The Outlaw's Dirty Dancer by Jenika Snow Page B

room and slipped onto the bed with her, it wasn’t to lie beside her, but to use the warm, wet rag he had in his hand to clean off the cum from her belly and chest. It was such a tender act and one that had her heart palpating. He tossed the rag into a hamper in the corner of the room, and only then did he move in bed beside her and pull her close to his body. With her back to his chest, his arm around her stomach, and his face buried in the crook of her neck, Darra felt safe and secure, and so very well cared for. For several minutes they didn’t say anything, and the only sound was of their combined breathing.
    “I didn’t scare you, did I?” Brick said softly and ran the pads of his fingers along her belly.
    “Yes, but in a good way.” Looking over her shoulder and smiling, she hoped he realized that what had happened between them was so very good.
    He smiled in return, and it seemed so strange seeing the gesture. Brick always had this hard mask in place, and seeing him smile was like looking at a different man. He leaned in and kissed her, and the taste and smell of the toothpaste he had just used slipped along her taste buds. She couldn’t help but chuckle at that thought.
    “What?” He murmured against her mouth, clearly not going to relinquish the hold he had on her mouth with his own.
    “You actually brushed your teeth?” She felt him smile, and then he dipped his tongue between the seam of her lips.
    “Baby, it took a lot of control not to kiss you while I fucked you.” He deepened the kiss. Well, at least he was all for hygiene, and she couldn’t say she wasn’t glad he had at least done that after what he had licked. That thought had her growing warm all over, but she was so sore, and as much as she wanted to go for round two, her body begged for sleep. Brick broke the kiss and repositioned her so they were chest-to-chest.
    The urge to close her eyes was strong, but the urge to stay in this moment nearly overpowered her exhaustion.
      “I have to go to Utah for a few days, but I’ll be back Saturday.” He ran his fingers through her hair in a soothing, slow manner. “I’m going to have a prospect keep an eye on you.”
    Darra leaned back so she could look in his face. “Brick, I don’t need a babysitter. I’ve been doing fine on my own for longer than I can remember.”
    He didn’t crack a smile, just brushed his thumb under her eye, down her cheek, and across her bottom lip. “I know, baby, but you’re mine now, and I don’t think I have to tell you that my life isn’t full of flowers and candy. I have enemies that…let’s just say for my own peace of mind I would appreciate if a prospect could stay with you.”
    Darra should have gotten annoyed by this, but how could she when the only reason he was doing it was because he cared for her and wanted her to be safe? Darra was independent in all aspects of her life, but she also wasn’t a feminist, and having someone that actually wanted her safe made her feel really good. “Okay.” She rested her head on his chest again and closed her eyes.
    “Good.” He held her a bit tighter, and they grew silent once more, but she could feel that he hadn’t relaxed, and she knew there was something else on his mind.
    “What’s wrong?” Not lifting her head from his chest because her exhaustion was too high, she waited for him to speak.
    “We need to talk about the whole stripper thing.”
    Darra exhaled and pulled away. Propping herself up on elbow, she stared at him. “What about it? I don’t like the job, but unfortunately there isn’t anyone hiring someone with my kind of degree, and working as a waitress wouldn’t bring in nearly enough for me to pay my bills.” He was silent, but there was that damn hard look on his face again. “I wish I was doing something else, I really do, Brick, but until something opens up in Steel Corner, I’d have to go to a bigger city to find work with my degree. And I don’t want to live in a city.