Page 17 of The Female Warrior & The Charming Gentleman

He nodded.

“Sleep as long as you want,” Autumn repeated what Jared had said. “I’ll either wait in the hallway for you or I’ll leave my bedroom door open once I’m awake.”

Jarom eased closer to her, taking great satisfaction in her pulling in a quick breath and backing into the wall behind her. “What if I wake up first, love? Should I come jump on your bed?”

“No monkeys jumping on my bed,” she said.

He grinned. “I’m teasing. I would let you sleep. Even though my beautiful Athena doesn’t need to be any more brave, tough, or gorgeous.” He would like to watch her sleep, but that sounded like a creeper thing to say so he held it in.

She rolled her eyes, but her golden spheres were warm. “I don’t sleep in, so don’t worry about that.”

“Neither do I. Despite what the world portrays, I am a busy and accomplished businessman, not just a playboy.” Why he felt like he needed to tell her that was beyond him.

“It’s obvious you work hard, or you wouldn’t be wealthy independent of your parents’ fortune, correct?”

He loved when she revealed that she knew a lot about him.

“But you are with a different date every evening, or has social media got that all wrong?”

“Does that bother you, love?” He rested both palms on the wall, framing her shoulders. The pulse point in her neck took off. How gratifying.

“Of course it doesn’t,” she said quickly. “How many times do we have to establish that we’re both flirts and players?”

He would give up flirting with any other woman to tease with her and be close to her every day for the rest of his life. Rather than terrifying and confining, the idea sounded inspired. Was the good Lord finally sending him the angel his parents had prayed for since the day he graduated Colorado State with his MBA and they imagined his bachelor years were winding down?

“Understood,” he murmured, not wanting to debate with her or define lines right now. He eased closer and bent down until their breath intermingled. Hers came tellingly quick. Was it his imagination or did she arch toward him just a bit? He’d use the ‘only flirting’ ploy he’d instigated to change her world and give her a vision of their future. “If we are both confirmed players, a goodnight kiss should be no big deal for either of us.”

She sucked in a breath so quick he felt the intake against his own lips. He smiled, loving that he affectedher and praying she’d agree. He’d convince her with this kiss that he was done being a player, he was done being anything but the man she wanted by her side the rest of her life.

She leaned back slightly, studying him and searching his soul. He tried to convey that his line may have been flippant but his intentions were not. Heaven above had brought them together. He could feel it. Could she? He caught a glint of fear in her eyes, almost as if she were cornered.

Before he could react, she moved.

Dodging underneath his arm, she whipped around behind him, grabbed his right arm, and yanked it behind his back and up. He winced in pain as his shoulder blade was almost popped out of socket and his arm bent in an unnatural position.

“Whoa,” he muttered. “I barely noticed you were moving and suddenly my arm’s dislocated from the socket.” He took a steadying breath. “Nice one, Athena.”

“Keeping you on your toes, Adonis,” she breathed against the back of his neck.

“Perfect,” he grunted out, the pain reaching an excruciating level.

Eli had taught him how to break a hold similar to this, but he didn’t want to do anything that could hurt Autumn. ‘Gentleman’ was part of his breeding and his makeup. Even if he hadn’t been obsessed with gentlemanly behavior, he wouldn’t want to hurt Autumn. She was special to him. Ironic, because the pain in his arm and shoulder proved she had no problem hurting him.

“I’m guessing this means no goodnight kiss?” he asked, humiliated that his normally deep voice pitched up.

“You’re a fast learner,” she said. The warm breath on his neck almost distracted him from the near-future breaking of his arm or shoulder dislocation. He wasn’t certain which wouldgive first or which injury would be worse to recover from. He loathed downtime from work and exercise.

“Don’t try to kiss me again,” she warned in a conversational tone, “or this agony will feel like a love tap.”

Jarom held his silence and his breath. He wouldn’t agree to anything, even if she did break his arm.

When he was certain he couldn’t take one more second without begging her for mercy, Autumn released his arm. She sprang away from him.

He slowly turned to face her, not shaking out his arm or cradling it against his abdomen with his other hand like he really wanted to. Thank heavens tomorrow was leg day. If he could even find equipment to work out with.

Her face was as closed off as he’d ever seen it. She was hurting internally, and she’d lashed out to protect herself.

“Well, goodnight then.” Her voice was falsely bright. She shooed him into his room with her hand.

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