Page 33 of Ghost

She closed the door and a second later, the lock clicked.He let out a sigh and got undressed.As he tugged on clean clothes, his attention fell to the lone queen-sized bed.

A rush of excitement took the fast lane to his dick.

Dammit, he was acting like a creep.

But her sleeping anywhere else was out of the question.He glanced at the still-shut bathroom door.“I need to run downstairs for a sec,” he barked.“Don’t try anything.”

“Okay,” she sang mockingly.

Shaking his head, he made his way downstairs to the workout room, which housed a closet with a gun safe.He entered the code and ignored all the weaponry that yesterday he’d have been tempted to use on her.Today that wasn’t an option and he didn’t want to think about why.

On the shelf was a set of handcuffs.He snatched them up, shoved the key in his pocket, locked the safe, and bounded up the stairs.The floorboards creaked as he entered the bedroom.

Mila sat on the edge of the mattress, her hands pressed together between her knees and her hair loose in long, damp waves.She swam in one of his black T-shirts, and if she stood, the sweatpants would likely sink to the floor.

Her gaze landed on the cuffs and her eyes widened.“Oh, no!”She bounced to her feet, catching the pants before they went south.“You’re not chaining me to anything, asshole.”

Ghost rocked his jaw.“Yes, I am.”

She folded her arms over her chest and tucked her hands under her armpits so he’d have to wrench them out.“No.I won’t do it.”Fire sparked from her orbs.

Warning flashed through him.He narrowed his eyes, running the short chain between his fingers.“Why don’t you want the cuffs, Mila?”

Her eyes flew to his.Panic was painted all over her face.“Who would?”

“You know what I mean.There’s something more there.I can see it.”

“I-I just don’t.I can’t.”

He shrugged.“Well, you’ve proven to be a flight risk.I don’t want to do this either, but—”

“Bullshit.I bet you like it kinky.”

He chuckled, then dragged his free hand over his face.Amused but also done with this conversation, he tried to lock down his expression and stay serious.“Yeah, I do.But trust me, I don’t get off thinking about someone who tried to kill me.”That was a blatant lie because all he’d done so far was think about fucking her.“You can sleep here with me and a pair of cuffs or head back to the shop.”

“You’ll have to drag me.”

He snorted and closed the distance between them.“Honey, if by now you haven’t realized I can carry you with ease, you might have hit your head harder than you think.”

One eye narrowed.

“Come on.”He motioned for her to hold out her wrist.“You’ll be so tired you won’t even feel them.”Why he was trying to reason with her was beyond him.

Maybe he was the one who’d hit his damn head.

She pivoted to look at the bed.“If you lock me to the headboard, my arm’s going to be over my head all night.”She propped her hand on her hip.“How would you like to sleep like that?”

He couldn’t process what she’d said because now all he could picture was her locked to his headboard.

“Listen,” he snapped.“I’m fucking tired.I’m in a bad mood from chasing your ass around these damn woods to keep you from jumping in a river or headfirst into a goddamn tree.Either put the handcuffs on or take yourself back outside.”

She compressed her lips, but hell if the bottom one didn’t tremble a bit.She stuck out her arm, and hate contorted her pretty face.

He accepted her smooth, dainty wrist and slid a cuff over her skin.It cinched in place and she inhaled a slow, shuddering breath.

Tears misted her eyes.

His gut twisted.