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I shook my head andgave him my best fake sunshiny smile. “Nothing’s wrong. It’s justgetting late and I need to be heading home. Thank you for dinner,”I said before I stood.
I got exactly onestep before Damon tugged me back down. This time I landed in ahuff, right along his lap.
“Seriously!” Ipractically yelled. He circled his arms around me and scowled downat me. I tried to push his hands off but he held firm. “Did yourbrain spontaneously stop working or did you just forget what I didto the last guy that tried to hold me against my will?” Iseethed.
My before-mentionedanger problem was rapidly making another appearance and the factthat Damon just kept scowling at me was only making it worse.
“I don’t understandwhere this animosity is coming from all of a sudden. Why are youtrying to leave? I thought we were having a good time,” hequestioned. I rolled my eyes and glared right back at him.
“I was, until Ifigured out that all you see me as is some delusional, angry,psycho-bitch. If I had known that you find me so distasteful, Inever would have agreed to come out with you tonight. I think it’sbetter if you just cut your losses now and let me leave.”
I gripped his wristsand pulled them away from me. Standing, I tried my best not to letthe hurt I felt take over. I turned and started back toward theparking lot. My breath left me in a whoosh as strong arms spun meand pulled me back down again.
I don’t know how hemanaged it, but Damon had pulled me back down onto his lap, andthis time I was forced to straddle his hips. My heart sped up as hegripped my ass and brought his lips onto mine for a scorching kiss.I put my hands on his chest to push him away but couldn’t makemyself do it. I melted into his embrace with a soft sigh. When hepulled away from me, the look he sent my way set me on fire.
“There isn’t asingle part of you that I find distasteful, Red. I don’t thinkyou’re delusional or psycho. I do think you’re a bitch, but only inthe best way possible,” he murmured against my lips. “I can seeyou, Jill. I know you’re passionate and have strong feelings forthe things you believe are right. You stand up for those luckyenough to be loved by you. And I know without a shadow of a doubtthat you would never allow anyone to treat you badly. All thesethings make me that much more interested in you.”
I could feel theswell of emotion clog the back of my throat. For not knowing thisman very long, he sure did have a way to tame the beast that alwayslurked inside. I didn’t know what to say to him at that moment. Itwasn’t every day that I was rendered speechless by someone.
“And I have toconfess something,” he continued. I watched as a smart-ass smileappeared on his plump lips. “It turns me on when you get that firein your eyes. Watching you kick Vince’s ass tonight got me so hardthat I had to follow you into the locker room before I embarrassedmyself.”
I slapped him on thechest before I busted up laughing. I couldn’t remember the lasttime I’d laughed like that. Howling so hard that my side cramped.Damon chuckled under me, bouncing me up and down. I leaned myforehead against his chest and continued to chuckle.
When our laughterfinally subsided we just sat like that for the longest time. Ilistened to his calm breaths and he rubbed his hands up and down myback. I nearly sighed when he kissed the top of my head. I wascontent to just sit like that.
Damon had done theimpossible at that moment. What he’d given me that night wassomething I would’ve never been able to create for myself no matterhow hard I tried. He had given me my first moment of peace in thelast sixteen years. Uncontrolled, unplanned, unrestrainedpeace.
Chapter Ten
“Hey, I have anidea. Come with me.” Damon’s low rumbled words broke the fog mymind had slipped into. He nudged me until I slipped from his lapand settled on my feet in front of him. I stepped back as he stood,and he looked down at me with a jaunty grin before taking my handin his again, leading me away from the park.
“Where are wegoing?” A rush of nervous energy shivered down my spine as I lethim guide me. We made it past the dimly lit park and were nowtraveling down what looked like a residential jogging path. Everyso often we passed the low glow of a light post. I couldn’t imaginewhy anyone would want to jog out here at night. With all thesetrees, anyone could jump out and grab you. I shook off theunpleasant thought.
“You’ll find outsoon enough,” he replied, glancing back at me with that samecarefree look in his eyes. What I wouldn’t give to have that samelook.
A thought struck meas we walked. “So, how long have you been a detective?” I asked,genuinely curious.
He looked down at meand answered, “For about eight years now. I’ve worked for thepolice station since I was twenty-three and worked my way up overthe years. I put in my time as a beat cop for almost five yearsbefore I was promoted.” He grinned at me like he found my questionhumorous.
I frowned despitemyself. “You have seen people at their worst, their absolutelowest. You’ve probably seen some true evil in this world, right?How do you still feel secure enough to wander down dark paths whenyou know bad shit happens to people who do?” I asked.
He squeezed my handas we came to a dip in the path, slowing to make sure I didn’ttumble down the short hill. Houses on my left were becoming fewerand far between. In some recess of my mind alarms were going off.We were on a secluded part of the path. Out here it wouldn’t behard for someone to attack. I doubted anyone would hear mescream.
My breath was comingin deeper pants the longer I thought about it. I was looking allaround us, the intrusive thoughts of someone watching me runningwild. I could almost feel them waiting. I didn’t realize Damon hadstopped walking until I bumped into his chest with a huff. Hebrought one arm around my lower back and then lower still. I lookedup at him as he squeezed and kneaded my ass with his big hand. Hebrushed his lips against mine in a sensual dance that had the restof the world falling away.
“I’d never letanything happen to you, Red,” he muttered over my parted lips. Itwas like he read my mind. He knew I was starting to freak myselfout and stopped the panic from truly setting in.
“How—”
“You’re squeezing myhand so hard I’m not sure I’ll be able to feel my fingers later.”He chuckled.
I sucked in astartled breath and tried to shake his hand out of mine.
“Don’t,” hecommanded as he brought our joined hands to his mouth. He kissedeach finger before sucking my pointer finger in and giving the tipa sharp nip. I hissed as the sting turned to heat, making mynipples hard.
“I like it,” herumbled while still keeping my stare.
He’d taken his hairout of its restraint earlier in the evening so it hung like acurtain, secluding us both in our own world. He let go of my assafter one last knead and stepped away from me, taking his heat withhim. He didn’t release his hold on my hand as we continued down thepath.
