a trade for getting me out of trouble?”
My dick jolts at her words. “And then after…”
“I shouldn’t have kissed you.” She flips the sandwiches and frowns at me. “It was a weak moment. I don’t do weak.”
Her body is stiff as she continues to cook, her eyes back on her task. Tough little Winter Burke had a vulnerable moment and now she’s back to being the ice queen.
“You don’t have to do that around me.” I turn off the soup.
“Do what?”
“Act tough.”
“It’s not an act,” she huffs. She turns off the stove and then shoots a withering glare my way. “I don’t cry. So sorry you had to see that. You won’t see it again.”
“So you’re not going to tell me what upset you?”
She was clearly upset over her father kicking her out, but I want her to elaborate and open up to me.
“You spanked me. It hurt.” She averts her gaze.
I let out a huff of disbelief. “Little liar.”
“Maybe I was humiliated at being naked in front of you.” Her brown eyes snap to mine.
Snorting at her, I shake my head. “Try another lie, sweetheart, because these are shitty so far.”
She presses her lips together and her nostrils flare with anger. Ignoring me, she puts the sandwiches on two plates and slams them loudly on the bar. Her challenging stare meets mine as she pulls a beer from the fridge, just begging me to say no so I’ll argue with her.
“I’m not your daddy, Winter. I may like to spank you, but you won’t find me telling you that you can’t drink.” I prowl over to her, forcing her to back her ass up against the wall. “In fact, I might encourage you. Then, your prissy bitch attitude might go away.” Lifting my hand, I run a finger along the side of her throat. “And who knows? Maybe I’d take advantage of you.”
I take the beer from her. With my eyes on hers, I step away to grab a bottle opener and then pop the cap. I drink a swig and then hand it back to her.
“Drink up,” I urge, a wicked smile curling my lips up.
Her neck flares red like her hair. My cock lurches in my sweatpants in appreciation of the lovely color. She tips back the bottle and swallows. I watch the way her throat moves and imagine my dick shoved deep inside, stretching her pretty little mouth to the limits. There’s no way I can hide my hard-on. When she finishes swallowing her beer, she roams her stare down my front and settles it on my eager cock.
She stares for a beat longer before meeting my eyes with fury blazing in hers. “I’ll never be anyone’s revenge fuck.”
For a moment, I’m stunned. Then, I track the way her hips move as she makes her way over to the bar and sits on a stool. I adjust my aching cock and then grab a beer. This woman is going to make me crazy.
The music in the background is soft, familiar, and relaxing. But the little ball of fire beside me as I eat is bubbling over with barely contained wrath. It amuses me that she deflects with anger. I’d much rather see her mad than upset. At least then, she’s a storm. Oh, what a beautiful storm she is.
We eat without conversation. When we finish, she does the dishes without complaint. I grab another beer and settle on the couch so I can watch the snow falling. It’s coming down heavily and I worry it’ll be a bitch to drive in tomorrow.
“I have to study,” she says as she heads to Callie’s room.
“Study in here.”
She stops at the end of the couch and frowns, her palms on her hips. “What?”
“You’re staying here for free? Well,” I grumble. “I want something in return.”
“Sex?” she asks, her voice shrill.
Yes.
“No.” Lies. I grin at her. “Your company.”
At this, she huffs. “Fine.”
A few minutes later she heads to the chair across from the couch, but I shake my head. “Nope, here.” I pat the cushion beside me.
“Whatever,” she groans.
She sits cross-legged and cracks open a textbook. I skim over what she’s reading and am surprised to find it’s a book called Comparative Government and Politics.
“Is that typical high school curriculum?” I ask.
“Are you going to talk the whole time?” she grumbles.
“Yes,” I tell her honestly.
She laughs. “You’re annoying.”
“It’s the only reason I agreed to let you come here. To annoy you.”
Her smile falls and she regards me with a tender