“True.” His deep chuckle made me shiver. “But I just said I wouldn’t fuckyoufor a month. I could always get it from someone else.” His lips twisted into a canny, sensual smile that immediately killed any desire I had to joke around. He knew his other lovers were still a sensitive issue for me. He may have stopped sleeping with Jennifer and the rest of them, but he hadn’t stopped thinking about Kim and his need to get revenge on her.
Every time some blond gave him an appreciative look, he gave one right back.
I could feel how difficult it was for him to maintain his self-control in those situations. He was holding back for my sake so he wouldn’t hurt me.
“Don’t even joke about that.” I punched his bicep, which just made him break out into laughter. I quietly pulled back my hand, nursing my now-sore knuckles.
“You’re ridiculous, and you’re gonna hurt yourself someday doing shit like that. You can’t just punch a mass of muscle like me.” He took my hand with his larger, masculine one and pressed a gentle kiss to the tingling knuckles. “Is that better?” He grinned at me, but I didn’t know how to answer, too drunk on simply looking at him.
“Now quit talking. I want to show you how you handle a panther,” he winked again, and I rolled my eyes at him.
“Okay. If I die, tell my mother I loved her,” I grumbled, settling down in the seat. Then, his hand was grasping my leg, sliding up my inner thigh and drawing perilously close to my most sensitive spot.
“I care too much about your safety to risk your life, Babygirl. I mean…who would suck me off so nicely if you died?” His voice was just a rasping, sensual whisper as he grazed his fingers across my jeans-covered pussy.
I automatically clamped my thighs together, feeling his hand stuck fast against that part of me that only he could awaken. I knew that, in his mind, he had just said something romantic to me.
Any other woman probably would have taken offense if a man talked to her like that, but I loved it.
I had habituated to Neil and his concept oftrue romance.
“Now let’s get back to our high-speed trip.” He pulled his hand away, abrupt and unsatisfying, and put it back on the steering wheel. He rested the other on the shifter.
“Alright, I’m ready,” I said, biting my lip at the blatant lie. I hadn’t had time to prepare myself psychologically when we took off like a rocket, the acceleration slamming me into the back of the seat. “Neil!” I yelled indignantly.
He just laughed and rolled down the windows to let the wind blow in and rearrange our hair. My heart leaped into my throat before dropping back down into my stomach, making me nauseous.
“Relax, Tinkerbell.” He shot me an amused sidelong glance and hit the gas even harder, sending the speedometer off the charts.
“Sure, yeah. Of course I’m relaxed right now!” I had to shout so he could hear me over the wind and the sound of “Scary Love” by The Neighbourhood, which he kept using the controls on either side of the wheel to turn up. “I love this song,” I added, grinning at him and trying to enjoy the insanity that I only allowed myself to experience when I was with him.
“Me too…” He returned the smile but didn’t look back at me, keeping his eyes on the road.
He looked carefree, peaceful, and so beautiful in this moment of lightness.
The cold wind caressed my skin and rucked up my bangs. I reached up with one hand, trying in vain to fix it, and he shot me a quick look before shaking his head in amusement.
I’d never seen him smile so much.
For the first time since I’d met him, he looked like a normal man who’d had a normal childhood.
Free from his monsters.
Free from his past.
Neil had lowered his walls at least a little bit during that month together. Even if he did go out of his way to constantly remind me that he did not love me and we weren’t a couple.
Still, I’d seen an obvious growth in his feelings toward me.
Neil had been infuriated when he saw me dancing with Kyle at the club that night. I could still recall the shock on his face as I moved in that sensual way.
The shimmering gleam in his eye had lit a fire in my belly from across the room as he stared at me, inhaling slowly. Every breath he sucked in took mine as well.
It had been useless trying to pretend that I was enjoying myself with anyone else when all Neil had to do was envelope me in that golden gaze, and I went weak at the knees.
My heart did nothing but chase after his in a race that had no end.
I hummed along with the song on the radio, tilting my head slightly when I felt him throwing furtive, curious glances at me.
