She patted my leg. “What happened to your knee?”
“Ah, I wish I could report it was something glamorous or heroic. It was simply shite luck. My vehicle rolled while I was in Lebanon. Crushed my knee, and in the blink of an eye, my career was over and I was headed into a year of reconstruction and rehab. Not the best time of my life.”
The words spilled from my mouth without permission. Having a fucked-up knee wasn’t something I spread around, at least not the extent of my injury. Call me proud, but I didn’t like revealing such an outward weakness.
She smoothed her palm over my knee. “Does it still hurt?”
I placed my hand over hers, giving it a squeeze. “Sometimes. I can’t run distances anymore. I’m never gonna be able to run with you.”
Like she knew I needed it, she slung her leg over mine and touched her lips to my jaw. “That’s okay. I’ve got running buddies.” Her breath was warm on my skin, and her voice had dropped low, like we were sharing a secret. “Your knee works just fine when it counts.”
I turned my head, brushing the side of my nose against hers. “What are you doing?”
“Hitting on you in the park. Isn’t that why you come here?” Her tongue darted out, tracing the edge of my jaw. It was fast and sneaky, sending a wave of need straight to my cock.
“I’ve only ever wanted to hit on one girl in a park. I did, and she stood me up.”
She grinned against my skin. “I hope you learned your lesson.”
“I did.” My fingers wove through the back of her hair, fisting to drag her head back. “I learned not to let her leave my sight until she lets me sink between her pretty, soft thighs.”
“And then you let her go after?” she rasped.
My gaze locked on hers. “After I fuck her so thoroughly, she feels me when I’m no longer inside her, I’m counting on her coming back.”
She gripped my tie, yanking it like a leash. “It worked on me.”
“I don’t know.” My thumb rubbed along the sharp corner of her jaw. “I feel like I’m always chasing you down.”
“Let’s remedy that. I’m pretty sure Steven’s had enough play time. He looks exhausted and wants to go home. Grab him and come back to my place.”
Steven wasn’t anywhere near ready to leave, he was currently loping like a gazelle through the pasture, but I’d promise to bring him back double next week to make up for it. As irrational as it was, my gut begged for me not to let Iris leave my side this time around.
It’d been saying that a lot recently.
Protect this girl.
Watch this girl.
Possess this girl.
Those instincts didn’t jibe with Iris’s adamant proclamations of keeping this casual. Nor did the place she was carving deep within my chest every day I spent looking over her. She’d been mine to protect for some time. But now, I was beginning to think of her asmine,period. She wouldn’t like that, but I’d have to convince her she was wrong. Slowly, carefully, until she forgot why she protested in the first place.
“Let’s go then.” Steven came easily, but he gave me a dirty look as I hooked his leash on his collar. “Sorry, fella. The pretty lady gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”
With a sigh, Iris slipped her hand in mine and leaned into my arm as we walked.
Yeah, this girl was mine.