Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
She drew an outraged breath. “I saved your life.”
“Jury’s out on that, darlin’. Open your eyes. Look at me.” He needed to see for himself just how injured she was.
“I think I’m afraid to.”
“You’re not afraid of hanging off the side of mountains or backpacking trails alone in the wilderness. You just took on five assholes intending to kill me, and you did it with a fuckin’ blow-dryer. I’ll need to talk to you about that once we’re out of this mess. Blow-dryers aren’t the best weapons.”
“Are you seriously trying to give me a lecture right now?”
“Someone needs to take you in hand. You’re totally out of control. I call you Wildfire for very good reasons. Now open your fuckin’ eyes and look at me.”
Why was he always on the verge of shaking her? What happened to his calm? He didn’t care about anything, so why was she able to rile him the way she did?
She squeezed her eyes closed even tighter. “I really don’t want to see our prison.”
“I think you’re afraid of facing me. It’s been obvious since the first time I met you that you can barely keep your hands off me.” Deliberately he taunted her.
The ridiculously long lashes fluttered. He hadn’t noticed those lashes at first because they were as fiery as her hair, but up close they were thick and long and turned up at the ends.
“You could be the biggest liar in the world. Or maybe you believe the crap you tell yourself. Just because you’re a hound dog doesn’t mean every woman in the world finds you attractive.”
“Hound dog?” He feathered his lips over hers, a deliberate enticement. “I can’t help it if women throw themselves at me, Wildfire.”
“You call me the most ridiculous names,” she murmured, not protesting his intimacy. “I’m not in the least bit attracted to you. You’re arrogant and self-serving. Sometimes I wonder if you’re human.”
“You are a terrible liar, Lyric.” He poured superior male amusement into his voice. “I know when a woman wants me.”
The lashes fluttered again, and then he was looking into her stunning eyes. Drowning in a sea of emerald green. She did what she always did when he was being outrageous; she looked as if she was fighting laughter. He loved that particular look because she normally didn’t look directly at anyone. He’d discovered it wasn’t just him she avoided looking at—she did that to everyone, particularly men. Still, she always greeted him as if he was special to her. As if he meant something. He’d come to depend on that particular way she had of welcoming him. And her perfect laughter was for him alone.
“I’ll just bet you do. Where are we? And I mean it, get off me…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze shifted from his face to the very close walls of their prison. Her entire body froze, tensed. A shudder went through her.
Keys felt the wave of utter terror emanating from her. Felt it. Her horror was so overwhelming it filled the small space, consuming them both. Something that deep-seated couldn’t be feigned. She wasn’t making a bid for sympathy. She didn’t have a small fear of closed-in places; it was enormous. The fear on her face was all too real.
“We’re in a coffin.” She whispered it, the horror in her voice penetrating.
“Babe, we’re fine. Take a breath.” He had been in tight places many, many times in his life, and he’d never had such a raw, visceral reaction as he did then. It wasn’t his fear, his terror—it was hers, and he felt desperation setting in. She was panic-stricken enough for both of them.
“Just breathe. There isn’t a reason for panic. Air is coming into the box through cracks and drilled holes. We’re fine. Breathe, Wildfire. Take a breath.”
Sweat broke out on her forehead. Dotted her throat. “I can’t.” She choked. Coughed. “I can’t breathe. I can’t.” Her body heaved, trying to buck him off.
There was nowhere for him to go, not even room enough to slide to one side. Still, he tried to get as much of his weight as possible off her slender form. If he tried lifting his body, he struck his head on the lid of the box. His head already hurt like a mother. He eased back down, distributing his weight as evenly as possible.
It didn’t matter; she was gone. Completely lost to him, desperately thrashing, which was nearly impossible when his body pinned hers in the close confines and her arms and hands were trapped under her. She’d lost feeling in them, and that had to add to her terror of the situation. Her eyes were all over the place, and then her mouth opened to scream.
“Don’t you dare,” he hissed. He bent his head to hers, his mouth covering hers in an attempt to swallow her horror. He didn’t know if anyone was riding in the bed of the truck, but he didn’t need their enemies to know they were awake. He also didn’t need the cut to the back of her head bleeding even more. “Stop right now. Look at me. Eyes to mine.” He gave the command with his mouth over hers.