Page 73 of Bared

Fortunately, the woman herself broke their stillness. “Well. I was right in the first place.”

Brick approached her with slow but steady steps. “Right about what?” His tone borrowed from the small smile that twitched at her lips.

“About you being so wise, Sir.”

With a gruff grumble, he hitched his hold to her hip. He repeated the sound while drawing her back against him. “That’s not wisdom, Pixie. That’s just some hard life lessons sticking to my thick cranium.”

She lifted a hand in tandem with her soft, searching gaze. As she spread her fingers up from his nape, she whispered, “Well, I am thankful to the Creator for knowing you would need the extra layers.”

He slid her a skeptical look. “That so?”

“Of course.” She hit right back with a wallop of conviction. “They helped keep you alive, yes?”

“Along with my wily friends and my killer good looks? Sure, I’ll concur.”

“Well, friends and looks only take you so far.” Her comment was as literal as how she’d taken his. It was so adorable, he couldn’t summon the nerve to correct her. “The rest is completely up to you.”

“I’ll concur with that too.” He infused it with genuine warmth before adding half a smile. Goddamn. This little sprite in her earnest mode… She was so endearing. Entrancing. Extraordinary. “Especially because I’ve been inspired by a certain pixie with a lot of gumption of her own.”

He was happy when the edges of her mouth kicked up. He ditched the feeling when the trend didn’t continue up into her gaze. That burgeoning sheen still dominated the aqua depths, threatening to spill out again.

“I am nothing to be inspired by, Brickham,” she grated.

“And I definitely don’t concur with that one, Miss Cimarron.”

“Says the thick-skulled warrior to the crownless princess?”

“Which basically makes us He-Man and She-Ra.”

“He who and she who?”

He shook his head and chuckled. “American goodness nobody had the sense to show you during college.” He tucked in and kissed the top of her head. “I’ll have to send you some video links when we’re not standing in the middle of a three-way Venn chart.”

She didn’t demand an explanation for that one. There was full comprehension in the stare she raised to meet his. They really were in the tiny triangle at the center of destiny’s three-way, unable to make a move until they could contain the threat from Carris, locate the elusive LaBarre, or get a clear decision on Requiemme’s condition.

Since there was a next-to-nothing chance on any of those right now, Brick opted for the golden opportunity he did have. Holding her as close as he could, for as long as he could. And this time, making sure to remember every detail of how it felt. Her perfect pliability as she leaned into him. Her delicious scent, like honey and amber on a summer breeze, filling his senses. But most of all, the assurance of her sweet breath on the base of his neck, spreading that warmth through his entire chest.

This was definitely one for his lifetime hard drive. One day, maybe he’d be telling his grandkids about the night he comforted a princess in a shabby Paris apartment and how she made him feel a little bit more whole again because of it.

Grandkids.

Okay, there was the best joke of the day. Because that was ever going to happen, yeah? Because he’d have so much to offer the tikes, right? Not to mention, the tike who’d have to come before them. The kid he’d be lucky not to fuck up before kindergarten.

No. Just no.

He’d settle for making a difference elsewhere. In moments like these, with a singular human like this, with a life ahead of her that he could help improve in his small way.

Small things added to the good of the world too.

His own body, now thrumming with heat after the ignition of her breath, was living proof.

And a point could never have too much proof…

Or a fire too much heat…

Or an attraction too many kisses…

He couldn’t get in the concurrence for that one fast enough.