“Spoiling me?” There was a note of uncertainty in her voice. Had no one ever spoiled her before? Just done things for her for the fun of it? Hell, Duke wasn’t really the spoiling, coddling kind but like with everything else, with Sunny it was all different.
“Spoiling you. Get used to it, baby girl. Because I have a feeling that I’m going to want to do it often.” He squeezed her thigh. “Wait there. I’ll come around and get you.”
Climbing out of the truck, he used that moment to let the air cool his overheated skin. Seemed like most of the time he was around her, he wanted to touch her, to have her close. She was a sweet treat he’d never tasted before. But damn, he wanted more.
He opened her door and frowned as he saw she’d already undone her seat belt. Doing it up earlier, he’d felt how hard her nipples were as he’d brushed his arm against them. Heard her small gasp of pleasure.
He wanted more of that.
Slow. She isn’t here to ease an itch.
She was more, so much more. He lifted her down and shut the door to his truck. He was grateful he’d gone for the bigger model now. Gave him a good excuse for having to lift her in and out.
Not that he needed an excuse any longer.
He slipped his arm around her waist, pressing her into his side. Her coconut scent teased him as they walked towards her place.
“Keys, baby girl,” he demanded, holding his hand out. The security lights came on immediately, he noticed happily.
But then he saw the way she’d frozen. He glanced down to see her chewing on her lip.
“Sunny, do not tell me you left your keys under a damn flower pot again,” he growled.
“Um, all right, I won’t tell you that.”
He groaned as she didn’t move. “Which one?”
“The pink pansies.”
“Babe.” It was a scolding and a plea for more information all wrapped up in one word.
“Over here.” She moved to one of the numerous pots and lifted it up, picking up the keys.
He held out his hand and she handed them over. He undid the lock then opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind her.
“Stay here, while I check the house over.”
“Why?”
“Sunny, you keep your key under a fucking pot on your front porch, anyone could use it to sneak in here and hide, ready to attack you.”
“Nobody is going to do that,” she scoffed. “They’d have to know I kept the key there. And why would they wait to attack me? Wouldn’t they just steal my stuff?”
Christ. He was starting to realize how naïve she was.
“Baby girl, some fuckers don’t just want to steal shit. They want to hurt people. Sweet little thing like you, they’d like to do a whole lot more. They could watch you. Follow you home. Lie in wait so they could fucking beat and rape you. Then they could steal from you, while you lie on the floor bleeding to fucking death.”
He was aware of the silence behind him as he switched on the lights and stalked forward. He turned around to see how pale she looked.
With a groan, he turned back and cupped her chin in his hand, raising her face. “That’s not going to happen to you. Because I won’t let anything bad happen to you. Ever. But you got to help me out here and be sensible. Don’t leave your key out for someone to find. Don’t forget to lock the deadbolt.”
He moved away. “Let me check the house. Although any asshole with brains would be long gone by now. Wait right here.” He pointed at the floor in front of his feet. “Do. Not. Move.”
Moving quickly, he searched through the house but saw no signs of any disturbance. When he returned, she’d taken off her jacket and sweatshirt but was still standing where he’d left her. The tension inside him unraveled slightly.
Reaching out, he took hold of her hand and led her over to the plain moss green sofa. It was worn-looking and not at all what he thought Sunny would choose. She was definitely a girly-girl.
He sat on the sofa, but instead of letting her sit beside him, he drew her onto his lap. She sat there stiffly, as though not sure what to do. He widened his legs slightly so she slid down further then he pulled her in against his wide chest, rubbing his hand up and down her back until she relaxed.