Page 47 of Romancing His Heart

Taking a step back, she motions toward the bed. “Well, with the couch gone, that leaves this.”

Scanning the room, I see why she’s asked. The bed is barely bigger than a twin.Fuck. I didn’t think about the bed because I’ve never been here with anyone else. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I try to come up with a solution.

“We’ll have to be adults, right?” She laughs, throwing the words back at me.

Swallowing thickly, I nod. “Right, think you can keep your hands to yourself?”

“Nope.”

“Me either.” It comes out as a growl without thinking.

Taking half a step closer, she whispers, “Maybe I don’t want you to.”

“You need me to, Sloane.”

She narrows her eyes but says nothing. Balling my hands into fists, I fight the instinct to reach for her.

“What I need, Loki, is for people to let me make my own decisions.” There’s an edge to her voice that’s new, and I wonder how much truth is in those words.

“Fair enough. But I’m not a decision you want to make. Trust me on this.”

As much as my body craves her, we won’t be going there. Not only could it put her in danger if Vic found us, but my sexual appetite wars with my need for control. I respect her wanting to make her own choices, but I require complete control with sex. It’s just how I’m wired. For that, and so many reasons, I need to keep my distance.

“We’ll see. I’m going to brush my teeth and get ready for bed.”

I stand, contemplating my thoughts, as she closes the door. Once she’s out of sight, I adjust myself.Calm down, asshat. You’re not coming out to play.Needing to cool off, I head outside to grab our stuff as the first flakes of snow begin to fall.

It takes three trips, but I finally empty the car. The last load is Red’s flipping trunk.What the hell does she have in this thing?It weighs a fucking ton. After wrestling it up the steps, I finally reach the door just as she steps out of the bathroom. I’m carrying the flashlight in my mouth because I needed both hands for this monstrosity. The second I see her, the flashlight falls from my lips, and the chest slips from my hands, landing with a thud.

Sloane stands before me in barely there panties and something resembling a tank top.

“Oh my God,” she screeches, rushing toward me.

Please stop running.

I try to close my eyes, but it’s too late. I have branded her bouncing tits to memory for life. I’m in such a daze—okay, possibly a fantasy—as she drops to her knees before me, that I’m frozen in place. It isn’t until I see an extra arm that my mind catches up with the display before me.

“What the fuck is that?”

“It’s … well—”

“You have a fucking body in there, Sloane!”

What the hell is going on? Is she not who we thought she was? Is she working with Vic?Reaching for her, illuminated only by firelight, I grab the first arm I come in contact with and almost scream. It’s frozen and … rubbery? I drop it, reach for the flashlight, and shine it on the shitshow before me.

In my stupor, her trunk has fallen open, spilling its contents all over the floor. Dildos, vibrators, and toys I don’t want to know about have scattered everywhere. But it’s the two lifelike dolls she is attempting to shove back inside of the trunk that have my attention. They’re so realistic that I reach out to grab one just to make sure my brain isn’t playing tricks on me.

In the span of three seconds, I’ve gone from having a hard-on for this girl to thinking she’s a murderer right back to sporting a semi. The laugh that spills from my lips is maniacal, even to my own ears.

Placing my hands on my head, I laugh while gaping at the chaos. “What the hell is happening here?”

Red grumbles something under her breath, and it makes me laugh harder.

When is the last time I laughed so much?

“Red, look at me,” I finally manage.

On her knees, she lifts her gaze to mine, and the floor drops out from under me. I was ready for angry. I was prepared for sass. I could have even handled a bit of both, but her tears gut me.