Page 27 of Without Fail

That was exactly what he wanted. He wanted Marshal unable to resist this thing between them.

“We’ve been heading down this road for a long time.” He steadily held Marshal’s eyes and nothing seemed to be able to break their locked gazes until he flicked his tongue out to wet his dry lips.

Those steely blue eyes dropped to lock with laser focus on his mouth.

“Don’t you want to at least have a taste?” He breathed the words out with a whisper and cleaved his teeth into his bottom lip.

With a groan, Marshal’s hand suddenly cupped the back of his head and their parted lips were hotly fused together.

Taking advantage of the man’s momentary weakness, Ryker bit at Marshal’s mouth hungrily, fully expecting him to break away.

Only Marshal did not. The kiss deepened when the man’s tongue swept between his lips, stealing his breath away. Marshal’s hand tightened on the back of his head, keeping him still as his mouth was taken. The kiss was possessive and he felt branded and relished beneath the onslaught.

Marshal could have all of him.

Moaning into the kiss, Ryker caressed his tongue against Marshal’s and cleaved his fingers into the man’s thick hair.

Knuckles rapped on the window and Ryker almost had a heart attack, scrambling off of Marshal’s lap. He toppled into the passenger seat and gasped for breath. Marshal shoved the driver’s door open and stepped out.

Closing the car door, Ryker was engulfed in silence for a few seconds before he heard Tanner asking about the incident of Chad losing his tail.

He laughed and pressed a hand to his chest to calm his breathing. It wasn’t like anyone could see through the tinted windows into his sports car.

So, nobody really would know that they’d kissed, but he would. He would remember this moment for the rest of his life. He’d finally kissed Marshal Thomas.

And he wanted more.

Sliding out the passenger side door, he found Marshal standing with his back to the car. Tanner had returned inside. Ryker approached Marshal from behind and laid a gentle hand on the man’s back.

Marshal abruptly stepped away.

“Don’t do that again.”

The man’s growling tone sent his heart plunging and he squeezed his hands into fists at his sides.

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t think of you…like that.”

The words stung, but he responded quickly. “Your mouth sure the hell felt like you do.”

“Don’t overthink it. It was just a kiss and not a very good one.”

Ryker could help the offended gasp from escaping and when he tried to get around Marshal to get a look at the guy’s face, the bodyguard blocked him.

When a firm hand clamped around his arm, Ryker was marched through the back door. It was snapped closed, but Marshal hadn’t joined him.

“Fine!” he snarled, stalking through the house.

If that was the way Marshal wanted it, then so be it. He could ignore the kiss—that supposedly wasn’t all that good—andignore Marshal too.

The jerk.

His eyes burned, but he refused to let the asshole’s words affect him to the point of crying. He hadn’t shed real tears since he was little.

“This is war, you prick.” He felt better calling Marshal names and continued doing so all the way to his rooms.

Thunking his head against the wall in the garage, Marshal released the breath he was holding.

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