Page 24 of Dark Succession
“For me, too. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do, or what arguments I come up with—everyone is hell-bent on moving this war forward.” Which had only solidified his determination to use the identity of Brendan’s killer to leverage the Hallorans to back off. If they did, then the O’Malleys and Sheridans would be forced to do the same, since things hadn’t escalated to a point where they couldn’t take it back. He just had to pin James down for ameeting and convince him that vengeance would have to be enough to make his father happy.
“Teague…” His name sounded so damn sweet coming from her lips, somewhere halfway between a sigh and a plea. Her hands coasted up his back on either side of his spine.
“Yeah?”
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Kiss me instead?”
His body responded even as his mind hesitated. That first night, she’d kissed him to distract him from questioning her about the bruises on her neck. On the surface, it didn’t seem like she was doing the same thing now, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that that was exactly what was happening. He kept his arms tense so she couldn’t wiggle out of them—not that she seemed to want distance between them, not when she kept up those distracting circles on his back, lightly dragging her nails over the thin fabric of his shirt. “Our problems aren’t going to go away just because we stop talking about them.”
“I know.” It was little more than a whisper. She tilted her head and pressed a kiss to his neck. “But I’m in danger of breaking under this stress if I can’t check out for a little while. Please, Teague, please help me check out.” She had to know what her saying his name did to him. There was no way she didn’t.
But still he resisted. “Angel, you’re making it fucking hard to do right by you.”
She laughed against his skin. “You don’t have a bed in this place?”
Fuck. He closed his eyes, but that only made it worse, his entire world narrowing down to the feel of her in hisarms, warm and more than willing. She wanted him. He should be thrilled to figure that shit out. But she didn’t want him because she was so overwhelmed with feeling or desire or… anything except the need to “check out.” He’d had sex for a variety of reasons in the past—and some of those were pretty flimsy—but this was the first time it’d stung to be used for his cock.
He’d wanted more with Callie.
He tangled his fingers in her hair and used that hold to move her back so he could meet those baby blues. “I’ll help you stop thinking for a while, angel, but we’re doing it onmyterms.” She opened her mouth, but he talked right over whatever argument she had ready. “I’ll give you everything you need and more—but we’re not fucking tonight.” It felt wrong to term it that way, but if he gave in tonight, that’s exactly what it would be. Fucking. He’d barely known this woman a week, and he already knew that he wasn’t going to be happy with just sex.
No, he wanted it all.
If they survived this conflict with the Hallorans, he might even get it. But only if he played his cards right.
So he waited for her to work through it, and saw the moment she decided not to fight him on this. She frowned. “You don’t want to have sex with me.”
“On the contrary, I want it a whole hell of a lot. But not like this.”
“You’re a very strange man, Teague O’Malley.” Her frown cleared. “But I’ll agree—on one condition.”
She’d agreed far too easily. He braced himself and asked, “What’s your one condition?”
“You let me take care of you tonight, too.” Her smile had a wicked edge that promised all sorts of pleasure.
“I think we can work something out.” He framed her face with his hands and kissed her, the smallest taste to herald a night he planned to make unforgettable. “Stay with me tonight. I want you in my bed when I wake up.”
She smiled against his lips. “Okay.”
It was a start. He couldn’t ask for more.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Callie didn’t know what to make of this man. For all intents and purposes, she’d come over here ready to strip naked and have her wicked way with him. And he’d… turned her down. No, that wasn’t completely correct. Teague wanted her. The way he was staring at her said as much, those soulful eyes filled with a dark desire that called to her on a level she wasn’t prepared to deal with. She was starting to fear he wanted more than she could ever give.
Everything.
He kissed her again before the thought could take root and truly terrify her, his tongue coaxing her mouth open and delving inside. They stood in his living room, fully clothed and with a breath of distance between them, and it was one of the single most seductive moments of her life. Because the man made love to her mouth, taking his time and seeming to savor every second, in no rush to moveon until he’d had his fill. She sank into the kiss, letting it sweep her away as nothing else had in the last three days. This.Thiswas why she was here. She’d never let herself go like this with another man—though she was hardly a virgin—but she and Teague were in this together, for better or worse.
He nipped her bottom lip, the shock slamming her back into the present. “You’re thinking too much, angel.”
“I don’t know how to stop.”
He lifted his head and grinned down at her, the wolfish expression threatening to curl her toes. “I can think of a few ways.”
Yes, yes, yes. This was what she’d come here wanting. Needing. She licked her lips. “I like the sound of that.”
“I thought you might.” He stepped back and drank her entire body in with a single glance. She resisted the urge to smooth her hand down the dress she’d picked out with seduction in mind—the hem hitting halfway down her thighs and the neckline offering up her breasts for temptation. The perfect little black dress. With the way his gaze lingered on her chest and legs, she was suddenly glad she’d chosen it.
