Page 117 of Joker in the Pack

“Got it.”

Our food arrived forty minutes later from the Italian place in Middleton Foxford, evoking memories of my trip there with Tate. He hadn’t contacted me since that last phone call, and the relief I felt told me I’d made the right decision by not pursuing things further.

“Heaven on a plate,” Nye said, flipping the lid open.

“Well, a cardboard box.”

He shrugged. “Saves washing up.”

Edward would have had a fit if I’d suggested eating without cutlery, but snuggling up on the sofa with Nye while he wrapped one arm around my shoulders and held a slice of pizza in the other hand felt like the most natural thing in the world. Every so often, his fingers strayed downwards, and soon there was a very different kind of hunger coursing through me.

“I should clear up,” I mumbled when he finished the last slice.

“Leave it.”

“But—”

His kiss caught me by surprise, and I ran the back of my hand down his cheek, feeling the bite of his stubble against my skin as his embrace tightened. His lips might have been soft, but other parts of him hardened rapidly as he pulled me into his lap.

“You want to head upstairs?” he asked.

I locked my gaze on his, and no other answer was necessary.

A shriek escaped my throat as he lifted me, one arm around my back and the other under my knees as if I weighed nothing. Effortless. Although he did trip over a stray footstool on the way to the stairs, mainly because I blocked his vision by kissing him again.

In the bedroom, he paused only to rip off his jumper before following me onto the bed, and I got my first look at him shirtless.

What had I done to deserve this man? I traced his abs with a finger in the dim glow from the bedside lamp, then moved my attention downwards. Flipping heck. It promised to be a tight fit—I could see that much.

But before I could explore further, he pinned my arms above my head with one hand while he used the other to undo the buttons on my blouse.

“Not so fast, Livvie. I want to have fun too.”

That seemed fair. Frustrating, but fair.

He raked his gaze down my chest before he dipped his head and trailed his tongue along the same route. When he blew across the cool trail it left behind, I broke out in goosebumps.

“Are you sure about this?” Nye whispered.

“I’ve never been so sure about anything in my life.”

I wanted to tear my own trousers off as he reached for my zipper. For goodness’ sake, hurry up!

And then his bloody phone rang.

Not with its usual ringtone, either, and he snatched it up.

“Nye.”

A pause.

“Okay, understood.”

He was already off the bed as he stuffed the phone into his trouser pocket.

“Get dressed, Liv. The team just spotted somebody out there.”

As we got downstairs, my newly installed security lights blazed on, and dark shadows dashed across the front garden. I tried to look out the window, but Nye pulled me away, into the gloom at the back of the room.

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