Teague (The Family Simon 4)

“Hey,” Candace said as he stepped away from the bar. “Sometimes things work out. You never know. You and Sabrina might be a thing one day.”

He didn’t bother to answer that. Sounded nice, but Teague knew that nice didn’t exist in the world in which he’d chosen to live. Nice was the fantasy he’d indulged in over the last few weeks. And nice wouldn’t last.

She shrugged, a small smile on her face. “You know my number if you need to talk.”

Teague headed outside. He made sure his truck was locked up and secure and as luck would have it, a cab had just dropped off so he didn’t have to wait for a ride. He gave the driver a generous tip once they reached his place and stood in his driveway for a good two minutes, staring up at Sabrina’s cottage. It was dark, but then what had he expected? A candle in the window? Some signal that she wanted him tonight?

“Jesus Christ, get your head out of your ass,” he bit out.

He turned abruptly and headed to his house. Teague didn’t bother to turn on any lights—he didn’t need to. The moon was full and the generous expanse of windows let in a soft glow. He popped open a beer but before he had time to take a drink, he froze.

Listening intently, he took a few steps forward, his gaze moving over the entire room in a methodic grid, his body on full alert. His spidey sense was going crazy and he knew that he wasn’t alone.

Carefully he set his beer on the kitchen counter and moved into the great room. He didn’t make a sound, and there was a part of him that thrilled at the thought of a confrontation. How screwed up was that?

There was dirt from outside on the floor. He frowned as he continued studying the room. The blanket from the leather chair was missing.

And was that…a toe?

On soft feet he continued forward, not stopping until he stood in front of the matching leather sofa. Bingo was nestled into the corner, though the dog opened one eye at Teague.

Definitely not guard dog material.

His eyes moved over the sofa. It was strewn with pillows and in the middle of them was Sabrina. She was on her side, asleep, and she looked so damn vulnerable that it made him crazy. His chest swelled and he took a step back, surprised at the powerful yearning inside him.

Her delicate features were shown off to perfection by moon glow. With one foot sticking out from under the blanket, that mess of hair all over the place and a small frown on her face, he thought that this might be what angels looked like when they slept.

Teague didn’t know how long he stared down at her, but like a fool, he didn’t stop until her eyelids fluttered open. For a startled moment the two of them stared at each other in silence and then he opened his mouth. There were a lot of things he wanted to say but all he came up with was…

“How did you get in?” Huh. Great start to a conversation.

Sabrina pushed a chunk of hair from her eyes and sat up. “The door was unlocked.”

“Bad habit I’ve got, leaving the place open like that.”

Her eyes slid from his and he swore. He was screwing this up.

“Sabrina, I don’t mean to sound like a bastard.” He sighed and tossed his ball cap onto the table beside her. “It’s been a long night.”

She moistened her bottom lip and need hit him hard in the gut. They stared at each other in silence and that need turned to an ache that was going to be hard to get rid of.

“I should go,” she said abruptly, tossing aside the blanket and getting to her feet. They were bare, her toenails painted every color under the sun, and she was so close he could feel the heat of her.

“Why did you come?”

She licked her lips nervously and he took a step closer.

“Bree?”

The air was thick, charged with electricity he knew all too well. It was powered by need and want and it was so damn hot he barely kept from groaning.

She blew out a shaky breath. “I…I…shit,” she murmured.

When those big blue eyes of hers looked up at him, conscious thought fled like water down the drain. He knew this wasn’t a good idea, but he wanted her.

Badly.

“I wanted to talk,” she said, her voice thick and raspy.