Against Her Odds: when dedication meets desire Read Online Free Page A

high school. Some men were fine with it. Others assumed they could
change her mind. Others thought that she was saying that she was fine with
having large amount of casual sex. He only waited, his dark eyes interested.
For some reason, that unnerved her even more. “I’ve known what I was going to
do since I was eight years old, and I need to get in on the ground floor and
start moving up as soon as possible. I actually need to work even harder,
since, in terms of my goals, I’m behind schedule. So I--”
    “Okay,” Cason said easily. He didn’t
usually interrupt, but he had the feeling that she was only continuing to talk
to protect herself from hearing his rejection. He wasn’t about to reject her.
He liked her a lot. She was interesting. She was obviously smart and driven.
And...he gave an internal shrug as he admitted it, she was the sexiest woman
he’d ever been out with and someday he’d like to find out what she was like
between the sheets. “Guess you give that speech a lot?”
    “Well, yes.” She scrutinized his face. He
didn’t look upset. He also didn’t look like he thought he was going to get her
into bed after dinner. He looked relaxed and slightly amused and her muscles
relaxed for the first time since she’d gotten into his truck. “Just like that?
Just okay?”
    “Why not?” he asked practically. “I like
you. I want to get to know you.” He leaned forward, giving her his confident
grin. “I figure I can always get on my knees and beg you to change your mind if
I decide that I can’t live without you.”
    His ease and openness made her laugh with
sheer relief. “I like you, Cason McDaniel,” she admitted as she twirled her
pasta between her fork and spoon with expert motions.
    “Good,” he drawled, taking a sip of his
tea. “Because I like you too, Blondie.”

Chapter Five
     
    “I had fun tonight,” Val said, struggling
to find her keys under all the junk in her purse. The clutch was too small, but
a big bag would have looked ridiculous with her outfit and she still wouldn't
have been able to find anything, so fashion had won out.
    He glanced down at her, wondering what she
would do if he gave in and kissed her like he’d been dying to do the whole
night. “Me too.”
    After the restaurant, they’d gone to a
movie and he’d enjoyed the brush of her fingers against his as they both
reached for the popcorn at the same time. All it did was remind him of how long
it had been since he’d been close with a woman. Or maybe, he had to admit to
himself, there was just something special about this woman. Just sitting next
to her had had his body humming all evening. When she glanced up to tell him
goodbye, he gave in to his impulse.
    His hand on the nape of her neck was
gentler than she had thought that it would be. She’d barely had time to process
his gentle touch when his lips caught hers in a kiss so light she wasn’t sure
it was happening until he pulled back to look into her eyes.
    He traced his thumb over her full lower
lip. “You okay with this?” He hoped to God she’d say yes. That small taste
wasn’t going to be nearly enough.
    “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, I think I’m
more than okay with this.”
    His lips met hers again, moving slowly,
coaxing a response from a kiss almost light enough to be innocent. Almost. Her
legs were shaking when he drew back again.
    “Cason,” Val said suddenly.
    “Yeah?” His breathing didn’t seem to want
to even out. That had been one hell of a kiss. He’d had to struggle to keep
from doing something stupid like pushing her up against the wall and hoping
that she’d wrap her legs around him. It still seemed like a good idea,
actually.
    “Don’t judge me for this, please.”
    “For wh--” He didn’t have time to finish
his sentence before her lips were under his again. She buried her hands in his
hair and parted her lips for him, taking the kiss deeper and deeper until his
control snapped.
    His touch wasn’t gentle