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If Falcon had just taken her when they’d first met her and gotten his hunger for her out of his system, then he’d have gone onto the next conquest and everything would have been fine.
In the past two years Falcon had hungered only for Summer instead. The time that his need could have been exorcised was long past, and Raeg knew that his hunger for her may have grown to the point that it was now an addiction as well.
She affected him on a level he couldn’t quite make sense of, he admitted.
Damn, he needed a drink. Maybe a cigarette as well.
Not that he smoked. He never had, other than the occasional cigar with the senator. At this point though, he was willing to give a cigarette a try.
At that thought, the heavily leafed natural shield parted and he decided he was facing defeat in its ultimate form. He’d resisted taking her earlier, he might not be able to resist it now. Not here, wrapped in the surprisingly intimate embrace of the trees’ weeping limbs.
“Daddy hides under here too sometimes.” Summer sauntered across the short clearing, her hands clasped behind her back, the soft material of the white and pale cream sundress with its row of buttons down the front making her look so delicate and fragile he had no idea how she’d survived that bullet slamming into her shoulder.
“Falcon finds this, and you’ll never pull him out of it,” he told her, attempting a grin as she reach the swing and slid onto the cushioned seat beside him.
“Yes, he would love this,” she agreed softly. “He’s with Daddy right now. They’re checking the gator traps along the pasture behind the house. Daddy lost one of his calves last month and he’s certain a gator got it.”
Her hair was loose from its ponytail, falling around her shoulders and down along her back.
Tempting his fingers.
“They have a lot of problems with alligators here then?” he asked, giving into temptation and capturing a silky curl to caress between his fingers.
The feel of it, the soft living warmth of it just made him ache to touch her more.
Ache?
Hell, he was dying to touch her again.
“Not a lot,” she answered, gripping the edge of the swing and staring down at the ground for long moments as Raeg kept the gentle sway in motion.
“Everything okay?” Damn her. She was so beautiful, so fucking sensual it was killing him.
She exhaled heavily before turning her head to stare back at him with violet eyes that were softer, deeper than he’d ever seen them.
“I’m really sorry, Raeg,” she said softly. “I know Daddy’s nosiness bothers you. And I know you don’t understand things.” A frown marred her brow. “I’m just sorry I guess.”
And now she was apologizing for her father? Son of a bitch …
“It’s not his nosiness that bothers me,” he growled, furious all over again. “It’s the way you jump to play maid to him that’s bothering me. ‘Get me this, get me that.’ ‘How high, Daddy?’” he mocked her, knowing, even as the words came from his lips, that he was being an utter ass and hating himself for it.
Hurt flashed in her eyes, and this time, it wasn’t a superficial twinge of her little feelings. This time, the hurt went deep, as did the disbelief. But hell, after yesterday, she could actually be surprised by his stupidity?
“Were you raised by wolves?” she snapped, her voice low, disbelief and pain filling it. “That’s my daddy! Yesterday’s ignorance was bad enough Raeg, but this too? You’d berate me for doin’ for him?” she exclaimed angrily, her violet eyes sparking furiously. “Each busted knee, bum shoulder, knife, and bullet scar. And he’d still stand between me and Dragovich if it meant I wouldn’t have suffered that bullet in my shoulder.” The anger sparking in her eyes had the power to amaze him. “And how dare you even think you can share an opinion on my relationship with my daddy.”
The drawl was subtle, softer, sweeter than the exaggerated sound of it she’d used for as long as he’d known her.
“Your daddy,” he snorted. “Who are you here, Summer? This isn’t you…”
Or was it? He’d known there was more to her, hated the fact that she hid it from him. But was this soft, family-devoted woman really the one she’d been keeping tucked away from the world?
“No, Raeg. The woman you knew? The one who could take the life of a traitor she believed was her friend.” Her voice broke before she got control of it and went on. “Is that who you believe I am? Nothin’ but a killer?” she demanded furiously.
Staring back at her, the need to harden himself, to protect both of them, to ensure she didn’t get too close, that she didn’t attract the notice of a monster, rushed to the forefront of his mind.
“An effective one,” he snarled, and he knew better.
Something dark and bitter and filled with pain shadowed her eyes and had them suddenly gleaming with moisture.
