“She surveyed the carnage behind him. "Did you have fun?"He showed her his teeth. "Yes.”

“William strode to her. That’s how it’s done. Drink it in.She surveyed the carnage behind him. “Did you have fun?”He showed her his teeth. “Yes. Now they won’t take you anywhere.”Cerise stepped closer to him, so close he only needed to lean in and dip his head and he would kiss her. Since he saved her, maybe he could just grab her and—“That was the stupidest thing you have done since I’ve met you,” she ground out through her teeth.Belay the grabbing.”

“Audrey turned to him, a sly little spark hiding in her eyes. "THe only man who gets to call me'love' would be waking up next to me after a very, very fun night. Fun night. Oh yes."Guess what?" She leaned closer. "You will never be that man.”

“Audrey kept moving with practiced quickness, stepping over roots protruding over the trail and pushing ferns and branches out of her way. She kept a brisk pace, but Kaldar didn't mind. From his vantage point, he had an excellent view of her shapely butt. It was a butt that deserved some scrutiny."If you're waiting for my behind to do a trick, you're out of luck," Audrey called over her shoulder."How the hell did you even know?" Did she have eyes on the back of her head?"Woman's intuition," she told him."Aha, so it wouldn't be the fact that I stumbled twice in the last minute?""Not at all.”

“And did you have to hack his arms off?” “Yes, I did. He wouldn’t go through the door.” “You say it like you’re proud of it."I was proud of it. It was an example of quick thinking in a difficult situation.”

“You’re a prickly, stubborn, spirited woman.”“Don’t forget crude, rude, and vulgar.”“Only when it suits you. You’re sly when occasion calls for it, direct to the point of forgetting tact even exists, sarcastic, fierce, I did mention stubborn, didn’t I?”“Yes,” she said dryly.“You’re also smart, kind, gentle, beautiful, and always cling to your personal integrity, even when it’s in your best interests to abandon it.” A little warm feeling spread through her chest, and even her natural suspicion that he was lying couldn’t quite extinguish it. Where was he going with this? “You’re also quite funny,” he said.“Oh, I amuse you?” He gave her one of his devastating, slightly wicked smiles.“You have no idea.” Arrogant ass.“And all of that means what?”“Just that I mean to have you.” She frowned at him. “I mean to have you, Rose, you and all of your thorns. I’m a disagreeable and stubborn bastard, but I’m not a fool. You didn’t really expect me to pass you up, did you?”

“William leaned forward and pointed at the river. “I don’t know why you rolled in spaghetti sauce,” he said in a confidential voice. “I don’t really care. But that water over there won’t hurt you. Try washing it off.”She stuck her tongue out.“Maybe after you’re clean,” he said.Her eyes widened. She stared at him for a long moment. A little crazy spark lit up in her dark irises.She raised her finger, licked it, and rubbed some dirt off her forehead.Now what?The girl showed him her stained finger and reached toward him slowly, aiming for his face.“No,” William said. “Bad hobo.”