Page 105 of Three Reckless Words

It’s like staring at the sun, but it also takes crazy effort to push my gaze back to his face.

“Um. Hi.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yes! Yes, everything’s fine, Archer. I just—”I want to fall through the floor and erase your memory of you ever finding me like this.“I was just up and feeling a little restless. That’s all.”

He holds the door open for me.

“There’s a view from my balcony,” he says, and when I step past him, he leans over me to shut the door.

Holy hell, the smell of him alone ignites my senses.

If I wasn’t already climbing half out of my mind with lust, his woody, manly, dangerous scent would leave me stranded in crazy town.

For a second, his head turns toward me, and he stares down at me, close enough to kiss.

The air froths with energy.

Oh, this is bad.

My body floods with wicked heat. But just as I think he might close the distance, he pulls away.

I don’t know if I’m relieved or disappointed.

At least his butt looks great as he leads me through his large master bedroom to the balcony. Just as he promised, the view is incredible, even if it only takes my mind off Hercules incarnate for a few seconds.

The neon lights of downtown Kansas City glow like another world in the distance. The air is still balmy, sticky even, and I can see a few faint lights from ships snaking along the Missouri River.

“Pretty awesome. You can see most of the city from here,” I say.

He rests his arms against the metal railing as he stands beside me, close enough to feel his warmth bleeding through my clothes.

“What’s up with you, really?” he asks. “Somehow, I don’t think you came here to just admire the view.”

“Yes. No. I mean…” God, why is this so hard? I huff out a breath. “I just came to talk. If you want to, I mean. After dinner, you seemed kinda bothered. It’s not my business, but…” I dip my head, not wanting to look him in the face. “Look, I appreciate what you did with Holden. I’m super grateful for all your help, really, and I want you to know that if you ever need an ear, I’m here. For you and Colt both.”

He’s dead silent for so long I wonder if he hears me. I glance up to see him staring at me with a crooked smile, so close and so striking I can’t remember how to breathe.

“What about a mouth?” he whispers, his voice low and gruff and raspy. “Frankly, that would help me a lot more than an ear tonight, Winnie.”

A mouth?

I frown, my frazzled brain trying to parse what he means.

Until he grabs my shoulders.

Until he pulls me closer.

Until he makes his words crystal clear with a demand disguised as a kiss.

Holy hell.

There’s no gentle pleading, not tonight.

No hesitation.

He knows what he wants, and he goes for it.

---