Why was I so fascinated with her? Apparently a sexy-as-hell body plus a disrespectfully sassy mouth were all it took to get my attention lately. I smiled to myself at the thought of her telling me to shut up and fuck her.
The smile instantly turned to a frown when my dick flexed in my pants, and Jerome’s faded blue gaze snapped to mine. Not the time or place for that thought.
He lifted one shaggy gray brow. “Care to elaborate?”
“An unexpected houseguest arrived last night.”
“And why do I assume you’re not talking about the snake I found in the laundry room this morning?”
“Because I rarely offer food to snakes.”
We both heard the creaking in the ceiling that signaled someone moving around upstairs. In an old house, even though the walls and ceilings were thick, it was almost impossible not to step on something that would creak and give away your location. Levi had learned that the hard way when he was home on breaks from boarding school, and after he’d been kicked out of enough of those, military school.
“It seems your houseguest is still here.” When the front door opened and shut, he amended wryly, “Or was here.”
What the hell? Yve was just going to sneak out? I checked my watch. It was only just after seven. Perhaps she thought her exit wouldn’t be noticed? She didn’t realize that normally I was at the office by now, and I was altering my routine to figure out what to do with her.
“I’ll be back.”
Jerome’s chuckle followed me out of the kitchen. “Finally, one who runs away from you, instead of throwing herself at you.”
Funny.
Except Jerome didn’t realize this wasn’t the first time she’d run from me, and it was a habit that was starting to piss me off.
I yanked open the door and walked down the front path to the driveway. Yve was tugging on the gate and feeling around for the latch.
“You have somewhere pressing to be this morning, Yve?”
She turned and squared her shoulders, a pose that seemed to be her go-to when facing me. “Didn’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“Or say hello or maybe ask for a ride?”
“I don’t need a ride. I can walk.”
“And you wouldn’t need to walk if you’d just asked.”
Her chin went up. It was a gesture I was beginning to know well.
“What was I going to do? Knock on the door to your bedroom this morning? I don’t think so.” Her stance softened when she added, “I do appreciate the hospitality, though. I’m just . . . I need to be on my way.”
I studied her flushed cheeks. “How many times did you think about that door last night and begging me for round two?”
Her eyes widened and her spine straightened again. “I didn’t. At all.”
I stepped forward and lifted my hand—slowly—to grasp a lock of her hair between my thumb and index finger. “Little liar.”
“You wish.”
“You’re right—I do. Because if you’d come to me like I’d wanted, it would’ve been your lips wrapped around my cock instead of my hand. I will fuck you again. It was too damn good to let you walk away.” I slid my hand into her hair and cupped the back of her head. “I spent all night wondering if you taste as good as I think you will.”
Yve’s mouth dropped open into a little O, and once again color stained her cheeks. She blushed so easily, and it pushed me to shock her further. It also cemented my earlier decision.
I would have her again, and I always got what I wanted. I just wondered how hard she’d make me chase.
Yve’s mouth snapped shut and her eyes narrowed. “Not gonna happen, Titan. Never.” She enunciated both syllables of never, and I couldn’t help but grin.
“Ahh, Yve.” I released my grip and lowered my hand to skim down her body to her hip. She immediately took a step back, but was trapped by the fence.
That’s right, sweetheart, nowhere to run now.
“You’re telling me no, but every ounce of your body language is screaming at me to pin you to this gate and fuck you right here. It just makes me more dead set on having you again.”
“Never,” she whispered again.
I leaned down, bringing my face close to hers. “Lie to me all you want. I felt how hard you came in the kitchen and how fast I brought you to the edge in the bedroom. You can’t make me believe you aren’t dying to let go like that again.”
“You don’t know a damn thing about me, including what I want.”
“Lying to yourself is pointless, Yve.”
I squeezed her hip before sliding my hand down her thigh until I hit bare skin. She didn’t stop me—didn’t do anything but pin me with that challenging stare—as I slipped underneath her skirt and retraced my path until I hit . . . more bare skin.
I bit back a groan as I cupped her naked ass. “You’re so goddamn sexy, and if I were inclined to let another man see you, I’d take you right here up against this fence.”
Yve’s nostrils flared, and her throat bobbed as she swallowed. She said nothing, but her actions spoke louder. She pressed her ass into my hand.