Page 21 of Ruthless Savage

“Making you see me…”

I see you, love. I see you so damn much, it hurts to be near you.

When I don’t say anything back, she laughs.

“You told me to change, so I am.” She sounds all throaty and sensual as hell.

A rumbling groan emerges from my lungs. “Go in the bathroom, Eriu, I swear. This is inappropriate.”

I continue to face the other way.

“Why? Afraid you’ll get hard? Maybe if you don’t, I’ll finally realize I’m not your type.”

Not my type…

I chuckle to myself. If she only knew.

“Anyone with eyes would be attracted to you.”

She inhales sharply, and I realize maybe I shouldn’t have said that, but I didn’t want her thinkin’ low of herself. She’s stunning.

“But I’m not the one you’re gonna be with.” I throw that in so she realizes I have not changed my mind.

“Why?” Her voice goes small and sad, and I want to reach for her and hold her close.

“Because I’m way older, and my life will only lead you to further danger. I’ve no plans to marry anyone either way, and when your father finds you a husband, it’ll be because it will create a strong alliance for the family. Marrying me wouldn’t do that for ya.”

She snickers. “The family. Right. What happened to people falling in love and marrying for those reasons? My sister did.”

“She may have, but she got lucky. Doesn’t happen that way for many of the people in your position, and you know this.”

“I wish I wasn’t a Quinn…” She sniffles. “I wish…ouch!”

“Eriu?” I flip around immediately and find her on the floor, her foot twisted.

And she’s still very much naked.

Lord have mercy on my soul.

“Tripped on the chair.”

She winces as she tries to cover her breasts with her arms, but my God, I’ve seen the whole lot of her. I can’t ever forget it.

“Can you stand?” I reach a hand to help her up, looping my arm through hers.

“I don’t know,” she mutters, rising to her feet while trying to cover herself, and I do my best to close my eyes while assisting her.

I look back just to find the clothes she dropped on the floor.

She continues to cover her breasts, keeping her knees locked.

“Think we’re past bein’ shy now, love. Seen everything there was to see.” My lips jerk, and her cheeks grow in color. “You did take off your clothes for me.” I grasp her jaw and near my lips to hers, so close I can taste her scattered breaths. “Didn’t think things through, did ya?”

Her inhales grow shallower as my thumb inadvertently runs across her full mouth. I should teach her a lesson so she never does this again.

There I go, rationalizing it again…

My blood’s laced with desire as I take in her doe-eyed expression. Her father would kill me for this, but he won’t know.

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