Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 79052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“Oh.”
“I hate mice.”
Suddenly, it appeared again, and without thinking, I backed up, hitting the other sofa and falling on it. “Damn it!” I yelled. “There’s more than one!”
A strange noise hit me, and I looked at Raven in a panic. Her hand was covering her mouth, and she was laughing.
Why the hell was she laughing?
We were being overrun by rodents, for fuck’s sake. Scurrying little vermin were in my apartment.
My gaze went back to the mice. Then I frowned. They hadn’t moved. One was still under the cushion, its ass peeking out, the other sitting in the middle of the seat. Perfectly still.
I stood, staring. Something wasn’t right. Raven’s laughter grew louder, and I glanced her way then at the mice.
And spied the thread attached to them.
I snapped my head in her direction, glowering at her. I thought about how chummy she and Leo were when I arrived at the coffee shop earlier. Laughing and joking when I walked in, talking about something amusing.
That fucker had sold me out. Told her about how much I hated mice.
“Think you’re funny, do you?” I asked.
She could only nod, her laughter still loud.
I reached down, pulling the mice off the sofa. Fake, stuffed mice. It hit me. At the store by the pharmacy was the pet aisle. There had been a display of toys. She had distracted me. Twice.
Played her funny little joke. Now it was payback time.
I glared at her, holding up the mice. “You are going to pay for that little stunt, Raven.”
She scrambled off the sofa, standing behind it. “Nope.”
“Yes.”
“I had to. It was too easy.”
I stepped closer. “Catching you will be too.”
Her eyes widened, her gaze roaming the room, looking for her escape. Except she didn’t have a chance. Her gaze gave her away, focusing on the route she planned to take. She lunged to the left, and I was behind her instantly, still holding the damn mice. She had one in her hand and turned, flinging it at me, half laughing, half scared. I caught her before she could get far, throwing her over my shoulder, swatting her behind. “I warned you.”
“Put me down.”
I carried her to my bed and flung her on the mattress, following her down, pinning her to the bed.
“Gotcha.”
She giggled and held up another mouse, tapping it on my nose. I had to laugh. “I can’t believe Leo told you how much I hate mice.”
She nodded. “I had to bribe him.”
“With?”
“Cookies.”
I laughed. The bastard had a major sweet tooth, and his wife only allowed him a treat on occasion. Of course he couldn’t resist the lure of cookies.
“I found it hard to believe,” Raven mused. “The man who chases after bad guys, makes me feel safer than I ever have, and seems larger-than-life, is frightened by mice?”
“I’m not frightened. I just dislike them.”
“You looked as if you were going to pass out when you saw them.”
I slid my hands down her arms, tossing the mouse in her hand over my shoulder. I entwined our fingers, lifting her arms over her head and lightly holding them in place.
“I was startled.”
“You were adorable.”
I shook my head, lowering my face to her neck, kissing the soft skin. “You’re the adorable one.”
She shivered, and I grinned against her throat.
“Scared now, my Ravenna Jade?”
“Yes.”
“Of what I’m going to do to you, my beautiful girl?” I asked, tracing my lips over her ear, capturing the lobe and tugging on it with my teeth.
“Of how you make me feel.”
I pulled back, meeting her wide-eyed gaze.
“How am I making you feel?” I asked in a low voice.
“Needy,” she breathed. “Achy with want.”
Her words hung in the air between us. The playfulness evaporated, desire building around us.
“I can ease that ache,” I murmured. “I want to ease that ache.”
“Please,” she whispered. “Damien, please—”
I cut off whatever she was about to say. Our mouths melded together seamlessly, moving and caressing. I slid my tongue inside her mouth, meeting hers, twining and tasting. I swallowed her breath, filling my lungs with her essence. She pulled on her hands, and I released them, grunting in approval as she wound them around my neck, tugging on my hair and keeping me close. I slid mine under her back, lifting her, dragging her to the middle of the bed, our mouths never separating. I swam in the sensations she brought forth in me. The need and want. The feel of her under me. She tugged on my shirt, and I pulled back, my mouth protesting being apart from hers. I tore my shirt over my head and threw it behind me with the discarded mouse. I helped her pull hers off, groaning at the sight of her pretty, lacy bra, the dark blue of it contrasting with her skin, making it look creamy and inviting. But as pretty as the bra was, I was far more interested in the beautiful swells it hid from my eyes, and I slid my hand around her back, unhooking the bra and pulling it down her shoulders, baring her to me.