Ride Rough - Tessa Layne Page 0,24

she liked it. He said it like he was daring her to protest, and it made her stomach do a slow, delicious roll. Oh lordy, did she like the way he said it. Sparring with this man was like an aphrodisiac of the first order.

"Bring it," she breathed, heart pounding, half-hoping he'd close the distance between them and put his mouth on hers again.

"Only if you let me take you to dinner."

So tempting. She studied his mouth, the slightly plump bottom lip, the way his teeth gleamed when he slipped into an easy smile. His cheeks were ruddy from being outside, but not burned, and his eyes... so expressive. They changed colors with his feelings. Now they were dark green and glinting. There were faint crow's feet at the corner, probably from too much California sun, and his eyebrow twitched when she irritated him. The first streak of gray sparkled at his left temple. She could stare at him from across a table all night long and never grow bored. But inevitably, he'd grow bored or choose someone easier, because she was never enough. "I get your moves. You just want into my pants, don't you?"

Trace eased back, eyes intense as he stared right back at her. "I'd be lying if I denied it."

"Well, these pants are locked tight buster. My panties aren't some, some... souvenir for your suitcase," she finished lamely, because why was he looking at her like that?

"Scared... Cecilia?" he rumbled, mouth pulling into a smirk as if he'd one-upped her.

"No." Her refusal sounded more like a question than a firm answer.

He shook his head. "Liar."

"Think so?"

"I know so." He brushed a knuckle along her jaw, then traced her lower lip with the pad of this thumb. The tenderness in his gesture surprised her.

I see you Cecilia Sanchez.

Butterflies launched in her stomach, fluttering against her sternum with no hope of escape. She opened her mouth and nipped the tip, then sucked on it until he made a strangled noise in this throat. She raised her eyes to meet his, and held his smoldering gaze. She couldn't quite get enough oxygen into her lungs.

He ghosted a smile. "You like this - whatever this is between us... and you don't want to like me." His voice dropped. "But that's not why you're scared. You're scared, because I have your number..." his mouth grazed hers lightly. So featherlight, it was like she'd almost imagined it, except for the shock that left her lips tingling and the tickle of his whiskers against her cheek. "Sweetheart." He brushed her mouth again. "But I haven't run away."

He wasn't wrong. But it was something more than that, something bigger. Her sense of self-preservation told her this was the kind of man who could break her. And everyone knew the best defense was a strong offense.

"I've been told I'm a strong flavor," she murmured, body humming with anticipation.

"I like my whiskey neat."

"I've been told I'm too bossy."

"I'm bossier," he growled.

His comeback pulled a small laugh from her. "I refuse to tone it down."

"Whatever that means." His mouth landed at the hollow of her neck, hot and insistent. His beard scraped against the sensitive skin with dizzying effect, sending tingles shooting across her body. Her nipples ached, hard and tight against the silk of her bra. She vibrated with arousal, frenetic energy rippled through her like waves on a beach.

But she had to lay her cards on the table. Her voice wavered as she continued to dissuade him. "I'm not easy." How many times had she been accused of being difficult?

"I like a challenge."

"Until you don't."

He lifted his head, eyes boring into her. "You don't know me very well, then."

"I'm leaving soon." It was a weak excuse, but she'd use it. Anything to keep from falling into his orbit.

"I'm only here through Christmas." He nipped at the exposed part of her collarbone. "You're running out of excuses, Cecilia."

She loved how he said her name, like he relished the flavor of it in his mouth. "It's my job to expose liars and cheats." Could he hear her heart pounding? Her pulse was deafening in her ears.

"It's a good thing I'm neither, then." His mouth landed on another sensitive spot on her neck.

She sighed from the pure bliss of it. "Then you'll have no problem telling me why you're really here?"

Trace froze. In the next instant, the sexual tension that had wound tighter and tighter around them snapped like bailing wire pulled too taut, and recoiled. He pulled