“I don’t see me being a bounty hunter. Having criminals tied up in my trunk would bother me. Cause really I’d rather shoot them in the head.”
“It certainly will be fun watching you transition back into normal society.” Dez thought about that for a minute. “You know, this could really work for you two. With your family’s connections and Smitty’s charm—you two could make a lot of money.”
“His charm? What about mine?”
She knew he wouldn’t appreciate her burst of hysterical laughter, but who the hell was he kidding? The man’s charm was in his lack of charm.
She cleared her throat again. “Sorry.”
“You never answered my question.”
“About the guys? No, Mace. I never dated them.” She didn’t date at all while in the military. She had too many male friends. She knew what all of them were up to with women, and she made it her mission never to end up on the bad side of that situation. So she worked hard and kept her legs closed for four years. A lonely life, but she got used to it.
“Good.”
“I’m glad I brought you such joy.”
Dez glanced around. She’d put her dogs’ food out and they still hadn’t shown up to eat. “Where the hell are Sig and Sauer?”
“Under the table,” Mace muttered, focusing on his ice cream.
With a frown, she crouched down and looked under her kitchen table. And there they were—cowering.
Poor things.
“At this rate they’re going to starve to death.”
“They’ll get used to me.” Dez chose to ignore that statement and what it implied. Instead, she stood up and finally asked him the question she’d wanted to ask him for a few hours now.
She took another spoonful of ice cream. “Smitty’s like you, too, isn’t he?”
Mace glanced at her. “Why would you say that?”
“Lots of reasons. But mostly because he has a happy spot.”
“Every man has a happy spot. Some of us have several.”
“Not that happy spot.” She glanced down at the rest of her ice cream. Already full, she handed it to Mace. The man had a killer appetite. “He has one on the back of his neck. If you scratch it, his leg shakes.”
Mace slammed the bowl down on the countertop. For some unknown reason, she didn’t jump. She did, however, look at him like he’d lost his mind. “Is there something going on between you and Smitty?”
Ah. He had lost his mind. “Of course not. It just feels very comfortable with him. Kind of like with my dogs.” She grabbed Mace’s arm. “Oh my God. Is he a dog?”
“Wolf. And if you want to go out with him, you can, you know.”
“Wha—”
“You know what? I’m lying. No, you can’t.”
Dez stared at Mace. Holy shit, the man is jealous. “First off, I don’t wanna go out with Smitty. He talks too slow. I’d have to kill him. And second, what do you mean I can’t go out with him? I can go out with anybody I want to.”
This had to be the stupidest argument two grown people could have but, clearly, Mace didn’t care. And apparently neither did she.
Mace stepped in front of her. He placed both of his arms on either side of her, the island at her back.
“Let’s get this straight now, woman. You and me—we’re a couple.”
“I didn’t agree to that.”
“Don’t care.”
Dez let out an exasperated sigh and went to run her hands through her hair, but Mace grabbed her wrists.
She tried to pull her arms out of his grasp, but he held tight. “Mace, it doesn’t work that way. We’re not together because you say we are.”
“Yeah, but if we fall in—”
With strength she had no idea she possessed, Dez snatched one arm away and slapped her hand over Mace’s mouth. Hard.
“Don’t. You. Dare.”
Gold eyes stared at her. Few people knew how to read Mace’s eyes. Mostly they simply freaked everybody out. But she always knew Mace’s feelings from what she saw in his eyes. Like right now, she knew she’d hurt him.
“Aw, Mace, don’t be hurt. Please. We’re just not…we just can’t…no.”
Heaving a heavy sigh, Mace took her hand off his mouth and kissed her fingers. He took both her arms and dropped them down by her side as he pulled her close. He lowered his forehead until it touched hers.
“I understand.”
“You do? Really?”
“Yeah. Really.”
Then she heard metal click as Mace stepped away from her. She tugged her arms and realized the son of a bitch had locked her to one of the thick metal supports attached to the kitchen island.
“I understand I need to convince you we’re meant to be together.”
“Mace Llewellyn. You let me go! Now!” Her dogs bolted from under the table and ran up the stairs.
“Cowards!” she bellowed after them.
Mace watched Dez try to figure out how to get herself out of her handcuffs. The woman simply continued to confuse him. One second it seemed like she couldn’t live without his touch, the next he expected her to toss his ass out of the front door as soon as she came.
Full-humans were so freakin’ difficult to read.
“When I get loose I’m gonna kick your gringo ass all ova this fuckin’ kitchen!” Well that Bronx girl sure had come back with a vengeance.
Mace reached out and lightly brushed her breast with his fingertips. The woman’s knees buckled. He caught her around the waist, worried she might hit the floor.
She growled at him. “Get off me, Mace. And stop starin’ at me!”
“So confusing,” he muttered more to himself than to her.
He reached down and slipped two fingers inside her tight pussy. Her head dropped against his chest.
“Dammit, Mace!”
He ignored her and instead said, “Christ, Dez. You’re so wet.”
“I am not.” Except she moaned that statement. He pulled out of her and this time she moaned in disappointment. He slid his two fingers across one of her nipples.
“You tasted so good earlier.” He lowered his head to her breast and, before he even touched her, heard Dez’s sharp intake of breath.
“Don’t,” she whispered. “Don’t, Mace.”
“Come on, Dez. Just a little taste.” He sucked her nipple into his mouth. Her whole body jerked and he had to wrap one arm under her ass to keep her from dropping to the floor.
Immediately Dez’s body responded. Her breath coming out in short, hard pants. Her chest rising to give him better access to her nipples while her juices flowed down her thighs and across the free hand he had between her legs.
“Tricky damn cat.”
Smiling around the hard flesh sitting comfortably in his mouth, he brought his free hand up and squeezed the other nipple. He didn’t have to get it hard, it already was.
“Shit, Mace!” that brutal voice cried out, and he realized he needed to be inside her again. He might as well have himself surgically implanted, because he couldn’t think of anywhere else he’d ever want to be again. Not if Dez wasn’t there with him.
“Still want me to stop, Dez?”
“God, don’t stop, Mace. Don’t—” He sucked harder and she began to break around him. “Don’t ever stop,” she begged. Then her whole body convulsed and she came hard, almost knocking him across the room. He held on to her, though. Kept sucking and tugging her nipples until she came again.
He released her and she sagged against him. He grabbed the handcuff keys lying with her badge. He unlocked her and held her sagging body against his. Dez’s arms looped around his neck and he easily lifted her up, urging her legs to wrap around his waist.