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doesn ' t mean you ' re always going to get your way. If I move in with you, it ' s going to be because I want to move in with you. Don ' t think you can bully me into doing what you want. " She threw his earlier words back at him. " It just ain ' t happening, babe. "
    Ryan rocked back on his heels and relaxed slightly at her words. " I ' m not trying to bully you, babe. That ' s the last thing I want to do. If you agree to this, do this one tiny thing for me, I ' ll give you whatever you want. Come on, Ashley. Just put me out of my damn misery and tell me you ' ll live with me. "
    " One tiny thing? " she squeaked.
    He cracked a small grin. " Maybe not so tiny. "
    " Nothing about you is tiny, Ryan. "
    He laughed. " Yeah, babe , that ' s what I ' m talking about. That ' s my girl. Say yes , Ash. "
    " Yes. "
    " Yes, you ' ll move in with me? "
    " Yes, I ' ll move in with you. "
    His posture relaxed as his arms reached for her and encircled her completely. He rocked her against her. " You won ' t regret it, baby. I ' m going to dedicate my life to making you happy. "
    Her heart squeezed and a shot of joy ran through her. " You know I ' m just going to fall madly in love with you, right? "
    He smiled into her eyes and placed a kiss of benediction on her forehead. " I ' m banking on it, babe. "
    ####
     
    Gibson and Julie
    Gibson Jones waited to corner Julie Weldon in the darkened hallway that led to the restrooms of the dance club. It was late and he was more than a little pissed. His fuse was short, his libido loud and banging through his body with ruthless intensity. He ' d been waiting for her for twenty minutes to come from the ladies room. He knew the line was long, but still, he wanted to blame her for the wait. It fueled the aggression in his blood even more.
    He stood against the wall and watched the women come from the restroom. More than one of them slid their eyes over him as they walked by. The unwanted attention only pissed him off more. If she ' d only get the fuck out here he could get this over with sooner.
    He stood beside the cigarette machine and finally saw her leave the room. The tawny blonde hair hung like silk over the curve of her breasts. His gut clenched in violent need as his face contorted into a scowl of impatience. He wasted no time and snagged her hand when she walked by.
    Julie gasped as her wrist was encapsulated by a rough hand and she was dragged into a dark corner between the vending machine and the wall. She swallowed a scream as she recognized Gibson ' s face staring down at her. Her heartbeat went haywire and her legs began trembling violently as the object of her secret fantasies pinned her to the wall.
    He hung over her, his forearms beside her head, caging her in. He was tall and broad, and he stood over her, his muscles clenching and his teeth gritting. Tight coils of tension fueled the body towering over her, leaning into her.
    " Listen little blonde girl , it ' s not going to work, " he hissed.
    He looked infuriated. Pissed off and hostile. Scalding fury dripped from the eyes that stared down at her. Scalding fury and something else . Something chemical. Something sexual .
    Attraction. Unwanted attraction .
    Julie sucked in a breath as a shiver of trepidation, arousal, and disappointment at his words speared through her. How long had she been trying to get close to him? She knew exactly how long. It had been five weeks since her cousin Ashley had begun dating his friend Ryan.
    They had all met, exchanged numbers, and then nothing .
    Nothing for her, anyway. Ashley was in seventh heaven, dating Ryan. Or she had been until a week ago when she had suddenly broken up with him.
    Julie sent the text to Gibson for that reason only. To help her cousin out by giving Ryan and Ashley the opportunity to be at the same place at the same time. Her cousin and Ryan were meant to be together. Julie could sense it, and that was the story she was sticking with. No way had she sent Gibson a text for any