Page 29 of Hot for Hostage

“You just said we’re all friends here.”

I watched in amusement as a light flush crept up her neck. I wasn’t usually one to be this interested in a woman, but Sadie was full of surprises. It made me want to see what she’d do next.

“Okay, maybe I jumped the gun a little.” She winced. “But Bruno is my friend, and I thought you and I were getting there. Rescue missions usually bring people closer together, right?”

“I’m not interested in being your friend, Sadie.” I placed my palm on the small of her back, and she gulped.

Her brow furrowed with a frown. “You’re not?”

My gaze dropped to her parted lips. A bit of ice cream had gotten on the lower one, and any restraint I had evaporated. “Not even a little.”

We were close enough she had to crane her neck to look up at me, which I took full advantage of by sliding my hand up to theback of her slim neck and leaning down to claim her lips like I’d been wanting to since she aimed that gun at me?—

—only for a sharp tug on my heel to pull us apart before I’d even gotten a taste.

“What the hell?—?”

melting the ice cream

. . .

Sadie

Sadie’s Guide toHostage-TakingBeing Taken HostageForming a Partnership with Your Hostage, Tip #9: Ice cream is a great way to celebrate a successful hostage-taking. If you’re so inclined, your ex-hostage can join you.

Bear’s growl reverberated through the ice cream parlor. One moment Davian’s lips were a breath from mine and I was frozen in place, and the next Bear yanked him away from me. Davian hopped backward on one foot just as Bear viciously ripped his other shoe off.

If I weren’t so horrified by Bear’s sudden obsession with Davian’s footwear, I would’ve collapsed in a laughing fit at the scene.

Bear pranced backward, brandishing the black loafer like a hard-earned war prize before bounding off into the corner.

“Bear, no!” I yelled, pushing past Davian to give chase, but he slung an arm around my front like a steel band. It pulled me to a quick halt.

“Let him go,” Davian said, not sounding the least bit bothered by Bear’s thievery. But the shoe had to be expensive. “He’s distracted now.”

I winced at Bear thrashing around his newfound treasure. Then Davian’s hand slid down to my hip—making my heart jump into my throat—and all thoughts of dogs and fancy footwear evaporated. My back was flush against his firm front.

Oh.

Oh dear.

I squeaked, trying to focus on the issue at hand. My voice was far too high pitched when I got it to work again. “But your shoe…”

But Davian’s hand on my hip was already turning me to face him, and his dark gaze cut off the rest of my protest. A fledgling smirk grew at the corner of his mouth, pulling my attention. It was unfair how attractive the smirk made him. “It’s a small price to pay so I can do this without interruption.”

He leaned in with deliberate slowness—like a predator toying with his prey. Turned out I was into that, because my heart was beating as fast as Bear’s tail wagged during feeding time, and a spike of adrenaline hit.

Davian’s lips met mine—slow and teasing—before molding against them with a hunger that stole my breath.

As I leaned into him, my free hand found his side. I’d never been one to waste ice cream, but the cone dropped from my hand without a second thought as I matched his hungry pace.

The answering rumble deep in his chest left my insides trembling.

Davian barely gave me time to catch up before he cupped the back of my neck and deepened the kiss, igniting flames in my belly. He tasted sweet like vanilla, and I now had zero complaints about his ice cream choice.

Bear’s low growl went ignored. The world faded around us. All I could focus on was giving as much as I got.

Until Bruno tutted behind the counter, breaking our kiss-induced spell. “Careful, kids. You’re melting the ice cream.”

---