The possession of his words has me wanting to fight him, but the way he says it paired with how he’s looking at me has my panties growing damp. Still, I scoff. “I don’t belong to anyone but myself, so I don’t know what you think you’re talking about,” I say defiantly.
The man reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, the brush of his fingers against my skin causing goosebumps to break out all over my traitorous body. “You know what I’m talking about, darlin’. You just don’t want to admit it to yourself yet,” he says smugly, leaning back and crossing his thick arms across his chest, causing his biceps to pop pleasantly. “That’s okay. I’m a patient man.”
I swallow the drool that’s been steadily pooling in my mouth since I laid eyes on this man and try to play off that everything he has said has had zero effect on me when that couldn’t be further from the truth. The more he talks about me belonging to him, the more I want it to be true. He is definitely not the type to back down from a challenge, and a challenge is something I can definitely be, even at the best of times. Still, I’m not one to give in easily.
“Well, you better be more than patient because you’re going to be waiting a long damn time before I admit that I belong to you," I tell him.
He nods and smiles knowingly at me. “If that’s how you want to play it, Firecracker, I’m game.” The gorgeous man winks at me and reaches onto his plate, popping a fry into his mouth. “A little cat and mouse could be fun.”
I take the seat next to him and nab one of his fries, enjoying the warm, salty flavor as it hits my tongue. The man’seyes are on my mouth the whole time I’m eating, and when I swallow, I reach over and nab his beer bottle and take a sip to wash it down. “So, which of us is the cat and which is the mouse?”
The man’s tongue peeks out and licks across his bottom lip. “It could go either way, though if I’m the mouse, you better know the only way I’m running is towards you,” he promises, and by the determined expression no his face, I know he means it.
He reaches over and pulls my stool closer to his and leans down to whisper near my ear. “And if you’re the cat, you can be sure to scratch me with those claws anytime you like, carve your name on my chest. I have a feeling I would enjoy it.”
Whelp, my panties just burst into flames. Never before has a man been so singularly focused on me, and the attention is already a bit addicting. Someone as gorgeous as him could probably get any girl he wants, so to have all of his intense focus on me is one hell of an ego boost. It’s probably what gives me the confidence to reach up and rake my fingernails down his arm, leaving faint red lines in their wake.
When he shivers, I take it as a good sign and lean in a little myself, loving the leather and citrus scent that wafts over me as I do. “If I’m going to be scratching my name onto you, I think it might be a good idea for me to know yours.”
When I lean back and look up into his eyes, they are darker than before and filled with what looks like desire. As a virgin, I wouldn’t know much about that kind of look on a man, but I’ve read enough romance novels to think that’s what I’m seeing.
“Ryker,” he says, his voice low and rough. It’s like sandpaper scraping along my skin, but it feels so good that I honest to God tremble at the sound of it. “You can call me, Ryker.”
The name suits him. It’s rough and sexy, just like the man in front of me. We sit and stare at one another for a full minute, the air thick with sexual tension. Finally, when I can’t take it anymore, I break the silence. “Don’t you want to know my name?”
Ryker’s head moves from side to side. “I already know your name, Firecracker.” He smiles and brushes the back of his fingers along my arm. “But you can tell me what everyone else calls you if you like.”
“Scarlett Marie!” My name being shouted from across the room has my head whipping around to see two of my four brothers standing near the door, looking pissed off beyond recognition.
“Shit on shingle,” I say before whipping my head back around to Ryker. An idea popping in my head and coming out of my mouth before I can think any better of it. “Pretend to be my boyfriend for the next five minutes and I’ll owe you big time.”
Ryker smiles. “Oh, Firecracker. I will be whatever you need whenever you need for as long as you need it,” he vows before wrapping an arm around me and pulling me in between his legs. “Wherever you lead, I will follow.”
My eyes widen at that declaration, but I don’t have time to mull it over since my brothers are up next to us in seconds. Peeking over my shoulder, I see Wyatt and Sawyer standing in front of me with their arms crossed, both looking like they would rather be anywhere else than this run down bar.
Twenty minutes ago, I would have agreed with them, but that was before I met and spoke to the man in front of me, the one who is currently snaking his arms around my waist and pulling me towards him. My brothers don’t miss the movement, and their expression go from bad to worse.
“What the hell do you think you are doing in a place like this, Scarlett?” Sawyer asks, his mouth pulled down in a frown.
When they use my given name, I know I’m in trouble. Still, they don’t own me and I don’t owe them any explanations. “I’m doing whatever I feel like. Last time I checked, it’s a free country and I can come and go anywhere I please. Isn’t that right, honey bear?”
I don’t know where the hell I pulled that nickname from, but by the look on Ryker’s face, he doesn’t mind it one bit. “That’s right, Firecracker.”
“And who the hell are you?” Wyatt asks, his glower now directed at the man next to me.
Ryker sticks his hand out for Wyatt to shake, only for my brother to completely ignore it in favor of glowering at him instead. Ryker drops his hand back to my hips and nods at my brothers. “Ryker Finley. Scarlett and I were just sitting down to enjoy a meal.”
Sawyer looks around the room and snorts. “If you thought this was an appropriate place to take our sister, than you’re more of a scumbag than I thought,” he grits out.
“Sawyer!” My brother barely looks at me after I scream his name and it pisses me off even more than I already was. How dare they come here and confront me, especially after the way my ideas got blown off earlier.
“I don’t remember anyone inviting the two of you. How did you find me anyway?” As I ask it, I realize that I didn’t tell anyone where I was going. Well, anyone except for my best friend. “Dammit, Georgie,” I mutter, seeing Wyatt’s face fall as I say it.
“Don’t be made at Georgie, Lettie,” he tells me. At least we’re back to him using my nickname. “I forced it out of her.” A wicked smile plays across his face and I try not to gag in my mouth.
My hand flies up to stop him from giving me any more information I don’t want or need. “Do not even think abouttelling me how,” I tell him. “Just, please leave so I can spend time with my boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend?” Wyatt shouts just as Sawyer blurts out, “Oh hell no.”
