Page 13 of Like a Hurricane

“And here I thought confidence was sexy,” I wink, mimicking her by picking up the menu myself.

She laughs quietly while she peruses the menu and I pretend to do the same while I watch her instead.

It was hard to place exactly what it was that had captured me. Was it the raven black hair or the contrast of her grey eyes? Was it the fiery temper? The snappy attitude? Was it that she appeared to be a woman of grace and yet could roast a man to within an inch of his life and then sit back and warm herself by the flames left behind, all while she checks her nails and smiles sweeter than the cookies Ruthie bakes at the lodge?

All I knew was that this woman was born to be mine. Made to be mine.

I didn’t care what means I had to go to, to make it happen, Arryn Lauder was going to be irrevocablymine.

Even if she didn’t know it yet.

When the server arrives, she places her order while side eying me as if I had any say in the matter and then I place my own order.

“So, Everett,” Arryn links her fingers beneath her chin, resting her head in the cradle of them, “You won’t tell me what you do or what business you have, what will you tell me?”

“I think you’re the most stunning woman I have ever seen.”

She rolls her eyes, “That’s all?”

“What more do you need?”

“Everett,” She starts, a sag to her shoulders that wasn’t there before.

“Rett,” I say, “You can call me Rett.”

She quirks a brow as her mouth turns down at the edges, “Everett,do you know how many men have said the exact same thing you just said? That have seen me and my looks and instantly wanted me as a prize because they think I’ll be a pretty trophy on their arm?”

There it is.

“I don’t care if you think I am attractive.” She continues. “Quite frankly, it is the least of my concern.”

“You mistake me,” I lean back, swirling my wine in the glass, “Granted you are stunning, there is no denying that. But I wasn’t just talking about your looks.”

“Is that so?”

“I’m a thorough man, Arryn, I look into everyone I meet. And I looked into you.”

“That’s a little stalkerish, Everett.”

“You’re smart. Driven. Feisty,” I grin, “I didn’t need to look into that last point, you show that off all on your own and I fuckinglikethat.”

Her mouth opens as if to speak but I push on, stopping her so she can hear me.

“You own a room, not because you look good, but because you’re a presence. You ever got that feeling, when a storm is just about to hit, and everything goes quiet? The air stops moving, the birds and the insects, they stop calling and the clouds roll, bringing in that storm quietly and stealthily, the silence acting like a warning of what is to come.”

Her grey eyes flare, watching me intently while her hand stills mid-air, the wine glass held in her long fingers.

“The feeling starts right in your chest, and it travels out, through all your limbs and muscles, it tells you tolook,to witness it. That’s what you do, Arryn, like a damn hurricane, you own all and everything around you and all you have to do is step into a room.”

Her lip’s part on a small gasp and I lean forward, trailing a finger up one of her own, “You capture me, Miss Lauder.” I say, “Completely.”

Chapter Six

I’m not even ashamed.

I step into Rett the moment we exit the restaurant, pressing all of me against all of him and capture his mouth with mine. He tastes like whiskey and bad decisions, and I’d never tasted anything more delicious.

It had been a long time since a man had managed to do anything for me. They were all the same, wanting the same thing, to tie up, to press down, to control but with Everett it felt like I could be myself. I could be unapologetically Arryn with no expectations and no limitations.

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