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“Ouch. Feisty. I think I like you even more now. Are you sure we can’t renegotiate the no-touching policy? Maybe add in a biting addendum.”

Hunter actually growls in front of me, and his muscles bunch and tighten. Yeah, he was definitely a bodyguard in a previous career. But none of my past protectors ever made my insides quiver because of a growl. A sexy as hell growl. I don’t even think a man has ever growled around me before. I kind of like it.

“Don’t even think about it, Roman. She said no touching that meansno touching. Am I understood?”

The timber of Hunter’s voice changes and rumbles in a low and threatening way. It’s not even directed at me and a chill rolls down my spine. Heated desire mixing with the cold stillness of submission. My insides warring between doing as he says and having my way with him.

The man, Roman’s countenance completely changes. His playful smile flattens, and his casual posture straightens and hardens. It even looks like his eyes become darker.

“Yeah, I get you.”

Roman’s eyes shift to me, and his previously sweet flirtation turns into lewd leering paired with a suggestive biting of his bottom lip. My skin pebbles with goosebumps along the path his eyes take down my body, physically disgusted with his perusal.

“Sorry, sweetheart. Maybe we can play another time.”

He really is that stupid, isn’t he?

“Not likely,” I state as firmly and rudely as possible.

He sighs but shrugs, finally taking backward steps away from us. “Too bad. You taste delectable. It would have been fun.”

Hunter bristles and takes a half step towards Roman. The move is an obvious threat. He takes his position as mayor seriously.Or is it specific to me?The thought melts the previous chill, bringing me right back to boiling hot aroused.

Something deep inside me churns with delight at the prospect—something I’ve never felt before—not a gut feeling or heart thumping. This is something new and unexpected—feral. I don’t have time to process the sensation before my attention is drawn back to the man in front of me.

“Move along. I’m sure you haveworkto do. You know, the reason you’re in town,” Hunter bites out at the still retreating man.

“Of course. Until next time.”

Roman takes one last look at me and Hunter before spinning on his heel and sauntering in the opposite direction, whistling as he goes. Not in the least concerned with the irate Hunter still glaring at his back.

That was an extremely odd interaction. It seemed like they knew each other and weren’t on the friendliest of terms.

“Are you okay? He didn’t do anything inappropriate, did he?”

Looking up, I notice Hunter has turned to face me, and staring into those blue diamond eyes, I have to suck in a breath to steady my erratic heartbeat before answering.

“Yeah, I’m fine. He didn’t do anything. We had only been talking for a minute before you arrived. He just sort of walked up to me and started flirting. It was kind of off-putting.”

Hunter nods, grimacing, but quickly smooths over his expression into a soft neutral, all previous emotions now gone. The anger and throat-slashing wrath that I sensed in him before now replaced with a polite, calm demeanor. Doesn’t make me any less attracted to him, I notice.

“I would steer clear of him in the future,” he says.

“Why is that?”

He doesn’t answer immediately seemingly determining his response. After years of dealing with people who tell half-truths and keep pertinent information from me, I can tell he’s not going to answer candidly.

“He’s not a trustworthy person. A bit of a cad. It’s best to just not get involved with him.”

Although I believe him and his opinion of Roman, I also know there’s more to it than he’s telling. I watch him for a moment, trying to understand more about this man I just met who so adamantly defended me without question with such heated veracity, then instantly went cold again.

At least I’m not the only one having hot flashes.

“Okay. I believe you. He wasn’t exactly my type anyway. Too pervy. He probably has like five STDs and ten illegitimate children.”

Hunter’s stoic demeanor cracks, and a bark of laughter bursts from him, surprising me with its warmth. It sinks into my skin and slivers into my bones. I want to hear more of it, but he buttons his lips tight when he realizes what he just did. But the lightness in his eyes remains. Surprised by his reaction, he flounders for a moment and redirects the conversation, gesturing to the guitar case in my hand.

“What do you have here?”