Page 73 of Hot & Heavy

Grinning, Pretty Boy swaggered by Ian, saying as he passed him in the doorway, "Don't be such a dog in the manger, boss. It might come back to bite you in the butt."

Ian stared at Maddie for a long moment then, taking in her new outfit and her newly polished finger and toenails.

Does he like what he sees? Oh, yes, he does. "Betimes you are a dragon's arse, Ian, but I do not think you are a dog."

He obviously didn't understand what she meant, and then he did. He grinned in a rueful manner and said softly, "I would have polished your nails for you."

After he left, Madrene thought about his words for a long time. And she found herself oddly excited.

Chapter Eleven

She was temptation on the hoof…

Ian felt a little bit like Adam in the Garden of Eden. Eve was sashaying around his "garden," swinging her sweet breasts in front of him, doing everything but shout, "Catch me if you can."

I have to be strong. This is just a pretend marriage. She is just another woman. My luck with women stinks. It's not worth the pain. I have to be strong.

"Sit down, Maddie." He pointed to the stuffed chair in the living room, across from the sofa where he sat.

Sam jumped onto her lap— lucky cat!—and immediately fell asleep, snoring.

Ian's knees were spread and he was leaning forward, absently rubbing his palms down his jeans-clad thighs, from knees to groin, over and over.

She noticed his nervous action.

And his cock—foolish, foolish appendage—grew thick and heavy.

Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Stop looking at me there."

"Stop rubbing yourself there."

"I wasn't… never mind." He closed his knees, steepled his hands before his face, trying to ignore the source of his heated embarrassment. "I brought you in here to talk. It's important."

"So, talk."

So, talk, he mimicked silently. "The reason the members of my squad were here tonight involves you."

Her head shot up, and Sam looked up, too. Seeing that it was only him, Sam immediately went back to sleep. "If it involves me, why was I not permitted to listen?"

I don't think I've ever seen eyes that blue. Maybe it's because her skin is so fair and her hair so light. No, they're just a pretty shade of blue.

"Ian?" she prodded.

He blinked several times. "I needed to explain everything to the guys to see if they're interested in this…

uh, mission."

"Seals get to approve their missions? They can choose to go or not go where they are ordered?"

Yeah, right. "No, this is a special case."

"Special, how?"

Aaarrgh! "Back to what I was saying… it would have served no purpose to tell you about the mission if it wasn't approved. But it was. We're good-to-go now." He smiled, hoping she understood.

"Let me understand you." She stood, dumping Sam, and began to pace the small room. "You needed to have your men's permission afore informing me of a plan that involves me?"