Page 80 of Bound By Temptation

My hand even trembled holding the cash that I slowly put back in my pocket, and I kept it there, unable to move it again.

He stared deep into my eyes, and I could feel his heart pulling to mine.

“I don’t know what to say.” My trembling voice came out on a whisper.

“Nothin’ to say. Just let me take care of you.”

“Then I get to take care of you,” I fired back without thinking. Without going to that time in my life when he’d hurt me. Just being in this moment with him. The boy I’d fallen in love with all those years ago.

He smiled wide. “I’d fuckin’ love that.”

His lips took mine, and only then did I take my hand out of my pocket and wrap them around his neck placing my hand at the bottom of his ballcap to feel his hair.

Home. That was what Ax Monroe felt to me. Home.

Shit, I was in trouble.

He pulled away and tugged my hand. “I’m winnin’ this time.”

A smile grew on my face.

“Hell no. It’s my turn.”

He took care of all the costs, and I didn’t say a word. Hell, he wanted to spend his money on me … fine.

“What do ya wanna go on first?” he asked pulling me to the tilt-a-whirl, and I stopped in my tracks. He jerked with my movement.

“Ohhh no you don’t.” I planted my feet.

“Come on. I know how much you love it,” he teased.

“You want me to puke?”

He laughed full out. “Not particularly.” He leaned in close to my ear. “Considering my mouth will be on every part of you, vomit isn’t my thing.”

My body shivered at the thought of his lips on my body, but I snapped back. “Okay! Tilt-a-whirl it is!”

This made him laugh harder, and he pulled me in tight, giving me a hard kiss.

“Smartass. Roller coaster it is.”

A sense of adrenaline flowed through me as the anticipation of the rush hit me. The thrill of the ups and downs and twists and turns. “You’re on.”

I released his hand and took off running. Unfortunately, time had not made Ax slower as he wrapped his arm around my stomach and threw me up over his shoulder. I cried out, laughing, “Put me down.”

My hair flew around, my braid hitting me in the face as he smacked my ass hard. “Nope. That’s it. I’m carryin’ you.”

“Oh no you’re not, Ax Monroe. I have two legs, and I can walk!”

He positioned me in the same way he carried me at the clubhouse over his shoulder. His ass was right there and I started hitting it as Ax walking toward the ride.

“You big oof. Put me down!”

“Nope, you’ll take off on me. I should’ve brought some damn rope to tie you to me. I’ll remember for next time.”

“The hell you will.”

“Excuse me.”

---