Page 38

SINCLAIR

Something about the increased sourness in Denver’s expression as he steps out onto the deck has me faltering.

“Was that my father you were speaking to?”

He nods once, his jaw locked tight, a vein throbbing in his temple.

“Are Halliday and the baby okay?” I ask, my heart racing.

“They’re fine. Everyone back home is fine.”

My shoulders loosen. “Okay, good. Then why do you look so worried?”

“We’re going back to the city tomorrow, Sinclair,” Denver says simply, looking at me from beneath his dark brows like his words carry extra meaning.

“I know.” I smile as I put Monty’s brush down and stand. “I’ve got my show, I can’t wait.”

“Your father is concerned.”

“So he’s concerned,” I reply, studying the deep line between Denver’s eyebrows. “Why are you letting that bother you? You’ve known him for years. You know what he’s like. He might be concerned, but he’ll deal with it, like he always does.”

“He trusts me,” Denver clips.

I wait for him to say more but am met with stony silence and a harshness in his eyes.

“He trusts me,” he repeats, straightening his rigid shoulders as a flash of guilt passes over his face.

And there it is.

I narrow my eyes and study him. His green eyes are dark and impenetrable. Like he’s on a mission and can’t afford to lose sight of his main objective.

“Uh-huh,” I say. “And now you’re worried because you’ve spent the past four days inside his daughter making sure she’s definitely not going back to the city a virgin.”

“Sinclair!” he snaps.

I shrug, hiding the anger that’s flaring inside me. I get it, he thinks he’s betrayed my father’s trust. But what about my trust? I’ve never let anyone get close to me like Denver.

“I mean, I’m clearly not, am I? You’ve had your dick everywhere except in my ass. Was that going to be your next conquest?”

The sharp intake of breath he takes only makes me more determined to piss him off. He’s watching me, nostrils flaring like an angry bull.

He’s expecting me to fight him. Or to cry, maybe. More likely fight. Maybe he’s hoping I’ll slap him. Take out some of my anger on him… make him feel better about the cowardly thing he’s doing.

I won’t give it to him.

“Okay,” I say, keeping my voice light as I walk over to him. “Well, thanks for the dick, I guess. You definitely taught me some things I can use with my new boyfriend when I meet him.” I smile brightly as he glares down his nose at me, his jaw clenching.

I pat him on the chest, happy to find his heart is pummeling out a fast rhythm against his ribs.

“Sinclair,” he growls.

I hold his eyes for a beat. They’re like two green flames burning in the night sky.

I spin and sashay to the open door that leads back inside.

“Sin—”

“I’m going to pack. Do you mind taking Monty to the bathroom?” I say, looking back at him over my shoulder.

“New boyfriend?” he spits.

“Oh, yeah.” I pout at him. “Did you think this was”—I wave my finger between us both—“like, a thing?” I wrinkle my nose, as if the possibility had never even crossed my mind.

He glares at me like he’s about to explode.

“Oh, you did?” I let my face fall in mock pity. “I’m so sorry. Why would you think that? Was it all the romantic stuff we said to one another? The way we’ve been sleeping in each other’s arms every night? Or the fact that you were my first and only and that should mean something?”

His jaw slackens and something akin to panic laced with ‘oh shit’ tints his gaze.

I hold back all the things I’d like to hurl at him and force a sweet smile. “Like I said, Monty might need the bathroom.”

But Monty has already moved back inside to his favorite spot in front of the fire and has sprawled out on his back.

“Hmm,” I murmur, looking at Monty. “Maybe not. Thanks anyway, Brute.”

I’m barely two steps inside before his voice hits my back, making a shiver scoot up my spine.

“No one else is touching you. Ever.”

A joyless smile plays on my lips, but I bite it back as I flick my eyes in his direction. “It’s sweet that you care, but you don’t get a say in what, or who, I do.”

“Sinclair,” he growls.

I start walking again, speeding up to put distance between us. He barks out my name roughly behind me, and curses as I stomp through the inner door and down the stairs leading to the lower level and the forest.

I want to get away from him. I’m so fucking angry at him. The blood racing in my veins is pumping adrenaline to my muscles as his heavy footsteps thunder down the stairs behind me.

“Sinclair!”

“I guess I should thank you for breaking me in,” I toss back at him casually.

“At least now I know I like sex. It’ll be interesting to see how other guys do it.

I mean, you’re ten years older than me. Maybe a guy my age will have even more stamina.

I’ll barely have time to sleep once we go back to the city and I get out dating. ”

“Do you mean that?” he barks. “You really want to see what other guys are like?”

I whip around at the foot of the stairs, and he has the sense to stop halfway down them as I glare at him.

“What the hell do you think?” I snarl, unable to hide my true feelings any longer. He looks like he’s about to say something, so I throw up a palm. “You know what? I don’t care what you think.”

I turn and stride to the main door, yanking it open.

“Don’t follow me!” I yell as I stomp outside.

“Where are you going?” he shouts after me as I head past the tree stump where he chops the firewood and toward the thick tree line.

“Getting some fresh air, what’s it look like?” I yell back, breaking into a run.

“Don’t run from me, Sinclair!” he bellows. But unlucky for him, all of the training I’ve been doing with him since we arrived has made me fitter, and I’m actually a pretty good sprinter. Lighter on my feet than him. A little faster.

“Go to hell, asshole!” I shout back, my earlier facade completely cracking as I put distance between us.

I hate him. I actually hate him. Just like I did before we came here. I should never have stopped. He’s just another person in my life who thinks they know what’s best for me. Who’s trying to make decisions for me.

“Sinclair!” he thunders. “You don’t go anywhere without me! Come the fuck back here!”

I ignore him, pumping my arms and legs as hard as I can as I race through the gaps between the trees. I’m wearing a dress, but at least I have my sneakers on. And this time my laces are done up tight in a double knot.

Take that, jerk.

I keep running until my lungs burn and my eyes sting. I hate him. Stupid giant muscly asshole.

Footsteps moving fast behind me make the twigs on the forest floor snap with a loud urgency.

“You’d better run, Princess,” he calls from somewhere closer to me than he was moments ago. “Because when I catch you, I’ll spank that ass of yours until it wears my handprint. Don’t think I won’t.”

“Fuck off,” I holler back, gasping for air as I run faster.

I break through the trees and skid to a halt meters away from the edge of a river.

“Shit,” I mutter, spinning back into the trees and running in another direction.

Everything is quiet except for the pounding of my blood in my ears. I slow down to a walk, fighting to keep my breath steady and quiet so I can listen.

Nothing.

I must have lost him. I’ll have to go back to the cabin, I know that.

But I just need some time away from him.

He might be willing to forget about what’s happened between us the moment we leave here, but I’m not.

I can’t go back to the city like nothing ever happened.

Go back to him working with my father and barely looking my way.

Not when the way he’s looked at me since we’ve been here has made me feel more alive than I’ve felt in years.

I’d feel like such an idiot. I wouldn’t be able to stand being in the same room as him.

I stop and rest my hands on my hips, breathing deeply. Sweat prickles my hairline and runs down the dip between my breasts.

I listen again.

Nothing.

“Stupid jerk,” I mutter.

Strong arms grab me from behind, coiling around my torso and pinning my arms to my sides. I’m lifted from the floor like I weigh nothing.

“Get off me!” I screech, kicking my legs out. But it’s no use, he’s got me held in the air like a doll.

How can he creep up on me like that? Stupid giant hulk with his special ops training.

“You’re an asshole!” I snarl, throwing my head back, trying to hit his nose, but missing.

He walks forward and pushes my front against a giant tree, pinning me between it and his body that’s burning like an inferno against my back. My tiptoes dance against the floor as I try to get free.

“I told you not to run from me,” he whispers, his breath hot and menacing against my ear.

“And I told you not to follow me,” I spit back.

I struggle some more, but all it does is make the bark of the tree snag my dress.

“What am I going to do with you?” he grits, taking one arm from my torso, but still easily pinning me in place with the remaining one.

I gasp as he pushes my dress up around my waist. His large, warm palm slides over the curve of my ass and his breath grows ragged as he grabs a handful of my flesh and squeezes.

“Don’t ever fucking run from me, Sinclair,” he breathes, kissing my neck beneath my ear.

I whimper at the sensation of his lips on my skin, internally cursing myself for not holding it back.

He kneads my flesh, stroking his thumb along the outer edge of my panties. Then he pushes the fabric into the crack of my ass, leaving one ass cheek exposed.

“Don’t ever run,” he says again.

Then his palm connects with my skin.

I cry out, my voice hitting the tree and bouncing straight back at me and ringing in my ears.

“So pretty and red,” he says, rubbing my stinging skin.

He spanks me again.

Harder.

I grit my teeth and hiss.

“That’s one of the things I like most about you, your fire,” he rasps, kissing my neck again.

“Fuck you,” I snap.