Page 22 of Healing Conviction
She huffed and tugged at the hem of her cardigan. “Not really, but no one inside would like it if I went beboppin’ up in there with a Harry Potter tee and combat heels.”
“Who the fuck cares what other people think? What about what you think?”
“Whatever, this is irrelevant. Why are you here? I thought we were leaving in the morning.”
He frowned at how she bypassed his questions but moved on for her sake. “Change of plans. I have all your things. Let’s get on the road.”
Imagining Nora going home with Matt had been a special kind of torture, and had, admittedly, made him irrational. Not even bothering to use his phone, he’d driven like a madman to Jules and Jaybird’s apartment, where Nora had been staying as a safety precaution ever since BlackStone Securities was attacked. When she wasn’t there, he came up with the bullshit excuse that they needed to leave immediately.
Could he have come up with a good story during all that time? Probably. Did he? Nope. He was too consumed by the thought of Nora doing exactly what he’d just witnessed.
“So… I’m assuming we have new info on Shanna Jacobs? Did we definitely find her?”
“No.”
“No? What do you mean, no, you Neanderthal? No, what?”
“I’ll explain on the way. Now get in the truck.”
Her grumbling had him trying so hard to hide his grin. He figured she’d be mad once he interrupted herdate. But he didn’t give a shit. If there was ever a way to sabotage her with another guy, he’d take it. It was selfish as hell, especially considering he had no right to claim her. He’d failed her once, and maybe she held that against him, but thisdatehad made him realize sitting back waiting for her to come to him wasn’t working. Besides, it wasn’t in his nature to give up.
He tugged the passenger side handle to punctuate the end of the conversation, holding the door wide for her to climb in and reaching for her arm to help her.
Shehmphed, her bow lips pursed in an adorable frown as she shrugged away from him. “I can open my own damn door, ya know.”
He shrugged, loving that she was giving him grief, but knowing this was a battle she was going to have to concede. “Okay, have at it.”
A wary expression scrunched her face up as he gave the open door a flourish. Her eyes traveled from him to the passenger seat and widened once she realized her challenge.
“How tall is this freakin’ thing?”
“Taller than a little pixie like you,” Draco grumbled, making sure to hide his laugh before asking the question they both knew the answer to. “Is that gonna be a problem?”
She straightened. “Absolutely not. I’m more than capable of handling climbing into a damn vehicle. Which isobviouslybeing used as overcompensation forsomething.” She gave him a pointed smirk and cheeky once-over, stalling at his crotch as she murmured. “What are you hiding, Drake?”
He cleared his throat. Her eyes snapped back to his and her cheeks reddened, apparently only then realizing how much she’d lingered.
“Keep looking at my cock like that, Pix, and it won’t be hiding for long. Then you’ll get to make the call yourself. So… you want to find out if you’re right out here in the open? Or…”
Those alabaster cheeks blushed furiously. “I swear Draco Malfoy, one day Imma call your bluff.” She twisted back to glare at the truck before beginning her climb. It was almost comical to watch her try to figure out how to get her heel up or how to bend at the knee in her dress to reach the floorboard and gain purchase. He didn’t mind though, her bare, shapely legs gave him quite the view, making his dick jump inside his jeans.
But after a few more groans and grunts of frustration from her, he couldn’t take watching her ass bob up and down anymore.
“Give it up, Pix. The only thing we’re learning right now is that I’m gonna have to insist the heels stay on.”
She swiveled around to scoff at him. “Draco, what the—”
He ignored her, lifting her by her hips, feeling the exertion in muscles he was just getting to know again. That was going to be his excuse, at least, if she asked why he was squeezing tighter than necessary to do the job. She squealed his name in surprise, making him chuckle as he plopped her onto the seat.
“Do not manhandle me,Malfoy, I willavada kedavraa bish so fast, so help me gods—”
He closed the door on her yelling, knowing she’d get more pissed at him if she heard the laugh he barked out at her threat. Once he’d settled in behind the driver’s seat, he glanced over at his pouting passenger. Her arms were crossed and her emerald eyes glared back at him. Subtly teasing her was quickly becoming his favorite pastime.
“What’s wrong?”
She sputtered and gestured around her. “What’s wrong? What’swrong?” He shrugged and started the engine, pulling out of the parking lot and setting off east toward the coast. “What’swrongis that you basically tossed me into your truck without any warning!”
“Don’t act like you didn’t like it, Pix.”