“Sunshine,” he growled.
Okay, she’d probably pushed him far enough. She didn’t want to end up over his knee in front of Mia and Alec.
She turned to West, saw him glaring down at her. “Did I just tell you I loved you last night?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Yes, what?”
She wanted to point out that she wasn’t a two-year-old having a tantrum. He didn’t need to get her to say his words back to him.
“Yes, you said you loved me.”
“I’m coming with you. And I don’t want to hear any arguments,” he added.
“It’s not safe around me,” she whispered.
He stepped forward and grasped her around the waist, lifting her so her feet dangled in the air. Her eyes were level with his.
“Listen to me. Listen to me well. I’m the man, yes?”
“Um, yes.”
“That means I protect you. It does not work the other fucking way.”
“Actually, that’s not so.”
His gaze narrowed. A warning went off inside her brain. Tread. Carefully.
“I can protect you too.”
“A man is not any sort of a man if he hides behind a woman.”
“I wasn’t planning on shielding you physically. Kind of impossible considering how much bigger you are than me. I mean, I could protect some parts . . . important parts.”
“Are you staring at my dick right now?” he grumbled. He set her on her feet.
“And I think that’s our cue to go,” Mia said hastily.
She saw them leave out of the corner of her eye, spotted Mia tugging a grinning Alec behind her. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Alec grin like that before.
Because you’re making a fool of yourself. Her face felt hot and she couldn’t believe she’d just done that.
“Babe, much as I appreciate how much you enjoy my dick, you’re not ever to jump in front of me to protect it.”
“Oh, God. I wasn’t thinking that.”
He just raised an eyebrow.
“Why are you being a jerk?” she wailed. “Just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I don’t want to take care of you.”
“This isn’t about you taking care of me.”
“But—”
“It’s not your job to worry about my safety, babe.”
“Did I just tell you I loved you last night?” she demanded, turning his words back on him.