Page 106 of Renard's Deliverance

“And I’ll try on this dress.” The first woman had abandoned the red dress and picked up a lacy peach one which would not go well with her skin tone.

“You might like it in a dark blue instead,” Opal suggested.

“I want to try the peach one on,” the woman insisted.

Whatever.

Both women got dressed as Opal tidied up the mess they’d left.

“What do you think?” one woman asked with a giggle.

“Don’t you think she looks sexy?” the other woman said.

She turned back to find both women crowding in front of Renard. Then one of them reached out and touched his chest and she saw red.

“Both of you look terrible,” she said abruptly. “You need to take them off and get out.”

“Excuse me!” the first woman huffed. “We are the customers.”

“And this is my man. Get your hands off him now before I remove your hands for you and shove them down your throat.” The women gaped at her, then Opal leaned forward. “Boo!”

Both women let out small screams and headed into the dressing rooms.

Suddenly, Renard grasped hold of her wrist and started pulling her toward the back of the shop.

Great.

“Let go,” she told him.

“No. Opal is taking her lunch break. Sort them out,” he ordered Liston.

“Hey, you can’t boss Liston around,” she complained as they headed into the back room. He then drew her into a storage cupboard out the back which was mainly used for cleaning supplies. “Why did you bring me in here?”

“Because it’s private.”

“Why? So you can yell at me?” she complained.

“Why would I yell at you?” he said as he turned toward her, wrapping his hand around the back of her head.

And then he was kissing her like he meant to devour her. Like she was the best thing he’d ever tasted.

He was kissing her like he never wanted to stop and frankly, she didn’t want him to.

And Lord, he smelled good. Why did he always smell like gingerbread?

When he drew back, she leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

“What was that about?” she asked.

“That was about you laying a claim on me and now I’m going to do the same to you.” He shoved her short skirt up over her hips and she let out a small squeal.

He covered her mouth with his again. “No making noises, baby. Or I’ll stop and you won’t get your reward.”

“I’m getting a reward?” She was so confused right now.

“Yeah, dumpling. You’re getting a reward. Is it better for your back to be sitting or standing?”

“Don’t call me dumpling and I don’t know. Standing?” she guessed, still feeling at a loss about what her reward would actually be.

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