Page 28 of In Bed with Mr. Wrong

Ryan knew exactly how this dude felt.

…

Bri got lost in the turning of the pages and the unfolding of the relationship between Dmitri and Savannah. She did a Story Time session several times a week, so it felt perfectly natural to read aloud, even if she was reading romance to Ryan and not a picture book to a group of prekindergartners.

She was so caught up in the conflict that she was two pages into a sex scene before she realized what had happened. Oh hell. She tried to ignore the flaming of her face and carefully set her bookmark between the pages and shut the book. “I think that’s enough for now.”

“Aw, don’t be like that. You were just getting to the good part.” At some point, he’d stretched out over the couch, making himself at home like he was some kind of sexy cat.

Sexycat? Obviously the book had gone to her head, because she couldn’t help but think that he’d make an excellent shifter, though he’d probably be more wolf than one of the cat family. She wished she could blame the heat pulsing between her legs and through her body on the story she’d read, but it’d be far from the truth.

It was Ryan.

He was all barely contained strength and sex appeal. She wasn’t immune by a long shot. Though, if she was perfectly honest, she hadn’t tried very hard to ignore his appeal. She shifted under his gaze, wanting to tell him to look away, but that’d mean admitting how much he affected her. “My throat hurts from talking so much.”

It was a dirty lie, but she didn’t think she could handle reading a sex scene while he sat there and watched her. Not to mention Jenny Ellis was known for her explicit language, which was fine when reading alone in the privacy of her own home, but this was hardly that.

Worse still, if she kept reading, he’dknowwhat was happening.

He gave her a lazy grin. “Come on, Bri. I want to know how Dmitri is finally going to talk Savannah out of her panties.”

“It’s not a game for him. He cares about her.” Or he would, after they’d been sleeping together for some time and then she ran, which would make him realize exactly how much he loved her.

“Honey, I’d think he more than cares about her.” He pushed to his feet and stretched his arms over his head, making his shirt ride up to reveal a slice of tanned stomach. She was so distracted by the sight that he was nearly on top of her before she realized he’d moved.

“What are you doing?”

“Pass it over.”

Surely he wasn’t suggesting what she was afraid of? In case she was right, Bri slid sideways until she could tuck the book under a pillow. “Pass what over?”

“The book. If your throat hurts, then I’ll read the rest. It’s my turn anyway.”

If there was anything worse than reading this scene to him, it was havinghimread it toher. How was she supposed to focus on the story when it washisdeep voice spelling out all the naughty things Dmitri was doing to Savannah?

Bri met his gaze and understood that he fully expected her to run. Her pride reared its head, demanding she hold her ground. She passed him the book. “Whatever you say.”

“Smart girl.” He winked and then strode into the kitchen.

What the heck? “What are you doing?”

Ryan gave her a look. “You said your throat hurt. Tea will help with that. Besides, it’s been a while since breakfast. I’m starving, so you have to at least be a little hungry.”

He was taking care of her? She sat there, trying to reconcile this man with the one who had pushed her buttons since the moment they met. Yes, he’d made her food and taken the dishes.Then there was the way he’d used his hand on the small of her back the night of their date, and how he’d followed her out of Avery’s party after she bolted. Not to mention the firewood and chili and letting her sleep in the bed…

Oh my God. He’s beentrying to take care of me all along.

Since she didn’t know how to deal with that, she accepted the mug with a murmured “Thanks” and decided it was wiser to stay silent. She could get used to watching Ryan in the kitchen. He put together three sandwiches, cut them in half, and arranged them on two plates.

“Are chips okay?”

The strange feeling inside her intensified. The fact that he had her all out of sorts over a simple question about chips only went on to demonstrate how pathetic her history was. “Yes.”

“Good.” He came over and set a plate on the coffee table in front of her before retreating to his couch and systematically devouring his sandwiches. Ryan ate with the kind of single-mindedness of someone who’d gone hungry before enough times to know when to appreciate the presence of food.

She understood. His father had been pretty freaking neglectful if Ryan was forced to learn to cook to fend for himself. Even growing up with Drew, his basic needs hadn’t been met any more than hers had.

“Are you going to eat?”

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