Fighting Dirty

Gage snatched Harper’s bag away from her and then, holding it out of her reach, withdrew a small coupon-type book. As he flipped through the pages his eyes widened. Cocking a brow, he showed a particular page to Harper. She gave her husband a sly smile, nodded agreement and just like that, they, too, departed.

Trying not to focus on Rissy, Armie transferred his attention to Yvette. She willingly shared the contents of her bag with Cannon, who had one arm around her shoulders and a protective hand over her belly, while repeatedly kissing her temple. When he whispered to Yvette, she looked equal parts interested and flushed.

Armie shook his head. “Dare I ask?”

“None of your business,” Cannon told him. “I’m taking Yvette home. Everyone have a good night.”

“Cherry knows,” Denver said, as they all watched Cannon and Yvette leave. “I’ll get her to talk.”

Cherry slugged Denver in the stomach, then shook her hand. “Ouch.”

Making a big production of it, Denver lifted her hand to his mouth, teased his lips over her knuckles, and whispered, “What’d you get?”

Going three shades of red, Cherry opened the bag for him to see.

His smile was slow and suggestive. “That’s my girl.”

Laughing, Leese said, “If anyone’s going to need a ride—”

Denver opened his mouth, but Leese cut him off.

“No, scratch that. I meant a lift home. If you need a lift home, let’s get to it before I start blushing at all these demonstrative displays of lust.”

“He’s jealous,” Denver said to Armie. “But since you look like someone broke your funny bone, I think we’ll ride with Leese.”

“Let’s go, then,” Justice told them. “I’m thinking there are a few lady friends I need to call tonight and I don’t want to wait until it’s too late.”

Cherry waved to Rissy. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

As Armie watched them all walk off, chatting amicably, he heard no reply from Rissy.

His time was up and he knew it.

Then he felt her approach. “Armie?” Her voice was hesitant, hurt. She touched his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

He rubbed his face with both hands, stepped out of reach and tried to summon up a smile. “Nothing. It was just a rotten day, that’s all.” The evening breeze toyed with her hair, compelling him to tuck one side back. And once he was there, his hand so close to her face, he couldn’t resist brushing his thumb over her soft, warm cheek. “I’m sorry, Stretch, but I’m lousy company tonight.”

“That’s okay,” she rushed to say.

Armie was already shaking his head. “No, trust me, it’s not. I’m going to head home to jog off some steam. You should sleep at your house and tomorrow we can—”

“No.”

He stalled. Had she just told him no? He met her stormy gaze and tried again. “I’ve got a lot on my mind,” he said. “It’ll be better—”

“Forget it.”

Her scowl surprised him. “Rissy.”

She stiffened up. “Don’t you Rissy me.” Bag in hand, she stomped to her car and pretty much snarled, “I’m going to your place!”

He’d never seen her like this before, insistent but also on edge. “I just told you—”

“I heard exactly what you said! But you’re not brushing me off, and that’s that.”

She refused to leave? He stalked up to her car. “Damn it, Stretch, if you’d just listen—”

Instead, she slammed her car door, started the engine and without giving him another glance, drove away.

Heading toward his apartment.

Son of a bitch!

Armie hurried to his truck and followed right behind her, his thoughts churning with every mile they drove. By the time he’d parked in the lot, she’d already jumped out and was literally jogging to his door.

What did she think? That he’d physically bar her?

Feeling like an idiot, his blood pumping hot, he chased after her.

She raced up the steps, and he thundered up behind her, getting to his apartment door just in time for her to slam it in his face. His door. Of all the...

He jerked it open, stepped inside and slammed it again. Nostrils flared, he looked around but didn’t see her. “Rissy?”

“Don’t bellow,” she bellowed back from the bedroom.

Some anomalous emotion surged through him, tensing his muscles and narrowing his vision. He was furious, but for insane reasons, equally turned on. His nerves sang. His blood burned.

Urged forward by his own carnal imagination, he reached the closed door of the bedroom. More than a little lost, he sorted through a dozen different things to tell her and without settling on a single one he threw open the bedroom door.

It bounced off the wall, but didn’t distract Rissy, who stood there topless, hurriedly undoing her painted-on jeans. It fried his eyes, seeing her like this, almost frenzied, her body bare down to her hips. Gorgeous.

Her top was on the opposite side of the room, as if she’d thrown it. Her shopping bag had been dropped on the floor, but at the moment he didn’t care what she’d bought.

“I’m not leaving,” she snapped, and almost fell over when she struggled to tug the tight jeans off her ankles. She ended up plopping onto the bed, bounced a little, kicked furiously and finally got the jeans off.

She now wore only low, boy-short panties the same color as her soft skin.

Heartbeat hammering, Armie took a step toward her, and she threw up a hand.

“Wait!”

He halted midstep.

Eyeing him warily, Rissy scooted farther into the middle of the bed, skimmed off her panties and flung them at him.

They hit him in the face and fell to the floor. Still he didn’t move.

After shaking back her hair, she came up to her elbows, one leg straight, the other bent at the knee, and she smiled at him. “Okay. Now you can join me if you want.”

Raw from the inside out, Armie edged cautiously closer. Tonight had been too much, first with Carter telling him his worst fears had surfaced into reality, then seeing a kid abused and having that same kid now distrust him.

Then to know he’d brought Rissy down to his level, that she’d been slumming in some low-class porno dive...

“Yeah,” he whispered through his teeth, his eyes burning and his cock throbbing. “I’ll join you.”

Instead of looking threatened, she breathed a sigh of relief, and this time her voice was gentle when she said, “I’m not leaving.”

At the side of the bed, Armie stared down at her long, toned, sexy body, and damn it, he needed her.

More than he needed his next breath.

More than he needed anything or anyone else. She’d given him a few tastes and now he craved her, like an addict.

Casual as you please, her blue eyes intent on his face, watching his reaction, Rissy parted her thighs.

Hotly provoked, Armie worked his jaw, then smiled at her in warning as he covered each of her knees with a hand and opened her wide.

Her breath caught, but she didn’t fight him.

Damn, she was beautiful, her slim thighs straining, her sex pink and damp. And his.

“I told you to leave me be tonight.”

“And I refused.”