Page 44 of No Strings

He groans before saying, “Don’t say my name like that.”

“Like what?”

He bends down. His mouth grazes my ear. “You know how.”

I let out a stuttered breath. Turning to face him, his hair has fallen over his forehead, almost getting in his green eyes, that are lit with an emotion I don’t want to name.

His eyes dance over my face before resting on my slightly parted lips. My eyes drift down to his lips, and I watch as he licks them, before biting on his bottom one.

Seeing him do that does something funny to me.

Just as I think he’s going to lean down to kiss me, he pushes off the fridge and turns. Muttering a quick ‘fuck’ while rubbing his face with his hands.

I’m stuck standing where he left me. My eyes still glued to where he departed.

My alarm beats Rhys to waking me up. Today we have the muster. They said it’ll only be a couple of days. I don’t know what they’re doing, I just know I have to go with them.

I wish I could stay back, but no, Rhys is back to must protect Morgan mode. It’s annoying. He’s annoying. This whole situation is annoying.

Begrudgingly, I get up and get ready, mindlessly walking to the kitchen with one thing on my mind. Coffee. But I’m interrupted by a wet wall of muscle.

“Careful, Princess.”

Rhys. Of fucking course.

He has me in a tizzy. Kissing me. Saving me. Teasing me. Killing a man for me. Walking around half naked as if his tattooed torso isn’t going to add to my torment.

I remind myself he is Rhys. So, no.

But even as I peel my face from his body, I take in a deep breath of something that makes him smell so damn good. He smells like a man. But I’m confident that the something is entirely him.

“You’re in my way.” Is all I say as I walk around him.

Coffee. Then muster. Then maybe some solo time. Because I need to scratch this itch.

As soon as I’m holding the hot mug of coffee, I go outside to wait for the others with Esky is close behind. She goes and does her business and sniffs around for a bit, before she stops and looks in the direction of a twig snapping, then she’s rushing over to the cause.

“Jesus Esky, there’s no sneaking up on you.” Beau says as he rounds the corner.

“You broke a twig, even I heard that.”

“Fine, I can’t sneak up on either of you.” We look at each other then start laughing. “You have her trained well. Never seen any animal take to a person the way she’s taken to you.”

Esky makes her way back in my direction. Patting her head, I look at Beau. “It was meant to be.”

He makes faking gagging noises, and I throw my now empty cup at him, but he catches it. “That wasn’t very nice.”

I stick my tongue out. It’s not an effective argument but it’s all I got.

“Tweedle-Dee getting a rest day?”

“Yeah, getting stabbed will do that to ya.” He looks down but then snaps his head back up, “Wait, if he’s Tweedle-dee, that makes me Tweedle-dumb?”

I shrug, “Well if the shoe fits.”

Before he can retort, Rhys exits the house and stands next to where I’m sitting. I look at Beau with a look of triumph.

“You two are bickering like an old married couple.”