Any Way You Want It by Kathy Love Page A

him shaken. When she’d made her disclosure, which he had to admit was hardly a surprise, it had been right on the tip of his tongue to tell her he was offering more than a one-night stand.
    Why the hell would he even consider saying something like that? Okay, yes, he could feasibly offer her every night until the end of her trip. But that was the best he could do. It wasn’t what she wanted or needed from a man. He’d known that the first moment he saw her. He just hadn’t wanted to believe it.
    Because, damn, he wanted her.
    Kissing her, feeling her response, that was as close as he’d come to pure bliss in his long existence. He could only imagine what it would be like to make love to her.
    See? There. That was exactly why she’d been wise to call all of this to a halt. He did not think of what he had in mind for her as making love. The act was sex. Pure and simple. No love involved.
     
    He knew exactly how very, very dangerous love was for him. And for her.
    “Well, here we are,” Maggie said, stopping on the sidewalk to look at him.
    He blinked, surprised to see they’d reached her hotel already. He hadn’t even registered the noise and crowds of Bourbon.
    He stared at the building—again his solid, tangible proof that love was not an option for him.
    Remember Annalise. Remember what happened to her because of your love.
    “Right,” he said, glancing at the bright lights and the glass entrance to the hotel. “Right.” He had no idea what else to say.
    “Thank you for the drink,” she said, her voice sweetly shy. “And the kiss.”
    He stared at her, loving the way her pale skin flushed. She really was too delicate and adorable for someone like him. Even for a night.
    He forced a casual smile. “No, thank you.”
    She nodded, obviously not knowing what else to say, and realizing she wasn’t going to get anything more from him anyway.
    “Good night, then.” She started toward the doors.
    “Maggie,” he called, needing to stop her, if just for a moment.
    She turned to face him.
    “It was really nice to meet you,” he said, staring at her for a moment longer, then turning to head back down the street. Back to his life of endless parties, women, and rock and roll.
     
    “God, I’m such a fool,” Maggie said, staring down at her steaming cup of chicory coffee. She’d woken up with a raging headache, which she suspected the cheap wine hadn’t helped. But she knew the main cause was that she’d again gotten little sleep.
    Instead she’d tossed and turned, rehashing all the events of the night. Their kisses, her insecurities, their kisses, her uncertainty, then their kisses again, and finally the look on Ren’s face as he’d said good-bye. She’d recalled that as many times as the kisses.
    He’d looked…
    “I wish you had been there,” Maggie said to Jo and Erika. “Then you could verify what I saw. I just don’t know. But it looked almost like…heartbreak.” She made a groaning noise and covered her face with her hands. This was crazy.
    “Yeah, he was heartbroken because he didn’t get any action,” Jo said, buffering the words with a teasing tone.
    Maggie knew Jo was probably right. Still, she just kept seeing his face. His haunted eyes. His eyes looking so much like they had when he’d been playing the keyboard that first night.
    “Maybe he does want more, but he knows you’re leaving. And he doesn’t want to get hurt.” Erika shrugged as if even she found her words a tad implausible.
     
    “It doesn’t matter,” Maggie said, deciding what was done was done. It was for the best, so she might as well let it go. She took a sip of her coffee. Strong, just as she liked it.
    The memory of Ren’s lips against hers returned. Strong, smooth. Perfect.
    She set down her cup with more force than necessary, and some of the hot liquid sloshed onto the tablecloth. She ignored the spill and forced a cheery smile. “So what’s the plan for today?”
    “What do you wish you’d done