Page 46 of Danger

“Then best be on your way,” I say. “Because you just found one.”

Stringbean swallows and grabs Silo’s sleeve. “Let’s go, man.”

Silo stands his ground for one brave second. Then he blinks, does the math, and backs off, shouldering Stringbean on the way out.

Charming, behind me, does a clap. “Beautiful,” he hollers.

Winnie lowers the tray onto the table beside her and gives a small shake of her head. Then she sits, no longer in a rush to get back to the bar.

I claim the seat beside her and lean back. One arm stretches across the back of her chair.

Winnie lifts her chin, tryin’ her best to keep from laughing. Like she’s fine. Like two men didn’t just overstep and almost pin her against a wall.

“Um… what was that?” she teases.

“What?” I ask, searching her face.

She laughs, and some of the tightness in my chest finally loosens.

“Don’twhatme. Thought you were about to put those guys through a table.”

“Wouldn’t be the worst thing I’ve done in this bar,” I say with a smirk.

She tilts her head, studying me like she’s working up the nerve for something. “Well, well,” she says, trying for casual and almost pulling it off. “Is Daddy being protective, or was that jealousy?”

Well, this is new. Is she flirting… or trying to see how far she can push me?

And did my cock just twitch at that?

“Careful, Winnie. You’re getting bold.”

“Maybe I just like to see how you react,” she says, shrugging.

My pulse spirals uncomfortably as I lean in just close enough to see the faint freckles across her nose, the way she’s trying real hard to look braver than she probably feels.

“You shouldn’t say shit like that to me,” I warn.

Her brows lift, smile still right there. “What? I can’t tease you a little?”

“You can.”

She giggles. “Then what—you don’t like it when someone calls you Daddy besides Fisher?”

I tip my chin down, let my gaze drag to her mouth before I meet her eyes again. Let her feel exactly where my head just went.

“Not usually.”

She looks curious, getting even braver now. “But you like it comin’ from me?”

I hold her stare, cock not only twitching but wakin’ up now.

“From you,” I rasp, “it’s not the worst thing.”

I shouldn’t like this—her close, looking at me like she knows exactly what she’s doing. I shouldn’t like the way my chest tightens just because she laughed. And I definitely shouldn’t want to hear her call me that again.

Winnie bites back a smile, running her tongue slowly along the inside of her teeth. “I think I’m growing on you.”

I bring my mouth close to her ear, my voice dropping into something that earns her full attention. “Keep sayin’ shit like that to me and you’ll find out.”