Page 39 of Late Nights & Love Lines
I reach out and touch her shoulder because regardless of what else is going on, I will always be drawn to this woman. The second my skin touches hers—she halts. Her only movement is a sharp intake of air as though I’ve just jump-started her lungs.
Her skin is silky under my touch, and Pappy’s words about destiny and love lines become a living, breathing entity, pulsing where our skin connects.
“You’re touching me,” she whispers.
“I know asking for help is right up there with scratching out your own eyeballs, but Peach, you need help before these get infected. Is your entire back covered in burrs?”
She drops her head to her chest.
“I don’t want Seren to do it.” She sighs. “She already feels guilty enough about the horses, and I wasn’t going to take that experience away from her.”
The anger and annoyance that filled my limbs only moments ago are replaced with admiration and so much affection my knees grow weak.
“Pappy’s eyesight isn’t what it used to be, and there’s not a fucking chance in hell I’m letting Alexei touch you.” My voice carries an edge to it that sounds an awful lot like jealousy.
Her spine stiffens.
“That leaves you with a couple of choices,” I say, lowering my voice while simultaneously stepping closer. I really should remove my hand from her shoulder, but I don’t because I don’t want to, and she hasn’t asked me to, so my thumb continues to run soft circles on her skin. “We need supplies from the infirmary to get these out, so we can call Leo and see if his fiancée can meet us there.”
She shakes her head, and droplets of water cascade from her hair down her back and over my hand. “She has a new baby. I won’t bother her with something so dumb.” Her voice is barely above a whisper.
“Then your only option is to allow me to carry you to the infirmary where you can ice your ankle while you lie on your stomach, and I use tweezers and alcohol to remove all this shit. I’d do it here, but we don’t have a first aid kit, and I think some of these spots will need to be cleaned out.”
“You have three kids, Seb. You really need a first aid kit, and I can walk.” Feisty as an uncontrollable fucking fire.
“You can walk, but you won’t, and I’ll buy a first aid kit first thing in the morning. So what’s your choice, Rowan? And I’ll warn you, I’m already pissed off that you A, walked up here on that ankle and B, suffered for hours while your body was a live version of a fucking voodoo doll, so choose wisely.”
She spins and my fingers drag across her skin from her shoulder to her collarbone before I pull my hand back.
The flush that covers her body is an aphrodisiac that causes my cock to stand up and take notice.
“Let’s get one thing very clear here, Sebastian.” My name is hellfire coming from her lips. “You are not the boss of me. I mean, you are, but I have agency over my personal life, got it? I’m not a scared little girl who needs rescuing anymore. That part of our relationship is over.”
I step forward, crowding her against the sink because I love how the wordsour relationshipfall from her pouty lips.
“This…relationship…has always been about more than that and you know it. Everyone needs someone to cover their back, and luckily, I’m the man for all things Rowan Ellis. Now grab your shit.”
Her jaw drops. “Don’t you dare.”
“Fine, we’ll come back for it.” Leaning down, I place my arms on either side of her so she knows I’m not fooling around here. She swats her hands in my direction, which makes me want to pin her to the vanity with my body.
“Rowan,” I bark. “You’re only wearing a robe. If you keep moving, it will not hold up.” I lean down so my mouth hits that sensitive spot below her ear. “Not that I’d mind that show. In fact, I’d fucking love it, but if that’s not what you want, climb on my back and let me take care of you.”
“You can’t carry me through the woods naked, Sebastian.”
My eyes flare and her hand immediately flies to her robe while she glares at me, and I take two steps back.
“Grab your towel.” She does it without any more questions and wraps it around her waist. “Good girl.” Those two words rumble through my body, but I don’t miss the reddening of her cheeks as I kneel down and wait for her to climb on either. She’s affected too, and when she squeezes her arms around my neck,I realize I might give up everything but my kids to keep this woman in our sphere.
10
TRAITOROUS VAGINA
ROWAN
“Good girl,” he murmurs in my ear. What the hell? Did I suddenly come down with a praise kink? Or maybe I’m losing my damn mind because my core spasms as though it’s a hairsbreadth away from orgasming.
From freaking words.
