Page 17 of Burn of Obsidian

Jax’s voice dropped an octave. “Yes, and I know a way for you to thank me properly.”

Thank him? The audacity of this man.

Straightening her spine, Thea pressed herself closer, his pupils widening. Her hand reached up to gently drag her fingertips along the stubble along his jaw, and she expected him to move away, but instead he pressed harder into her touch.

“And why exactly should I thank you for doing your job?” She trailed down his neck, tracing along the lines of tattoos there.

“You were a whiney pain in my arse.” His skin was warm against her fingertips.

“I’d been shot. I think it’s fair I was a little irritable.” She had the neat scar to prove it. Her fingers moved down over his hard chest and abs to tease the edge of his belt. He was as solid as a rock, and as of yet, unmoving of her fake advances.

Jax raised a single brow, a note of challenge in his eyes. “You owe me.”

“Do I?” Slipping the edge of one finger beneath his jeans, he finally stiffened. Thea barely suppressed her grin. “Poor baby, all this pent up frustration.”

She tugged on his jeans, and his eyes darkened.

“Thinking you can come here and demand something from me.”

Her nail scratched against the metal zipper.

“Isn’t it a shame that I’m not going to fuck you.”

Jax’s upper lip twitched as he dipped his head closer. “Is that what you think I want?”

“It’s not like you stopped me.” She stood her ground, not letting him intimidate her. “But that doesn’t matter, because it’s not happening.”

His lips brushed against her ear. “Not a quick fuck against the wall outside? The brick biting at your skin,” he whispered, breath hot. “Or I could bend you over the bar, right here, right now, so everyone can watch you take me like a good girl.”

Thea snapped her hand back, purposely ignoring the heat that flooded her veins at the visuals.

Stop it! she scolded herself. He wasn’t allowed to tease her.

He moved even closer, backing her up until the wood of the bar pressed into her spine. “I wonder if your tongue will be as good around my cock as it is at talking.”

Thea had forgotten how to breathe. She wasn’t sure if it was the confidence or the arrogance. But whatever it was, it was working.

“I didn’t come here for a quick fuck,” he added with a growl, and she couldn’t help but clench her thighs. “I want the document you stole from the museum earlier this morning.”

It took a second for his words to register, her heart still racing. “I’m offended you’re accusing me of stealing anything from a museum,” she said, her voice huskier than normal.

Why did her voice sound like that? And how the fuck had he known it was her?

“I’ll have you know I was home this morning, alone with my cat.”

His eyes narrowed. “This isn’t a game.”

“His name’s Reaper,” she continued, trying to regain some sort of control of the conversation. “He’s an arsehole, but he’s fluffy, so I tolerate him.”

“I won’t ask again,” he warned. “Give me the document.”

“You can ask as many times as you want, big guy; the answer will be the same.”

“Thea,” he growled, her name spoken in such a deep rumble she knew she needed to get away from him before she did something stupid, like seeing whether he kissed as cold as he looked.

She seriously needed to spend some quality time with her favourite vibrating toy, because if she was imagining climbing Jax like a mountain, she must be seriously unwell.

“Well, this has been nice.” She awkwardly patted his left pec. It was ridiculously impressive, and she forced herself not to shape it with her palm. “Say hi to Harper for me.”

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