Page 106 of The Sound of Temptation

She gives her head a sharp shake in disagreement.

“Hold still.” I complain when the strap slips out of my hand.

“Sorry. But it’s not a rivalry. That implies it’s got two sides.”

“And it doesn’t?”

“No. She hates me for reasons I can’t help. I don’t really care about her at all. If she hadn’t taken our picture, I wouldn’t have spared her a second glance.”

I nod, even though I’m not convinced. The lamp I parked under when I got here is out, so we’re not very visible but I want to get out of here before Etta shows up.

“Okay, crazy girl. Let’s get you home.”

Her grin only grows wide. I climb on and she uses my shoulders as anchors as she swings a leg on and slides behind me. Her body curves along mine like two adjacent puzzle pieces and the heat of her body immediately warms my entire back.

“Hold on tight, okay?” I say.

She presses even closer, I start the bike, and we’re off.

As soon as the wind is whipping my face, I start to relax and think, and my first thought, as it so often is, is of the woman pressed to my back, with her arms wrapped trustingly around my waist. She’s finally mine. And I’m not letting her go again.

32

Beth

Did I Die?

“Beth…you okay?” Carter asks as I try for a third time to put my key into the lock of my front door.

“My fingers are a little stiff from hanging on for dear life,” I quip, and take a deep breath to steady my nerves.

I was full of bravado when I climbed on behind him wrapping my arms around the solid warmth of his body. I thought he’d shield me. But during our ride home, as I replayed the events that just occurred, I’d lost all of it.

What had I done? There was no way that punch in the face wasn’t going to come back to haunt me.

I’ll have to face the music…and I have no idea what that’s going to be like.

“Let me help me you.” Carter’s hands close around mine and we unlock and push open the door together.

It’s such a small thing, but it’s enough to remind me that I’m not doing this alone. When the sun comes up, I’ll deal with the fallout.

Tonight, I’m going to feast on the first truly wonderful thing to happen to me in a long time.

This man, beautiful, strong, talented, smart, kind and so very honest man wants me. Loves me.

He stays close to me as we step inside and I start to turn on the lights downstairs, and then I stop. I turn to face him, unsure of what I’m going to say.

The deep growl in the back of his throat is the last thing I hear before his lips crash down on mine.

The touch is so electric, so fucking hot. When my lips pa

rt on a gasp, his tongue sweeps inside. Like a pillaging pirate looking for his lost treasures, he plunders my mouth.

My body lights up instantly and desire floods. Inhibitions, fears are eviscerated by my need for him. I’m completely at the mercy of it and there’s nothing he can’t take from me.

Nothing I don’t want to give him.

Nowhere I don’t want to feel him.

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