Page 65 of Sizzling Desire

I want her.

And I’ll be damned if I let anyone else think otherwise.

I should be in a good mood now that we’re at the rehearsal dinner and all the practicing of walking down the aisle is over with. The wedding is next week, finally.

Hudson’s buying drinks. The food’s decent. Everyone’s laughing, celebrating, and for once, there’s no talk of work, of arson cases, of people almost dying.

But I’mnotin a good mood because this jackass waiter won’t stop flirting with Grace.

The guy is young, too young. Some fresh-out-of-college pretty boy with an easy grin and a name tag that reads Trevor, and for some reason, he’s decided that Grace is his for the evening.

I try to ignore it. I really do, but then he leans in and touches her shoulder. Then he laughs a littletoo hardat something she says, and just like that, every ounce of patience I had evaporates. I set my beer down hard, pushing back my chair.

Hudson’s eyes flick to mine. “Oh, hell.”

Kate huffs. “Kane?—”

Too late; I’m already moving.

Trevor—poor,cluelessTrevor—is still talking when I step up behind Grace’s chair, resting a very possessive hand on the back of it.

The kid notices me immediately, straightening like he feels the shift in the air. He has to look up at least a foot to see my face. I must outweigh him by forty pounds.

Grace tenses, glancing up at me. “Kane, what?—”

I don’t take my eyes off Trevor.

“You got a problem,Trevor?” I ask, voice low. Controlled.

Trevor blinks. “Uh…no?”

“Well, from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re hitting on my woman.”

Grace chokes.

The table goes dead silent.

Trevor’s face drains of color. “I—uh?—”

I tilt my head. “You gonna keep running your mouth, or are you gonna take our order and move the fuck on?”

He nods so fast it’s comical. “Right. Got it. I’ll—I’ll be right back.”

He turns and bolts as I settle into the chair next to Grace, reaching for my beer like nothing just happened.

Silence.

Then Kate leans forward, eyes glinting. “So. Your woman?”

Grace is still gaping at me, her cheeks flushed. “Did you just—” She cuts herself off, dragging in a sharp breath. “Did you just tell an entire restaurant I belong to you?”

I take a slow sip of my beer, meeting her gaze.

“Damn right I did.”

Her lips part, eyes blazing. “You’re an asshat.”

Across the table, Hudson grins. “Well, at least we don’t have to wonder where you stand on the whole ‘claiming Grace’ thing.”

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