“Despite the rumors you claim to have heard about me, I don’t spread my legs for every man who crosses my path,” she said stiffly.
Dios.
Regretting his thoughtless words, he lifted himself onto his elbows, regarding her with a somber gaze.
“That was never a rumor I heard, and I wouldn’t believe it if I did.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Sophia, I’m here to protect you.” Her lips parted and he hastily pressed a finger to halt her angry words. “Hold on. I’m not going to insult your intelligence by denying that I want you.” He allowed his hunger to simmer in the air, the heat stirring the satin strands of her hair. “Desperately. Or that I’m going to say ‘no’ when you finally accept that I’m irresistible.” With an effort he leashed his aching desire, needing her to realize that she would always be safe in his care. Physically and emotionally. “But until that moment, I don’t expect anything from you but your cooperation in keeping you alive.”
Her expression remained suspicious. “You intend to spend the night with me and not have sex?”
Both wolf and man groaned at the mere thought of the long hours ahead, but his smile never wavered.
“I can keep our relationship platonic if you can.”
It was a direct challenge.
One no wolf could back down from.
Her jaw clenched. “The boxers stay on.”
His smile widened. “You’re the boss.”
Turning her back to him, she reached to switch off the Tiffany lamp.
“Christ, I must be out of my mind.”
CHAPTER 4
It was late afternoon when Sophia woke.
Considering that dawn had already crested when she’d at last fallen asleep, it was no surprise she’d slept late.
It was, however, a surprise to realize that she was not only wrapped in Luc’s strong arms, but that she’d molded herself so tightly to his body that she might as well have been a damned barnacle on the bottom of a ship.
Her head was tucked beneath his chin, her ear pressed over the steady beat of his heart, and she had one leg thrown over his hip.
Pathetic.
Sensing he was awake and well aware of her embarrassment, she tilted back her head, intending to slay him with a heated glare.
Instead she forgot how to breathe.
Holy ... shit, but he was beautiful.
Achingly, shatteringly beautiful.
Helplessly her gaze wandered over the chiseled male features that were only emphasized by his heavy morning beard and his tousled hair. The high cheekbones, the wide brow, the near-black eyes that could make a woman melt at a hundred paces.
It wasn’t until his lips parted to reveal the teeth that were shockingly white against his bronzed skin that she was reminded that she wanted to punch him in his perfect nose, not ...
Other things.
Wicked, delicious other things.
“If you intended to use this side of the bed you should have said so last night,” she informed him, shifting her hands from his back to press them against his chest.