Page 49 of Nauti Boy (Nauti 1)

Rowdy straightened from the couch, aware he was naked, aware his body was responding to the sight of her, the smell of her. He saw her gaze flicker down, then jerk back up.

“God, Rowdy now is not the time for that. ” The look of complete female irritation on her face shouldn’t have been amusing—he was certain.

He made sure his look was completely wicked. He couldn’t bear to see the fear in her eyes; if he had to replace it with irritation or even anger, than so be it.

“Sweetheart, anytime is the perfect for this when you’re around,” he chuckled.

“No. ” She shook her head, pacing back. “We have to talk about this, Rowdy. I have to figure this out. ”

“Figure what out?” His eyes narrowed at the purpose that began to fill her face.

“I have to leave. ” Her voice was laden with sorrow, with grief. “I have relatives on Dad’s side in Montana. It’s a nice little town. I can go there. For awhile. ” Her voice roughened with the threat of tears.

“No. ”

“Don’t be stubborn, Rowdy. ” She faced him, determination and grief filling her eyes. “I can’t stay here. He could strike at Mom or your dad. Or—you. ” Her voice trembled.

What the hell was he going to do with her? Rowdy stared back at her somberly, feeling his chest ache with an emotion that so outdistanced love that he couldn’t describe it.

“Forget it. ” He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned back at her. “I’ll only follow you, Kelly. ”

“You can’t follow me,” she snapped. “This is your home. The marina. The lake. All of it. ”

“There’s lakes in Montana. ” He shrugged. Arguing over her leaving would only make her more determined to go. He knew Kelly. Once she decided she was right, that was it. It took blood, sweat, and tears, on her part, before she would realize how wrong she was.

She was stubborn, defiant, soft, and loving, but she could drive him crazy in two hours flat if he let her. But he would never be bored with her. Frustrated, yes. Bored? Never.

“You can’t leave. ” She glared back at him. “Your friends are here. Your cousins, your family. ”

“So are yours. ” He shrugged. “If you want to leave, fine. Pack. We’ll go to Montana. Hell, we’ll go to fucking Fiji if you want to and become beach bums, but you aren’t leaving without me. ”

She propped her fists on her hips as her lips flattened.

“So I’m supposed to just sit here and wait on that bastard to attack again? Wait on him to hurt someone else? Maybe you?”

“I can take him. ” His smile was tight, hard. He would relish it.

“You can’t fight a bullet, Rowdy,” she argued desperately. “What if he doesn’t fight fair?”

“What if you try dropping any idea you have of leaving me,” he growled. “It’s not going to happen. I didn’t go through hell for the past eight years to give you a chance to be certain you want me, just to have some sick bastard fuck it up. You’re mine, Kelly. ”

And if his words didn’t convince her, then his cock better, because it was stiff as steel and throbbing with a life of its own.

Her gaze flickered down again, a bit of color flushing her pale cheeks as she licked her lips nervously.

“Put your pants on. ”

“Why? I’ll just have to take them right back off,” he promised her. “Take the shirt off. ”

“No. ” She crossed her arms over her breasts again. “We’re not finished talking. ”

“Of course we are. ” He moved closer. “The only thing left is your decision. Do we stay or do we leave? Because whichever, Kelly, we do together. ”

Before she could evade him he had her in his arms again, ignoring the sharp little nails that pressed into his shoulders as he pulled her hips in against his and pressed his cock against her lower stomach.

“Feel how hard I am, Kelly. ” He nipped at her ear as she trembled in his arms. “Do you really want to leave me like this? Hot and hard for you? Aching for you every night that you’re gone? Like I’ve ached for the past eight years. ”

“You survived,” she moaned.

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