Bridger rolled his eyes.
“And don’t you think about touching me,” she said.
“Fine.” Bridger kept holding her.
“You’re still touching me,” she pointed out. It felt much too nice to be held close to his glorious chest like this, the bulging muscles in his biceps pressed against the side of her abdomen and her thigh.
“I won’t touch you again,” he growled.
“You still are.”
Bridger stared down at her and finally pushed out a breath. “You’re the most confusing woman I’ve ever met,” he said.
“Why?” She glared at him. “Because I don’t beg you to kiss me like all the bimbos who chase you around?”
“You wanted me to kiss you at the waterfall. What changed?”
“I remembered what a pimp daddy you are.”
“A pimp daddy?” He chuckled darkly. “You have no idea what I am.”
She drew in a breath and refused to answer him.
“You want me, Ava. You just won’t admit it to yourself.”
Avalyn hugged her arms more tightly to her chest as if she could protect her heart from him. He had no clue how much she wanted him. “You’re still touching me,” she reminded him tersely.
“It won’t happen again.” He set her down on the bed and stepped back. “Good night, Ava Baby.” The mocking, overconfident Bridger was back, and Avalyn hated it, but at least she knew how to act around him. She could protect her heart from Playboy Bridger. She could remember they had different lives to lead and that the children had to come before her selfish desires to be loved by this man.
Avalyn closed her eyes so she didn’t have to look at his beautifully formed body and feel sorry for herself that even though this might be her last night on earth, she’d chosen to not spend it in the arms of the man she loved because of her fears of heartbreak. His footsteps circled the bed, and then she felt the mattress sink as he lay down. She gritted her teeth and hated that tears squeezed past her tightly shut lids.
She should worry that he wouldn’t work as hard to protect her tomorrow. Maybe he’d let Ramsey win. But she knew him too well. Bridger was a man of honor, even if he was a player. He would protect her from danger and from Ramsey. If only she could apologize and scoot close. Ask him for a goodnight kiss. Ask him to hold her.
She gritted her teeth and kept her eyes shut, praying she could sleep tonight and somehow survive tomorrow.
ChapterFourteen
Bridger had a hard time sleeping with Avalyn’s soft breaths next to him. Her perfect body was close, yet so far away. Why had she picked a fight with him? Why did she think he was some playboy? Well, okay, maybe he liked to play the field, and of course the media made it look worse than it actually was. He wouldn’t lie to Avalyn and say he hadn’t kissed a lot of women, but why wouldn’t she give him the chance to settle down with her?
He woke with a dull headache, and the pounding on the door didn’t help at all. The door sprang open before he did much more than sit up in bed.
Ramsey bound in, lit up like it was Christmas morning. “I thought they were lying to me.”
“About what?” Bridger growled, standing up to face him. He glanced over to see that Avalyn had also pushed out of bed, still dressed in a T-shirt and some sweats. She looked beautiful with her dark hair tousled and her lips swollen from sleep.
“You two really aren’t having any fun at night.” Ramsey clucked his tongue, still grinning like the Cheshire cat. “When I win today, I’ll show you what it means to spend the night with a real man,” he said to Avalyn.
Bridger flew at Ramsey, slamming his fist into his gut. Ramsey doubled over, and Bridger heard guns being cocked as he aimed for Ramsey’s still-smiling mouth.
“Stand down, sir,” Mike said as four guards rushed into the room.
Bridger stepped back, though he wanted to hit Ramsey repeatedly.
Ramsey straightened, all smiles. “Don’t worry, bro. You’ll get a chance to fight me soon.”
Bridger wondered what that meant. He’d take that chance, anytime. “You aren’t going to touch Avalyn.”
Ramsey laughed. “We’ll see about that.” He clapped his hands together. “Get dressed. Clothes like yesterday. We’ll eat on the way. Got a few hours’ flight each way.” He strode out of the room, and the guards filed in behind him.