She lowered her shoulders. Okay, this was good. They had returned to talking about Scorpius. “I see.”
“Back to the point. You’re attracted to me, and I think I’m finally seeing how you’ve managed to hide that so well.” Regret twisted his lip even as he spoke.
Heat climbed into her face.Focus. Don’t get angry. Keep calm to fight.Her father’s mantra rippled through her head. “Maybe you’re just crazy now.”
“Could be.” He moved then, and she countered, shocked when he took her down with one arm around her waist.
She struck out, and he once again straddled her, his groin firm against her abdomen. His hands pinned her arms to the mat, and this time, he kept his elbows in so she couldn’t use her legs.
Tace had always been a fast learner.
He leaned down, his face once again above hers. Heat bracketed her from all sides. “The fact that you could kick my ass kept you feeling all nice and safe and superior, now didn’t it?”
Warning pricked through her abdomen at his words. His hold was absolute, so she didn’t try to fight it. A pulse pounded between her legs. He’d move, and then she’d find an opening. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Is it?” He leaned down, and his breath warmed her mouth. “I’m thinkin’ an old-fashioned girl like you would not want a guy she could beat. It’s a biological issue, especially now that civilization has died.”
“Old-fashioned?” She snorted even as she fought a shiver.
“Oh, Samantha. Little girl, big Hispanic family, raised by street fighters? Yeah, you’re old-fashioned.”
She rolled her eyes. “My mama was Hispanic, but a name like Steel? I’m descended from Scots as well, buddy.”
“No wonder that temper is so glorious.” He kept her easily in place, and she had to try hard to banish images of him over her in another way that involved multiple orgasms. He smiled. “I appreciate the old-fashioned side, but you know what? I like the wildness in you even more.” His voice lowered to a deep rasp.
Her nipples peaked, and finally, anger won. Fury against them both as well as her traitorous body. A fellow soldier shouldn’t affect her like this. “Do you, now?”
“Oh yeah. I just hadn’t realized it needed to be tamed.” He leaned down farther, and his lips brushed hers. “The old me? The pre-Scorpius Texan good ole boy? The one you could handle?”
“Yeah?” Finally, she let her temper free. The man had no clue whom he was messing with. She met his challenge and sank her teeth into his bottom lip.
His head jerked back. “He’s almost gone.” The growl that rumbled from him sounded much more animalistic than human. Keeping her in his sights, he slowly licked a dot of blood off the small wound. “Stop challenging me, because I’m what’s left.”
Her heartbeat sped up until her chest ached. “Meaning?”
“Tap out.” He leaned down again, his gaze so intense she could feel it through her entire body. “And remember one more thing.”
She couldn’t breathe, and it wasn’t from his weight, because he was balanced on his knees. “What’s that?”
He nipped her lip. “I bite back.”
Desire speared through her, this time edged with a sharp blade. So for the first time since Scorpius had hit, for the first time since she’d arrived at Vanguard, Sami Steel tapped out.
Chapter Two
If Scorpius turns off emotions like a fountain, whathappens when the spigot turns back on?
—Tace Justice
Morning sun illuminated the stairwell without artificial light—it was going to be another hot day. Tace tugged a dark blue T-shirt into place as he hustled down the stairs in headquarters, his flak boots clunking on the steps. Reaching the vestibule, he turned left into the war rooms, running into Barbara Bradley.
She grabbed his arms to keep from falling. “Tace.” Pink blossomed into her pretty face.
He stepped back, his thoughts swirling. They’d hooked up a couple of times, but now his mind was on Sami. “Ah, sorry.”
The tall brunette nodded and stepped away. “I was hoping we could talk later today after my shift.” She leaned back, her blue eyes clear and soft. A bulletproof vest covered her stacked chest, and a gun was tucked into her waist. “I’m on duty in a minute.”
He nodded, the saliva in his mouth drying up. It was hard to imagine he’d been smooth with the ladies at one time. Though he needed to end things, he didn’t want to hurt her. “Later would be good.”
