Page 36 of Chase Me

She never should have let it go that far. So he had shownmore interest in her than Wes or any other man she'd ever dated. Or not dated. Didn't mean they were going to live happily ever after.

Even though she let her imagination run all the way up the aisle, it wasn't like her to just jump into bed—or jump into a phone booth—with a guy she had only met yesterday.

Met wasn't even accurate. He kidnapped her. And then she'd gone and slept with him.

What the holy cannolis?

Her emotions were completely out of whack, and that was affecting her judgment. It had to be this place. She knew better.

Emotions made one do dumb and stupid things, like sleep with a dragon.

The white witch, formerly known as Mrs. Bohacek, had warned her that suppressing her emotions, like she had grown up doing her entire life, would burn down the house. She had already almost burned up Jakob's treasure trove.

There was a difference between suppressing one's emotions and keeping a calm and clear mind. That wasn't the same thing. Not at all. Not even close.

Okay then, she would calmly and clearly eat and then tell Jakob thanks, but no thanks. She wanted to go home. They were beyond kidnapper and kidnappee now. They could have an adult conversation at last.

She never had his whosie-whatsie in the first place, and he would understand that now.

He would fly her home. Or maybe she would take a few more days off and spend them in Prague. Not like anyone had missed her anyway. Not like she had anyone to go home to.

She could go home next week to her sad and pathetic life lusting after a man who didn't even want her, and workingninety hours a week for her mother helping other people get their happy ever afters.

Yeah. Good plan.

Jakob whistled as he guided her through the house to the kitchen. Of course he did. He was a dude who just got laid.

With no strings attached.

He snagged a soft green throw off a chair they passed and stopped long enough to wrap it around her like a shawl. His fingers rubbed over the place between her neck and shoulder where he’d bitten her.

Who would have thought she’d be into biting? But when he’d dug his teeth into her, man oh man, how her body had said ‘hell yeah.’

“You won’t be wearing any of this long, but I promise to get you all the most beautiful clothes in the world if you want them. Except for panties. No panties. Ever.”

She didn’t know what to say to that. No man had ever offered to buy her clothes. She didn’t need him to anyway. She had a closet stuffed to overflowing at home. Where she would be tomorrow.

Ciara opened her mouth to say as much, but her stomach growled, or maybe it was her psyche. Either way a cheeseburger would do wonders. They could talk afterwards.

He bopped her on the nose. For real. Like something an adorable couple would do.

They were not a couple. They never would be.

“Come on, let’s see what kind of meal we can whip up. We’ll need our strength.”

He winked at her and brushed his lips across hers.

She wished he wouldn’t do that. It made it hard to keep that calm and clear mind.

Jakob smacked her on the butt and then put his hand onthe small of her back, guiding her to the kitchen. Every tingle she’d ever had in her entire life was nothing compared to the buzzy bees tickling her right where Jakob’s hand rested.

They walked into the kitchen, but Jakob stopped short, just inside the entry way. He moved like The Flash and jumped in front of her. Ciara squeaked, expecting another attack from the snake people. None came.

She tentatively peeked around him to see what other kind of scary monster might be in the kitchen.

A man leaned against the counter, arms folded, like he didn’t have a care in the world. Except there was something about the way his eyes were on alert, going to her face and then Jakob’s face. He wasn’t relaxed, even a little bit.

Neither was Jakob. He squeezed her hand and did his best to block her view of the visitor.

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