Page 69

“Yeah, Duke, I was goin’ to fuck him…hard.” This time, when I pulled away, he let me go, but he followed me as I stomped out of the bar, walked a distance to the parking lot, wanting privacy to scream into the air and maybe at him as well, since I could feel him behind me.
I turned to rip him a new one, but before I could, his hand was on my face, fingers curling around my jaw, tilting my chin up, and before I could stop it, his mouth crashed onto mine.
The kiss was hard, desperate, there was nothing sweet about it.
I felt him against andinevery inch of me—his hands, his heat, the taste of him mixed with whiskey, the way hisbody pressed against mine like he was trying to prove something neither of us could admit.
For a moment—just a moment—I let him. I let myself have him.
“Fuck, baby,” he groaned as he nibbled, bit, and plunged his tongue back inside my mouth.
Reality slammed into me.
I shoved him away, breath coming fast, hands clenched into fists.
“You son of a bitch.”
His chest rose and fell hard, like he’d just run miles.
I shook my head, voice sharp. “What the hell is this? You wanna make me the other woman? That it?”
Something flickered across his face—guilt? Good.
“You’re with Fiona,” I raged. “So don’t you dare come in here acting like you have any claim over me.”
He didn’t say anything because we both knew I was right. We both also knew I was wrong. We had a claim over each other whether we liked it or not. Idefinitelydidn’t like it.
“You can finger fuck her in front of me, but you have a problem with me dancing with?—”
“I did it because you were there,” he drawled, his eyes fiery. “I did it because I wanted to know.”
“Know what?” I flung my hands in the air.
“Know if you still felt like you used to…like I do.”
I took two steps back. Everything inside me shut down.
I shook my head weakly.
No, no, no.No fucking way was I going to play his games.
No way was I going to let this man get close to me. No fucking way was I going to open my heart to him or anyone else. I wasclosedfor that kind of business.
“If you touch me again, I’ll make sure you won’t be able to use your hand for a long time,” I threatened. “Stay the hell away from me, Duke. I’m not interested in your bitch girlfriend’s leftovers.”
Then I turned and walked back into the bar. I took the shot Hunt had in his hand and threw it back.
“I need to get back,” I told him.
Hunt nodded and waved to Ben.
“It’s early,” Ben protested, but he had the truck keys out.
“Take her to the ranch and then come back,” Hunt instructed.
He looked at me as if checking to make sure I was all right. Then his eyes flickered to the door. He hissed, and I guessed he’d seen Duke and surmised why I’d gone from happy drunk to pissed-off drunk.
“You want me to come with you?” Hunt asked.