Page 92 of Reckless Harmony

“It was fine,” she said.

He squeezed her ass, not the least bit annoyed by her blatant lie. “Do I need to remind you how many times you begged me to come, Ms. Abrams?”

She flushed, her gaze skittering away from his. “Begging is a strong word. I asked politely a few times.”

He laughed so hard that her entire body jiggled on top of him. She poked him in the chest, but her back arched when he cupped her breasts and rubbed his thumb over her nipples. “Stop that.”

“I could stop,” he said, leaning forward to kiss along her collarbone, “or you could join me in the shower, and I’ll give you the chance to ask me politely to come again.”

Her hands gripped the back of his head, but instead of pulling him away, she pushed his mouth toward her nipple. He sucked it into a hard point again, her soft moans and cries urging him on.

He muttered a curse when her phone rang, and she tugged him off her nipple. “Ignore it.”

“I can’t.” She climbed off his lap and snagged her phone from her hoodie pocket. “Rayna speaking.”

He had a blanket draped over the sofa arm, and she wrapped it around her naked body. Damn shame that was. He sat back on the couch as Rayna frowned.

“Wait, they’re what?” Rayna asked.

She listened and then said, “Okay, well, we don’t usually take small animals. How often is he sneezing? Can you put them in another room with the door closed for now? I know of someone who might be able to foster them. I can talk to them tomorrow, and … no. No, you absolutely cannot put them outside. No, not even if you cover their cage with a blanket. They will freeze to death, Ginny. Yes, they will. No, you can’t…”

Rayna hit mute on her phone and snapped, “For fuck’s sake! Why are people so fucking awful!” before taking a deep breath and unmuting the call. Her voice calm and pleasant, she said, “Ginny, I’ll be there in twenty minutes. Do not put them outside, all right? Good. I’ll see you soon.”

She ended the call and started dressing. He grabbed his clothes. “What’s going on?”

“Ginny Mayler’s oldest brought home two guinea pigs, and her youngest is sneezing and stuffed up. She’s freaking out, thinks they’ll put him into anaphylactic shock or something and wants to put them outside.”

He buttoned and zipped his jeans. “Can’t the older kid just take them back to where they got them?”

“Apparently not.” She yanked her t-shirt over her head. “She took them from some kid at school whose father threatened to kill them if he didn’t get rid of them.”

“But you’re a cat and dog rescue,” he said.

“Technically, yes, but we take in small animals like guinea pigs and bunnies in emergencies.”

She shoved her feet into her boots as he pulled his shirt over his head and followed her toward the door. She paused in the hallway. “What are you doing?”

“Going with you,” he said.

“No,” she said.

Hurt washed over him, and he was immediately annoyed by both the feeling and the fact that she could see her rejection hurt him.

“I’m just picking up guinea pigs. It’s nothing dangerous,” she said.

“Right,” he said. Christ, he sounded like a pouting little kid.

Her face softened. “Ginny is best friends with Seo-Jun. If you come with me to pick up the guinea pigs, Ginny will tell Seo-Jun she saw you with me, and Seo-Jun is -”

“The biggest gossip in Harmony Falls. Yeah, I know,” he said.

They stared silently at each other for a few seconds before she said, “I have to go.”

“I know,” he said, still sounding like a petulant toddler. “Good night, Ms. Abrams.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and for a second, he thought he saw hurt flash across her face before she gave him an annoyed look. “Good night, Stark.”

CHAPTER 32

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