Page 48 of The Syphon King

“You’re not cute.”

“Don’t let Zeen hear you talk about herbeautifulKing that way,” Seer warned, bringing a massive wave of need through him.

“I’ll call you, Brother,” he said to Seer. Then to Lore, “And you. I want to know everything learned in every scan.”

“It’s all in your email. Call me and I’ll give you my opinions.”

His opinions. That meant they might all have different ones. Which meant they needed more data to work with.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’REmaking me do this,” Beth mutteredwith rising panic when they reached downtown Lafayette for theirparallel parkingdate. “You literally just spent an hour explaining to me how dire the next two months will be and everything would be back burnered for the expansion.”

“Yes, I did,” he said, his tone measured with patience.

Her stomach knotted as he parallel parked in a tight spot all zippity doodah. “And this is now more important than marital classes and weddings,” she said.

“It will only take one lesson, this I’m sure of,” he said.

“Well, giving me more thanzerominutes of warning would be really...thoughtful and evenrespectfulsince you know how I feel about it.”

Once parked, he sat with the truck idling and looked at her. She looked back at him, seeing that new something in his gaze. At its core, it was fear. Of what all, she wasn’t sure, and she wished he’d talk to her. “Just...do this for me. Yes?”

The soft beg in his tone gave her fears a punch in the hoo-hoo and she sighed in defeat. “Do you have to teach me in thishugetruck?”

“It’s ashortbed,” he said with a smile. “About the same length as a midsize car.” He turned off the truck and handed her the keys.

She snatched them from his hand before sighing extra big at the windshield and opening her door. Making her way around the truck, she realized the whole damn town was up and at ‘em right on that street.

She opened his door to him patting his lap.

“What?” she wondered, confused.

“I’m going to show you how to parallel park.”

He tapped his legs again and she balked. “I’m notsittingon your lap!”

“Come on. You’ll hold the wheel while I parallel park a couple of times and you’llfeelhow it’s done. Best way to learn.”

Her face burned with shame at imagining. “No!” she whispered. “I’m not driving around like somekidon daddy’s lap!”

“Fine,” he said, getting out and towering next to her like a bully, forcing her against the open door.

She shoved him away and watched as he laughed his way around the truck with his stupid gorgeous self. “Sit in your lap,” she muttered quietly, sure he was just screwing with her.

“Nobody can hear you Ma Petite,” he said, raking his hand through his gorgeous hair at the passenger door.

“Theuniversecanhear!” She climbed in and promptly got pulled into a passionate kiss.

“I’m going to pay you so good for all of this. Being my sweet angel?”

Her pulse shot a mile high at the threat in his lusty tone. “What are you doing?”

He held her face before him, smiling curiously at her question. “Giving you incentive.”

She took his hands and lowered them then moved them to his side of the car. “You’re becoming a big pain in the vagina.”

He filled her with his beautiful laugh, and she realized how desperate she was to hear it. Scarier than parallel parking was that brewing storm in the back of his gaze when she looked at him. Something so big he couldn’t seem to voice it or didn’t want to.

She faced forward, ready for the problems she could see and do something about. “Now I have to pull out of this tight mess.”

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