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His thumb slid along her inner wrist.“Jealousy, huh?”
“I don’t just ride to the rescue for anyone.”A sniff.“Now, if you’ll excuse me…” With her head up and her spine straight, Naomi walked right back to the porch.
“What just happened?”Madeline asked behind her.
Naomi didn’t hear Eb’s response.The pounding of her heart was too loud as it echoed in her ears.
Hunter smiled as Naomi approached.“Feel better?”
Actually…yes.
“Told you,” he added with a half-shrug.“She’s not his type.He’s far too obsessed with you to see anyone else.”
Obsessed.Obsessed wasn’t the same as loving someone.But…no, they weren’t talking about love.What was happening between her and Eb?It was lust.Passion.Need.
Obsession.
She tapped her thigh.Henry hurried to her side.They went in the house.
And she only looked back once, but when she did, Naomi found Eb’s gaze locked on her.
“Be careful,”Madeline urged.
Eb couldn’t drag his gaze off Naomi.She’d just looked back at him.
She was jealous.She still wants me.
He was about to go insane with wanting her.
“Maybe she’s not the cold-blooded killer we assumed, but…no way she’s going to go after forever with you.It’s just not in the cards.”
He forced a smile as he finally glanced at his former boss once more.“Since when am I the forever type?”
What could have been sympathy came and went on her face.“Even tough agents can get broken hearts.Just watch yourself, that’s all.”She backed away.“Now I have to go handle Morris before he has a heart attack.I’ll update you on my interrogation with Brock.You know,afterhe has medical clearance so I can talk to the man.”Waving her hands in the air, she hurried away.“Morris, stop trying to help the tow truck drivers!You’re about to get your ass crushed!”
Eb headed for his Impala.The steam had stopped pouring out, so that was a good sign.He touched the hood.Still warm, though.
“Are you going to keep her?”Hunter asked.
He wasn’t the least bit surprised that Hunter had sauntered his way over to the vehicle.
“Of course, I’m keeping the car.”As if he’d ever let go of his baby.“Probably just some small problem from when Naomi was gunning it around the yard.You’re supposed to treat my baby with care.”But he wasn’t mad at Naomi.He could overlook the gunning of his Impala.Actually…
It was hot the way Naomi saved me.Not that he’d needed saving, but, still…
You learned a lot about a person in dangerous times.Some people would break.Some people would panic.Some people…
They’d risk everything to save someone else.
“I wasn’t talking about the damn car.”
Yeah, he’d known that.But… “You don’t get to keep people.They either choose you or they don’t.”Simple fact of life.You couldn’t make someone stay.Not when the person just wanted to leave.Or worse, not when the person just didn’t want you.
“She ran into a biker gang for you.Literally.Ran the car right at them.If that’s not choosing you, what is?”
He wanted to believe that Naomi would choose him.So badly.“I fucked up with her.”Stark.He’d lied.He’d tricked her.He’d intended to lock her sweet ass in a jail cell.Now, he wanted to do whatever it took to keep her out of a cell.To protect her, always.So, yeah, he’d done a one-eighty.It happened.
“Did you grovel?”Hunter wanted to know.“I told you it would be necessary.Women go for big grovels.”