“That’s rainbows and puppiesand glittery unicorn farts! The worldlabels. You’re a redhead.” Ace poked him in the chest, then hooked a thumb back toward himself. “I’m a blond. You’re a marine.” Poke. “I’m a sailor and pilot.” Thumb. “You’re from PA.” Poke. “I’m from So Cal.” Thumb. “We’re bothgay! It’s all labels. None any different from the others. So don’t try to hide what’s really going on with you behind that bleeding-heartI don’t want to be labeledbullshit.”
“It’s none of your damn business!” Rusty’s anger had grown into a fiery fury.
“But you keepmakingit my business!” Ace shot back. “You’re the one who brings up the subject!”
Rusty didn’t think. Hecouldn’tthink with Ace so close, so magnificent in his anger. He simply went with his gut and yanked Ace forward into a lip-smashing kiss.
Withboth hands on either side of Ace’s face, he held the man still for his assault. Ace tried to shove him away, but Rusty gave no quarter. And eventually, magically, Ace stopped struggling.
What had started out as punishment quickly became pleasure. Their arms wrapped tight around each other, their mouths open and hungry. Ace tasted sweet, like cinnamon gum and sunshine. He smelled sweet too,all spicy aftershave and soap.
Rusty wanted to devour him whole. Taste and touch andknowevery inch of him and—
Ace shoved out of his embrace so fast, Rusty stumbled. When he regained his balance, chest heaving with exertion, he lifted his eyes to find Ace standing beside the chair, one hand on the back as if he needed the support, the other hand rubbing his nape.
Even in the darkness,Rusty could see that Ace’s blue eyes were narrowed. “Why did you do that?”
“Kiss you?”
Ace nodded.
“Because you started a fire, and I wanted you to burn in it a little. Figured it was only fair.” He shrugged his shoulders, pretending he wasn’t still reeling from how quickly their passion had exploded.
For a while, Ace said nothing. Then he murmured, “But the difference betweenme kissing you and you kissing me is that I kissed you to prove a point to you. You kissed me to punish me.”
And just like that, Rusty felt like a true shit-heel.
“Screw you for using my desire against me.” Ace shook his head, his blond hair catching what little light the night-light afforded.
Even though Rusty knew it wasn’t true, he heard himself yelling, “That’sexactlywhatyoudid!”
“No. It’s not. And the fact that you can’t see the difference…” Ace didn’t go on, simply let the sentence dangle.
A smarter man might have been able to offer up something in his own defense. As it was, Rusty simply curled his hands into fists and glared, a cauldron of emotion bubbling inside him.
* * *
“Emily, my darling lass…”
Emily came awake in the most delicious way,with Christian leaning over her, planting sweet kisses across her collarbone.
“Wake up. Rusty and Ace are at each other’s throats again.” He latched on to the bone and gave it a gentle bite that sent shivers all through her.
The sound of raised male voices coming from down the hall had her groaning. “Ugh. Those two should do it already so the rest of us can have some peace and quiet.”
“Mmm.” He nuzzled her neck, and she tilted her head to give him better access. “I believe Ace once said the same thing to you and me.”
“And see how right he was?” She speared her hands through his soft hair, loving how the thick strands curled around her fingers. “We’re the epitome of peace and quiet.”
He snorted and pushed up on his elbow to gaze down at her. A night-light was pluggedinto a socket by the door, but its glow was barely enough to see by, and in the darkness, Christian’s tan skin and dark hair blended into the shadows. Only his eyes gleamed, looking feral. Hungry.
“I hate to tell you this, darling, but there is nothing peaceful or quiet about what you and I were doing in this bedroom. In fact, I’m fairly certain that at one point you screamed so loudly youmade the chandelier rattle.”
She bit the inside of her cheek. “You’reone to talk. When I made you come, you threw your head back and howled. I think I heard dogs barking from three miles away.”
He grinned, and that’s all it took. One smile, and a wave of heat washed over her. “Cheeky wench,” he said.
“I like that.”
