Stealing His Heart (Shillings Agency 2)
She smirked. “If you say so.”
He didn’t reply.
After a few minutes of silence, she wiped her mouth and asked nonchalantly, “How’d you like the bathroom?”
“I like it. Pink’s always been one of my favorite colors, but I never thought of doing the bathroom in that scheme. It’s delightful.”
She choked on her wine. “What?”
“It’s true.” He deadpanned, forcing himself to act completely blasé when he wanted to bark with laughter at her expression. She couldn’t have looked more shocked if he stripped naked in the streets and did the electric slide. “I love pink. Don’t you?”
“Uh, sure.”
“It looks great with my skin tone.”
Her mouth twitched. “You’re fucking with me again.”
“If you say so,” he echoed back to her.
They ate the rest of their meal in companionable silence, ignoring the giant elephant in an orange jumpsuit in the room. Once both of their plates were empty, he leaned back and entwined his fingers in front of his stomach.
She startled at his movement, wariness humming off her body. “So, it begins again? The questions, followed by the reminder that I’ll be going to jail in the morning?”
“Is there a point?” Shaking his head, he turned her palm up on the table. “Tell me the truth. Do you know the code?”
She tensed and tried to pull away from him. He didn’t let go, but focused on the way her pulse leaped at his question. Oh, she knew it all right. “No.”
He squared his jaw. “You’re lying to me.”
“Look, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. Sorry to disappoint you. It’s not easy for me
, either.” She stood up, her chair scooting on the floor loudly. “But no matter how many times you ask me if I know it, no matter how many times you threaten me with jail, I won’t help you. Can’t you see that? So cuff me up and beam me up, Scotty. I’m done.”
He grabbed her and hauled her sideways on his lap. It was the first time she’d said she wouldn’t help him, as opposed to being unable to help him. Unfortunately, he’d gotten the confirmation he’d needed. “If I cuff you, it won’t be to bring you to jail. It’ll be so I can fuck you mercilessly without interference.”
Her mouth parted, and she pressed her thighs together. “I should hate you for doing this to me.”
He captured her chin and tilted her face to his. Tenderly, he smoothed his thumb over her quivering lip. She watched him, her blue gaze open and soft. “But you don’t, do you?”
She shook her head slowly.
Satisfaction rushed through him, and he closed his mouth over hers, kissing her hard and deep. She curled her fingers into his shirt, whimpering into his mouth. He broke off the kiss, buried his hands in her mahogany hair, and dropped his forehead to hers.
Before he fully thought them through, the words came tumbling out of his mouth. “I don’t hate you, either. The opposite, actually. Spend the night with me in my bed. All night. Be mine again, before it’s all over.”
He waited for her answer, knowing that she held too much power over him, but beyond caring. Truth was, he needed her, plain and simple.
Her harsh breathing stopped, as if she was holding in her breath. Or her words. Then she nodded. “Yes. One last night.”
Standing up, he cradled her in his arms protectively. His leg protested the extra weight, but he refused to listen. He didn’t want to let go of her, not for a single second. If only he could hold her in his arms forever, he’d be a happy man.
When he cleared his bedroom threshold, he set her on her feet and smoothed her hair. “You’re so fucking gorgeous. And you’re mine. All mine.”
Reaching up, she ran her fingers over his biceps and down his forearms. “I am. And I want to touch you everywhere. Can I please touch you? Do what I want to you?”
He grinned. She’d remembered the rules and asked nicely, so she would be rewarded. “Yes. You can be in control for now.”
“Thank you.”