Page 34 of Forever Fallen

“I’m trying to be nice, to be a friend…”

“And you are.”

“Then why are you doing this thing where you shove back anytime someone tries to be nice to you?”

“BecauseI’mthe jerk in this fake-marriage. Normally it’s the guy, but this time around? It’s me. It’s all me! I don’t want you touching me, talking to me, or trying to cozy up to me, because this is nothing…”

She sucked in her breath painfully and looked up at him.

“It’s notnothingand we both know it,” he said tightly. “Nothingdoesn’t laugh together, find joy in simply sitting in a rocker with hot cocoa, or trying to make the other person stop crying.”

“No, that would be common decency.”

“The harder you push and snap at me, the more I’m going to push,wife,” he growled, releasing her hands, and grabbing her by the forearms instead.

His hands felt warm and powerful against her skin, realizing that he’d slid them up her sleeves when he took hold of her.

Who knew forearms were sexy?

“You aren’t ready to go toe-to-toe with me, wife,” Ryan said bluntly.

“Bring it,Reaper…” she snarled back, not backing down, and needing this outlet for her riotous emotions.

He hesitated, his eyes searching her face, looking for clues to all this sudden hostility between them. He didn’t deserve this, not after being so sweet and kind.

Sophie looked away, hiding her secret, and desperately trying to jerk free, yanking her arms from the twin, hot manacles that held her tightly.

“Look at me,” he ordered.

“Go away. I’m not one of your teammates you can boss around.”

“LOOK AT ME, SOPHIE,” he snapped angrily.

“DON’T YOU EVER YELL AT ME, RYAN!” she hollered, feeling something blistering hot bubble forward as she yanked backwards, pulling from him.

Her parents yelled at each other – and she couldn’t do it.

This was why she never wanted a relationship.

His hand shot out, grabbed her by the arm, and yanked her to him. She hit his chest, nearly knocking the breath from her, as he crushed his mouth against hers.

His lips were firm, unyielding, like a force of nature… and she was responding to him.

Dragging in a ragged breath, her hands sank into his dark hair, clinging to him and holding his head close to keep him from breaking the passionate kiss that was like a spontaneous inferno between them, surging upwards from an unknown depth… only to break unexpectedly.

Ryan dragged his lips from hers, panting, and stepped back in alarm.

Sophie was staring at him, sucking in air, and feeling worse than ever before because he was going to hate her – and all this passion, this longing, and this yearning for this unexpected, treasured friendship to grow… only it was going to land in one massive splatter on the floor.

“Don’teveryell at me,” she whispered defensively. “My parents fought all the time and that’s why I never wanted a marriage. I won’t be trapped with someone who is going to treat me like garbage…”

“You should have said something.”

“I am now – but we are literally strangers and there’s a lot of ‘somethings’that are going to come up - if you stick around for the next few weeks.”

“Why wouldn’t I? … And quit saying that we are strangers.”

“We are.”

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