Page 36 of Hot for Hostage

Sadie’s eyes bugged out, and if her cheeks were pink before, they were blazing red now. “Never mind. I just meant it’sreallysweet of you to offer, but Bear and I will be just fine here. Right, boy?”

I glanced at the monstrous beast as he finished inhaling his dinner and hopped onto the couch beside her. He rested his head on her lap, but what Sadie had said tripped me up.

No one had ever called mesweetbefore.

She smothered the dog with pets and kisses, and I swear the furry bastard winked at me.

But watching Sadie cuddling with Bear in her cute apartment—with her pink hair and overalls—just confirmed what I’d realized earlier. This girl wasn’t cut out for my life. She was too good for it. If I were a better man, I’d walk away right now.

Lucky for me, I wasn’t.

“All right, but the offer is always open.” I curled my finger at her. “Now come here.”

Her head cocked to the side in question, but she rose from the couch and padded closer. When she stopped in front of me with big trusting eyes, I reached for her neck and tipped her chin up further.

“You’re a good girl, aren’t you, Sadie?” I asked.

Her eyelids drooped, and she relaxed—almost melting into me. She’d reacted the same way to my words of praise in the car. “Today wasn’t a great example, but I try my best.”

Her neck was soft and fragile under my grip. Too fragile—like the little bunny I’d seen her as when we first met. I stroked my thumb against her skin and leaned down before stopping an inchfrom her lips. She even smelled like the sweetest temptation. Baked goods and vanilla. Way too sweet for a bastard like me.

And that only made her more attractive.

“Then be a good girl and give me a kiss.”

Sadie’s eyes widened before she placed her hands on my chest and stretched up to meet my lips in a tentative kiss that shouldn’t be this arousing. Her lips were plump and soft and highly addictive.

It was supposed to be a quick goodbye, but when a soft sigh escaped Sadie’s lips, I cupped the back of her head and slid an arm around her waist, deepening the kiss. She melted against me. I could easily get hooked on the sweet way her body surrendered to a kiss. I could also spend all night kissing her.

Tasting her.

Devouringher.

Then the damn dog gave a warning growl from the couch, and Sadie tensed in my arms.

I reluctantly pulled back and kept my voice low, not sparing a look at Bear. “Can we lock him in the bathroom?”

Sadie’s kiss-swollen lips twitched. “I think you already know the answer to that.”

A nice way to say I wasn’t getting chosen over the dog.

Pity.

I held out a hand, palm up. “Let me see your phone, then.”

Sadie pulled her phone out of her overalls and handed it over without hesitation. Her quick trust made something in my chest snap.

The phone had a pink case with a cupcake charm, and the background picture was a group of dogs in a play area. I blinked at the overload of cuteness before adding my number and texting myself.

When I looked back at Sadie, her fingers rested on her lips and a blush had consumed her cheeks as she stared into space.

She had no right to be so damn adorable.

“There, now you have my number,” I said, sliding the phone back into her overalls. Sadie jerked out of her daze and looked back at me. “Text or call me if you want to talk before tomorrow night, okay?”

The way she nodded shouldn’t make my chest expand, but I hid my smile by leaning forward and kissing her forehead. “I’ll pick you up at seven. Be good, sweetheart.”

Sadie grinned widely. “You be good, too.”

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