Page 25 of F*cking Shattered

His amused expression is gone, replaced with the flexing of his jaw and flaring of his nostrils. He picks up his menu and looks it over.

The waitress is back and she looks at River for his order.

“I’ll just take a double bacon cheeseburger and fries,” he tells her, handing over the menu.

She turns to me for my order, but she’s still watching him out of the corner of her gray eyes.

“I’ll have a cheeseburger with no mustard and fries.”

She writes something down, and takes my menu before turning and walking away, shaking her ass more than needed.

I lean back in the booth and sip my tea, stirring it so the ice clinks off the glass.

“So you really think you have no claim to me?” River breaks the silence.

“Do you think I should? I mean, we met, what? Two days ago.”

He leans back, acting like he doesn’t care about anything going on around him. His eyes travel from mine, down my neck, and to my chest. “I bet your body thinks differently.” He offers up a smug grin.

My flesh breaks out in goosebumps from the way he’s looking at me. His dark eyes are practically lighting my insides on fire.

I laugh as my face heats up. “You really are full of yourself, aren’t you?”

He looks around the restaurant. “Why wouldn’t I be when all I have to do is look at you and your skin flushes? You still think I can’t read you, but I know everything you’re thinking right now, like how much you’re wishing I was moving inside you, causing you to shatter around me.” His voice is deep and rough, and the flexing of his jaw and the intensity of his dark eyes make me squeeze my thighs together, as desire reigns through my body.

His words turn me on, but I have to ignore that. I can’t let him be right. I have to control myself.

I roll my eyes. “Okay, let’s get one thing straight here.” I tap my index finger on the table. “You are not God’s gift to women. The way you affect me, is none of your concern. And you know what? It really doesn’t say much about you anyway since I’ve only had sex during meaningful relationships. Did you ever think that maybe the reason I enjoy it as much as I do isn’t because of you, but the thrill of not really knowing you? But rest assured, all of that will be gone by the end of this trip.”

I expected to piss him off. I want to piss him off as much as he’s pissing me off, but he smiles like he knows he’s getting to me and it creates an irrational rage inside me. “Keep telling yourself that, sweetheart.”

Really? That’s it? I just went off in a rant like a crazy person and that’s all he has to say? “God, you’re so fucking annoying!”

He smiles wide and laughs before running his hand over the five o’clock shadow he’s now sporting. It’s only makes him sexier, and I hate myself for even thinking that.

His laughing stops as the waitress places our plates in front of us. She practically throws mine down in front of me, but his, she places softly with a smile and doe eyes.

I snort. She may as well sit down and feed him too.

My snort draws both their eyes in my direction. River looks amused, but the waitress, not so much.

“Can I get you anything else?” she asks River sweetly.

He gives her a small smile and shakes his head with a polite no thanks.

When she walks away, he places his elbows on the table and sits up straight. “Would you like to try that again?” His blue eyes cut through me. They are getting darker by the second.

“Try what again?” I ask, my voice leaking nervousness from the way his eyes are taking me in and darkening with their journey.

“Trying to convince yourself that you have no claim to me.”

“Whatever,” is my great reply.

I’m not ready to admit anything yet. I can’t be having feelings for him of all people. I mean, yes, he’s sexy as fuck and knows how to manipulate my body like no one ever has, but he also annoys the shit out of me.

I pick up my burger and take a bite, immediately regretting it. I grab a napkin and spit the bite into it.

“What’s wrong?”

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