Page 45 of Mountain Daddy

“I’m not?—”

“Don't.” His voice drops to a whisper. “Don't lie to me. Not about this.”

I stare at him, this man who could destroy me with a word. This man who already destroyed me five years ago and made me love every second of it.

“I’m in trouble,” I breathe.

His mouth curves into something that might be a smile on anyone else. On Nikolai, it looks like a promise.

“Not anymore,” he moves closer until I can smell his cologne. Until I can feel the heat radiating from his body. “I can help if you want.”

And just like that. He’s promising me the moon. Like it costs him nothing. I shouldn’t trust him. Should remember that trouble follows the devil.

Always.

But he shows me a future. A way out. A breath. And God help me—I want it. With every broken, desperate cell in my body.

And it shows on my face.

Shows in the way my lips part.

Shows in the way I go all heady with trembling knees.

He steps closer. My back hits the counter. Nowhere to go.

His eyes rake over me. Slow. Possessive. Like he’s remembering what’s under my clothes.

Like he wantsto see if he still fits the way he used to.

I swallow hard. My breath’s all wrong.

He’s not touching me.

But my skin tingles like he is.

The heat between us? Nuclear.

I clench my fists to keep from grabbing his shirt. From dragging myself back into the fire I barely escaped.

He can make me forget. And with him standing so close, my body starts to buzz, hum, sing.

I thought I could forget him. But seeing him again? I’m a puddle at his feet.

And I can’t hold back. I look up, straight into his eyes. See my hunger in his.

And then he’s kissing me. Hard. Hungry. Like five years of distance was nothing but foreplay.

This kiss isn’t sweet. Nor gentle. Nothing like one of those reunion kisses in a movie.

It’s a claim. It’s anger. It’s possession.

His hands are in my hair, yanking my head back. His tongue slides in on a ruthless expedition, curving along mine, arching to lick the roof of my mouth.

My knees go soft.

My stomach clenches.

My thighs press together, aching for more.

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