Page 79 of Fall Into Me

“And you’ll have to face everyone as the person who’s going to ruin their town.”

“That’s not what I’m doing.”

“Oh, and you’re a liar too, so you should probably be upfront about that.”

“I’ll take that under advisement.” I put the lasagna in the oven, closed the door, and turned to face Cali, who still had her attention on my still very hard cock.

Her eyes flicked up to mine, and she let out an honest to God growl. Like a little lion cub. “You make me—”

“Sick,” I finished for her with a grin. “I know.”

25

Fane

After

“Put medown!”Cali whisper-yelled while simultaneously squealing. I was pretty sure there was a giggle in there somewhere that she tried to disguise with a pretty burly-sounding “Grr.”

“Nope.” I reached up and slapped her ass lightly.

“Fane!” She really did yell that time. “You did not just do that!”

“Do what? This?” I slapped her ass again, and this time the giggle was definitely there before yet another grizzly harrumphing sound.

“Fane!” Cali’s squealing laugh was worth every second of all the middle fingers and cuss words I was sure were in my future. I set her down right next to my car.

“Motherfuckingfucking…fuck!” Cali stomped her foot, and the move was so unexpected my eyebrows shot up to myhairline. “You…you’re not allowed to do any of that ever again.” She held her hands up in a big X in front of her.

“Sorry.” I wasn’t sorry at all.

“I can drive myself.” She crossed her arms. “And you touched my ass. Twice.”

“I know you can, but I’m going to help and do it for you. And it’s a nice ass, but you’re right. I should’ve asked first.”

“I—” Her blush was fluorescent. “Thank you,” she mumbled before she frowned at herself and mouthed the word,What?

“Get in, we’re going to be late.” I jerked my head toward the open passenger side door.

“I’m not—”

“Cali, I swear to God, I will physically put you in that seat.”

Her face had gone slack, and her mouth hung open, but she did it, grumbling all about how she’d see how I’d like it if she slappedmyass and then something else that sounded a lot like, “What? No. Why would I touch his ass?”

Needless to say, she sulked the whole drive into Sunshine, arms crossed and whole body angled away from me. My attention was half on her, half on the road, and just like every other time her café came into question, the need as to why she picked that name wanted to be screamed in her general vicinity.

It sat like a lead weight at the bottom of my stomach. Like that same pathetic bit of hope that had been doused the moment I got into town suddenly started to show signs of a pulse.

But I held back. Even though my plan sucked, things were…I don’t know what they were. But they were changing, and I was approaching her like I would a scared little kitten. With caution and patience and protective gear.

“People are going to think I’m your hostage,” she said, jumping out of the truck and heading off down the alley to the café.

“People are going to think we’re inlove,” I corrected her, following just behind.

She snorted, tossing her words at me over her shoulder. “What a rude shock that will be for them.”

Oh, well. That wouldn’t do.

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