But he’d never once done that.
Usually, he just palmed himself, shifting the extremely impressive bulge a little, and then continued like he wasn't hard as a rock. Didn't guys hurt when they were hard like that, but didn't do anything about it? Or if they didn't hurt, then at least they got uncomfortable?
She was certainly uncomfortable.
Rose kept having to squeeze her legs together because there was a throbbing between them that made her want to slip her fingers there to do something about it. She’d never done that before, didn't even know what to do really. Well she knew the basics because obviously she edited romance novels for a living, but she’d never had any practical experience.
Never wanted to.
Until now anyway.
This crazy, dangerous man, who she hated even though she was finding that maybe she didn't, had her body so confused it didn't even know what it wanted anymore.
Or maybe the problem was that her body knew exactly what it wanted, but her head didn't.
“You can cook us dinner,” Steel agreed as his large hand grasped her elbow and he guided her inside.
For a man she knew had super-human strength, he touched her with great care and gentleness. If he wanted, he could snap her in two. There would be nothing she could do to stop it, but he didn't.
In the foyer, he began to undress her, removing her beanie, then sliding the mittens off her hands. “You know I can do that myself,” she reminded him when he began to unwind the scarf from around her neck.
“Mmhmm,” he said, his voice low, almost seductive, and she knew it was no accident that his fingertips skimmed her pulse points as often as he could.
“And believe it or not, I do know how to unbutton a coat,” she added when he brushed away her hands as she tried to do it.
“You have a broken arm.”
“But I'm not helpless.”
“No,” he agreed. “Not helpless, little ladybug.”
His words weighed on her as he led her through the house. They were simple words, but they felt like they had a whole lot of meaning behind them. She got that she wasn't what they’d expected when they’d decided to kidnap Ridge’s sister, but she didn't really know what Steel saw when he looked at her.
“Have fun?” Blade asked, looking up from his laptop as they entered the kitchen.
“The grounds are gorgeous,” she replied, because she wasn't ready to admit to anyone, not even herself, that she had enjoyed having Steel at her side as they wandered the gardens.
“Little ladybug is going to cook dinner,” Steel announced.
“Oh?” Thunder looked surprised as he strolled into the room.
“You'd rather lock me back in my pretty little prison?” she asked, arching a brow at him. At least he had the grace to look slightly chastised.
“We’ve never had a …”
“Prisoner,” she supplied for Thunder with a sweet smile.
“Brat,” Steel murmured from behind her, his breath warm against her ear as he leaned in to whisper the word. “But Thunder is right. We haven’t done this before. But you're wrong, little ladybug, you're not our prisoner. You're a guest and you should be treated as such, so I won’t lock you in your room. Don’t make me regret that.” His hand brushed across her backside as he spoke, and she knew he meant there would beanother punishment added to the list if she made an attempt at running.
Only she didn't think she would.
They were right that it wasn't safe to go back home now if Ridge had sent his people to her house. This was probably the safest place she could be, even if these men had abducted and tortured her.
Which absolutely said something about her crazy life, her crazy family, and her crazy self.
“You're really okay with her wandering the house freely?” Lion asked as he and Voodoo joined them in the kitchen.
“I am, but I’ll take responsibility for her if the rest of you aren't,” Steel said.
