She kisses me, brief and taunting. "Don’t do anything too stupid while I’m gone."
I raise a brow. "Define stupid."
She opens her mouth, but I stop listening. Because Isuddenly register what’snothappening. She’s not calling for guards.
She’s not waiting for escorts.
She’s heading toward the door?—
Alone.
"Oh hell no." I catch her wrist and pull her back. "You’re not going anywhere without?—"
She doesn’t even blink before there’s a gun at my temple.
A fucking gun.
Pressed to my head bymy wife.
I nearly laugh.
"I think I can handle myself," she says calmly.
And God help me—my entire body reacts.
Hard. Immediate. Unavoidable.
She laughs softly. "Does this arouse you?"
"You arouse me," I growl, grabbing her by the waist and dragging her against me, kissing her hard enough to bruise. The gun lowers, just enough. That’s when I move.
Quick, clean, instinctive.
I twist her wrist, disarm her, and click the safety before she even realizes I’ve moved.
She stares at her empty hand like I just stole fire from a goddess.
"You…" she breathes. "That hasn’t happened to me since I started training."
I wink. "About those guards."
Her eyes flash with fury. "I don’t need guards if you’re not around to distract me."
She’s pissed. Beautifully, lethally pissed.
I laugh. I can’t help it. "You’re welcome for the reminder."
I hand her back the gun. But when she reaches for it, I keep my grip firm, not letting go. "You’re not going to shoot me with it," I murmur.
"Don’t tempt me."
I tug her closer by the weapon between us, pulling her mouth an inch from mine. Her breath warms my lips. Her eyes burn straight through me.
Devotion. Violence. Lust. All of it wrapped into one impossible woman.
"Come back to me," I say quietly.
She leans in, whispering against my mouth, "Try not to start a war while I’m gone."
