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Damon gave her a small nod and she put her attention back on the man standing out of her reach. Phillip Vallence, Earl of Edais. Allowing her gaze to move over him as she sat in the chair, she took stock.
Lean muscles that had begun to bulk up as he worked on the plantation. His sandy brown hair now hit his shoulders and sometimes he wore it back in a queue, which just made her want to pull the tie free and sink her fingers into it. Then his eyes, those gray orbs that saw so much.
“Come get me.”
Was she brave enough to go after what she wanted?
Yes.
Fyre got to her feet and watched as he licked his lips but didn’t move. She wanted him to hold her. Wanted his arms around her, his strong, warm hand around her neck, anchoring them together.
One foot in front of the other brought her to stand before him. She tipped her head back to stare up at him. He watched her with unerring honesty, not hiding his emotions. He was waiting for her to make the decision.
With one hand, she reached out, but she hesitated before actually laying her hand on him. What was she doing?
He is an earl.
She read it in his gaze—he wasn’t going to eliminate the distance between them. The choice had to be hers.
And in that moment, she made it. Closed the rest of the space between them and placed her hands on his chest. She curled her fingers in the soft material of his shirt before releasing him and sliding her hands higher.
When they got to the collar of his shirt, she grasped again and pulled—down this time, on him and the shirt—as she rose up on her toes. He bent and met her part way.
Her world exploded again as he kissed her. Or she kissed him. Either way, all she knew at that moment was his touch, smell, and presence. Phillip wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off the floor as he moved them backward.
His kiss was ravenous. As was hers.
More.
The single word pumped through her veins, intermingling with the raw need that flowed. She tugged his hair tie free and moaned into his mouth as his silken strands fell over her skin.
“You chose me,” he rumbled against her lips. “You are mine, Fyre. Mine.” The bump of the wall behind her came as a shock and she gasped. He paused and looked down at her. “I did not think you would come get me.”
“How could I not? I have wanted you since I first saw you.”
He framed her face with his hands, even the rough skin there, making her feel protected.
“In the shop?”
She shook her head. “That was not the first time, I had seen you many times before.”
He gave her a mock frown. “You were spying on me?”
“No, I was avoiding you.”
“Why?” His hand graced her neck and gripped again. She breathed more easily.
“I was not supposed to be doing my brother’s work. Especially without your permission. So I tried to make sure I was leaving whenever you were there.”
“And now?”
Emboldened, she pushed up again and nipped his bottom lip. “Now I have claimed you.”
With their foreheads touching, she just stayed that way for a few moments, getting hold of her ragged breathing. Pleased that he appeared to have the same difficulty as she in accomplishing that.
“You have claimed me, Fyre. Of that, there is no doubt. And God, I want you so much my dick hurts. But I will not push you. We have work to do.”
She nodded, not wanting to lose his strength. “You have to move, my lord. You have me against the wall.”
His chuckle was decadent. “Not how I want to have you against the wall.” A deep breath. “Behave.”
She blinked up at him. “What did I do?”
He squeezed her throat briefly before releasing her. “You are tempting me.”
“I would apologize, my lord, but I do not think you would believe me.”
“I would not. You are correct.”
She let him lead the way back to the desk and she didn’t say a word when it was his larger desk he took them to. She sat and he carried her things to her. Fyre glanced at the doorway to find Damon had stepped from the room, but she could see his shadow out there.
“What?”
Phillip sat beside her, making sure their legs touched.
“How much longer will you insist on Damon following me? Him and his brothers?”
“Until you are safe. And how did you know he had brothers?”
“I see a lot more than people think I do.”
“I know you do, Fyre.” He pushed the plate of food in her direction. “Eat. We have work, then we have to talk about our picnic.”
Fuzzy feelings streamed through her. “Picnic?”
“Yes. I want to take you on a picnic.”
