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“No. I’m an excellent liar.” I poked a finger into my chest. “You”—I moved to stab his chest with my nail, and he caught my wrist—“are a fucking Boy Scout.”
I twisted my hand free of his grasp and desperately tried to ignore the rush of tingles that raced up my arm from the contact. The last time he grabbed me like that, he pulled me close and kissed me senseless. The vivid memory made my skin flush. Desire flooded my veins, and I ruthlessly tamped it down. I wasn’t doing this with him. Again…right now.
“Boy Scout. Ha. I’m a hardened soldier.” He sounded offended.
Tough luck, buddy. If the merit badge fits, wear it.
“Exactly. What you see is what you get. A soldier. On the other hand, I have lived a lie since I left Oklahoma. My whole life is an illusion. And my ability to own every falsehood I choose to tell has saved me. More than that, it’s why I succeeded and others have gone to jail or worse. I’m a chameleon.”
“Lee, I should have—“
I held up a hand to stop him. “No. I wouldn’t have wanted your help back then, and I don’t need it now. This is my life. Stop trying to interfere.”
I could see the guilt written on his handsome face and the argument on the tip of his tongue. He thought he’d shirked his duty to Ray and should have been a martyr to the cause of my salvation. But wisely, he kept his comments to himself and turned to the dog. “Betty, say hello.”
The dog held up a paw, and on instinct, I took it. The change in focus was welcome.
“Nice to meet you.” In reply, she gave me a few delicate doggy kisses on the back of my hand.
Betty couldn’t be more adorable. From the corner of my eye, I watched Onyx. He stayed on his blanket, but it was killing him. He desperately wanted to meet my new friend. I couldn’t blame him. If this wastheBetty, she was a special girl.
“Can Onyx say hello too?” I asked Betty.
She was far safer to talk to than Derek, who I longed to either kiss or punch. I didn’t know which. The last time I saw him, he kissed the hell out of me. Then nothing. No contact. He totally ghosted me. Add in the fact that he was monitoring my movements and it made him a complication to avoid at best and a stalker at worst.
“Is she okay with other dogs?” I stole a glance at Derek. He looked good. Black running shorts showed off his thick, tan thighs, and a gray tee clung to his chest. The athletic wear would look even better when sweat made it stick to his body.Down, I reprimanded my libido. If only I could command it the same way I did Onyx.
Derek nodded.
“Free,” I said, releasing Onyx.
Onyx leaped up and joined us, almost taking me out at the knees in his excitement to get to Betty. I fell forward a step, but Derek caught me. We were chest to chest, sharing the same breath. He smelled good and felt better. I closed my hand around a fistful of his shirt and leaned closer, luxuriating in the sensation of our bodies coming together. He pressed into me. A low groan rumbled in his chest, and I felt it all the way to my suddenly aching core.
This was a bad idea. I was mad at him, pissed off, and ready to castrate him. But damn, he felt so fucking good. I indulged for a heartbeat, then bottled up all the wanting and cast it away. I wasn’t doing this… doing him.
Like a poorly behaved dog, I should reprimand Derek for his actions.
I let my lower lip graze his ear. He stopped breathing, his body taut and quivering. It was heady stuff to create such a big impact with an insignificant touch. I smiled; power was its own aphrodisiac.
“Take that fucking tracker off my car,” I whispered, my lips brushing over his ear as they carefully enunciated each word. I ended my demand with a hard bite to his lobe and jerked free of his embrace. It cost me, but it was the right thing to do.
He looked ready to shove me against the trunk of the big banyan tree and fuck me senseless. My lonely female parts yearned for him to do it, but I knew my Boy Scout wouldn’t dare.
I tore my eyes off Derek’s heaving chest and focused on the dogs. Onyx had tangled himself hopelessly in Betty’s leash. Despite the impediment, the two were sniffing and pawing excitedly in a friendly dog greeting. I swiftly straightened things out and handed Derek Betty’s leash back, then sent Onyx to his blanket.
Derek hadn’t moved other than a frustrated tic in the hard line of his jaw. His eyes bored into me with an intensity that burned like a blowtorch. Fuck, I wanted him too. It took all my willpower not to cup a hand around his locked jaw and pull him to me for a mind-melting kiss.
He closed his eyes and tipped his head up to the sky. A shuddering breath rushed between his sinfully attractive lips. No man should be graced with lips that kissable. I waited for him to collect his scattered wits, knowing one touch could reignite the banked fire that would consume us both.
“Betty, show Lee we’re sorry for arriving uninvited.” His voice was rough, catching in his throat as he spoke.
Betty covered her face with a foot, looking up with her one exposed eye. She was the picture of contrition. Lowering her paw to the ground, she belly crawled to me and rolled over. I kneeled and gave her the tummy rub she asked for while telling her she was a good dog and totally forgiven.
“You don’t get off as easy as her. I’m taking my car to my security guy for a sweep.” I kept my head down and my eyes on Betty, who was an undignified puddle of puppy love on the grass. Petting Betty cooled my raging emotions. No one could be anything but happy petting this dog.
“Suit yourself.” He managed to sound almost normal. Kneeling, he stroked Betty, careful our hands didn’t accidentally touch. The tension between us dissolved as quickly as it had flared to life. “Poor Onyx, won’t he be jealous?”
I glanced back at my dog. He was curled up in a ball, his tail over his nose. “Apparently not.”
