“Completely.”
I lean my mouth against the shell of her ear and whisper, “If you’re asking me to give up the dirty way you’re paying me to protect you, my answer is no.”
She shudders, her nipples puckering like arrowheads through the fabric of her shirt.
“You’re a monster,” she says, but her tone’s mild.
“You’re right. But that suits you and always has.”
“What?” Her brows crinkle. “No, it doesn’t.”
“It did when I was the monster obsessed with you.”
She blows out a breath but doesn’t try again to deny that she likes my dark side. Good for her. We’re all about the raw truth today.
Raw truth seems to suit us, too. Even the pain.
“Get out while I change,” she says, glancing around the small room.
I raise an eyebrow. I’ve seen her naked. She’s been eye-level with my cock and sucked it twice. Bouncing me so I don’t see her bra and panties seems a bit much.
She pushes on my shoulder. “Come on.”
I rise and step out into the hall to wait.
Avery can have her moment alone. For now.
11
SHANE
When the door opens, I lose my train of thought. Avery’s wearing a sapphire blue dress that wraps around her body, hugging her in all the right places. Her hair’s falling in fuck-me waves over her shoulders, her eyes are smoky with indigo powder, and she’s traded her glasses for contacts. From Diana Prince to Wonder Woman in less than an hour.
I stare at her with the kind of hunger wolves reserve for a fresh kill.
Avery checks to be sure the door’s locked and then turns. “Ready.”
“So I see.” Does she know she looks like she tumbled off a Maxim cover?
The day’s been rough. Maybe the outfit is her idea of revenge, her way of making me burn for her all the way to Back Bay. If it is, so be it. The burn will be my appetizer.
We head down the hall and into the elevator. The temptation to stop it so I can pin her against the wall and do dirty things hits me hard. Unfortunately, we don’t have that kind of time right now. I’ll have to wait until I get her home for that.
When we reach the car, she strokes the door while waiting for me to open it. My cock is suddenly jealous.
Once we’re on the expressway, I drive seventy to Back Bay. Half my attention isn’t on the road; it’s on Avery in my passenger seat. The wild, sexy hair makes me want to wind it around my hand later, so I can pull her head back as I fuck her.
When we reach my grandfather’s house, I punch in the code to open the gate. Security is always a priority at his place.
Avery’s eyes widen as the mansion comes into view. The row of five domed cut glass windows that are topped with offset clover-shaped ones are reminiscent of a medieval castle in Ireland. They never fail to impress.
When we get out, I come around and open the door to escort her to the front step.
My hand can’t resist touching her lower back, like she’s mine to guide.Like she’s mine.It’s a bad idea to think of her that way. But I’m a man who goes for bad ideas like they’re covered in chocolate.
My grandfather opens the door, and my brows rise. The old man’s seventy, but he pumps iron regularly and looks about two decades younger than he is. I told him I was bringing a girl to dinner, and he apparently decided to dress for the occasion. Normally when I come over, he’s in khakis and an oxford. Today, he’s wearing pressed black dress pants, a white shirt, and a blue silk tie. And damn. The tie matches her dress almost exactly.
“This is Avery,” I say. “She’s Sheri’s daughter. Avery, this is Joe Sullivan, my grandfather.” I wait for either of them to have a startled reaction, but all they do is smile at each other like they’ve just spotted their long lost love.
