Page 13 of A Wilde Christmas

Davey growled. “Why are you hiding from him?”

“It’s none of your business, Wilde.”

“Yeah, it is. He made it my business when he hired WSW to find and protect you.”

Dammit. She should’ve known Dad would do this. She’d expected and planned for the moment he sent in his team of mercenaries after her. What she hadn’t planned for was him hiring the job out. “Well, then, tell him I’m safe and protected.”

“I’m not lying to Gabe Bristow. I respect him too much.”

“It’s not lying. He hired you to find me.” She spread her arms, knowing that his gaze would be drawn down to her nipples. She hadn’t bothered to put on a bra after he left for his family’s Christmas party, and the old T-shirt she’d found in his drawer was so thin it left little to the imagination. “And look at that, you found me. Mission accomplished.”

Davey stared at her chest for a beat too long, a muscle ticking in his jaw. Then he caught himself and tore his gaze away, crossing the living room to his bedroom door. “Get dressed. I’m taking you home.”

She followed him into his bedroom, mesmerized by how he moved, the swagger in his step that spoke of confidence and power. There was something so rugged and strong about him despite the limp.

In that way, Davey reminded her of her dad. Dad had a limp, too, but his injury was from a car accident and not from his time in the SEALs. Gabe Bristow had been heading back to base afterleave when a truck sideswiped him, killing his Navy career. But that had turned out to be a blessing in disguise, since a short time later, he met Audrey, Rowan’s mom, and fell in love.

God, she missed her parents. And all of her “uncles”—her father’s brothers-in-arms—who were probably worried sick about her. And even Rue, her annoying little sister.

It wasn’t fair that Davey got to spend Christmas Eve with his family while she was doing everything in her power to avoid hers.

To protect them, she reminded herself. She had to stay away for their safety.

So she’d been stuck here all day, pacing Davey’s cramped apartment, waiting for him to return so they could fuck each other boneless and she could forget all her troubles for just a little while.

She leaned against the door jamb and watched him pull off his shirt. He was all delicious hard muscle, and she wanted to take a bite out of that fine ass of his. “You don’t have to take me home tonight, do you? I thought we had Christmas plans.”

He didn’t answer. He just looked at her, his gaze dark and stormy.

Rowan uncrossed her arms and pulled off her shirt. Her nipples tightened to hard peaks at the blast of cool air. “If you wait until morning, I’ll let you do anything you want to me tonight.”

His breath hitched, and she smirked. She had him. “Anything,” she repeated and cupped her breasts, dragging her thumbs over her nipples. “I know you like it rough. You can be as rough as you need. Use me however you need.”

His nostrils flared with his exhale.

Oh, yeah. She definitely had him hooked on her line. Now, she just had to reel him in. “Look at you. Already hard.” She moved her gaze down his body like a caress, lingering on thebulge in his jeans. “You want to fuck me until we’re both sore, don’t you?”

“No.”

“Yes.” Her pussy clenched at the thought. “I want you to.”

They locked gazes for a long moment in a stubborn battle of wills before she stepped forward. She walked her fingers up his chest to his neck. His pulse thrummed under her touch as she traced his neck to his jaw. She dragged her nail over his split bottom lip, and he released a shaky exhale.

“Jesus,” he muttered, hauled her up to him, and crushed his mouth against hers. His hands dove into her hair, and he yanked her head back, exposing her throat for his kiss.

Rowan moaned at the feel of his teeth scraping her skin and his tongue lapping a hot path down to her breast. He played with her tits for a long time, teasing her nipples with his tongue and fingers, rolling and pinching each one until her legs shook.

Damn him for making her feel this good.

She hated him.

Hated being his fuck-buddy.

Hated being the dirty little secret he kept from his family.

Hated the way he made her feel.

Hated the way he made her want him.

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