Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36118 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 144(@250wpm)___ 120(@300wpm)
But I will.
“I hear you were a cranky Santa today.”
“You weren’t there.” A casual shrug followed his statement.
She glared at him doing her best to convince herself she wasn’t lusting after him. “That’s no reason to be an asshole.”
“Are you sure? My Mrs. Claus wasn’t there, surely I’m allowed to be upset at that.”
“You’re married?” She’d kissed and lusted over a married man?
His chuckle demolished the tiny bit left of her insignificant panties. Even her toes curled at the sound and her body perked right up.
Including her nipples which weren’t being very good about hiding.
The skim of his knuckles was nearly faint enough she didn’t feel it. Nearly. As it was, it set off tendrils of lust and want through her entire body.
“Told you. I am marrying you, baby.” He threaded his fingers in her hair, not even flinching at the sweat there from her hike out in the heat. “You. As long as I’m Santa, you’re my Mrs. Claus.”
“Presumptuous.”
Ryker blinked and gave a one shouldered shrug, obviously not the least bit repentant. “I say confident.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course you would. Still shouldn’t be mean to others.”
“Then don’t stand your husband up.”
Rayla both loved and hated how that statement made her feel.
He tugged her closer to him, settling her between his powerful thighs and against the oh-so hard, broad chest. His touch skimmed along her shoulders and down until his hands settled upon her back. Large palms keeping them pressed together and it irritated her at how much she enjoyed being so close to him. Touching him.
Being touched.
“Who earns such concern from you, baby?”
“One of the few I call friend.” She closed her eyes and simply allowed herself to feel. To accept this man’s strength. Fleeting though it may be, right now, with her defenses so weak, she didn’t question the wisdom of doing this. Merely accepted what he offered.
Smooth strokes worked up and down her back, pushing her closer to where her body said she needed to be. The relaxed part of her body, the rest of her was clamoring to get closer.
And naked.
With the man holding her.
“She okay?” A thread of concern filtered through the simple yet caring question.
“He.”
The singular word fell without thought.
Ryker stiffened, all motions stopping.
Dredging up enough energy to move, Rayla drew back and glanced at him. Thunderheads brewed in his blue eyes, making them far darker than they usually were. A tic in his cheek combined with the tilting of his dark eyebrows had her frowning.
“What? You don’t think a woman like me can have a friend?”
“I think I hate you mentioning anything about another man. Especially when you’re in my arms.” His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. “Kidnapping is becoming a high possibility on my list, baby.”
A nervous bark of laughter escaped her. “Somehow I don’t know if you’re entirely joking or not.”
“Who is he to you?” One large hand gripped the back of her neck, holding her immobile to him. Almost as if he knew she had been planning on stepping back. “Has he touched you?”
There was no denying the dangerous and proprietary tone to his last question. Swallowing, she shifted against him, and he merely tightened his grip.
He ran his nose along her cheek before brushing it against hers. Then he stared in her eyes, his still hard and unforgiving.
“Has. He. Touched. You?”
Rayla settled her palms against his chest and pushed. This was to much. To intense. To everything!
He backed her against the door and claimed her mouth in a punishing kiss, that still curled her toes inside her shoes. Moaning, she curved her fingers into his shirt, anchoring them closer together and gave in to him.
* * *
Ryker wasn’t happy. At the same time, he was fucking ecstatic as he had his tongue back in Rayla’s mouth, her taste sliding over his tastebuds.
More.
That’s what his body chanted.
Begged.
Demanded.
Skimming his hands down her lush curves, he grasped her hips and flexed his stiff cock into her softness. Her moan was going to be the death of him.
Somewhere in the back of his head, he knew he should stop. That such a choice would be the intelligent thing to do. They were at work. In the back room. Someone could come in and try the door at any minute.
None of that mattered. All he could focus on right then was how incredible she felt in his arms. Soft where he was hard. Her tongue stroked and danced along his, her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt and he longed for those nails to dig into his flesh. Mark him.
Tearing his mouth from hers, he bent close and nipped at her throat, needing his mark on her. So everyone knew who she belonged to. Especially that fucking bartender.
“Baby. I want to fuck you. I want your pussy choking my cock as you come all over it.”