“Uh-uh. Put your hands down.” Her chin came up a notch, and he watched the defiance flare in her eyes, but slowly she moved them to her sides. “It’s just you and me here, babe. No reason to be shy.”
She watched his eyes drop to her breasts, and she saw the flame of desire kindle in his eyes. An answering flame ignited in her. She suddenly wanted him to touch her, wanted his hands on her breasts.
His eyes returned to hers, and he arched one brow. “This isn’t a good time to try my patience, Angel.”
She stood before him in barely more than a scrap of lace. But that wasn’t enough. He wanted it all. She slid her panties down, shimmying them down her hips, and they, too, fell to the floor. She stood there letting him look his fill.
“Let your hair down.” He lifted his chin toward her ponytail.
Angel raised her arms and pulled the elastic band free. She shook her head, and her hair spilled over her shoulders. She looked at him, her chin coming up, and Cole could almost see the dare in her eyes.
He slowly closed the distance between them and took her in his arms, pulling her up against him, her naked body rubbing against his fully clothed one.
She felt the cold leather of his cut against her nipples, the roughness of his jeans against her belly.
His eyes studied hers as his hands ran over her body, the look almost daring her to try to stop him, letting her know he was the one in control here. “This is so you know just who it is you belong to.”
When she made no move to stop him, his mouth came down on hers, his tongue delving deep.
Her body responded instantly to his, heat sweeping through it. She felt his hand on her breast, he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, and she moaned under his mouth.
Hearing her moan almost pushed him over the edge, and his mouth plundered deeper. Then his hand trailed over her belly, down between her legs.
At his touch, she sucked in her breath. Her knees felt weak. Her arms came up, and she clutched his shoulders, clinging to him.
Cole felt her respond. He knew just where and how to touch her to have her panting. His fingers slid into her. She was wet and ready. But he was still angry with her, even with the haze of sexual need coursing through his veins, he still had the overwhelming urge to lash out at her. He rose up slightly, looking down into her eyes.
Angel looked up and saw the sneer on his face.
He taunted her, “You think you know me? You don’t know shit about me, except that we’re good together in bed. That when I fuck you—”
Without realizing what she was doing she shoved him back and felt her palm crack against the side of his face.
He stood still, his face still turned. He took a deep breath. He knew he deserved that slap.
“If you wanted me to believe you were such a bastard, you should have left me at the Dead Souls’ clubhouse that first night!”
He turned his head back to her. They stood in silence for a split-second, his eyes flashing with anger and hers shining with tears. Then he bent his head so that they were eye to eye. “Did you really just say that to me?”
She glared up at him. “You are a bastard.” She reached up to shove him backwards again, but this time he caught her wrists.
“Goddamn it!” he hissed through his teeth. Then suddenly tangled his hands in her hair, pulling her head back. “You’ve got a smart mouth on you, babe. I told you once before I didn’t take lip from anyone and that includes you.” He reached around her, and the flat of his palm came down and popped her on the ass.
She sucked in her breath, felt the sting, and then his hand was there, rubbing over the spot tenderly. A sexual jolt shot through her.
“Did you come onto him?”
Finally, she thought, what really had him upset came to the surface. “No. Cole, I swear I didn’t—”
“I saw you smile at him. He had his hands all over you,” he countered in his dark, angry tone. “Mack said he saw you come onto Wolf.”
She shook her head. “No, Cole. That’s not—”
He popped her on the ass again. “The truth, Angel.”
“It is the truth,” she pleaded.
He was too far gone to stop. “Did you think I’d let him touch you? Let any other man touch what’s mine?” Too late he realized what he’d said, what he’d admitted. He looked down at her mouth and was lost. He pushed her forcefully up against the wall and kissed her roughly.
She heard things fall from the shelves, felt the cold roughness of the paneling against her back and bottom. She didn’t care. She wanted him, wanted this. She didn’t care if he took her right here on the floor. Need swelled in her. She reached for his belt.
***