Page 17 of Wild Hearts

“Who said you would be taking advantage of me?” I challenge, leaning back so he can see my face.

“Tell you what, if you still want me in the morning as much as you do right now, I won’t stop you.”

“Promise?” I tease.

“Promise.” He pushes me away from him, grabbing my water and hands it to me. “Now as much as I hate to say it, I need you to march that fine ass up those stairs and put yourself to bed.”

“You won’t read me a bedtime story?”

He gulps. “If I go up those stairs with you, there will be no bedtime story. I’m trying to do the right thing here, baby girl. Let me.”

My heart flutters.

Baby girl.

I like the sound of that.

“Fine,” I pout, taking the water and walking backward away from him. “But just so you know, I sleep naked.”

I wink, making Mick groan.

“You’re fucking killing me, Shane,” he growls, pushing off the counter.

“‘Night Mick.” I giggle, walking out of the room.

First thing tomorrow, he’s mine.

Chapter 5

Mick

“Ihope she likes eggs and bacon,” I mutter to myself, not remembering if she actually ate when she made us guys breakfast.

When I woke up this morning, Shane was the first thing I thought of.

Does anyone ever do anything for her? Or is she constantly giving to others?

Somehow that thought spiraled. And here I am making breakfast for her. I set the eggs in the warmer drawer, then pull the bacon out of the oven. I set the bacon on the counter only to make some grease pop, landing on my shirt.

“Fuck,” I mutter, grabbing the hem of my shirt and holding it away from my skin.

After making sure the pan is safely on the stovetop, I whip my shirt off and pad into the laundry room. I find some stain remover on the shelf above the washer and spray the grease stain. I leave the shirt on the washer and go back to the kitchen.

“Damn, this morning just went from good to fan-fucking-tastic,” Shane says huskily, sitting on the counter.

“Haven’t you ever been told you shouldn’t sit on countertops?” I tease.

“Psh.” She waves away my comment. “My house, my rules.”

“Touché,” I tell her, walking over to the single-serve coffee machine, grabbing the to-go cup I already made up for her.

I hand it to her. “For you.”

“Thank you.”

The smile she gives me fills me with pride. I have never felt this way about another woman. Doing things to make Shane happy makes me happy. I just want to see her smile.

“You’re welcome.” I move to step away, only for Shane to hook her foot around the back of my thigh.