Page 48 of Knot What I Expected

Her cheeks flush, color spreading over that smooth, tanned skin. Her breasts rise beneath that low-cut shirt with every irritated breath, and something about the way she squares those soft shoulders and looks me dead in the eye makes Monster sit up and take notice.

Me too.

Maybe I should be irritated by her caginess.

Instead, I want to know more.

Every time Gabriella throws another wall between us, some fucked-up part of me wants to get closer and find out what she’s protecting behind it.

Who she’s protecting.

Why.

And maybe that should bother me.

It doesn’t.

“I don’t think you should speak to customers like that.”

“You’re not a customer.”

One corner of my mouth lifts.

“I’ll have a beer. Whatever’s on tap.”

Her nostrils flare.

Fuck, I like irritating her.

Maybe too much.

She snatches a clean glass, turns toward the tap, and pulls me a long one.

Which gives me an uninterrupted view of her ass in those black jeans.

Jesus fucking Christ.

Soft.

Round.

Generous.

My palms practically ache with the urge to find out whether she feels as good as she looks.

Touch.

“No.”

Gabriella turns around.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

She gives me a suspicious look before setting the glass down harder than necessary.

“Here’s your beer.”