Page 60 of Resist

He smiled when he spotted her, but it faded quickly when he caught her less-than-pleased expression.

Walking across the tavern, he paused a few feet in front of her. “Hi, Ainsley.”

She scowled. “Coulton.”

He reached out, intent on taking her hand, but she pulled it away, transferring her dishcloth to it to stop him. She didn’t bother to hide the fact she was pissed off, but he didn’t seem to care as a ghost of a smile crossed his lips.

“Mad at me?”

She scoffed. “Why would I be mad at you?”

“I broke my phone, Ainsley. Second night on the road. I didn’t have your number memorized, so I had no way to reach you. Tried the bar’s landline, but it didn’t go through.”

She glanced over her shoulder at the busted phone she’d been meaning to replace. Then she lifted one shoulder casually. “You don’t have to call me or text. I don’t expect that.”

He tilted his head. “You don’t?”

She rolled her eyes like his question was completely ridiculous, even though that response cost her something. She might not expect it, but she’d wanted it.

Time to shut this thing down. She didn’t like the way she’d felt the past two days when her texts went unanswered. It proved it was time to pull on the reins. Hard. Because she was letting herself fall for him. “We hooked up a couple times, Coulton. That’s it.”

“Felt like more than hooking up to me.”

Ainsley scoffed. Pretty words. That was all they were. She was a sucker for them, but that needed to stop now.

“Well, you’re wrong. It was just sex. You helped me scratch an itch, so I’m good now. Won’t need your services again,” she said in her bitchiest tone, holding her breath as she waited for him to reply with some nasty barb before walking out.

Coulton studied her face for a moment, looking at her in that way that made her think he could see right to her soul. It was unnerving and intimidating and…hot.

“It wasn’t just sex to me,” he insisted.

Now, as always, his response threw her for a loop, because who said something like that? Who put themselves out there like that? The man had no sense of self-preservation.

“I…” She hesitated, uncertain how to respond to him.

“Who did the graffiti outside?” he asked, changing the subject.

“I don’t know.”

His look told her he suspected the same assholes she did. His next question confirmed it. “Did those guys come back?”

She shook her head. “No. They’re probably still licking their wounds. Pretty sure I broke Luigi’s arm.”

“Hope you did. Are things okay with Mick? Eli?”

Ainsley had spent the past two days listing all the reasons why she was finished with Coulton Moore. She hadn’t expected to see him again, but since he was incapable of taking a hint, she was going to have to spell things out for him. “What’s the deal with the Spanish Inquisition, Coulton? Mick and Eli and those assholes are none of your business. You and I arenotin a relationship. I’m not interested in being your booty call or your girlfriend or whatever the fuck this is, and I don’t do clingy guys, so back off.”

Coulton snorted.

Actually fucking snorted.

“God, you’re adorable when you’re mad. Like a wet kitten with her back up.”

Ainsley was slammed with two emotions, both striking her simultaneously. Fury—because what the fuck kind of comment was that? And happiness—because no one hadevercalled her adorable…and she didn’t hate it. Not at all.

“Adorable?” she gasped, unable to come up with a witty response.

“Close the bar, wildcat,” he said, in that deep, dark tone that got her nipples hard and her pussy wet.

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