Page 49 of The Brave and the Reckless

“Maybe if you were a little more focused on your job—”

“Guys, you’re on the intercom,” Austin interrupted us, “save it for later.”

“I’m not saving anything,” Esra huffed and fumbled around her apron for the hidden mic pack. A momentlater, she flipped the switch and the little power lamp died. Her head snapped back up, eyes like blazing fires. “What’s your problem, asshole?”

“My problem?” Someone spoke my name through the headset. A smarter man would have heeded the warning. Instead, I switched my mic pack off too. “You’re my problem. You’re treating this place like it’s your own personal fucking playground.”

“I show up on time. I let myself be hauled through the air. If nobody likes that stunt, that’s not on me. I do what I’m told. I do the work. Everything else is none of your business.”

“If everything else starts affecting my work, it is myliteralbusiness.”

She was messing with my brain, and it wasn’t her fault, not fully. She was insufferable but it was my own damn mind that was hung up on Tuesday night. I couldn’t even pinpoint why.

Esra crossed her arms, glaring at me with pure hell in her eyes. “I’m not the one who screwed up out there. I can have my fun, get drunk and wear whatever cowboy’s hat I want, and I promise you, I’ll still be here and do the work without it affecting you. I know my limits. You’re the one who messed up. You’re the one who threw me like a freaking hay bale or something.”

“Why are you so obsessed with having fun?” I groaned.

“Why are you– incapable– of having– any?” She punctuated her question by poking her finger into my chest repeatedly.

God, I wanted to snatch that finger and— “Why are you so infuriating?”

Her brow was deep and her cheeks tinged bright pink. Her finger stayed burrowed into the center of my chest, leaving a hot, pointed mark. “I could ask you the same damn thing.”

For one split second, our surroundings burned themselves into my consciousness. A tiny room the size of a storage shed. Nothing but dust and a table to keep us company. Nobody to hear or see us. And I realized that the blood rushing through my ears would only be quieted by one of two options.

I could kiss her or kill her.

My hand locked hers against my chest and my eyes dropped to her trembling, soft lips.

I had the bandana off my face in one tug. Esra’s gaze followed my move. When her hand flattened out against my sternum, I didn’t need further invitation, I crushed her mouth under mine. The kiss was neither soft nor sweet. Esra fell back against the door, letting out a startled gasp. That tiny sound echoed through my thoughts, finding a corner to permanently embed in my memory.

I expected a slap across the face.

I didn’t expect her tongue to dart out and trace the seam of my lips, asking for entry. I didn’t expect her tongue to taste like chocolate and bad ideas against mine.

I kissed her until my burning lungs forced me to pull back. Esra’s eyes flew open, anger still flaming in them.

“Is this your idea of fun?” I rasped.

“Hard to say.” She pursed her lips. “I think you should try again.”

A small voice in the back of my mind reminded me that this was a big mistake, but Esra’s slim fingers curled intothe front of my shirt and quieted that voice in an instant. I leaned back in and kissed her.

That was no moment of hesitation. Esra hungrily kissed me back, pulling me down against herself until she could wrap her other arm around my shoulder. My hands on her waist, I pushed her back, caging her between my body and the door.

She shifted, her hips grinding over my thigh between hers. Despite the many layers of fabric between us, Esra let out a quiet whimper.

Fuck. That sound destroyed even the last shreds of sanity. The only thing that mattered was her soft body against mine.

“How about now? Having fun yet?” I teased without breaking apart.

“Stop talking, Noah,” she mumbled, brushing her lips over mine. “You’re so much more fun when your mouth is otherwise occupied.”

“You have no idea how much fun my mouth can be, princess.”

“Show me.” Her eyes flew to the orange light above the door stopping us from exiting too soon. “Seven minutes in heaven?”

I traced my teeth along her jaw to her ear. “Nothing heavenly about what I’m about to do to you.”

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