He leaned in so their lips were nearly touching. “You listen to me, princess. Talk like that is going to result in you going over my knee and getting your bottom paddled. Understand?”
“W-what? Why?”
“I want you. Eden. The woman who has endless loyalty, secrets buried so deep even her own brothers don’t see them, and a beauty that could start wars. I want her. All of her.”
She let out a deep breath. He knew he couldn’t push her too much too fast. Easy. Slow.
“I need you to put me back in my chair. Please.” That hint of vulnerability in her voice tugged at him. He didn’t want to let her go but he needed to build her trust in him. So as much as he wanted to keep her plastered against him all night, he knew he needed to give her some space.
He turned and carried her to where they’d left her chair, placing her in it.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, subdued. He’d give her some space. For a bit. “I’m tired. I think I’ll go home now. Could you find Clint for me please?”
“Clint is staying in Russell, tonight, remember? I’m your ride home.”
What the hell had she been thinking?
She’d let Zeke kiss her.
Hell. She’d kissed him back. She’d kissed Zeke Jonas. The man who featured in all her dirtiest dreams. The man who gave her butterflies when she heard his voice. And when she’d kissed him. . .holy shit. She grew weak.
She tried to stay away from him as much as possible. This effect he had on her wasn’t healthy. It wasn’t anything she should try to encourage.
Zeke wasn’t for her. He was way out of her league. Gorgeous. Sexy. Strong. Rough. Stern. She could go on all day. He worked for her brother Kent’s security firm. He seemed to think she was a brat who needed a firm hand.
He knows about your Little. . .
He couldn’t know. No one knew. She guarded that secret closely. More closely than all the others. Because letting her Little free wasn’t an option. If her brothers knew, if any of the Littles who lived on Sanctuary knew, they’d try to include her in everything. More than they already did.
And that wasn’t happening.
It was bad enough knowing she was probably going to spend her life alone—there weren’t many men who wanted a woman with her limitations and then add her Little into the mix. . .it all seemed impossible.
Finding that perfect man. A Daddy Dom. A man who could see past all of her issues, not just the physical ones, that just wasn’t going to happen.
Zeke doesn’t seem to be turned off. . .
She peered at him discreetly as she sat in the passenger seat in his truck. But there weren’t any street lights on the road out to the ranch and it was impossible to see his features. Too bad, watching Zeke move was like watching the ocean. Mesmerizing. Soothing. Powerful.
Jesus, Eden. Cool it down.
She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten he was her ride home. Now she was stuck in the cab of his truck after he’d just kissed her. She still couldn’t believe that had happened.
Someone like Zeke could have anyone. His chiseled good looks, hard, muscular body, that dark hair and those smoky eyes. Women tripped over themselves when they saw him coming. If they actually spent time with him, they’d discover what a bossy, overbearing jerk he could be.
Like bossy isn’t good sometimes. . .like you don’t dream of him taking command of you in the bedroom.
He kissed you.
She didn’t get it. Why her?
“You need to shut off your brain, princess,” he said soothingly. “Or you’re never going to get to sleep tonight.”
Sleep? What was that? An elusive thing she got little of.
“Shut off my brain? How do I do that exactly?”
“I have a few ideas. You might not be ready for them yet.”