You're the One (3 page)

But she didn’t
give ground, just stood there, hands on hips, glaring right back up
at him. The man had a nerve. Now and again he just really got her
goat, said or did something that got right under her skin and -

“Okay, what if
I was your threat, Del?”

She blinked.
“What?”

Moz moved
forward suddenly, arms unfolding to swing loose by his sides, gaze
boring into her as he advanced with no intention of stopping, a
move that had her automatically back pedalling before she knew it.
The kitchen wall smacked her in the back, bringing her to an abrupt
halt.

In no hurry,
Moz’s bigger stride nevertheless meant that no sooner had she
registered the wall at her back than his hands smacked the wall
each side of her head as he bent down, muscles bulging as his arms
took his weight.

Looking up
into the grim visage hovering above her, Del’s heartbeat stuttered
as his head moved nearer. Cripes, the heat from his big body seemed
to languidly wrap around her, the sensation of being surrounded by
leashed power a heady sensation, but yeah, she had to admit, her
nerves were starting to jitter bug around at the unfamiliar
position.

For several
long seconds they stared at each other. Okay, she stared, his gaze
just continued to bore into her.

Jesus, what
was he
doing
? She’d met him several times over the past year
when he’d come to visit Elissa, she’d met him quite a few times
more over the last month since he’d come to live in Gully’s Fall.
She’d nodded, said hello, acknowledged him as her friend’s brother.
But this? What the hell was this? And even more - why?

Sucking in a
deep, steadying breath, Del inhaled the heady scent of clean male
and faint aftershave. It would have been titillating if not for the
fact that the menace in the room was just freaking her out a
little.

Cripes, the
man was big. Huge. If he tried anything…

“Got you
thinking now, haven’t I?” Moz’s hard gaze didn’t waver.

That broke the
spell a little, clearing her head enough to let her think. “Back
off.”

“What are you
going to do about it?”

“Stop being a
jerk.”

“What are you
going to do about it?” He shifted a fraction closer, making the
hairs on her arm spring to attention.

Hoo boy, was
he warm or what? Her eyes widened just a little as she registered
just how close he was, and getting closer.

Those brown
eyes just continued to bore into her. “Come on, Del. I’m a threat.
What are you going to do about it? About me?”

Slapping her
palms on his chest -
holy crap, feel those pecs!
- she
snapped, “Stop it!”

“Yeah, ‘cause
that’s going to work.”

He was so
close now that mere inches separated them. Del went dry-mouthed as
she gazed up at him, the glimmer of anger riding just beneath his
darkening expression making her heart skip a beat.

Good grief,
the man could be intimidating when he just scowled, but right now,
this instance, when he was leaning down towards her so close she
could pick out the little flecks of yellow in his eyes? It had her
knees knocking a little.

Even more
disturbing, it wasn’t totally from fear. She didn’t fear Moz, had
had no cause to, but now, in the quiet of the kitchen with nothing
but the ticking of the clock disturbing the air, she felt - well
hell, she didn’t quite know.

His breath was
warm on her face, he was that close. The flecks in his eyes she’d
never noticed before because he was now
so
close, the heat
of his body that was screamingly evident because he was
so
freakin’ close
.

She licked her
lips. “Uh…”

His gaze slid
down to her mouth, thick lashes she’d never been aware of dropping
to cover that intense gaze. He was so still, surrounding her, his
very aura invading her space, meshing with hers, making her aware
of him as a bloody big man and a damned yummy one to boot. So aware
that he was
all
man.

And freaking
close. All she had to do was lean forward a little, just a smidgen,
and-

Holy heck, Moz
shifted. His palms slid up the wall even as he leaned forward more,
so much closer…and closer…

Her knees
didn’t just knock a wee bit, they also went a little wobbly when
his mouth brushed her cheek, slid further along, and then his
breath was against her ear, every warm puff making the tendrils of
hair shift.

Good grief,
she was going to drown in all that wonderful heat and clean male
scent. Just drizzle into a puddle and-

“Hurry up,
Del.” His voice rumbled in her ear. “I’m about to do something to
you.”

“Oh sweet
mother mercy, yes please.”

In the next
instant, they both froze.

Shit, she knew
why she froze. Had she really
moaned
that? Her eyes snapped
open.
Uh oh
.

Moz froze,
possibly in horror?

Del almost
writhed in mortification. Oh
shit
. Yes, she’d moaned it.
She’d moaned because he’d spoken in that gravely voice and it had
slid through her to curl languidly in the lowest pit of her loins
and she’d moaned.
Moaned!

Now she was
intensely aware that the tall, muscular man leaning over her was so
still it was as though he was made of stone. Except for his breath,
which just kept puffing gently on her ear, making her knees all
wobbly and shit.

She was in
serious trouble.

Then Moz
shifted, muscles bulging as he pushed back, palms still braced on
the wall, arms straight, just looking down at her.

Peeking up at
him, Del swallowed.

“What?” Moz
demanded softly.

“Huh?”

“What did you
say?”

“I said
something?”

“Did you ask
me to do something to you?”

Mortified, she
cleared her throat. “Yes. That’s my plan, you see.”

“Your
plan?”

“Lull you into
a false sense of security and then knee you in the nuts.”

Moz studied
her for the longest time. Okay, it might have just been a few
seconds, but it seemed like a long time. A really long time.

Rallying her
senses, Del managed to smile coolly.

His gaze
dropped to her lips again, scorched a path up her nose to her eyes.
“You’ve made no effort to knee me anywhere.”

“Well, I
wouldn’t, would I? You’re my friend’s brother.” She raised her
eyebrows. “Besides, this is just an exercise in demonstration,
right?”

He looked at
her without expression before straightening abruptly. Or tried to.
He stopped and look down at his chest.

Del looked
down, too, which, now that he’d straightened, was kind of on eye
level. Her fingers were twisted into his uniform shirt. She had
such a good grip that it wouldn’t have taken much to wrench the
shirt to each side and bare that yummy chest.

What the hell
is wrong with me?

Releasing his
shirt, she efficiently straightened it, manfully ignoring the heat
of his body and the heavy swells of the muscles beneath the blue
material. Giving the shirt a last brisk pat, she nodded. “Let that
be a lesson to you not to underestimate me again.”

Moz looked
from his shirt to her face, one eyebrow climbing. She wished he had
some expression on his face, anything to reveal his thoughts, but
he simply looked at her before turning away and walking across the
kitchen, stopping at the bench to lean his hips back against it
while considering her thoughtfully, crossing his arms and angling
his head.

Oh boy, his
thoughtful pose. She’d seen that before but never aimed at her.
Usually he wore it while trying to fathom out what the hell was
going on.

She hoped to
God he never found out with her. She wasn’t sure she knew. Or maybe
she did and was just a little too afraid to contemplate it.

“You will get
those locks changed.” He spoke suddenly.

That sparked
her temper a little. Welcome change. “What? If you think-”

“How well do
you know Harding, Dawson and Cutter?”

The switch of
subject caught her off-guard. “Well, Brand and Pierce I’ve known
all my life, and Cutter on and off for most of it.”

“Don’t let
them into your home.”

“I wouldn’t
anyway, but-”

“Keep your
doors locked when you’re home.”

“Listen, I’m
perfectly safe here.”

“They saw
you.”

Exasperated,
Del rubbed her brow. “Moz, you’re not making any sense. What’s this
all about?”

Dark eyebrows,
a sharp contrast to his fair hair, lowered a fraction, firm lips
pursed slightly. Obviously he was debating what to say.

“Here, let me
make it easier for you,” she offered. “You come over here, you
check my locks, you warn me off that mob of yobbos. You think
they’d hurt me or something?” She accompanied this with a snort.
“Brand and Pierce wouldn’t dare.”

Now his
features were a little brooding. Oohh, tall, muscular, brooding,
intent on her. Stuff dreams were made of, except this was real life
and Moz was starting to piss her off a little.

Shoving away
from the wall, she went to the ‘fridge and took out a can of Diet
Coke. Popping the tab, she moved to the bench right behind him,
forcing him to rotate to watch her.

“If you’ve got
something to say, say it,” she said bluntly.

“I’m just
telling you to be extra careful.”

“Why? Give me
one good reason why.” She pointed a fore finger at him. “And don’t
give me crap about being a woman alone.”

“That’d be a
good start.”

“That’d be a
very bad start, let me give you the tip.”

Moz sighed,
frowned, pinched the bridge of his nose as he studied his
boots.

Taking a sip
of the cold drink, Del regarded him. Man was in deep thought. That
could bode well or not, depending on what he decided. Besides, now
she just knew something was going on and she wanted to hear it
all.

Moz lifted his
gaze from his boots to her face.

Del smiled
brightly. “Drink?”

“No.
Thanks.”

“Explanation?”

Bracing one
palm on the bench, Moz regarded her seriously. “All I can do is
tell you to keep the doors locked when you’re home, especially at
night.”

“Well, that’s
a given even for a country bum.”

“Cute. Look,
you’ve been spotted up on the roof, those blokes know you can see
things. Just take it from me, don’t go on the roof for awhile and
keep your head down.”

“Why? They
thinking of using me for target practice on the roof? You gotta do
better than that, Moz.”

A muscle in
his jaw ticked. “That’s all I can tell you right now.”

“Oh, okay.
That makes it all better.” She batted her eyelashes at him. “Little
me will listen to big you and lock myself away from the bad
boys.”

“I wish,” he
muttered.

Del placed the
can down. “What’s going on?”

“Something. I
can’t say. But those blokes are not as harmless as they seem, and
they know you can see things from up on your roof. I’m asking you,
Del, please don’t go on the roof, and please lock your doors and
windows.”

“They’ve been
bad news for years and I’m not going to lock myself in during the
day without good reason.” She waved one hand around. “I’ve lived
all my life in Gully’s Fall, no one here locks their doors or
windows during the day, and some only lock their doors at
night.”

That had the
muscle flexing in his jaw again. “You?”

“I have window
locks, remember? I can lock my windows so they’re only partially
open for fresh air but can’t be moved further.”

“Flimsy locks.
Change them.” He glanced around. “In fact, have you ever thought
about security screens?”

“In Gully’s
Fall? No!”

He looked
right at her. “I’m worried about you.”

Aw, that was
kind of unexpectedly sweet. She actually melted a little, dimpled a
smile at him.

His gaze
dropped to her mouth and lingered for several seconds before he
muttered, “I’m even more worried now.”

Palms flat on
the bench, she relaxed. “Moz, just tell me.”

“I can’t. Just
do as I tell you, okay?”

The man was
serious, deadly serious. But if he wasn’t going to explain what the
hell was going on, she certainly wasn’t going to blindly obey. He
just didn’t have to know that.

With a sigh,
Del looked down at the drink can, shifted it around a little, bit
her lip, sighed again and finally looked up at Moz. “Okay.
Fine.”

She’d have
thought he’d be thrilled, instead, Moz’s gaze narrowed and suddenly
his eyes were back to boring right into hers. “Okay? Fine?”

“Yes. Okay.
Fine. I will lock the doors. Happy?”

“What about
the roof?”

“I won’t go up
on the roof.”

“You
won’t?”

She gave him
big eyes.

He studied her
suspiciously.

“What?”

“Just like
that? You’re giving in?”

“I don’t get
it. One minute you’re mad because I won’t do something, then when I
finally agree, you get all suspicious.”

“For you, it
seems too easy.”

“I don’t know
what to tell you.” Definitely not the truth.

After staring
at her for a length of time, Moz leaned forward unnervingly,
bending down to peer into her eyes.

Man certainly
had a thing for looking a person in the eyes. Del blinked back at
him.

“Right.” His
voice was low and more than a touch gravely with threat. “I’m
holding you to this.”

Del coolly
raised her eyebrows.

“I find out
you’re lying, I’ll be back.”

“Back to what?
Yell at me?”

“If you’re
lucky.”

Oh boy, that
sounded…deliciously threatening.
Keep sane, girl, keep calm.
“You won’t be back.”

A little more
of the eye boring before Moz straightened abruptly. “We’ll
see.”