Page 98 of The Defender

“The pub. The after-party. I checked both, but I thought I missed you.” A trace of relief ran through his drawl.

“You checked the Angry Boar before you checked my house?”

He shrugged. “Scarlett and Asher went there after the gala.”

“Ah.” I suppressed a smile, my earlier uncertainties evaporating as though they’d never existed. “You could’ve texted to see where I was.”

“True.”

His gaze held mine, and little crackles of electricity danced over my skin.

“I’m sorry I didn’t win the auction,” I said in an effort to hide my reaction.It’s just a look.I could not be melting over one look. “The leopard lady was freaking me out, and I tried to save you, but I didn’t have enough money and it seemed like?—”

“Brooklyn.”

The air in my lungs turned scarce. “Yeah?”

“I’m not here to talk about the auction.”

There was a beat of silence, thick with heat and unsaid words.

Then he was inside, and his mouth was on mine while my hands tugged at his shirt, trying to free it from his waistband. I wanted to feel his skin against mine. The kiss was hungry and frantic and intoxicating, but it wasn’t enough. I neededmore.

I finally freed his shirt. Vincent helped me slide it off his shoulders without breaking the kiss. He tugged my top and bottoms off, and then we were somehow in my room, our breaths heavy with want. My back hit the bed while he removed the rest of his clothing.

I wasn’t wearing a bra, only panties, and a heavy pulse bloomed in my core as I watched him take off his belt and pants.

The shoulders, the abs, thosethighs. I firmly believed that footballers had the best thighs on the planet, and Vincent proved me absolutely right. I drank him in, my eyes tracing over every sculpted ridge and shadowed curve, but a giggle erupted from my throat when I reached his groin.

He was wearing the pancake boxer briefs I’d bought him for his birthday.

“If you keep laughing at me when I’m half naked, I’m going to get a complex,” he said, sounding amused.

“Sorry.” I propped myself up on my elbows and cast a meaningful look at his briefs. “I was admiring your choice of underwear.”

“The person who bought them has good taste.” He stripped them off. “And I like to have part of her with me. Always.”

My mouth dried, both at his words and at the sight of his arousal. My core pulsed again, and I let out a small whimper of anticipation when he climbed onto the bed.

His arms bracketed my body, caging me in as he lowered his head toward mine.

“Let’s make another bet.” His breath skimmed my skin.

“Seriously?” I whimpered again when he palmed my breast and ran a thumb over the peaked nipple. A bolt of pleasurestreaked between my legs. “You want to make another betright now?”

“Mmhmm.” He trailed kisses over my jaw, down my neck, and across my chest. “I bet I can make you scream so loud, your neighbor will be banging down the wall. No pun intended.”

My breathless laugh dissolved when he closed his mouth around my nipple and sucked.

Fuck. The bastard was trying to distract me into saying yes—and it was working.

“It’s nice to know your ego is intact.” I tried not to squirm when he moved to my other nipple, licking and sucking with agonizing care. My entire body flushed, but I swallowed my moan and managed to add, “I’ll be lucky if you can make me come even once.”

He traced my nipple leisurely with his tongue before he released it with a soft pop. He blew cool air across the wet, sensitized peak, and…God. My hips instinctively bucked as my moan finally broke free.

A wicked smile spread across Vincent’s face. “You’re going to regret saying that.”

The dark promise in his voice made my toes curl.