Page 47 of Fierce Protector

“Demi.”

No, no, no. Not now, when she was feeling so relaxed and all the good endorphins were rushing through her veins.

The tone of his voice sent her body into fight-or-flight mode. She was not ready for this talk.

But she couldn’t run forever.

“We’ve been in each other’s company for only a few weeks and slept together twice. I still feel like there’s so much to learn about you.”

Pushing into a sitting position, she issued a sigh.

He gave her a sharp look, then propped his spine against the headboard. He scrubbed a hand over his face and dragged his fingers through his hair, giving him a rumpled, boyish appearance that sent a dart of need to her core.

Exactly what she didn’t want right now.

“Look, Ledger. You’re a great guy.”

His brow shot up. “Are you seriously giving me the old ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ line, Demi?”

She drew the sheet over her bare breasts. She couldn’t hold a serious conversation about ending relations with him if her nipples betrayed her every word by puckering in anticipation of his talented, deliciously callused fingers.

“I have a career. I earn good money, enough to take care of a baby. I already have a house. I’ve got this.”

His rough bark of humorless laughter splashed a chill over her. “You’ve got it all planned out, don’t you? I get it. I’m the man who always has a plan. Except that night I came to Badlands, I wasn’t looking to get laid. Now look at what happens when I go through life without a plan—a surprise baby!”

“You don’t have to stress about it. I’ve got this, Ledger.”

“Saying things like that only causes me more stress, woman.” The low growl and the way he drawled woman made her nipples shrink to hard buds and throb for his tongue.

“Well…what would cause you less stress?” She could negotiate.

He riveted those gray eyes on her. “I’d like to get to know you. Since you’re the mother of my child.”

As she focused on his hard, bare chest with a light sprinkling of hair, her vision blurred. Bringing her attention up to his face, she asked, “Like…we date?”

“Why not? Besides hardly being able to keep my hands off you, I actually like you.”

An exhale of surprise passed her lips.

“I’d feel better about everything if we got to know each other better.”

“But what if things don’t work out? Then we have a child with parents that hate each other.”

“You’re saying we shouldn’t try in case things end badly? C’mon, Demi. We’re both adults. No matter what happens, we’ll do our best to make it work for the kid.”

Her lips felt too dry to speak. She swiped her tongue across the bottom one, and he tracked the movement.

“You realize in some circles, I could be seen as quite the catch.”

His words caught her off guard. A laugh bubbled out of her.

“Is that so?”

“Mm hmm. Besides my glorious record in the military, I’m not too rough on the eyes.”

That was the understatement of the century. The man was walking sex and sin.

He pulled the sheet away from his body and glanced down at his cock. “I’m above average.”

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