Page 51 of Her Rugged Guardian

“She heard you were pretty and told me I should go for it.”

The words sounded sincere, especially since they were being said in anger and frustration. “Why would she do that?” I was exhausted from fighting him, doing nothing more than trying to control my breathing at this point even as I slapped my hands on the floor again.

“Because she knows I’ve had a shit life as of late. She cares about me. She said you obviously sparked something deep inside.” He refused to stop, issuing another barrage.

I’ll be damned if his cock wasn’t rock hard and throbbing, pushing into my aching pussy. I was blinded by a series of stars, so lightheaded that I was shocked. “She said that?” I managed to say, although my voice sounded entirely different than before.

“Yeah. And you know what, lady? It’s true. Damn you.” He brought his hand down four more times then stopped altogether, his heavy breathing matching mine. For a few seconds, he didn’t move and neither did I, the hard pulse of his cock driving me crazy.

When he brushed the rough pads of his fingers under my shirt, lightly rubbing them up and down my spine, it was another moment where butterflies rushed into my stomach. I was almost giddy from the way he was touching me, the tender moment in direct contrast to the brutal spanking he’d just given me. There was some so intimate about what he was doing, even more so than when he’d been inside of me. I held my breath as he casually rolled his fingers down the crack of my ass. I was certain he was going to drive them into my wetness and dear God, I wanted him to. Was it possible I’d been wrong? That the woman was just his friend?

More than a part of me wanted to believe that but it was so obvious we both had baggage that would keep us from being but so close. Yet I couldn’t hold back finding out how he felt about me.

“Why damn me?”

He immediately pulled his fingers away but didn’t attempt to ease me off his lap. “Because I can’t want you.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll hurt you.” He removed his leg from over mine, letting go of my arm and I was certain he planned on walking out the front door as I’d demanded he do. Another shock tickled every one of my senses as he rolled me over, easing me into a sitting position. Still on his lap. Still holding me as if fearful that if he let me go, one or both of us would disappear.

His eyes were no longer the stunning ones I’d fallen hard for. They were much darker, anger and self-hatred shining in his heated gaze. “And I don’t want to hurt you, Cinnamon Girl.”

“Then don’t.”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Then make it that easy, Jake. I don’t know what’s happening between us and I didn’t come here looking for anything but a new life. But what we shared was magical. I just… I don’t what to think any longer.”

“Yeah? Well, you don’t want me as a part of that life.” He started to stand, and I refused to allow him to get away from me as he’d done two nights before.

“No. Don’t do that. Please.” I pressed my palm against his chest, wrapping my fingers around his shirt. “I’m sorry for assuming. I’m bad with doing that.”

“You’re bad with a lot of things, lady.”

“Oh, yeah?” I challenged, although I was turning into mush by being on his lap, my pulse racing.

“Yeah.” He took a deep breath as he curled his index finger, rolling it down my cheek. “You’re mouthy as fuck. You refuse to follow anyone’s orders. You act holier than thou when anyone challenges anything you say. You refuse to shut up long enough to listen to logic.”

“Well, you’re pigheaded and act as if your shit doesn’t stink. You don’t want compliments at all yet act as if you’re the best at what you do. You’re argumentative about everything and snarly. And you’re keeping secrets.”

“Some secrets are meant to be kept.”

“Not if they’re destroying you, which they are,” I insisted, biting my lower lip as his expression remained hard. When it slowly started to soften, only then could I breathe.

“Sounds like a match made in hell.” He lowered his head until our lips were only two inches apart.

Even though we’d been in a musty forest, mud and nasty water covering portions of our bodies, his fragrance was still powerful, driving my senses to an electric edge. “No. It sounds as if we were destined to meet, maybe more.” Wasn’t I daring all of a sudden?

“You don’t want my brand of crazy.” Even as he said the words, he lowered his head even more. We were so close I was stunned by the desire roaring between us.

“Don’t you think I have my own bottled and fermented brand?” My voice was now just a whisper. I lifted my head by a few degrees, our lips finally touching but we both held our stance as if fearful to move at all. God, I wanted this man. Even as grumpy as he was, as damaged as he seemed, as caustic as what we shared was, I didn’t care. I wanted him.

“Maybe so.”

I tilted my head, enjoying just being around him, the quiet comfort that I hadn’t expected as pleasurable as everything else. “Will you stay on as my contractor?”

“I don’t know. What kind of payment can I expect?” He offered what I considered now one of his infamous sly grins.

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