Page 60 of Queen Of WildCards

Mybrow lifted asIstared at it. "Sweetride, buddy."

Heclicked his key fob and hid a soft smile behind his curtain of hair, still redder than a sunburn. "Thanks."

Itugged my door open and slid in, relishing the feel of the butter-smooth leather against my thighs asIgot comfortable.Thefucking heelsSpadehad insistedIwear were uncomfortable, andIwasted no time lifting one leg to my lap soIcould tug the buckles free.

Suddenly,Jokerwas at my side, kneeling on the ground, shielded by the door from view.Hiseyes fell to my legs, his hands hovering above his knee, lips parted slightly. "Whydon't you let me help you with those?Theylook awful uncomfortable, doc."

Ibit my lip but nodded my assent, twisting my body in the seat to let my legs dangle in the open doorway.Hissoft hands set to immediate work, slipping the band free of its buckles and fastenings with a practiced move before sliding them down the length of my calf, long fingers brushing my ankle as he freed me from the wretchedly uncomfortable torture devices.Isucked in a quick, shocked breath when he moved to the second leg, feeling very exposed even thoughIwas wearing shorts this time instead of a skirt.

Istill felt bare, likeImight as well be wearing next to nothing where he was concerned.

Especiallywhen his hands tenderly cupped the arch of my foot and set it inside the car, then trailed up the inside of my calf, over my knee, and swirled little patterns into the skin of my thigh like a brand.

"Youknow, my namedoessound rather sexy whenyousay it."

Hisfingers brushed the sensitive strip of my inner thigh that sent shivers through me, his eyes lifted to mine for a brief second, and a knowing smile brushed over his lips.

Icouldn't resist tucking a stray hair behind my ear while he watched, feeling very much like an ordinary girl at that moment, out on a date with a considerate man, about to share a tender kiss.

ExceptIwasn't an ordinary girl, he wasn't a considerate, ordinary man, this wasn't a date, and this wasn't about to turn into a kiss—

"Mallory," he breathed, inching closer, his hand frozen on my thigh as our faces neared, the whole process achingly slow as his fucking gorgeous blue eyes smoldered me into a pile of ash.Ifhe was a flame,Iwas a phoenix, and allIwanted to do was fucking burn, to be reborn right the fuck now.

"Cass,"Iwhispered, reaching out to take his sharp jaw between my palms and yank him closer, our lips barely touching, the final barrier beforeIdid somethingIwould surely regret later.

Buthe'd come to my rescue, and likeSpadewell knew,Iwas an adrenaline junkie, and the whole ordeal left me hot and bothered and totally off-kilter.Ifelt wild and untamed, likeIshould do somethingIwouldn't do under normal circumstances.

SoIkissed him.

Andfuck all if he didn't kiss me right the hell back, so damn goodIforgot my name.

Thesinful moan he let out as our lips parted nearly had me coming undone as his hands planted on the seat beside my hip and against the dash, and his whole body crowded me into my seat now, his hips between my knees, like he'd crawled a thousand miles to taste my lips and found me sweeter than the headiest nectar.

Iitched to run my fingers along his throat, to the back of his neck, where those golden locks met his skin and teased the tip of his spine, soIlet them, opening myself to him as his knee found purchase on the edge of the seat, his head tilting down now to keep us connected as he struggled not to climb on top of me in the fucking front seat.Hisother foot stayed connected to the ground outside, and thank god one of us was still thinking clearly, because my senses had all left me as his tongue delved into my mouth, running across the side of mine and sliding around it in a circle like he'd been born to kiss.

"Fuck,"Ipanted against him, my lips shifting to get a better angle as he plundered away, stealing my breath, my sanity, my whole fucking lot of dignity—or what was left of it.Thathand frozen on my thigh hadn't moved, either, andImarveled at his decorum and control, even asIarched against the feelings he inspired in me.

Headiness.Need.Urgency.Attraction.Lust.

Fuck,Iwas toast.DidIsayIwanted to get in his car and ride home with him?

Wasit too late to call the forward-but-not-as-tenderSpade?

"Sucheloquent speech, sugar," he breathed against my lips, touching but not, our noses tip to tip, lashes fluttering as we tried and failed not to make direct eye contact. "Doyou kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Ipushed back the familiar ache at the reminder of the woman who'd given everything in her efforts to raise me right and dragged out a quip to match his.

"No, butIkiss bad men with it."

Hisgroan was fucking downright feral as the words hit home, but instead of pushing forward likeIexpected him to, he pulled back and yanked himself out of the car, waiting patiently for me to drag my other leg in before he closed the door between us.

Icould see the fucking stiffy he was sporting against the seam of his jeans, but he didn't press, didn't push me likeSpadedid, and for some reason, that was even hotter than the rushI'dgotten whenSpadetook me, urgent and desperate, on the hood of his car.

I'dset out to bring these men to their knees, to land somewhere in the safe pile of people they wouldn't kill, and instead,Iwas out here losing my heart to these criminal bastards, their devil-may-care lifestyle rubbing off on me the longerIremained their captive.

Whoknew; maybe soon,Iwouldn't even want to leave.

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

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