Chapter 176

*LORENZO* Shit! Reaching forward, I brushed my thumb against her pouty bottom lip. She inhaled sharply. “I want you, Danica. Very much. But I want you to want me, too. I think we need to get to know each other before we take whatever this is any further.” There. That was the grown-up response. Yes? “Okay,” she whispered, but she looked uncertain, and possibly a little disappointed. What did she expect of me? And I knew I needed to put some distance between us to think about this. Here in my bed she was a distraction, a pouting, soft-lipped, and beautiful distraction. I sat up and cupped her face in my hands. “Let’s just enjoy this holiday,” I murmured, kissed her, and clambered out of bed. Now was not the time. It was not fair to her. And it was not fair to me. “Are you leaving?” Danica asked as she sat up in bed. Her hair tumbled down around her small frame like a veil. Her eyes were round with concern; she looked effortlessly sexy, swamped in my pajama shirt. “I’m going to have a sho