Page 21 of The Rancher's Vengeful Heart

LUCIUS STIFLED HISsmile when Tassy stepped out of the ladies' looking flustered. The kiss-swollen state of her lips had obviously been a surprise, and she was now doing her best to avoid meeting anyone's gaze as she made her way back to him.

"Everything alright?" he asked mildly.

"Everything's fine." Tassy had made her choice earlier, and she was determined to stick to it. Since Xylan had painfully proven the fact that time wasnota factor in how long a relationship would last, there was nothing to stop her from giving everything she had to make things work between her and Lucius.

If people thought theirs was a whirlwind romance—-they weren't going to get any argument from her.

And if people thought she was only with him for the money? That was fine, too.

This was a free world they all lived in, and that was why Tassy had also decided to embrace her real self now that she was with Lucius.

For better or for worse.

And no matter how embarrassing it would prove to be at the start.

Like now.

Tassy could feel her cheeks turning red at being the first one to reach for Lucius' hand as they started walking. She was hoping he would take the hint, but when she felt him push her hand away instead—-

How dare he?

Her indignant gaze flew up to his, andof coursethat was when she saw his eyes gleaming in a terribly familiar way.

"You bully—-"

Lucius only chuckled when she hit his shoulder with a fist, and he only grabbed her hand to yank her back when she tried walking away.

"You have it wrong, Tassina."

Tassy bit back a groan when merely hearing him say her name had her whole body tingling again.

"What you've turned me into is a sadist."

Any woman would have run away at such words—-so why did she have this desire to throw herself back into his arms instead?

I'm doomed.

And when she saw the smirk that unfolded over his beautiful lips—-

So doomed.

"You know already, don't you? How you're looking—-"

Tassy automatically covered her ears. "I can't hear you—-"

But of course, this only had the billionaire gently pulling her hands away even as he smirked down at her.

"Am I really that irresistible?"

"No!"

"Funny how your lips say one thing," he mused, "while your eyes adoringly—-"

His Tassina made a gagging sound, and unbelievably as this might be, it was this sound she made, and the reaction she gave, that had Lucius no longer able to hold himself back.

Tassy could only squeak in surprise when Lucius suddenly had her pressed against a wall, and even with so many other passengers walking past them—-

Aaaah!

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