Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34333 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 172(@200wpm)___ 137(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
It seemed she knew better now, though. I could see it in the way her lips curved when I wasn’t looking directly at her. My malfunctioning brain hadn’t connected that by making her breakfast this morning, with both of us in the kitchen, she’d realize that I’d been doing this for her all along.
Fuck. I was so far past the ledge, I didn’t even recognize it anymore.
The screen door groaned open behind me, and heavy boots crossed the tile floor. I glanced up to see Drift wander in.
“Smells like someone’s gettin’ spoiled,” he drawled, grinning as he came into view and tipped his chin at Savannah. “Mornin’, sunshine.”
She arched a brow, lifting her fork and letting her tone drip with mock sarcasm. “That’s suspiciously friendly for the guy who threatened me the first day I stepped foot in town.”
Drift barked out a laugh and dropped onto the chair across from her like they were old friends instead of hostage and enforcer. “Fair. I was bein’ a dick. Club orders were to warn off anyone sniffin’ too close. Didn’t know you were gonna be shacked up in the Prez’s fuckin’ quarters.”
I dropped another plate on the counter a little harder than necessary.
Savannah’s grin sharpened as she took another bite of eggs. After swallowing, she said, “So, what you’re saying is you were rude to a stranger, got proven wrong, and now you’re pretending you have manners.”
He let out a low whistle, shaking his head like he was impressed. “She’s spicy. I get the appeal.”
“Don’t,” I warned, my voice low and flat.
Drift just chuckled and leaned back in his chair, boots crossed at the ankle like he had no plans of leaving. “Relax, Prez. Just talkin’. Though if you’re still comin’ up empty on intel, maybe you should let me take a swing. Get her loosened up. Maybe she’ll talk to someone who doesn’t look like he chews nails.”
Savannah tilted her head, eyes dancing. “You could try. But you wouldn’t be successful.”
Her tone was playful, not flirty. But it didn’t matter.
The second Drift grinned at her like they were co-conspirators, I saw red.
I rounded the island, caught her arm gently but firmly, and hauled her from the stool before she knew what was happening. “We’re done here.”
She blinked, surprised, but didn’t resist. “You know, for someone who claims I’m not a prisoner, you sure manhandle me like one.”
“I warned you what would happen if you kept testing me, sugar,” I growled, voice low in her ear.
She didn’t fight me, but her steps weren’t exactly cooperative either. Every stomp of her bare feet was another jab at my temper. By the time we reached the door to my quarters, I had to count to ten to keep from ripping it off the fucking hinges.
I shoved the door open, pulled her inside, and closed it behind us.
“You done?” I asked, voice rough with everything I couldn’t say.
She spun on me, arms crossed under her breasts. “With breakfast? Apparently.”
I stalked toward her, blood burning under my skin. “You think this is funny?”
“I think it’s ridiculous.” Her chin tilted defiantly. “You brought me downstairs. You fed me. Then got pissed because I had a conversation with someone who doesn’t treat me like a live grenade.”
“I treat you like something dangerous because you are.”
She snickered with narrowed eyes. “To you? Or your carefully laid plans?”
“Both,” I growled, stepping in close and letting my shadow fall over hers. “You’ve been here for nine days, and every damn day you look at me like you want something. But you don’t fucking ask for what we both know you want.”
Her eyes flicked to my mouth, just for a second. “If you don’t want me looking at you like that, maybe you should stop kissing me.”
“I never said I wanted you to stop.”
She blinked, then swallowed hard.
The air went tight between us. Charged, like lightning coiled in the sky, waiting to strike.
Her lips parted slightly, and her breath caught.
Fuck. I was so damn fucked.
I stepped in the rest of the way, one hand sliding around her waist, the other bracing beside her head against the door. “I warned you, Savannah.”
Her lashes fluttered, but she held her ground. “Warned me about what?”
My hand fisted the front of her shirt, dragging her against me. “That if you kept testing me, I’d stop giving a fuck about restraint.”
Then I kissed her.
She didn’t even finish inhaling before I had her back against the door, mouth crushed beneath mine, hands grabbing her hips like I could mold her to my fucking body and erase the past half hour from existence. Her breath hitched in surprise, but the second I bit her bottom lip and sucked it between my teeth, she moaned. Loud and needy, like she’d been waiting for this.
Hell, maybe she had.
Her fingers curled in the front of my cut, yanking me even closer, and I lost whatever thin thread of restraint I had left. I lifted her straight off the floor, and her legs wrapped around my waist, her body arching into mine, soft curves against the hard planes of my chest. My back hit the door, the old wood shuddering as I slammed her against me, letting her feel the full extent of how hard she’d made me.