“Yeah," he grount out. "I nailed her.""Where?" Luc always wanted the dirty details."Stockroom. Pay up."Luc snorted and reached for his wallet. "I really got taken on this one , didn't I?" He handed over four hundreds and five twenties."Yeah, well, you can have the last laugh once the Sem brothers catch up with me. Seems she's their sister.""Dude." Luc streched out the word and then whistled, low and long. "Nice knowing you. So, will it at least have been worth it? Being gutted by Shade, I mean. Was she good ?"His body heated as though remembering. And wanting again."Of course I was."Fuck. Con spun around to find Sin standing there, hands on hips and fury in her expression. Like a kid caught stealing candy, he whipped the money behind his back. She looked at him as if he was an idiot and grabbed his arm, briging it around."It's not what you think," he said lamely, because it was exactly what she thought. "Really? So that big asshole behind you didn't bet you five hundred bucks that you couldn't fuck me ?""Ah...""That's what I thought. You dick. How stupid do you think I am ? Your name really fits you , Con." She snatched the money from him, took two hundreds and three twenties, and thrust the remaining two hundred and forty dollars back into his hand. Then, smiling broadly, she punched him in the shoulder. "Next time you make a bet like that, don't cheat me out of my half. I owe you a ten."She winked and left him, jaw-dropped and gaping, as she sauntered away.”

“If you give me the five hundred dollars right now, I’ll let you dowhatever you want to me,” she whimpered.“Why are you being such a hard ass, Jeni?” he said with a wrysmile. He took her hand and slid it down the front of his bare torso. Hisabdominal muscles rippled under her hand. Then he slid her hand overhis erection. His cock twitched at the feel of her hand. “You know youwant me to fuck you.”“Then cough up the money, Hamilton!” Though her voice regainedits edge, her body was seconds away from crumbling. She wanted nothingmore than him buried deep inside her. She ached for him.”

“What's going on?" Kynan askedLuc smiled, which was little more than a baring of his teeth. "She's a warg. She knows I know, but I'm guessing her human buddies don't know. She's afraid I'll tell.""Are you going to?""That depends." "On what?"Luc's voice dropped an octave. "Whether or not she gives me what I want.""And that is?""Fifteen minutes. Naked.""That's blackmail."Luc snorted. "Wargs call it negotiation." "So you want fifteen minutes...what will she want?""With me?" Luc winked. "Two hours.”

“She smiled at him. “How did you know just what I’d want to see?”“How could I not?” he said. “When I think of you, and you are not there, I see you in my mind’s eye always with a book in your hand.” He looked away from her as he said it, but not before she caught the slight flush on his cheekbones. He was so pale, he could never hide even the least blush, she thought — and was surprised how affectionate the thought was.”

“Me? I want you to be sure." he said."You," Livia whispered. "Me." His eyes were full of intent. "Always you." Livia gave him her biggest, heartfelt smile. "Five hundred." Blake touched her face as if she might be a mirage and smiled back only when she didn't disappear.”

“You didn't think I really liked you? Do you think I really like you now?"He turned toward her, uncertainty in his face."You did go quite a lot of effort to be having this conversation, but... I don't want to read too much of what I hope into that."Val stretched out beside him, resting her head in the crook of his arm. "What do you hope?"He pulled her close, hands careful not to touch her wounds as they wrapped around her. "I hope that you feel for me as I do for you," he said, his voice like a sigh against her throat.And how is that?" she asked, her lips so close to his jaw that she could taste the salt of his skin when she moved them.You carried my heart in your hands tonight," he said. "But I have felt as if you carried it long before that."She smiled and let her eyes drift closed. They lay there together, under the bridge, city lights burning outside the windows like a sky full of falling stars, as they slid off into sleep”