Mastered by Malone (Haven, Texas 6)

The little girl had just challenged him. Well, he wouldn’t be ignoring that.

He cupped her chin, lifting her face up to him. “What did you just say?”

“I said, fuck.”

“Careful, little one, you’re playing with fire.”

Her eyes were wide in her pale face. Shit. He was an asshole. She’d just had a panic attack. She was exhausted. She was swaying where she stood and he was screwing around, making her stand there when he could already have her tucked into bed.

Question was, which bed?

He wrapped his arm around her waist and steered her towards the shower. He debated whether to try and get her bra and panties off. But he figured that was just going to create more of an argument, and, right then, he wanted to get her clean and into bed.

He opened the door to the shower. “In you go.”

The bra and panties were cheap cotton. He frowned. About as crappy as the rest of her clothes. He knew she probably didn’t have much money. Being on the run cut into funds quickly when you couldn’t hold down a regular job. But why the hell hadn’t her cousin taken care of her?

Screw waiting for her to tell him what she needed, he’d send one of the boys down to get her more clothes and shit.

When she didn’t move, he wrapped his hands around her waist and lifted her in. She let out a small squeal. But he stepped in behind her before she could try to escape.

“Malone!”

“Easy,” he soothed. “We’re just going to get clean then I’ll put you to bed.” Might kill him. His cock was already hard and aching, even though she hadn’t seemed to notice. Probably a good thing. Even if it was a bit of a hit to his ego.

He snorted. This was the first time he’d ever been in a shower with a woman who he hadn’t or didn’t intend to fuck. He guessed maybe he was a bit spoiled when it came to women. He’d never really had to work at it. He’d never had one try to escape as Mia was trying to do.

She brushed against his dick as she tried to turn towards the door, and he gasped in a sharp breath. Fuck, it would be so easy to take her. To push her against the wall and lift her onto his cock. Okay, maybe he was arrogant as fuck, but it was obvious that Mia had little experience with sex. She was innocent. Sweet. Not for him at all— she would be all too easy to seduce.

She’s an obligation. A responsibility. And she obviously had PTSD, a fact nobody had seen fit to share with him. If he’d known he’d have been keeping a closer eye on her. Aside from a few issues, she’d pretty much been a model guest. She hadn’t disobeyed him once. Hadn’t tried to murder him in his sleep, even when he’d been a complete ass. She’d stuck to the ranch. She liked to please people. And she tended to put everyone else first.

That needed to stop. Damn woman needed a keeper.

And that can’t be you.

“Oh my God, you’re hard.” Her horrified voice cut through his thoughts.

He sighed. “If I wasn’t such a confident person, you’d be well on your way to giving me a complex.”

“What?” She couldn’t move her gaze from his dick.

“You’ve seen one before, right?” he asked, a bit more impatiently than he’d intended.

“What?”

“Mia. Eyes. Now.”

She shot her gaze up to his then groaned and winced, her hand coming up to her temple.

“Headache?” he murmured, turning her around so she faced away from him. Having her stare at his dick wasn’t helping him regain control. He reached for some shower gel and started washing her shoulders. He then massaged the tight muscles in her neck and shoulders.

She let out a low groan of pleasure that went straight to his cock. Yep, seemed like he was in for a case of blue balls tonight. He washed down her back and undid the clasp of her bra.

“Malone,” she said in a low voice.

“Just washing you, baby. Nothing more. I promise.” Even if it fucking killed him, he’d keep that promise.

Obligation. Responsibility. Fragile.