Page 60 of Property of Fox

“Why me?” The question slips out before I can overthink it. “You could have anyone you want. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you turn heads?—”

“Those heads aren’t mine to collect,” he interrupts with a grin. “Trust me, they’re just noise. You? You’re different.”

“Different how?” I press, curiosity piquing as I lean closer, drawn by his magnetic energy.

He takes a moment, eyes narrowing as if he's weighing his words carefully. “It’s hard to explain. I won’t lie to you and say that I haven’t had my fair share of one-night stands because I have. But none of them have meant anything. No one has except for you.”

A flutter of disbelief stirs in my stomach as I process his words. “Me? But you hardly know me.”

“I know enough,” he counters, his gaze unwavering as the truck glides through the dimly lit streets. “I know you’re smart. I know you can keep up with my banter and challenge me like no one else has. And maybe that’s part of it. There’s something about your fire I can’t ignore.”

Just as those words hang in the air between us, he pulls into the parking lot of his hotel. The neon sign flickers a dull red against the twilight sky, illuminating his rugged features as heshuts off the engine. The heavy silence envelops us once more, filled only by the soft thump of my heart echoing in my ears.

“We can take things slow if that’s what you want,” he offers, breaking into my thoughts. “I know you haven’t talked much about why you’re starting over here in Dallas, and I’m not going to ask about it. You’ll tell me when you’re ready. But this,” he says, motioning between us. “This is real.”

“But your life isn’t here. Your job and your club aren’t here.”

His brow furrows ever so slightly, and I can see the wheels turning in his handsome head. “Maybe not,” he says slowly. “But fate has a funny way of making things work out.”

I swallow hard. “Fate, huh?” I can’t help but feel the gravity that pulls me closer to him.

“Yeah,” he murmurs, leaning in slightly, his breath warming my skin. “I mean, why not? Life’s too short to follow all the rules, and I’ve learned that sometimes you have to take chances.”

“Is that your motto?” I ask. “Break all the rules?”

He chuckles softly, that warm sound echoing in my chest. “Not all of them. Just enough to make it interesting.”

Those last words hang heavy in the air. My pulse quickens as he reaches out, brushing my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering along my jawline. “Take a chance on me, Brea.”

His touch sends a thrill shooting down my spine, an electric buzz that pulls me into his orbit. I open my mouth to respond, but the words catch in my throat as I catch a glimpse of vulnerability hidden in his deep brown eyes.

I take a moment to study him, every line of his face. God, he is infuriatingly charming. “Let me show you how much I want this,” he says, closing the distance between us with an earnestness that makes the world around us fall away as our mouths meet. His lips are warm and inviting, coaxing mine into a dance that starts slow but quickly turns hungry. I clutch theback of his neck, urging him closer as his hands find their way to my waist.

I pull away first. “Yes.”

“Good,” he replies softly, the corners of his mouth lifting in delight as he studies my expression. “Let’s go up to my room. The last thing I need is for both of us to end up in cuffs for and indecent exposure.”

He slips from his side of the truck, and before I can even process his words, he opens my door and scoops me up effortlessly like I’m light as air. A startled squeak escapes my lips as he throws me over his shoulder, my legs kicking instinctively in protest, but laughter bubbles out of me. "Fox! Put me down!"

I catch glimpses of bystanders' surprised faces as we burst through the hotel lobby doors. They must think we're in some kind of scene from a romantic comedy. He's striding with purpose toward the elevator. Those long legs moving swiftly beneath him.

“People are watching!”

“Let them,” he fires back before smacking my ass for good measure.

The doors slide shut behind us with an echoing thud, and then there's just us in this small space. The elevator rises a few floors before stopping. As the doors slide open with a ding, Fox steps out with confidence. He sets me down gently, but the moment my feet touch the ground, he pulls me in close, wrapping an arm around my waist.

“Room 312,” he mutters under his breath, guiding me down the hallway until we reach a door lit only by the soft glow of a nearby lamp. He produces a card key from his pocket with a flourish before swiping it across the lock and pushing the door open.

Inside, the room is surprisingly spacious, with dim lighting creating an inviting atmosphere. A king-sized bed takes centerstage. As soon as the door clicks close behind me, Fox pounces, hoisting me up against the door. My legs instinctively wrapping around his legs. His lips crash against mine with a fervor that ignites every nerve ending in my body. I gasp as he deepens the kiss, his hands gripping my thighs, anchoring me against the door like I'm the most precious thing in the world.

“Damn,” he breathes against my mouth, his breath hot and deliciously intoxicating. “I didn't think I’d be so lucky.”

“Lucky? You seem to be the one with all the power here,” I chaff, my fingers weaving through his hair as he grinds his hips into me.

He grins, that goofy smile melting any doubt lingering in my mind. “Lucky that I found you before anyone else did. The things I’d do just to have you.” His voice drops low and sultry, an intimate promise that chills me in the best way possible.

“You do have me. I’m right here.”

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