Page 69 of Stone
Especially if they were soldiers trained to keep in the shadows and remain silent.
I started jogging into the thicker part of the forest, constantly scanning the trees. “Dani! Where are you?”
After turning in a full circle, I fisted my mouth, now nearly out of my mind.
“Dani!” My God. What if something happened to her? What if I’d been so fucking busy paying more attention to her body than to the surrounding area that I managed to endanger her life?
Just when I was ready to head back to the Jeep to search using the vehicle, I caught sight of her peeking from around a tree. I stormed toward her, yanking her from her hiding place.
“What in God’s name did you think you were doing?” I could tell by the look on her face I was hurting her. I released some pressure but continued to hold onto her. “Talk to me. You ran off. I thought something had happened to you. Haven’t I told you not to leave my sight? Haven’t I warned you what could happen? There is no sign of Matis. Not a single one. Your life is in danger.”
Her eyes were saucers, her mouth slack, and I could tell I’d put the fear of God into her. “I… I was just… I was just teasing you, being playful.”
“You just don’t…” I pulled away, spinning around and slapping my hands on my hips. The woman was the most frustrating person I’d ever encountered in my entire life. “You could have gotten yourself killed.”
“Calm down, Stone. I’m fine. I’m right here.”
“Yeah? I should turn you over my knee right now, right here and give you the spanking of your life. As a matter of fact, I think I will.”
“What?” Her tone of horror only fueled my decision.
I was angry with her and needed to calm down. Nothing searching for the perfect switch wouldn’t accomplish. “You’re coming with me.”
“Why? Are you seriously taking me home?”
“I should, but nope. You’re going to be taught a lesson now.”
Her mouth remained slack, but now those saucer eyes were full of venom.
“Go ahead and change. I’ll wait.”
“Then what?”
“Then I’m going to punish you for disobeying me.”
“You can’t be serious. You are kidding. Right?”
I took a single step towards her, allowing some of the fury to fade. “Not. In. The. Least.” When I pointed toward the trees so she could change in privacy, she narrowed those pretty little eyes of hers, likely planning my death.
For a dozen reasons I shouldn’t be as aroused or as excited as I was, yet my cock was stiffening from just looking at her. I had to remind myself she was a menace to herself and needed a firm hand.
After a toss of her hair, she turned around, heading away from me and deeper into the trees.
“Don’t go too far.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Why did I have a feeling she was planning on testing my patience?
I paced the sand, grumbling under my breath and a minute or two later, I knew my instinct had been spot on. At least this time finding her was easy.
She gasped and jerked the dress she’d tossed by her feet to her chest. “What are you doing?”
“Keeping an eye on you. Obviously, you need it.” When our eyes met, she defiantly stared back at me, and the flirtatious looks from before were long gone. Another wave of both uncertainty and annoyance replaced the playfulness.
I couldn’t read her to save my life. I was frozen on the spot, feeling more like a stalker than her protector.
She softened, only turning slightly before resuming sliding into her suit.
