Page 42 of When He Defends

No, it was Gray himself who called to her.

“Dammit, Emerson! This isn’t personal,” Nathaniel suddenly snapped. “It’s a matter of life or death. So cut the dramatics, get your new partner under control,and let me in.”

Chapter Eight

“What do I think of Emerson’s ex? I think the guy is a freaking idiot. With a very punchable face. Some people have those, you know. Genetic quirk.”

– Gray Stone

His hands had fistedat his sides. It would be so easy to deliver a quick and brutal upper cut to Nathaniel Hadaway’s weak jaw. Super simple. One punch, and bam, done. He would get so much joy out of the act.

This prick fucked my Emerson?Gray’s fist lifted.

Emerson grabbed tightly to his arm. “He said life or death.”

Gray locked his jaw.Pretty sure the jerk will say anything to get in your pants again, baby.Only, that shit was not happening. The moron would be getting nowhere near Emerson. Or her pants.

“Let’s hear him out. It will take like, two minutes, tops.” Her head turned toward Nathaniel. “Did you hear that? Two minutes.” Icy words. “That’s all you’re getting from me. Because that’s pretty much all you ever gave to me.”

Whoa. Whoa…

Had that been Emerson making a sexual dig?

Nathaniel flushed, and Gray could not help but snort. Two minutes? That’s what this idiot had given Emerson? Oh, Gray would totally rock her world.

I’ll make sure she comes so hard that she forgets this dumbass creep.He would make her comeintwo minutes. But that would be the start. The start of one seriously long, hot night.

“We don’t need to get personal, Emerson.” Nathaniel sniffed. “It’s not my fault that you have emotional barriers that leave you unable to respond to a lover.”

First, Gray laughed. Hard. Because he was pretty sure he’d never been with anyone as responsive as Emerson, and he hadn’t evenhadher yet. Just kissed her. Touched her. But he’d felt the hunger in her body. She’d kissed him with a frantic passion. Her moans had made him crazy. Her nails had bitten into his shirt, and her body had twisted and pressed eagerly against his, promising him the hottest paradise of his life.

So, to say she couldn’t respond…bullshit.

Except, he realized Emerson had stiffened. He immediately turned fully toward her. She’d paled. Her gaze had dropped down. Her chin dipped low and—nope. Not happening.

Did she think he’d been laughing at her?

Never.

His fingers curled under her chin. He lifted it up, slowly, deliberately, and when her incredible blue eyes were on his—eyes that held the hint of tears—he smiled at her. “He’s completely clueless, isn’t he?”

Her lips parted.

He almost kissed her again.

“I can have you coming in two minutes.” He considered the matter. “Actually, probably in one. Shall we find out? Want to make a bet with me on it?”

Color came rushing back to her cheeks. She blinked quickly, and the tears vanished.

“You’re fucking each other?”Nathaniel’s nasally voice was getting on Gray’s last nerve. “Well, that makes sense, I suppose. There is no other way that Emerson would have gotten the job. I mean, even with her mother’s clout, you would not have agreed to work with her unless you were getting something from the deal. I’d heard that you told the senator to go to hell at her first overture, but then you changed your mind and now this makes more sense to me. So much more sense.Fucking someone to advance up the ladder, eh, Emerson?I would have thought that was beneath you.”

“Usually I’m beneath her,” Gray drawled. “Or she’s beneath me.”

“Gray!” Emerson shook her head. Hard.

Fine. He’d play nicely. No, wait, he wouldn’t. The bastard at the door was herex.And he’d just insulted her. “You were wasted on him,” he told her, very definitely, then he reached out, fisted his hand in Nathaniel’s pale green polo, and yanked the idiot inside. “Two minutes. Talk fast, then get the hell out. Emerson and I have better things to do than just piss away time with you.”

Emerson hurried back a few steps, as if she didn’t want to be too close to Nathaniel. Gray noted the move. Wondered a bit about it. He shut the door and watched his prey.