Page 28 of Rise of the King

Sam in a suitis a sexy sight. But Sam in a pair of faded blue jeans stretching across strong, thick thighs and a loose-fitting, well-worn Metallica t-shirt with a chunky leather-banded watch wrapped around his wrist is catnip for my already hot and bothered soul. Last night, after I came back inside from yelling at Marco, I binged half of the new series Nattie and Belle had talked about. And oh boy, they weren’t kidding. I mean, seriously, it was HOT.

She was hot. He was hot. Hell, both hes were hot. And hung.

I probably shouldn’t have tried to finish it until after Sam stopped by tonight.

I knew he was coming, but I turned it on anyway.

Anyone who says they can watch two incredibly beautiful people have earth-shattering sex on TV and not get turned on is a liar. A big, fat lying liar. Basically, I’m primed and ready to go, and tall, dark, and sexy just walked through my door, looking like that.

I mean, come on...

This is just a cruel and unusual punishment, and I have no one to blame but myself.

The already warm room begins to heat up incrementally as I stand on the opposite side of my kitchen, holding my glass of wine, imagining what it would be like to say “screw it” and give in.

To let Sam do all the filthy things to me I’ve daydreamed about for years.

To not think about tomorrow. Not think about the strings that would be attached.

Not think about whether I’d still be able to run if I needed to.

It’s hard to be friends with a man like Sam and not imagine how easy it would be for him to push me up against a wall... or spread me out on a counter, licking frosting from every inch of my body.

God, I bet it’d be good. Better than good. I bet—

Sam clears his throat, abruptly ending my fantasy. “You with me, Snow?”

The look on his face is so beautifully sexy and self-assured.

And then there’s me... Horny.

Damnit. I was mad earlier. I need to channel my inner badass and get back to that.

Annoyed. Angry. Infuriated.

It is not up to him to control my life.

I’m so mad at this smug man, and all it took was for him to walk in my door, looking like that, and I forget. Damnit.

Jesus, how can I forget I’ve been watching a car sit outside Sweet Temptations all day with an armed guard inside. As if a big fat bucket of cold water is thrown over my head, my thoughts turn on a dime. I push all thoughts of all the incredible things he could do to me out of my mind and quickly remember how angry I’ve been with him the past few days. “Oh, I’m with you, Samuel. Care to tell me when exactly I became a prisoner in my own home? My own shop?”

“Snow...”

Carefully, I place my glass down on my kitchen table before I explode. “Don’t you dare ‘Snow’ me. You’re a bully. Do you know that? You’re a beautiful bully.”

“Beautiful?”

“Do not interrupt me.” Of course, he focuses on beautiful. “You push and push until you get your way, and if I don’t give in, you do what you want anyway. That’s a bully, Sam.” I move closer to him and shove my finger against his chest. “It’s mean, and I don’t like it. I don’t like you when you do it. So, you listen here, jackass...”

“Jackass?” He manages to laugh at me. And that beautiful, deep sound reminds me that I don’t hate him even if I am mad at him. I probably also sound slightly crazy at the moment, but I don’t care.

With two hands on the hard planes of his chest, I shove him back. “Don’t laugh at me. I’m mad at you.” His devilish smile does it for me every single time, but I tamp that feeling down. I’ve gotten really good at doing that. “Whatever, Sam. I’m a big girl, and I don’t need you running my life for me.” I realize this comes out more like the whiney complaint of a teenage girl, trying to convince herself of that, rather than the declaration of a strong, independent woman.

Apparently, a little wine and I go soft.

As I step back and pull my hands away, Sam’s hands grab either side of my face and pull me back to him. He holds me suspended in a moment I’ve dreamt of and dreaded in equal measure. With no room left between us, his strong lips brush over mine as he says, “I’m well aware you’re a big girl, Snow. I wouldn’t be able to do any of the things I’ve fantasized about doing to you if you weren’t.”

My lips part on a sigh, and he deepens the kiss with a strong stroke of his tongue.

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