” he asked.

  “Sixteen,” she said sheepishly. “My date was seventeen.”

  “Ah.”

  “Yep. The sex wasn’t even good. Not even a bit.” She held her fingertip and thumb together. “Zilch. Painful, messy, over quick. He thought he was cock-of-the-walk. Turns out he wasn’t. Bit late for me, of course.”

  Moz grinned. “First time sex can be all of that.”

  “Bet it wasn’t for you.”

  “My first time was with an older, experienced woman.”

  “Very un-sexy.”

  “Really? Cougars can be hot.” He waggled his eyebrows unexpectedly.

  Del burst out laughing.

  “I’m serious.” He smiled. “But continue. Your first time was not a good experience. What about your second time?”

  “Like I said, there was no second time.” She shrugged. “There was just never The One.”

  “The One,” he repeated.

  “The One I cared enough about to be more intimate with.” Wow, like that didn’t sound delightfully old fashioned.

  Moz studied her silently for several seconds.

  No longer feeling stupid, but definitely ready to deflect some cajoling, Del raised her eyebrows at him.

  “So,” he said slowly, “one time only, huh?”

  “Yep.”

  “All these years and you’ve never had sex with anyone else?”

  “‘All these years’? Just how old do you think I am?”

  “Old enough to know her own mind.”

  She couldn’t help but bristle a little. “Yes, I know my own mind. It’s been my choice, not one I force on anyone else, not one I judge o
ther people by. It’s just me.”

  He nodded. “Okay.”

  She eyed him suspiciously. “That’s it? Just ‘okay’?”

  “Yep. Sure answers the question of why you’re so tight, though.”

  “Tight?” Jesus, the man had a nerve. “You think I’m tight?”

  “Baby, I felt it.”

  They stared at each other for several seconds.

  “You felt it?” she repeated.

  “I think it?” he echoed.

  “You think I’m uptight.”

  “Oh. No. I said I could feel how tight you were.”

  “Yeah. No. I don’t get it.”

  His smile was that slow, easy curve of the lips, his eyes crinkling at the corners, a very definite glint of satisfaction in his eyes. “Baby, I mean I could feel how tight your body was when I entered you.”

  Oh hell, now she knew what he meant. She went hot, went cold, flushed furiously. “Well, I just thought you were really big.” Crap, like that really didn’t sound naive, like a tit for tat gesture. “Abnormally so.” Shit, that just got worse.

  And he knew it. Brown eye sparkled with laughter.

  With a groan, she dropped her forehead onto their joined hands.

  Moz patted her head. “It’s all good, Del.”

  “I think my face is on fire.”

  His chuckle was warm.

  “I think you better go now.”

  “Not yet. We’re not finished.”

  She closed her eyes. “I already told you, no more sex. This was a slip-up. It won’t happen again.”

  “Oh, it will.”

  Yes! Wait, no. Good grief, he didn’t just say that, did he?

  Eyes narrowed, Del lifted her head to glare at him. “I won’t be pushed into anything.”

  “That’s not what I meant, you prickly little pear,” he admonished. “I accept your choice. Might not particularly like it, might be walking around with a stiffy for quite awhile, might have to watch for my palms turning hairy, but I accept it.” He paused. “For now.”

  Intriguing. “For now?”

  His hand went from the top of her head to cup her cheek, amusement fading. Leaning forward, he gazed intently into her eyes. “Del, I want to get to know you better. I want you to get to know me better. I want us to be a couple. Go on dates, have some fun, talk about things.”