around seven.”
“All right.” I go to turn around and stop. “Wait-” I point at him. “At the movies, when you kiss me, are you going to try to stick your tongue in my mouth?”
“I most certainly am,” he says with a sly grin.
“Really,” I say, viewing Slate Declan for the first time as more than a friend and thoroughly liking what I see. “Aren’t you concerned that you might get kneed in the balls?”
“Oh…” He leans down, our mouths again nearly touching, and my heart squeezes tighter. “I think that I’ll take my chances...”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Slate did exactly as I asked. He held me all night long. I tried a couple of times to touch him, but he wouldn’t allow it. The insecurities about his body pulled him away from me, and all through the night, he was cautious not to touch me with his scarred skin. I resigned to accept what he was able to give, the comfort of his warm and powerful arm wrapped around me.
I pray after all this that he stays clean. Still, I’m cautious, too. I’m not going to set myself up for another broken heart courtesy of Slate Declan. Besides, I haven’t forgotten what I’m doing here—why I came back to the Bayou. And that was to break his heart. Then again, I’m not sure if he has one anymore. I got a peek at it last night, but who knows if it’ll be coming back out anytime soon for another visit.
After taking a shower, I head out to the living room. There’s a cup of coffee and some toast waiting for me on the counter. I smile. He can still pull off being sweet. I take a sip of the steaming coffee, watching from over the rim of the mug as Slate comes swaggering into the room dressed in a black tee and worn jeans. That needy bitch between my legs gets restless. He strolls on over. My eyes embark on his long, lean form. I set the mug down just as he reaches me. He sifts his hand through my hair, grips my nape, and pulls me to just inches from his tempting mouth. He looks at my lips then up at my eyes. My heart races as that needy bitch tugs rougher between my thighs. I know what he’s going to do. “Are you going to kiss me?”
A tiny smile surfaces upon his handsome face. “Was thinking about it,” he says, keeping his enticing mouth back from mine.
“Well, you might want to think two or maybe three times about it.” I smile back at him.
His left eyebrow tilts. “Why’s that?”
“You don’t want to go fallin’ for me again, now do you?”
“Who says that my ass ain’t already hit the floor?”
“What?” The hairs on my arms stand up straight.
“Ah, you should see the look on your face right now, monkey.” He chuckles as his hand slips around from my neck to rest on my cheek. “Yeah, I’d be frightened, too. You don’t want me falling for you again. No. Nothing good would come from that, but Rayna,” he searches my face thoughtfully, “if by some crazy chance, I do stay clean, you better watch out.” The pad of his thumb runs the length of my bottom lip. “’Cause I might just come after you.” He takes a step back, releasing me from his hold, and I let go of the breath held hostage in my lungs. “So,” he claps his hands together, “what time are my brothers instructed to open the door?”
“Noon,” I say, legs shaking from the aftermath of his touch and his bold words. I wrap my hands around my mug, relinquishing the urge to yank him back for that near kiss.
“Okay…” He glances at the clock on the microwave. “Then that gives you a little over two hours.” He leans against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest.
“For,” I slowly say, raising an eyebrow.
“For whenever you’re ready to head on over to the sofa, drop your panties, and present that sweet little ass to me.”
Coffee mug midway to my partly open mouth, I freeze. “You’re really going to follow through with this, then?” I set the mug back down, glaring up at him.
“Sorry.” He flips a hand in the air. “We had a deal.
“All right.” I go to turn around and stop. “Wait-” I point at him. “At the movies, when you kiss me, are you going to try to stick your tongue in my mouth?”
“I most certainly am,” he says with a sly grin.
“Really,” I say, viewing Slate Declan for the first time as more than a friend and thoroughly liking what I see. “Aren’t you concerned that you might get kneed in the balls?”
“Oh…” He leans down, our mouths again nearly touching, and my heart squeezes tighter. “I think that I’ll take my chances...”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Slate did exactly as I asked. He held me all night long. I tried a couple of times to touch him, but he wouldn’t allow it. The insecurities about his body pulled him away from me, and all through the night, he was cautious not to touch me with his scarred skin. I resigned to accept what he was able to give, the comfort of his warm and powerful arm wrapped around me.
I pray after all this that he stays clean. Still, I’m cautious, too. I’m not going to set myself up for another broken heart courtesy of Slate Declan. Besides, I haven’t forgotten what I’m doing here—why I came back to the Bayou. And that was to break his heart. Then again, I’m not sure if he has one anymore. I got a peek at it last night, but who knows if it’ll be coming back out anytime soon for another visit.
After taking a shower, I head out to the living room. There’s a cup of coffee and some toast waiting for me on the counter. I smile. He can still pull off being sweet. I take a sip of the steaming coffee, watching from over the rim of the mug as Slate comes swaggering into the room dressed in a black tee and worn jeans. That needy bitch between my legs gets restless. He strolls on over. My eyes embark on his long, lean form. I set the mug down just as he reaches me. He sifts his hand through my hair, grips my nape, and pulls me to just inches from his tempting mouth. He looks at my lips then up at my eyes. My heart races as that needy bitch tugs rougher between my thighs. I know what he’s going to do. “Are you going to kiss me?”
A tiny smile surfaces upon his handsome face. “Was thinking about it,” he says, keeping his enticing mouth back from mine.
“Well, you might want to think two or maybe three times about it.” I smile back at him.
His left eyebrow tilts. “Why’s that?”
“You don’t want to go fallin’ for me again, now do you?”
“Who says that my ass ain’t already hit the floor?”
“What?” The hairs on my arms stand up straight.
“Ah, you should see the look on your face right now, monkey.” He chuckles as his hand slips around from my neck to rest on my cheek. “Yeah, I’d be frightened, too. You don’t want me falling for you again. No. Nothing good would come from that, but Rayna,” he searches my face thoughtfully, “if by some crazy chance, I do stay clean, you better watch out.” The pad of his thumb runs the length of my bottom lip. “’Cause I might just come after you.” He takes a step back, releasing me from his hold, and I let go of the breath held hostage in my lungs. “So,” he claps his hands together, “what time are my brothers instructed to open the door?”
“Noon,” I say, legs shaking from the aftermath of his touch and his bold words. I wrap my hands around my mug, relinquishing the urge to yank him back for that near kiss.
“Okay…” He glances at the clock on the microwave. “Then that gives you a little over two hours.” He leans against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest.
“For,” I slowly say, raising an eyebrow.
“For whenever you’re ready to head on over to the sofa, drop your panties, and present that sweet little ass to me.”
Coffee mug midway to my partly open mouth, I freeze. “You’re really going to follow through with this, then?” I set the mug back down, glaring up at him.
“Sorry.” He flips a hand in the air. “We had a deal.
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