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“You better be. I don’t take well to insults, Serenity.”
I give a jerky nod, stare centered on my plate of eggs that are growing colder by the second, just like whatever flames Heath and I shared last night are now doused.
Blindly, I pick up my fork and begin shoveling food into my mouth even though I taste nothing and I’m not remotely hungry.
The entire time, Heath says nothing. My nerves are jingling.
Finally I set aside my fork. I stare at his sculpted chest that I am all too familiar with the shape and feel of now.
“Serenity.”
I lift my gaze to his. “I didn’t mean to insult you, Heath.”
“No. We don’t know each other anymore. Why would you think I’m anything but the people you’ve known all these years?” He taps a palm on the table. “Forget it. When I agreed to help you last night, I meant it. We’re going to lie low here for a while until Patrick gives me word that Stepanov’s given up his search.”
I blink. “How long will that be?”
“Since the guy has the intellect of a rodent, probably not long. At that point, I’ll be able to move you somewhere else, give you a new life so you can start over.”
I drop my head. Gutted by the knife he’s just sunk deep into my heart. I was so wrong to let him touch me, to give in to my desire for him. All I’ve done is fan the flames of an old love while Heath can’t wait to unload me as fast as possible.
“In the meantime,” he goes on, “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have a repeat of last night.”
My head snaps up. I meet his blue eyes that are as serious as a well-placed bullet in the heart.
I knew this was a mistake, yet I still knocked on his door. Because I was desperate and didn’t know where to turn. Even though my brain told me to go back and face the Stepanovs on my own, I still made the stupid decision to go to Heath for help.
“O-okay.” My voice wobbles. Before I start bawling my eyes out, I push away from the table, gather my plate and dump the food in the trash. I need some time alone, but where do I go?
I hurry to the front door and find my boots I kicked off in the heat of passion along the way. I stuff my feet in, grab Heath’s coat I spy on a peg by the entrance and head outside.
I don’t make it three steps away from the cabin before the toe of my boot snags on something. A racket of metal on metal makes me scream.
From the porch comes a deep chuckle. I spin fast and just about fall over, but whatever my foot’s snagged in keeps clanging and banging.
Heath leans in the doorway…handsome, rugged…gloriously amused. “Glad to see my security alarm works. Come back inside, Serenity.”
Heath
For two days I manage to keep my hands off Serenity.
At night, we head to separate bedrooms. I swear I can hear her loud thoughts all the way across the hall.
During the day, we dance around each other. She scurries out of my path, and I battle with my decision not to lay another hand on her. We’ve watched enough boring TV for a lifetime. Not to mention that there’s sex in pretty much every damn show we watch.
Action movies shift from murder and mayhem to steamy shower scenes. Stupid comedies actors make sexual comments that have me thinking too much about the beautiful woman sitting on the other corner of the sofa shifting in discomfort.
I see the looks she throws my way. I catch her stealing peeks when I come out of the shower shirtless.
She says nothing unless spoken to. Then her words are brief and to the point. She doesn’t elaborate about her life before her brother sold her to Russians. And I’m afraid that if I ask, I won’t like what I hear.
I already see the effects that my father’s choices had on her life. She’s been passed around, uncared for, unloved. Hungry and forced into poverty as a result of her name being dragged through the mud.
I slump on the sofa, ignoring the endless chatter on the TV and staring at the fire. My mind wandering to what it would feel like to have Serenity on her knees before me. Her lips wrapped around my cock.
Unable to stop my cock from hardening, I nudge my fly to gain more room for my erection.
A soft moan comes from the other end of the couch.
