Page 17 of The Right to Remain Mine

kle down almost between her breasts.

Dear Lord, if this defensive move was supposed to make her attacker's nipples twitch and throb, it worked. She stared up at the sexy man in front of, more than ready for him to touch her again with another pleasurable defensive move.

But Kit stepped in and imitated Malloy. Reaching out toward Willow, he quickly scraped his knuckle down the center of her breastbone.

She jerked back at the searing sting and slapped his hand away. "Ouch."

Kit only grinned and looked at Malloy, nodding his approval. "I like it. What else?"

Malloy glanced her way, silently asking if she wanted him to show her cousin any more torture techniques. When she met his gaze with a cool nod, he began talking.

"There's a spot here, just under the nose." He pointed to a place above his lip at the base of his nostrils. "If you chop at that area with the side of your hand, it'll make your attacker's eyes water like crazy. Doesn't work on a cocaine user too well, though," he added as an afterthought, as if he'd gained that tidbit of information from personal experience.

"Cool," Kit said. With his hands on his hips, he nodded, urging Malloy to continue. "What else?"

Malloy shook his head in amusement. "There's also a pressure point under the jaw, about an inch in from the end of the jaw bone. You want to press up into the head in a fishhook-like action."

Eyes lighting, Kit stepped toward Willow, looking determined to try the move for himself. She lifted a hand and gave him a look. "Don't even think about it."

"If I had my handcuffs," Malloy said, speaking over the two cousins. "I'd show you the iron wristlock."

"Man," Kit muttered, making a face of supreme disappointment. "I would've liked to see that." Then he snapped his fingers and turned expectantly toward Willow. "Hey, Will. I bet you've got some fuzzy handcuffs in your bedroom, don't you?"

Willow's mouth dropped open. She was so going to murder her cousin. When Malloy glanced her way, she ignored his curious expression and treated Kit to a killer glare.

"The hell if I do," she lied.

Kit frowned and sent her a strange frown. "Really? Hmm. How boring."

For a second, she was too flustered to reply. Kit had always been tremendously annoying, but she'd never wanted to wrap her hands around his neck and squeeze as much as she did right then. How dare he say such a thing in front of Malloy?

"You are such a pig," she muttered, only to pierce a scowl Malloy's way and add, "Men are such pigs," in case he decided to put in his two cents worth.

"Hey." He lifted his hands defensively. "I didn't say anything."

"Oh, but you were thinking it."

He didn't answer, but he didn't have to. The smoldering glance he sent her said he'd like to do more than just think about it. His eyes held a glittering intensity that caught her low in the stomach.

Willow swallowed.

Dear God. Malloy wanted her. It was written as plain as day on his face.

The realization panicked her because, damn it, she wanted him right back. Every inch of her skin tingled. She could already picture them together. Those strong, warm fingers of his wrapping around her wrist and flipping her to the floor, only to follow her down and cover her with his hard, hot body, wrap her in his intoxicating scent and kiss her until—

Across the room, Kit cleared his throat loudly, causing both her and Malloy to jerk their gazes guiltily away from each other and focus on him. "Well, anyway... Yeah, I'm out of here," he announced before sending Willow a conspiring wink. "Don't do anything you wouldn't want to explain to the paramedics."

She frowned. But he merely waved and disappeared from the room, leaving her completely alone with the hulking man beside her. Her heart thumped heavily against her chest. It was one thing to be attracted to the man and know he felt the same. But to be left facing those feelings with no barrier between them, no third party chaperone—she wasn't sure if she could handle it.

Instantly, the room grew smaller. Willow listened to her cousin leave his empty plate in her sink, then open and close the back door as he departed.

She warily eyed Malloy.

He appeared about as uncomfortable as she felt.

"That's probably enough for tonight, anyway," he said and then cleared his throat, glancing longingly toward the door. Escape.

Willow wasn't sure what came over her. She didn't want him to stay. The man overwhelmed every sense she had, and her dislike of him made this attraction all that more intense and bothersome. Yet she found herself saying, "I want to try that move one more time. I think I almost got it."

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