Page 81 of Fiery Romance

I come to an abrupt stop and Abe does too.

Island notices my son and the thunderous expression zips out of sight. She smiles at him. “Hi, Abe.”

My son frowns and says moodily, “I’m gonna find Mr. Jefferson.”

“Young man, don’t be rude. Answer—”

“It’s okay.” Island touches my hand.

My intention was to order Abe to return a greeting, but the impulse disappears when Island’s fingers brush my arm.

She pulls her hand back quickly, but I’m still off-center.

“What are you doing here?” I grumble at her, stalking away and hoping she can’t keep up.

I don’t run from my problems.

I take a .38 caliber and point it right between their eyes.

But I can’t pull a gun on my son.

Or on Island.

What else am I supposed to do but run?

Not that I’m getting anywhere.

Stubborn woman takes three steps for every one of mine, but she’s right on my tail. “Look, I thought about it and I think there was a misunderstanding yesterday.”

“No misunderstanding.” I take the stairs. “I said everything I needed to say.”

The guys greet me distractedly, their eyes all glued on Island’s tiny waist and big hips which, outside of her delicious mouth, is probably one of the sexiest things about her.

I glare at one guy who’s doing a long double-take of her backside.

He nearly stumbles as he races away.

Damn. I hate that she’s so beautiful. I hate that every guy in here probably wants to get between those thighs.

I hate how muchIwant to get between them.

Island follows me down the hall. “Well, I didn’t.”

When I show no signs of slowing down, she hurries in front of me and blocks my way. Her eyes are glistening honey in the sunshine and she’s clearly adamant.

Now is not the time to be thinking about what she would feel like, hot to the touch and breathing heavily beneath me.

I brush the thought from my mind. “What do you want to say?”

“Look, I know how…” She motions to me, “sensitive parents are about their, well,parenting.So I shouldn’t have attacked your style. I get that you have your own way of doing things and I acknowledge that I shouldn’t say anything about it unless you’re crossing a line.”

My eyebrows fly all the way up. “You’re apologizing?”

“I’m acknowledging that I might have been too hasty with all the… not-so-kind things I said and thought about you.”

My lips curl up.

Though the thoughts were ‘not-so-kind’, I’m a little excited that she was thinking about me too.

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