be a...a civilized human being.”
“You think I’m an animal, Wren?” he asked again, his voice low and rough. “You think I don’t control my baser instincts? I have, Princess. You don’t even know. Maybe it’s time you saw what it looks like when I don’t.”
And that was how she found herself being backed up against one of the stone walls in the wine cellar, six-foot-plus of angry man staring down at her, his green eyes blazing. “You want an animal?” He put his hand on her hip, and she nearly combusted. “I’ve half a mind to give you one.”
Her heart was thundering so hard she felt like it might rattle the buttons clean off the front of her blouse. And if it did, it would leave her top open. And then he would be able to...
She was throbbing between her thighs, her throat utterly and completely dry. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be some kind of fever dream. The kind of dream she had every other night when she had to deal with Creed.
When anger turned into something much hotter, and much more naked.
But it couldn’t be real. Anger couldn’t really turn into this seething, hot well of need, could it? This couldn’t really be what was beneath all of their fighting. That was... That was her being confused.
Her having some kind of fantasy that allowed her to take control of him.
That was just what she told herself whenever she had sex dreams about him.
That sure, he might be hot, but she didn’t actually want to have sex with him. It was just that the idea of manipulating him with her body appealed to her subconscious, because it was always such a sparring contest in real life.
And the idea that maybe her breasts could reduce him slightly was tempting.
But that wasn’t real. People didn’t really do this.
She didn’t really do this.
You’re just trapped in a box...
And suddenly, she wondered what it might be like if she did really do this. If she dared. If she returned his volley right now.
If she let herself be the animal she’d accused him of being.
She’d gotten to him. Really and truly. Something about her accusing him of lacking civility and control clearly irritated him. And she wanted to keep on doing it. She wanted to push him.
She arched her hips forward, and her pelvis came into contact with the evidence of just what he was feeling, there in the front of his jeans. He was hard. He might be mad, but he was hard. For her.
“Oh, I see,” she said. “So that’s your real problem. Pulling my pigtails on the playground because you like me?” She rolled her hips forward, and she nearly gasped at the sensation. She might be taunting him, but she was on the verge of overheating. Spontaneously combusting. “If you want me to lift up my skirt so you can see my panties, you should’ve just asked.”
“You’re infuriating,” he bit out.
“No more so than you.”
“You know what, I’m tired of that smart mouth of yours. Maybe it’s time you found something else to occupy it with.”
And before she could say anything else, those lips had crashed down on hers. He was kissing her, hard and deep. And he was so... Hot and strong and male. So far and beyond any man she had ever touched before. She was used to civilized men. And he might be angry that she’d called him uncivilized, but the fact remained that he was. Dangerously so.
She was panting, writhing against him as he cupped the back of her head so he could take the kiss deeper. His tongue was hot and slick against hers, and the friction made a well of need open up between her thighs. She felt hollow, she felt... Like she might die if she didn’t have him. Thrusting hard and deep inside her.
“You talk big,” she said against his mouth. “I hope you’ve got the equipment to back that up.”
“I’ve never had any complaints, Princess.”
“I’m sure I could find a few.”
“No, baby. You’re not going to have any. Not after this.”
“Are you just going to talk? Or are you going to fuck me?”
She had never spoken to a man like that in her life. Had never even dreamed of saying something so raw and carnal. Because she’d never been this desperate before. And it didn’t matter. Because it was Creed Cooper, and he didn’t even like her. So it didn’t matter what he thought of her. Didn’t matter if