I cross my arms and tap my foot on the ground. “If you take over all my work, what am I supposed to do?”
His gaze looms over me with a mischievous smirk. “Kiss me good morning?”
I don’t allow myself to think and analyse this. I stand on my tiptoes, palm both his cheeks and press my mouth to his. It’s a sloppy kiss at best, but a grunt rips from the back of Shadow’s throat.
I pull away with one last nip to his bottom lip. “Morning. You look hot as hell today.”
He leans in, pulls my hair to one side, and sucks on the skin of my throat. “Just today?”
A soft moan leaves me. “You’re annoying on other days.”
He bites, and I gasp. My legs turn into puddles as he sucks again.
Shadow steps back to stare at my neck with a spark of feral possessiveness.
“You left a mark, didn’t you?” I try to sound offended when the truth is, I missed all the marks he leaves on me.
He lifts a shoulder, not even apologetic. He’s so freaking shameless, but he’s also upfront and direct. I love that about him.
Shadow places the tulip in the basket and pulls me into him by my hips. That familiar awareness seeps under my skin and to my bones. It’s strange how his intensity swallows me whole like a thick fog. Even if there’s a way out, I’m not sure I’d take it.
“Why are you so radiant?”
“I am?”
“There’s this new aura about you.” He measures me from top to bottom before sliding back to my face. “You even gained weight.”
I swallow. I thought that since I’m not showing and he’s usually too urgent to study my body, he wouldn’t notice. Obviously, I underestimated him. This is a professional killer after all. He was trained to notice everything.
I’m not ready to disclose my pregnancy. If Shadow knows, he’ll use this to chain me to him and I’m not prepared for that leap.
Smoothing my expression, I scold. “You gained weight is the worst thing you can tell a woman.”
His brows furrow. “What’s so bad about saying that you look healthier now?”
“Ha. Let’s see if you still think that way when I’m…” I trail off. Son of a gun. I almost said when I’m into later stages of pregnancy.
The hell is wrong with me?
His thumbs stroke the lines of my hips, getting dangerously close to where I’m gaining weight the most. “When you’re what?”
“When I’m fat.” I wiggle away from his scrutinising gaze. “I have to take these to town. Mark must be waiting for me.”
Shadow places a strong hand on mine, stopping me in my tracks. That seamless darkness returns to his tone like a sudden tsunami. “Who the fuck is Mark?”
I give my best cheeky smile. “My other boyfriend. I’ve been having an affair with him behind Liam’s back.”
“Is that so?” Shadow grins, but there’s no warmth. He’s trying to match my playfulness and failing.
His streak of jealousy and possessiveness has always been strong and I’m probably playing with fire, but I love having this effect on him too much to stop. “Yeah. He’s such a good sport.”
His smile vanishes and he gives up on appearing amicable. “Keep it up, beautiful.”
“Do you want to see pictures of us?” I reach for my phone, but I forgot that I left it upstairs. Pity. I wanted to show him Mark’s pictures in his shop and laugh at his reaction.
Shadow grabs my hand and pushes me back. My back hits a tree trunk, and I gasp. My body leaps to life at the harsh look in his dark, metallic gaze.
God. It’s just one look and my entire being is enchanted to his. I want to think that it’s because of the hormones, but I know it’s all because of this man.
“Do you enjoy this, Zoe, hmm?” He flings my woollen dress up. Cold air slaps my bare skin before the warmth of his strong hand parts my thighs. “Do you enjoy driving me fucking nuts?”
He yanks my panties down.
“W-what are you doing?” I try to push away at him.
His strong fingers trace along the inside of my thighs in a harsh, mind-shattering stroke, but he’s not touching where I ache the most. He unbuckles his belt at the same time.
My gaze strays around us as I fight — and fail — to keep my legs closed. The other fields are a safe distance away, but the farmers can show up near the siege any