“I’ve been where you are, Cady. Unwilling to trust, to let people help me, to show them the real me. I thought it would make me weak, but it doesn’t. It makes me stronger. Because I have people who I can rely on, who have my back. That’s what I’m offering you, Cady. But you’ll need to lower those shields a bit. Yeah, I can be a demanding, bossy bastard. Yeah, you’ll probably come up with a variety of ways you’d like to kill me, but I take care of my people. I’d be your boss so I’d be in charge of your safety. That’s not unreasonable.”
She snorted. “Our definitions of unreasonable seem to differ. I’m not a charity case you need to rescue, Hunter. I can take care of myself.”
“Yeah, how’s that working out for you so far? I’d bet you’ve barely got a hundred bucks to your name and your clothes are so threadbare you’ll soon be able to see through them. I’m offering you a way out, Cady.”
“So this is because you feel sorry for me?” She couldn’t smother the stab of pain. “You don’t really need a female on your team, do you? You just want to make yourself feel better. Well, you can take your offer and stick it up your ass, because I can look after myself just fine.”
Cady turned to storm out of the room when Hunter grabbed her arm, turning her back. His touch wasn’t harsh, but she reacted instinctively, kicking out at him, raising her fist to hit him. He easily blocked her punch, grabbing both her wrists in one hand as he turned, pushing her up against a wall.
She breathed heavily. “Let me go, asshole.”
“No,” he replied.
She pushed against him, but he held her still, an unmovable force. A tendril of panic unfurled.
“Stop looking at me like that. I’m not going to hurt you and you know it,” he snapped.
“Really? How do I know that?” she growled back, her temper rising. “We’re alone. You’ve got me pinned against the wall, holding me against my will. Why should I believe anything you say?”
“Because, brat, the very last thing I want is to hurt you. If you keep living the way you are that is exactly what is going to happen. Right now I’m holding you against your will, but not because I want to hurt you. What happens when someone with bad intentions gets you like this? What are you going to do then?”
“This!” She slammed her head forward.
He managed to turn her head at the last second so she caught him on this cheek. She attempted to bring up her knee between his legs, but she had little room to maneuver and he easily sandwiched her legs between his.
“Calm down, Cady.”
“Let me go.”
“No.”
His whole body engulfed hers, his scent filling her senses, drugging her.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured huskily.With his free hand, he tucked her hair behind her ear, his fingers gentle against her skin. Arousal filled his face as he watched her hungrily, like he could eat her up.
He leaned in, his mouth brushing across hers. He pulled back slightly then did the same again. And again. Christ, who knew what a turn on such a fleeting touch could be? Her pussy clenched with need.
She’d never wanted someone to kiss her as much as she wanted him in that moment. Hunter ran his thumb over her lips. “Part your lips for me, baby. Let me in.”
She opened her mouth, unable to deny him. He dipped his thumb inside her mouth.
“Suck,” he ordered.
She sucked on his thumb, both of them moaning slightly.
“Damn, I swear I nearly came in my pants. Do you know how hot you are? I have to taste you.”
Hunter took her mouth in a kiss that melted her toes and turned her legs to mush. She sagged against the wall, trusting him to keep her up. Hunter wrapped his hands around her waist, lifting her up. She placed her arms around his shoulders as he plundered her mouth, swamping her with a need so intense she could have cried.
“Fuck,” he muttered. “Should have done that the first day I met you.” He took her bottom lip between his teeth and tugged gently.
“You smell so good,” he murmured.
“What, for a homeless person you mean?” she said sharply, trying to regain her senses.
His gaze narrowed, sharpened, the arousal dissipating. That should have made her happy. She should never have allowed things to go this far. He was an arrogant, egotistical, Neanderthal who she had no intention of seeing ever again.
So why did she regret the words as soon as she’d spoken them?