Chapter 5 In My Domain

• It was damnably difficult to ever get a moment alone with her with her family always about. And Roger and Archer keeping me busy.
• And keeping an eye on me.
• “What?” I rounded to face her. Lifting my hands innocently.
• “Stop always taunting me.”
• “I don’t always taunt you.” I strode the rest of the way back to my bed.
• She was on my heels. “You do more often than not!”
• “Archer is just as bad as me but you’re always fawning over him.”
• “Archer is kind to me! He brings me berries and sometimes holds my hand.”
• Holds her hands. I found myself frowning. When has he managed that?
• Why did it make the hint of anger swirl through me?
• “Ooh, impressive. He’s clearly a seducer of maids...”
• Actually, he was. The maids loved him even more than me.
• I was better looking, better built, but he was always preaching intelligent things and quoting his sophisticated books, in a way that had them all blinking besotten lashes.
• “He’s not seducing me. I don’t want him.” She curled her small hands into tight fists.
• No? Intriguing.
• Who do you want? I had my hopes.
• Though I’d never have admitted it aloud.
• I tossed back my blanket. Working hard to pretend I wasn’t allears. “You sure about that? You two are nearly inseparable.”
• “He’s my friend!”
• I liked hearing that.
• It was reassuring.
• “Mmmhmm.” I murmured incredulously.
• Merely to goad her.
• Which worked.
• “You listen to me, Jacks. I’m no baby. Don’t call me that. I’m grown and you know it!”
• Shouting again.
• She’s so huffy.
• And so damn adorable when she is.
• “I don’t know that.” I slid partway under the coverlet.
• Pleased when she inched closer. Trying to stand over me and enjoying that she was currently taller than me.
• Only because I’m sitting down.
• But all my playing docile, goading, feigning disinterest had done precisely as I hoped.
• Lured her to my bedside.
• How far will she go? I couldn’t suppress the bit of masculine excitement coiling through me.
• The thought crept through my head that I might get to touch her, feel her.
• That was like the promise of the sweetest dessert I could’ve ever contrive.
• I want her.
• Badly.
• “You going to follow me into my bed too?” I invited in a dry tone which I hoped sounded more teasing then hopeful.
• Because I was definitely hoping.
• I wanted to get that thin bit of fabric off her and see all that pretty skin bared.
• “No. I’m done with you!” She marched toward the bedroom door. Stealing my futile hope with her.
• “Night, Baby Girl.” I rolled over, hiding that I was disappointed as I settled beneath my blankets.
• True to every inch of that red hair, she shot back to me and launched over me to hammer fists against my chest.
• I rolled to meet her, laughing as I caught her flailing elbows and pushed them up so she abused the pillows over my head instead.
• “Look at you!” I expostulated amusedly. “I’ve had girls try to jump into my bed before…But they were far less insistent.”
• “Damn you, Jacks!”
• I slid my hands up her arms to encircle her wrists and peeled them straight out. Her reach was far less than mine, so it flattened her deliciously over me.
• My smile died and I wanted this girl like nothing you could imagine. I wanted to touch her from head to toe, to caress every inch of her and hear every sound she might make.
• I don’t know when, but somewhere along the way, she’d become my obsession.
• I was at war with myself. Knowing I should send her packing but wanting to do anything but. I wanted to keep her here.
• With me.
• I wanted to hold her, even if just to lay next to her. I wanted to savor this little bit of time alone and know I had her all to myself.
• I need to send her away.
• I opened my mouth to tell her it was time for her to go to her bed because grown ups needed their sleep. But every teasing word, died on my lips when she pressed her mouth to mine.
• I wanted to tell her no. I wanted to tell her to go.
• But I didn’t.
• I let go of her arms and palmed her back with one hand, catching the back of her head with the other and kissed her back.
• She started this. I wasn’t about to let her go so fast, now.
• I had my eyes closed so at first, I didn’t see the orange glow brightening around us. But when I finally did perceive it behind my closed lids, I forced an eye open and was stunned to see the pulsing orange outline surrounding her. Bits of hot spark were drifting from her hair and shoulders to singe the sheets around me.
• One touched along my bare shoulder, and I felt it sizzle and knew it would leave a scar.
• I didn’t give two shits. I wasn’t done kissing her.
• They began to pour faster, and I genuinely wondered if she’d catch my bed afire and it’d burn down around us.
• I pulled back enough to grin at her and drawl. “Well, that’s an interesting response. You can’t deny reacting to me now.”
• I put my mouth back over hers. Enjoying the softness of her full lips and the way her darting tongue, instinctively reached out to twirl with mine.
• Even her kiss was fire.