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eyes. It takes everything in me to stay where I am. I couldn’t sleep with her and just blow it off the next day. The woman had worked her way too far under my skin for anything like that. If I had half a brain, I would have made a joke and laughed, but I had no brain. Holly makes my mind retreat and my body flare to life.
    My hands lift on their own and rest on her waist. That little black dress is so sexy. The fabric is smooth beneath my hands. Holly doesn’t shirk me off. Instead she lifts her arms and places them at my shoulders. We stay like that—dancing when there’s no music—h er body rocking, moving from foot to foot, her hips sway ing beneath my hands. I step closer to her, wishing that I could read her mind, but she won’t look at me. Her eyes remain lowered and her thick lashes conceal her thoughts .
    Holly’s fingers find the nape of my neck and tangle in my hair. Her body is so close to mine, nearly pressed flat against me, but not. Only certain parts brush, like her chest against m ine . It makes me want to press her whole body against me . I wonder what she’s doing, what she’s thinking, but I can’t ruin the moment. It’s one of those times that I’ll replay in my mind when she’s gone. Because one thing is certain, Holly isn’t staying in New York. As soon as New Years is over, she’ll be flying back down to the hee-haw state without me. I try not to think about it. I try to be happy with things the way they are now, but I can’t leave it alone.
    “Holly?” I breathe her name.
    She makes a purring noise in my ear, before saying, “Yes?” She sounds content, so I don’t know why I feel the need to push her away, but I do. Her head snaps up and she looks at me like I just woke her from a dream.
    I let go of her waist and walk away, even though I ache for her touch. Opening a dresser, I toss her a tee shirt. She catches it. “Yo u can sleep in that, unless you’re comfy in your garters and boots.”
    She stares at me. Those brown eyes meet mine and silently berate me for being a dick, but I have to. I can’t let her start something that she won’t finish. Holly smiles and holds up the shirt. “Thanks. I’ll wait a bit to put it on, if that’s okay with you?” I nod. She looks around and asks, “Where’s your TV? Stereo ?”
    “I brought that stuff home. I didn’t think I’d be coming back so soon .” She nods and glances around.
    “So, what are we going to do until bed?”
    The way she says bed makes my throat tighten. She glances at me, suddenly shy again. I want to take her in my arms and hold her. I push the thought away and break eye contact. “We can play games. I have cards, dice, and that kind of crap. Actually, it’s my roommates, but I’ll risk getting whacked so we have something to do.” Besides each other. I suck in a deep breath and grab the cards.
     

 
     
     
    CHAPTER
     
    6
     
    HOLLY
     
    I feel strange standing in his room. I have no idea how I’m supposed to stay here and not touch him. Every time Ryan gets within reach, I want to pull him to me and hold on tight. Maybe I should go out into the snow and cool off. Naughty thoughts keep popping up in my mind, and his blue eyes make me nuts.
    Ryan sits on the floor and opens a deck of cards. I sit across from him and unzip my boots. I pull my legs out and wiggle my toes. I tuck my legs under me, but the dress is too short. It hikes up and he can see the lace at the top of my thigh highs and the tip of the garter strap. Crap. I shift and pull at the dress. It barely covers the stockings. When I glance up, Ryan’s eyes are on my legs. He looks away quickly, like he was caught doing something he shouldn’t.
    “So, what’s the game?” I ask, trying to ignore the heat in his gaze.
    “Strip poker. What else would I chose? You chose the game.” He shuffles and doesn’t look at me. He seems agitated and I don’t know what I’ve done. I shouldn’t have touched him before. I bet he thinks he has to