Page 27 of No Promises
“Not at the moment. I turned down an opportunity, and it could affect the wholestation.”
Christo sat up, and Noosh followed suit. Christo pulled his shirt around her. “Why would you turn itdown?”
“Because it would involve working closely with someone I dislike.Intensely.”
Christo’s eyebrows shot up. “Who?”
He noticed the tiny hesitation before she answered. “A politician. DestryPapps.”
Christo felt like he’d been slapped, and his anger roiled inside him. “Thatbastard.”
It was Noosh’s turn to look surprised. “You know him?” She checked herself. “Of course you know him, he’s a presidentialcandidate.”
“No, I’ve known him for years. Or rather, I knew him years ago, but I don’t expect he’s improved in theinte–”
He was cut off as Noosh pressed her lips to his, fiercely, and he tightened his arms around her, laughing softly when she broke away. “What was thatfor?”
Noosh grinned. “Because everyone else seems to think the sun shines out of his arse. I can’t stand thebloke.”
Christo smiled, but he had the feeling she wasn’t telling him everything. “So, why don’tyoulike him? Apart from his obvious douchbagginess – what? That’s aword.”
Noosh laughed, and to him, she seemed lighter than she had been indays – as if a weight had been lifted by him disliking the politician as much as she did. “I’ll let you have it, until our dotage and we’re playing Scrabble, then noway.”
“I like the sound of ‘our dotage.’” He pressed his lips to her throat and she tangled her fingers in his darkcurls.
“Of course,” she deadpanned, “you’ll get therewaybeforeme.”
Christo wrestled her back to the floor as she shrieked with laughter. “Just for that, you ain’t getting the D tonight,” he drawled in a dreadful New Jersey accent, and she grinned, reaching down to cup his already stiffeningcock.
“Oh yeah?” She was already wrapping her legs around his waist and guiding him insideher.
“Yeah, this is you not getting the D,” he said, laughing as he thrust deep into her velvety cunt, watching her cheeks flush with pleasure, her big brown eyes, so chocolatey and warm, and full of adoration for him. God, he loved this woman, but he was terrified of scaring her off. Which was why instead of telling her he would die for her, he kissed her until neither of them could breathe and made love to her long into thenight.
It was only later that he realized she hadn’t answered his question about Destry Papps, and he wondered again why his love would hate a man she’d never met somuch.
Chapter Thirteen
“Simple,”she told him the next morning at breakfast. She waved a piece of melon around as she spoke. “He wants to use my shooting to shill for his half-arsed campaign for stopping gun violence against women, and I don’t believe for asecondhe’s genuine. Arrogant wanker. So, he isn’t going to get to use me to help him.Arse.Hole.”
Christo grinned at her cursing but seemed satisfied with her answer. Noosh felt a wash of relief – he believed her. She’d known he hadn’t been satisfied with her answer yesterday, and mind-blowing sex could only distract him for so long. She loved that he cared enough to be angry for her, and the gratitude and relief she’d felt when he sided with her about Destry had been overwhelming. She wondered about Christo’s past history with Destry but didn’t worry about it. She just enjoyed the fact that Christo felt the same way shedid.
She smiled at Christo now. He was wearing a simple cheesecloth top, which highlighted his golden olive skin and green eyes. His dark curls were wild about his head, his beard growing wild too. She leaned over and rubbed her chin against it. “Sexy.”
Christo laughed. “I know youare.”
“Ha ha. How the hell were you single when I met you? You? Have you seenyourself?”
Christo rolled his eyes. “Because I hadn’t met youyet.”
“Good answer.” She cupped his cheek in her hand. “I’m doggone crazy ‘boutcha.”
Christo burst out laughing. “Was that your attempt at an Americanaccent?”
Noosh pretended to sulk. “Noooo…”
“It was. It totallywas.”
Noosh started to laugh with him. “Well, let’s hear your British accent then, smartarse.”
