Page 13 of Midnight Dissonance

“Who the hell do you think you are?” she shouted, because it was all too much. The one Dom she should stay away from had stepped in and protected her. She couldn’t remember anyone doing that for her. Ever. She’d been navigating life solo for so long that she’d forgotten what it felt like to have someone care.

“I’m the guy saving your bloody ass, lass.” Josh looked like he wanted to take her over his knee and spank some sense into her.

Her entire body quivered in fucking delight at the mere thought. What the hell was wrong with her? She didn’t let her hormones guide her actions.

“I don’t need you to save me.” That’s not what she needed. All she needed was a Dom to love her unconditionally. Someone who would be loyal and wouldn’t try to change her. Someone who would support her dreams.

Basically a unicorn of a Dom.

But unicorns didn’t exist. And she doubted the Dom of her dreams did either. Not when life had proven otherwise time and again.

Josh scowled. “Lexi, he had you up against the wall and wasn’t letting go. So don’t play this off like you didn’t need anyone when clearly you did. You just don’t like that it was me.”

He hit the nail on the head. “I had it handled.”

“You didn’t. A little thanks wouldn’t hurt you, ya know. But I’m not surprised, given your picture is listed next to the word stubborn in the dictionary.”

Exasperation filled every line of his solid form. She wasn’t normally a suit kind of gal when it came to menswear, but on him, it added an element that made him smoking hot. Her fingers itched to discover if his body was as firm as it looked. Pissed at herself and beating back her desire, she asked, “Why are you even here? Did my sister send you?”

Because she wouldn’t put it past Lisa, who treated her like she was ten instead of a grown woman.

“No, Lisa didn’t send me. I’m not her errand boy. I came here of my own volition.”

“Why?” She couldn’t fathom why else he would be here. It didn’t make sense.

“This isn’t a safe place for a woman to be.”

Was he kidding? “Do you know how many times I’ve been here alone without a big, strong man to protect me? Plenty. I’ll be fine. I don’t need you or anyone else.”

“Lexi.”

“No, Josh. You’re not my boyfriend or my Dom. Hell, we’re not even friends, and don’t pretend like we are because it’s a lie. You have no right to interfere in my life.” Even though his desire to protect her touched a deep chord within her. It made her soften toward him. Because she couldn’t remember the last time anyone had wanted to protect her.

“You are the most ornery, contrary woman I’ve ever known.”

And his knight in shining armor routine was breaking through the cracks in her defenses. It made her more resolved than ever to push him away. “If you mean I’m not a pushover, then I take that as a compliment.”

“You would.” Josh snorted with a shake of his head.

“Go home, Josh.”

“No. I’m going to stick around and make sure he doesn’t mess with you again.”

She rolled her eyes, even as her heart sighed. Because it might be overbearing, but it was also super sweet.

Before she thought better of it, she gripped the lapels of his gray suit jacket and laid a lip-smacking scorcher on him. She put everything inside her into her kiss, laying one on him that she didn’t want him to forget. She couldn’t seem to help herself where he was concerned.

Josh went still as stone. A sadistic part of her wanted to show him what he was missing out on. She held on tight, going up on her tiptoes as she sucked on his bottom lip.

But then his hands cupped her face. His touch shivered through her, and her sex throbbed. Josh assumed command and dialed the kiss up from a five to a twenty. Her knees went weak. Shifting the angle of the kiss, he plunged his tongue inside, tangling with hers, and dominated her.

Lexi’s panties went up in a flash of smoke, disintegrating at the stunning kaleidoscope of sensations buffeting her.

Holy mother of god! The world stopped moving. He blotted out everything, dragging her into a quagmire of pulse-pounding need that left her moaning.

She had kissed plenty of men.

But she had never had a man kiss her like she mattered. Most kissed her as a way to get to what they wanted—mainly getting into her pants. Yet not a single one had ever made her feel as if she was priceless. As if kissing her was the point and endgame, not just a bridge to another destination.

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