Page 84 of Burn the Wild

My jaw tightens at the haughty tone of her voice.

This is why she turns me on. One minute we’re friends. The next, she’s pushing my buttons every chance she gets.

“I’ve had people helping me my entire life,” she says with a toss of her braids. “That’s why I’m here to help myself.The last thing I need is you.”

My chest feels like a bullet just tore through it. That fucking emerald gaze of fire burns into me as she stands and pushes past me for the door, but I’m on her heels.

“Drop the attitude.” I catch her by the hips and pull her against me. She gasps and wiggles in my firm hold.

“Rude,” she snaps.

I spin her around. “You need a little rude in your life. You also need a goddamn spanking.” For a moment, only the sound of ourragged breaths. “Cut the tantrum shit out right now,” I growl. “And sit your ass down.”

With a defiant huff of breath, she stares at me. “No.”

There’s something in my ribcage. A taut string. And the minute she steps into me, it snaps.

The fire between us finally combusts.

This maddening woman.

Fuck it.

I grip the back of her neck and slam her mouth to mine.

Reese clutches me tightly in her arms, and her lips return the kiss with startling urgency.

I melt into the kiss, my hand clasping the back of her neck to keep her against my lips. She tastes like I expected. Dangerous.

Deadly.

Goddamn exciting.

Kissing Reese is like soaking my soul in gas and setting my heart on fire.

Before I’m ready for it to end, Reese pulls away from me, her plump lips a pink pout. “We can’t do this,” she murmurs. Her lower body shifts against me.

Torturously.

“We can,” I rasp. The arch of her body into mine. The flare of her nostrils. I read her signals loud and clear. “We can, Birdie Girl.”

I drop my face into her throat and walk her backward until she reaches the side of the Chevy. I don’t need to hear the reasons we shouldn’t do this. I already fucking know them.

She’s twenty-six, I’m thirty-seven. She’s a rock star, I’m a fucking mechanic. She’s my employee, I’m her boss.

So many things are wrong between us, but it feels so right.

I’ve wanted this girl since she walked onto the ranch.

One taste of her and this obsession will be out of my system.

I press her against the Chevy and lean in, dragging my mouth across her throat. “You want it as bad as I do?”

With a whimper, she rakes her nails through my hair. “Yes,” she gasps, her words music to my ears. “Yes, God, yes. I want you.”

“That’s not my name, honey, so let’s try it again.”

Her long lashes flutter. “Ford,” she whispers.

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