Page 42 of Savage Lust

His entire body turned to steel. “I’d never let anything happen to you.”

“You’re not invincible, Cam.”

“You think I can’t protect you?” He pushed his hand through his hair again and cussed under his breath. “Shit is sideways right now, both inside the club and out. But the one thing I know—I’d kill someone before they got close to you.”

I balked at the passion in his voice.

“Trust me, darlin, you ain’t been alone yet. You wouldn’t have been.”

“Even with your two…friends here?”

His face darkened. “Even then.”

He was in front of me, long fingers tilting my chin up before I could prepare myself for his touch. “You feel it, too, don’t you? You know damn well I was thinking about you the entire time. That’s the problem, sweetheart. I need to think, to figure it all out. I can’t when I’m with you, inside you. Everything goes away but you.”

Whatever argument I’d had, whatever I’d been upset about, vanished. I trembled, standing there.

“I promise you. There’s never been another woman that got inside my head like you. It’s dangerous. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Hear me?”

Every word.

He kissed me, softly sucking my bottom lip in between his before snaking his tongue into my mouth. He plundered, taking with his tongue dancing around mine. I dropped the bag and clung to his hips. The kiss making it so easy to forget the things Merc had said on the porch.

I wanted to know more about how Archer died, but this wasn’t the way to find out.

He pulled away, breathing heavy. “Wecan go back to the house. Until I find out who broke in, figure this all out, I’m keeping you close.”

I nodded. He’d get no argument from me. I was relieved that he wouldn’t let me go back alone. No matter how weak that made me feel.

I steadied myself as he collected his stuff and shrugged into his cut.

“What happens if your club finds out we slept together?”

He grinned. “Nothing. Except Jester can’t flirt with you anymore.”

At the door, he dropped a soft kiss to my lips. “Tomorrow night AP’s cooking lasagna at his place. Wanna go?”

“Like a family dinner?” Those words put me in the mind of thirty-minute sitcoms, where families gathered around a kitchen table in some off-color kitchen to complain about the day. Cam didn’t fit into that mold; none of them did. I lifted my brow as he opened the door and held it for me.

“Fewer people than at the clubhouse. We eat, have a few beers. No groupies.” He pulled the door shut behind me. “I can’t tell you everything, not now. But…”

He could give me this part of himself. I was good enough for family dinner. “You mean I can come out of hiding now?” It was a low blow, but no matter what he said, I was still running onhigh emotions. No one told me confusion and anger could be byproducts of my first orgasms.

“Ain’t my place to tell anyone shit about you.” He stopped at the bottom of the steps and shoved his belt through the loops of his loose fitting, dark wash jeans. “You want everyone in town to think we’re fucking—I’m all for it. But I don’t kiss and tell.”

His smirk was as hot as it was annoying.

“I never know if I want to hit you or kiss you.” The railing creaked when I leaned against it, stopping short of groaning or hitting him.

“Yeah, I have that effect.” He eyed me up and down. “But if you want to skip dinner and spend the next few days alone with me, I’m all for that, too.”

I couldn’t help but laugh and blush a little. “To be honest, AP’s lasagna sounds great.”

Anything to put distance between what he’d just done to me, what I wanted him to do, and the secrets that were piling up.

***

Full access to a private bathroom was one of those weird things people take for granted. I did, for sure. Until I’d spent time living out of my car and only showering at the gym.

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