Page 76 of Through the Flames
“Color-coded, not alphabetized. Don’t insult me,” he replied flatly.
“Jesus Christ.”
He sauntered over to my side of the bed, his muscles rippling, distracting me at a time when I should’ve been keeping my wits together.
“You eat. Properly. You don’t get to skip meals because you ‘forgot.’”
I started to scoff, but all he had to do was lift a brow, daring me to test him.
How the fuck did he know about that? My girl dinners were between me, a sleeve of Ritz crackers, a jar of pickles, and a block of cheddar, thank you very much.
“Phone’s mine whenever I ask. You don’t hide shit from me.” His tone clearly said,Not negotiable.
“Not gonna give you the passcode,” I sing-sang, flashing him a saccharine smile.
“You’re actually acting like I need it.” He cocked one brow, as if to say,Really?
“You speak when you have something to say. Don’t play silent with me. I don’t play guessing games.”
“And what do I get out of this arrangement?” I finally asked.
He stepped in close, knuckles brushing across my cheek, igniting a shower of sparks.
“You get to keep your brother’s name clean.” A beat passed. “And you get me.Allof me. Whether you realize it yet or not.”
“Is that all?” I asked sarcastically.
Hunter held out his hand, palm visibly calloused and forbiddenly massive. “Underwear off.”
No lead-in. No smirk. Just a simple command, backed by the knowledge it’d be obeyed.
I recoiled, my mouth already opening to deliver a sarcastic retort.
But he looked at me. Hereallylooked at me — unflinching, unamused and unmoved.
“Now. You heard the rule.”
I wasn’t the type to obey rules. I didn’twantto obey, and yet I did.
My cheeks felt hot as I hooked my thumbs into the waistband of my yoga pants and slowly pulled them, along with my underwear, down my legs.
Hunter was watching, but not like a man about to pounce. More like he was taking inventory, cataloging every inch of my body. His gaze swept over me in a slow, possessive drag.
When he held out his hand, I rolled my eyes and tossed the lace into his palm with a flick of my wrist.
“Here. Treasure it.”
“Good. Now come here.”
Holy fuck. The way he was able to just drop his voice to a low, gravelly rumble was doingthingsto me.
He picked up the shirt I’d so conveniently ignored.
“You’re going to wear this.”
Gripping the hem of my shirt, telling myself my stomach had already been exposed anyway, I sucked in a deep breath. Guess I was really about to show Hunter fucking Rhodes my tits.
I could tell myself this was duty, all I wanted. My nipples clearly had their own agenda.
