She tried not to think about how interested she was in him.
"I stole your car, and then you shot me. How do I know you just don't want a chance to put another hole in me?"
She lifted her chin challengingly. "Same way I'm supposed to believe you, I guess."
"We're at an impasse, then," he said, still gripping her wrist.
Harper shrugged, trying to pretend that she wasn't noticing his hand on her in a very visceral way. "Why don't we just agree to believe each other? For the time being, I mean? It'd be much less drama, and I've never been big on drama. You said you'd give my car back. If you meant it, that's good enough for me. I'm willing to wait."
Levi chuckled. "You're crazy."
"Well, did you mean it?" she pressed.
He shrugged. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."
"So, then," she said. "I wanted to come along with you. And that's what happened. So I don't see as to why I'd have any complaints."
"You're forgetting the car chase. That sort of happened in the middle."
"It wasn't much of a chase, on that bike of yours." She shook her head, still having a hard time believing how easily he'd abandoned that beautiful machine. She loved her car, but even she was in touch with reality enough to realize that no one in their right mind would make the exchange Levi had unless he felt forced to do so. "Are they really that dangerous? The people who're after you?"
"More dangerous than you can imagine," he said.
"Well, I can imagine pretty dangerous." Her other hand reached out almost of its own accord, catching the open flap of his motorcycle jacket.
He caught that one, too, his gaze on her growing even more keen. "More dangerous than that. More dangerous than me."
"That is dangerous," she said, her breath coming a little faster.
"You have no idea," he murmured, and his mouth was already angling down.
With a single step, Harper closed the small distance between them so that her body pressed against their joined hands, her purse sliding to the side. She raised onto her tiptoes, and met his lips with hers.
Instantly, he reached around her, his hand closing around a fistful of hair at the back of her head. He pulled her hard against his mouth, trapping her hands between them as his other arm encircled her waist and slid downward, across her rear, his body weight driving her backward toward the car.
His mouth explored hers, efficiently, expertly, devastatingly, his rhythm driving shockwaves of heat down into her belly and lower, to the juncture of her thighs.