Page 35 of A Cowboy's Claim
All her positive thoughts vanished as he hit a hot button. “You need to rethink telling me what to do.”
“Yeah, that’s not happening. You can’t see straight, but I’ll help you figure it out.”
“You think I’m reckless and foolish.”
“I think you’re a fucking force of nature.”
The words came out like a cannon shot across her bow.
Declan’s voice quivered, the intensity turned up to eleven. “I’m so turned on right now I can barely breathe. But I’m also so pissed that I can’t see straight.” He sucked in a big breath of air as he rose to his feet. “You make my chest hurt with how bold you are. I admire the crap out of you even as you scare me to death. Youarereckless. You’re willing to dive into the most dangerous situations and it usually means you end up a goddamn hero. But that doesn’t change the fact that I want to tie you up and hide you away so that you can’t stick your damn neck out every fucking day. And the things that I want to dotoyou while I’ve got you tied up…”
Before she could answer or make any kind of excuse, he caught her to his body and slammed their lips together. A hard kiss, demanding and controlling. She was being consumed like wood being fed into the flames.
He pushed her back to the wall, and she clung to him, the fear and the frustration of the day sweeping away as everything narrowed to the pinpoint focus of being in his arms.
He lifted her off the ground, and she wrapped her legs around him as he pressed his hips against her intimately. The fear that had wrapped itself around her ribs hadn’t fully let go—but Declan’s kiss stripped her bare. Demanding. Fierce. Freeing.
She clung to his neck and kissed him back, groaning as he rocked, the thick length of his erection hitting every sensitive spot between her legs.
They needed to move this inside. She needed to rip his clothes off and lose her frustrations in his touch. In his taking.
She dragged her fingernails over his shoulders, just about to make that suggestion when the door swung open beside them, and Dixie rushed out with a friendlywoof.
“Sydney? You home? I came over and was working on my 4-H essay using the articles you gave me— Oh, God, I’m sorry.”
Jinx’s voice cut off as she darted away, and the door beside them slammed shut.
8
It wasn’t his proudest thought, but Declan really wished Jinx hadn’t been there. Not because of the embarrassment factor, although that was through the roof, but because he and Sydney both had fire left to burn.
He lowered her feet to the porch. “Sorry. Lost my head,” he said quietly.
“Me, too.” She looked up at him. “Not sorry about the kissing, but the thoughtlessly stepping into danger. You’re right.”
They stared at each other for a minute before Declan took a deep breath. “Guess I get to give Jinx a ride home.”
“Have fun with that.” Sydney remained slightly breathless but more than a hint of teasing coloured her words.
Amusement chased away some of his frustration and the flames still licking over his skin. “You sound so sympathetic.”
“Glad it’s you and not me, that’s all I’m saying,” Sydney offered before clearing her throat and speaking louder. “Hey, Jinx, don’t worry. We’re decent and about to come into the house.”
Dixie met them with great enthusiasm, licking Declan’s hand and bumping into Sydney’s knees as Declan followed into the foyer off the small kitchen. Jinx was entirely too focused on putting her notebooks into her backpack and refused to look at either of them.
“Did you find what you needed for today?” Sydney asked.
“Yup.”
“Good. Then maybe tomorrow, or whenever you feel up to it, you can call me and we’ll finish the interview portion of your project.”
“Sure.” Jinx cleared her throat, tossing her bag over one shoulder. “You’ve done some cool stuff.”
“I have. Now, remember my pet peeve?”
“Put my bag on properly,” Jinx said immediately, slipping on both straps. “Fine. I should go.”
“I’ll give you a ride,” Declan said.
