Page 48 of Down & Dirty: Rage

“Yeah.”

Yeah?Was that all she was going to get from him?

His eyes slowly roamed over her from top to toe. By the time they rose to her face again, they were heated. And so were her insides. “Left ‘cause you’re too temptin’.”

She rolled her lips under so she wouldn’t smile at thatconfession. Once she had it under control, she asked, “And why is that a problem?”

His jaw shifted and his tone turned a little harsh. “‘Cause you need someone better than me, Lyric. I ain’t it.”

If he thought that was going to scare her away, he was mistaken. “We kissed, Ash. It wasn’t a marriage proposal.”

With a grunt, he turned and pulled the pot from underneath the still-dripping coffee and filled his mug. “Kissin’ leads to other shit.”

She rolled her eyes. “I learned that in Sex Ed.”

He took a sip of the steaming coffee, then peered at her over the brim of the mug. “Sex Ed.”

“Did you skip that class?”

“Didn’t need a fuckin’ class to learn that, woman.”

“No. Just a lesson in baseball.”

Once he gulped down another mouthful of coffee, his eyebrows rose. “Baseball?”

“Yes, you know…bases. First base, second base, third base, home run?”

He shook his head. “Too early for this shit,” he mumbled under his breath.

She grinned. “Please tell me you know that reference.”

“Yeah, baby, know that reference, but haven’t used it in over twenty years. For a reason.”

She tipped her head to the side and studied him. “You’ve never had sex without kissing first?”

He plunked his mug down on the counter and his chest expanded slowly before quickly contracting. “Don’t you gotta open the shop soon?”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?”

He sucked on his teeth. “Didn’t say that.”

“Sounds like it. Is it because Itemptyou?” When hedidn’t respond, she continued. “Because that’s what you said.”

He grunted.

“Is the temptation in the room with us right now?” she tried to tease. Unfortunately, her attempt fell flat.

“Yeah, Lyric. It’s in the fuckin’ room right now.” His grumble sounded more irritated than amused.

He abruptly turned, pulled a bottle of whiskey from a cabinet over the coffee maker, and generously poured some into his mug. He then downed half the mug.

Holy crap.“A little early for that, isn’t it?”

He circled the mug in front of him. “Too early for all this shit.”

“Point taken.” It was time to get out of there since he didn’t want to be bothered. She cleared the sudden thickness from her throat. “Before I go”—she pulled out her phone—“let me pull up my calendar and we can reschedule your tattoo. I think you’ll like the finished design.”

He never had an opinion on what she designed for him. He had always accepted whatever it was.