Page 36 of Shark’s Pride

Abbi tilted her head in blatant confusion. The move reminded me of a little puppy, and it was the cutest damn thing. I couldn’t help grinning again. This woman, amazing and bold and honest, had made me smile more in the short time I’d known her than I had in the past ten years.

“Hmmm.” She pressed her palm to my cheek. “Another smile.”

I leaned my face into her hand, accepting the comfort of her touch. “Yes,” I murmured. “Another.”

“I like it when you smile,” she said softly. “You’re so beautiful, Sebastian.”

“Beautiful?” I broke out a new scoff. “I don’t think I’ve ever been called that before.”

“Well, I hope it’s one of many firsts we share, then.”

“Deal.” I took her hands with the same resolution lining my voice. “But there’s still an important topic here.”

“Oh, no.” But she laughed it out. “Not important. Significant.”

“Exactly,” I said. “Now before you say anything, hear me out…” I paused anyway, predicting she would protest before a single word came out of my mouth. But she surprised me and just quietly stared back, waiting for me to speak.

Well, damn.

Because the one and only time an argument might actually help my nerves—and Christ, why was I so nervous?—she decided to be amenable. I just went for it and said, “I think, for your safety and my sanity, that you should also come to stay here.”

“No.” The retort was swifter than her prim pop off the countertop. “Thank you, though.” With equal efficiency, she brushed past me and into the bedroom. Her overnight bag was on the floor where I’d dropped it last night after bringing it in from her truck.

“That’s all you’re going to say?” I huffed, following her back into the bedroom. “Just no, and carry on about your business?”

“Did you need more?”

“Yes, damn it.” As she lifted the bag to the bed and pulled out her toiletries and clothes, my ire climbed. The thought of her covering her body, on top of shutting down her thoughts, was like a spike through my brain. “I think we should at least discuss why you’re being irrational.”

She took a second to arch a brow. “Irrational?”

“You’re in danger, Abbigail. What about that don’t you understand?”

“It appears you’re the one in danger, Sebastian.” She emphasized my name with the same impatience I had given hers. “Not me.” She pulled the tank over her head, only breaking eye contact while the fabric passed in front of her eyes.

“Exactly. Therefore, by association, so are you.”

I studied her carefully, clinging to tendrils of relief while the pieces of my logic—or at least the start of them—seemingly clicked into place. I nearly fell to the floor in gratitude. The reality of our situation was finally coming together for her. Or so I hoped.

As she bent over to tug on a long, pale-green skirt, I was definitely praying. And ordering myself not to tilt my head for a better view of her ass as she did. Jesus, the perfection of this woman’s ass…

She straightened, and the skirt fell into place with the hem brushing the floor. “Are you going to shower?” she blurted while nodding in the direction of the bathroom. “I mean, after being near that—fish?”

For a long second, I was lost for a reaction. While she was clearly attempting to evade the subject again and was more emotional about the dead creature downstairs than she wanted to let on, her more practical instincts were taking over. She scrunched up her nose so tightly, her entire face pulled with it. And God help me, even that expression was adorable on her. But if I kept standing here just mooning because of it, I’d be enduring a police interrogation smelling like the back lot of SeaWorld.

So yeah, she was evading. But she was also right.

Damn it.

“We aren’t done with this discussion.” I whipped my shirt over my head as I stalked toward the bathroom. She followed me with her gaze while wrapping a worn brown leather belt low around her hips. As she tied the long rawhide strands into a knot at the center, she followed me into the bathroom. Her steps were just as determined as mine—and so was her comeback.

“Last night, we didn’t even know if we were going to continue seeing one another. Now you’re asking me to move in with you. No, telling me I should move in with you. Do you hear how ridiculous that is?” She raised her voice over the running water I started, emphasizing with an upsweep of her arms, as well.

I should have shut her down by ignoring her and climbing into the stall. Instead, I pivoted and hooked my fingers into her thick leather knot. The belt provided perfect leverage for yanking her body up against mine. And damn, did she feel right there. Completely, absolutely right.

“Only one of us was uncertain how we felt last night.” My voice was deep and just shy of warning. As her pupils dilated from the impact of my growl, I leaned forward to kiss her—but stopped just short of following all the way through on my intent. I dipped down, biting into her lower lip instead. Oh, yesss. She was so juicy, so sweet. I tugged her soft flesh between my teeth until she inhaled with arousal. When I finally released her and pulled back, she tracked my actions with her glassy, wide stare.

I stepped under the steaming spray of the showerhead without looking back at Abbigail. I could still feel her gaze on me, drenching my tight muscles and throbbing dick more thoroughly than the water. After a few minutes of that, I finally cobbled together the strength to turn and look at her again. She was in the same spot in which I’d left her, fingers pressed to her swollen lower lip where I had possessed her with my teeth.