Page 33 of Good at Being Bad (Rock Canyon, Idaho 8)

“Yes.” The shiver that shot down to her lower belly did. She shouldn’t be turned on by Mike, no matter how nice his body was or how rumbly his voice sounded. She’d bumped into a cute guy while she was shopping and had given him her number. He was a dentist in Twin Falls, and his smile was amazing.

He didn’t exactly give you quivery, excited feelings, though, did he?

Mike reached out and took some of the bags from her hand, and it startled her out of her thoughts when his hand brushed hers. His fingers were cool, yet just that simple touch burned her skin. His hair glistened and the spicy, clean scent of his soap was delicious, intoxicating, and she almost leaned into him, but he was already pulling back, carrying all the bags inside.

Ever the gentleman.

The thought sobered her somewhat as she followed him inside. Mike was a good guy, or so he said. Raised right, close to his mama, held doors open…

And yet the expression in his eyes when he looked her way again contradicted it all.

It was bad in the melt-her-panties sense. It made her want to find out what was under his shorts, and that was beyond bad.

“You look really nice,” he said.

She smoothed her hands over the black skinny jeans that disappeared into knee-high lace-up boots. She’d planned on heading out with Jenny tonight, so she’d left her long hair down around her shoulders. She wore a leather jacket over her low-cut sleeveless purple top.

“Thank you.” She hated how pleased she was by the compliment. She took off her jacket and to change the subject, stepped up to him and ran her finger through his shaving cream.

“Why is your face covered in shaving cream?”

“Because I wanted to dress up like Santa Claus. Why do you think?”

She knew she was playing a dangerous game, but she couldn’t fight the overwhelming desire to tease him. Taunt him. Stepping close, she watched his eyes stray down to her lips and a zing of pleasure made her mouth tingle.

“If you’re trying to shave off this prickly, dark hair”—she scraped off more shaving cream, the fluffy wetness and the scratchy hair delicious against the side of her finger—“don’t. Bad boys nearly always sport a little scruff. Just enough to leave marks on the skin.”

Slowly she walked over to the sink and grabbed a dish towel of the counter, running it under hot water for a minute. As she wrung it out, she looked over her shoulder at him, and he hadn’t moved, as though he was waiting to see what she had planned.

Why am I teasing him like this? He’s about to go out with someone else, and I don’t have any real interest in him…right?

But when she was standing in front of him again, running that warm towel down his cheek until she’d removed every inch of that white foam, she had the urge to smooth her hand over those rough whiskers. She wanted to feel the tickle and scratch on her palm as she reached up and tangled her hand in his messy hair, pulling his lips down to hers. Would he let her if she tried?

“Ellie.”

A dark threat lingered in the curt use of her name and she bit her lip to keep from sighing.

“What?” she said when she trusted herself to speak.

Ellie thought he’d make a joke, like he always seemed to when things got too intense, but he didn’t. It was a warning.

“Whatever game you’re playing right now, don’t.”

“Don’t what?” She watched his face for the irritation, but he oozed anticipation instead.

“Don’t think I won’t give you exactly what you’re asking for.”

“And what’s that?” Why did she sound so warm and inviting? She was practically begging him to—

Before she could move away, he grabbed ahold of her hand and pulled her along with him as he sat down on a kitchen chair. Her heart thundered in her chest as she was suddenly yanked across his lap, stomach down, and his arm held her in place as the first hard smack came down on her ass.

“Ow, what the fuck!” Another whack. “You son of a bitch, I will have your balls.” Yet another whack. “Stop it!”

He released her and she scrambled to her feet. As he stood up, she cranked back her arm. She would have let it fly, but he caught it, his chocolate-brown eyes boring into hers.

“Now take some time and think about what you did.”

“What the hell did I do?”

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