4
" You’re all right, Blue Eyes.” She lifted her head to look into them. “You’re all right, down the line. You ever want a free bang, you got one coming.”“It would, no doubt be a memorable bang. But my wife is fiercely jealous and territorial.” He grinned over at a very cold-eyed Eve.“Her? You? That’s a kick in the ass.”“Every damn day,” Eve muttered, and strode out.She kept striding, out of the club, back into the comparatively fresh air of the city street. And fisted her hands on her hips as she spun to him. “Did you have to do the ‘my wife’ crap?”His grin remained, and only widened. “I did, yes. I felt a desperate need for your protection. I believe that woman had designs on me.”“I’ll put a design on you that won’t come off in the shower.”“See, now I’m excited.” Reaching out, he toyed with the lapel of her coat." What have you got in mind ? "
8
" I coax my palm into his lapel in search of my wish, returning his feverish kiss. " Checkmate, you son of a bug," I say against his mouth two seconds before my fingers find an empty pocket." Sleight of hand, blossom," he says right back. " 'Tis in fact in my pants pocket, if you'd like to search there." I shove him off and drop to the floor, wiping my mouth. " It's mine!" " And you'll receive it when the time is right." His lips, all I can look at, tilt into that smug smile that I've come to detest. He motions toward the chair. " Sit. You've just been soundly kissed. No doubt you're short of breath." " Don't flatter yourself." I huff in an effort to hide the gulp of air and hold the teddy bear against my chest. " That kiss meant nothing. It had underlying motivation." " Oh, to be sure. That kiss was nothing if not motivational. "