Lawless by Emma Wildes Page B

to it.”
    Considering what happened the last time she pushed him, Laurel held her tongue.
    Her current state of naked humiliation was bad enough. God alone knew what he might do next.
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    Lawless
    He crossed the space and his boots rapped sharply on the boards of the small porch before he shoved open the door to the cabin. A moment later she was deposited on the bed in a flurry of fabric, wet towel and damp hair. Cal leaned over her, one arm braced on either side of her body, and effectively trapped her. He was warm, solid and all intimidating male. His gaze was direct, his face inches from hers. “I am about to be very straight with you, got it?”
    She nodded, not sure if she was alarmed or intrigued. His closeness and her nudity sparked a response that held her prisoner, mesmerized by his clean scent and the imposing width of his shoulders.
    “We’re going to be here alone until Gabe gets back. At that time, we’ll set out for your father’s ranch and you’ll be back with your family and off my hands. In the meantime, we have to figure out a way to stay out of each other’s paths as best as possible. There’s no question that I’m not a saint, so don’t assume anything good about me except that I don’t have any active desire to do you harm. That’s about the best you can hope for.”
    His mouth was so close she could feel the warmth of his breath against her lips.
    Without thought, Laurel licked them, and she saw a flicker of reaction in his eyes. He inhaled audibly and jerked his gaze from her mouth back to her eyes.
    With cool emphasis he went on. “I watched you in the stream because I took on the job of keeping you safe of my own free will. I’m sure as hell not saying I didn’t enjoy the scenery, because you might remember I told you flat out I think you’re a beautiful girl, Miss Daniels. I would bet every jack man who has met you thinks so. Just keep in mind I’m tempted, steer clear, and we’ll get along just fine.”
    Maybe it was the memory of the kiss and the close proximity of his mouth that made her so reckless. Maybe it was the pent-up tension of the past few days, and maybe it was just something she’d never felt before, but Laurel whispered, “What if I’m tempted too?”
    His tall body stiffened and his eyes suddenly glittered.
    What was she doing? Playing with a man like Cal Riker was just plain crazy, but she was telling the complete truth. She found him attractive in a way she never had anyone www.samhainpublishing.com 47

    Emma Wildes
    else, and who and what he was didn’t seem to matter. Her parents had raised her to be honest and she usually told the truth without even thinking about it.
    She lifted her chin and looked him in the eyes. “I’m not indifferent to you either.
    After that kiss, I’d guess a smart man like yourself has already figured that out.”
    For a moment he seemed to not know what to say, but then he murmured, “We’re talking about a hell of a lot more than a kiss, Miss Daniels.”
    “I’m not stupid, Mr. Riker , I’ve a pretty clear idea what you’re saying.” Her voice was a little hoarse and she cleared her throat.
    “I’m saying I really want to fuck you. That’s clear as a summer sky, isn’t it?”
    Laurel blinked at the crude word, taken aback more by the almost desperate note in his voice than what he’d just said.
    “Sorry.” He straightened and backed away a few paces, leaving her sprawled on the bed, her clothes and damp towel in disarray on top of her. One hand lifted and ran through his hair in a restless movement, his long fingers tousling it attractively.
    “Offending you isn’t going to solve this problem, so I apologize for that last remark. You didn’t deserve it, but quite frankly, this isn’t the best discussion for us to have when you aren’t wearing a stitch and I’m a little on the edge here anyway. I’ll go outside and you can dress in privacy.”
    “I don’t want you to go