All-American Princess - Maggie Dallen Page 0,21

apart my intestines till she got to my heart and soul.

Like I said… unnerving.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know the effect you have, Ho-down Jack.” She pursed her lips in disgust as she waved a hand in my direction. “All dark and brooding, I bet you can have any girl you want in Mayberry, am I right?”

I didn’t respond. There was no way to answer that without sounding like an ass.

She smirked, and this time, she was the one edging closer into my space. “I’m guessing you’re bored with this sea of vanilla, though, aren’t you? You secretly love the fact that two hotties moved into the hovel upstairs.” She had to tilt her head back to look at me, but she still managed to be looking down her nose. “Well, guess what? My sister is off-limits. She’s way too good for you. She’s smart, funny, and wickedly cunning beneath that sweetheart image you seem to love so much.”

I shook my head, not sure whether to laugh at her spunk, be annoyed by the fact that she thought I wasn’t good enough, or kiss her senseless for protecting her sister like that.

I didn’t want to like that about her, but there it was. The girl was tough, and despite her bad attitude, she was actually loyal to her sister.

But that conversation with her sister, whatever was going on between them and whatever the reason they were here… that was the reminder I needed that this girl might be loyal, but she was also dangerous. She was playing a game, and I needed to know the rules.

“I’m not the threat here, Hollywood Barbie.”

She wrinkled her nose up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I leaned in closer. “I don’t know what your plan is with Brandon—”

“I don’t have a plan,” she interrupted. Her lips curved into a sexy smirk. “Unless you count trying to get him into my bed.”

Jealousy shot through me so fast and fierce, it overrode reason. One moment, I stood there frustrated but sane, and then the next… I lost it.

Pulling her into my arms, I kissed her.

Hard.

I kissed her like I was drowning and she was air, crushing her soft body against mine. Her soft lips parted for me, and she let out the sexiest little moan I’d ever heard before kissing me back.

This was heaven. This girl in my arms, all passionate heat mixed with a softness she couldn’t hide and something so intoxicatingly heady it could be a drug. My tongue swept into her mouth, and she let me claim her, explore her, as she wrapped her arms around my neck and held me tight.

A sound in the woods behind us had me pulling back slightly, my lungs struggling for air as I took in her dazed, heavy-lidded eyes and the way her lush pink lips were swollen from my kiss.

Holy hell, this girl was stunning.

Breathtaking.

She was mine.

She gave her head a little shake, and I watched her lick her lips and draw in a deep breath. She was just as affected as I was… the thought would have been more satisfying if she didn’t instantly turn her head, as if seeking out Brandon in the crowd.

“He’s not for you, Princess,” I said.

“Don’t call me that,” she snapped. But her voice lacked heat. She sounded distracted. Confused, even.

I still had my arms around her, and I moved them up now to grasp her arms and get her attention. “He’s not for you,” I repeated.

“How do you know?”

“Because he’s nice,” I said. “He’s a good guy.” I met her stare head on. “You’d eat him alive.”

Instead of being insulted, she surprised the hell out of me by flashing me a wicked grin. A genuine smile that made her eyes dance with laughter. “That might be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”

I shook my head. “You’re crazy.”

She opened her mouth to interrupt but was distracted by the sound of twigs snapping nearby. Lila jerked out of my arms as we both turned to see Amber hovering nearby, an apologetic wince distorting her pretty features.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt, I’ll just, uh…” She looked around like she didn’t know where to flee.

“You didn’t interrupt anything,” Lila said just a little too quickly.

Amber flashed her a grateful smile and held out a little black purse—the one Lila had left in my truck when we’d gotten here. “I saw you and Brandon earlier and I thought…” She trailed off with a shrug as she took a few steps forward to join