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He scoffs. “I don’t do that.”

“Yes you do.”

His hand lifts, but he catches it.

“Ha! See?”

“I wasn’t going to do it.”

“Were too.” God, he’s fun to tease. Easy to tease. I try not to analyze just how good this makes me feel. “So what is it? What’s your favorite movie?Rambo? No, one of the James Bond movies. MaybeMission: Impossible.”

“I gave you my answer.”

I roll my eyes. “Mm-hmm.” I pull off another section of orange. “You sure you don’t want some?”

“You’re annoying, you know that? I—”

“You don’t know annoying,” I say mischievously. Then I jump in front of him, forcing him to stop. “What’s the movie?”

“I’m not telling.”

I grin. “So you do have one.”

He realizes his mistake and folds his arms.

“You know what I think, Griffin Kelly?”

He meets my gaze. “What, Sasha Macklin?”

The way he says my name, with that deep rumble of his, makes something go melty inside me, and for a moment, I almost chicken out. He’s intimidating. His eyes bore into mine. But that’s just what he’s trying to do—get me to chicken out. So I don’t. I take a step closer, lowering my voice. “I may be annoying, but I think you like it.”

For a moment, neither of us says anything. But I swear I see a flame flicker in his eyes. I can almost feel its heat.

“You think so?” he asks. Then, before I even see movement, his big, rough hand gently wraps itself around my wrist. That sensation I felt a moment ago pales in comparison to the snapping electricity shooting down my arm, spreading heat throughout my whole body.

He’s so strong. So much bigger than me.

I swallow. “Yes.”

He grunts. “Yes what, Sasha?”

Yes, I’ll marry you.

“Yes, I think you like it when I give you a hard time,” I whisper.

His eyes don’t leave mine as he brings my hand toward his mouth. I’m still holding the orange piece. He opens his lips and takes the whole section in at once. My fingertips brush against the rough bristle of his mustache and the surprising contrast of the softness of his lips as he closes them around the orange.

I can’t move. I’m frozen to the spot, my eyes locked to his as he chews the orange, still holding my hand at his mouth.

He takes his time, but finally swallows. “You’re right,” he says. He licks his lips, his tongue barely missing my fingertips. “That was a good orange.”

CHAPTER16

Griffin

The minute the sign for Bijoucomes into view, I feel a cold sweat break out on my palms. “I can just wait outside,” I say.

“Are you scared, big man?” Sasha teases.