Bound For Me by Natalie Anderson Read Free Book Online Page B

rolled his eyes. She ground her teeth. “There’s no crime in Summerhill—”  
    She broke off at his laughter.
    “Sugar, it’s not safe for you to walk these streets this late at night.” He sighed as if she were stupid.
    She tensed and tried to shift off his lap. Because she was not stupid. She could take care of herself.
    His hands stroked more firmly down her back, still supposedly soothing, but holding her in place at the same time. “It’s not safe for any one to walk out at this time of night..”
    “I have pepper spray.” And if he wasn’t careful, she’d test whether that was still functioning in a minute.
    “That’s not going to save you from the snow,” he replied, amusement rippling through him. “It’s not just people you have to protect yourself from here, it’s the weather as well.”
    She took advantage of his relaxed moment to quickly slither off his lap and onto the seat beside him. “Look out the window, it’s a clear sky. I’ll be fine.”  
    “You could still slip and fall. Hit your head. Lie there unconscious and get hypothermia and be halfway to dead before morning.”
    “Wow. And you told me not to dramatize.”
    “This isn’t the safe environment you think it is, this village is clinging to the edge of a massive mountain. You have to think about all the possibilities and take precautions.”
    “I’ve managed the walk home every night so far without incident…”
    “And tonight you don’t have to.”
    She glared at him. She did not want to be dropped home, like it was some kind of reward or duty or something. She just wanted to be gone. Now.
    “I was just inside you for fuck’s sake,” he muttered. “But oh no, you’ve got to do the independence thing.” He reached past her and flicked open the car door. “Fine. Be gone, then.”
    She laughed at his flash of irritation. It was the only thing she could do. Or she’d cry and crawl back into his arms and ask him to take her to his home and hold her forever. So not happening. He’d already made it clear that wasn’t ever going to happen. And she wasn’t going to make a fool of herself. She wasn’t ever going to need someone in that humiliating way—where you gave up everything you had, would do anything to be with the one you wanted.  
    For once she couldn’t think of the right come-back. He didn’t deserve her bitch act. But she didn’t want to be needy either. She refused to be needy, even if parts of her were yearning for him again already.
    Businesslike. She finally hit on it. That was the way to deal with him. With a polite, businesslike goodbye.
    “Thanks,” she said, turning to say farewell. “I had a nice—”
    “Don’t you dare,” he interrupted viciously. “No fucking ‘nice’ manners from you.” With a sharp, vicious movement he leaned across and crushed her mouth with his. Startled, for a second she stiffened, only then his mouth softened and so did she. Heated. He sought pardon with his tongue, stroking deeply, stoking her response. Passionate, carnal. It was like he imprinted his masculine sexuality on her. His damn master kissing skills.  
    Slowly he drew back, his breathing roughened. “And no regrets.”
    She couldn’t answer. He’d kissed her brains out.
    He watched, motionless while she fumbled with the car door and stepped out into the dark night.
    She walked as quickly as she could for the five minutes ’til she reached the small block of units, aware that a huge black SUV was slowly, pointedly, tailing her. Quite the chivalrous guy, wasn’t he? Freaking heroic. The low rumble of the powerful engine was the bass to the beat of words in her head.
    Do not turn and invite him in. Do not turn .  
    The hunger within her roared. Her body was insanely hot.  
    Sex. More sex. More of that man.
    It was like she had a nympho inside her. She breathed the icy air in large gulps. She needed to cool down.  
    Do not turn .
    Her blood pulsed. That one last kiss had obliterated all the