“I pointed my eyes straight ahead too and muttered, “I’m sure I’ll find something I can do.” I felt Frey’s eyes on me, kept mine aimed at the hall then I heard Frey sigh. “Indeed, you will and this terrifies me,” he muttered back and that was when I allowed myself to giggle.”

“My eyes narrowed and I snapped, “You’re not allowed to do that shift.”His head jerked slightly and he asked, “Say again?”“Be sweet and make me all melty and want to jump you when I ‘m celebrating my heretofore unknown badassness with a bunch of bikers and their bitches. Not to mention, I’m hungry.”Tack grinned as his arm snaked around me and he yanked me close.“You wanna jump me?” he asked.“I always want to jump you,” I answered.“Good to know,” he muttered.”

“We were both quiet a long time and I was about to fall back asleep in the curve of his arm with his warm body at my back when he called my name.“Laurie?”“Yes,” I muttered, my voice sleepy.“I was pissed last night.”“I know.”“You look good.”“Sorry?”“No way you can look like all the rest.”My eyes shot open.His arm curled me deeper into his body and I felt his face burrow into my hair.“You’d always shine through,” he muttered and now he sounded sleepy but I was again wide awake. “Somethin’ special,” he finished.”

“You gonna order me to kiss you so I can get all tingly or are you just gonna stare at me?"He knew his smile hit his eyes when he muttered, "Kiss me, honey.”

“Kiss me, Tate,” I demanded softly. “Baby -“I lifted my head and put my lips to his, encouraging on a whisper, “I wanna catch fire, honey, and only you can bring that out for me.”I watched up close as Tate’s eyes went intense then his head slanted and he muttered, “You got it, Ace.”Then he kissed me.”

“I dropped my arms and then I slid them around what felt like a man's waist. Then I cuddled closer. It felt like arms came around my waist too, and it also felt like a hand was trailing gently up and down my back."You're sweet when you're sick.""I am?""Hellion when you're riled.""Yes?""Yeah.""Mm."Then he muttered, "Not sure which I like more.”

“I’m tipsy, not blitzed.”Max twisted back and pulled into the road. “What chance I got you won’t pass out on the way home?”I waved my hand in front of me and declared, “Oh, I’ll be fine.”“Right,” Max muttered.“Can we listen to music?” I requested and Max turned on the music.Five minutes later I was dead to the world.”