Chapter Twenty-Two

Eamon

“Is this car necessary?” Layla’s green eyes bore a hole in the side of my head even as her hands couldn’t stop molesting the buttery soft leather seat. “I mean, what is the purpose of this car?”

Her words tugged a reluctant laugh from me. As a rule I didn’t explain myself to anyone but Patrick and especially not to women. Then again, I couldn’t remember a time when a woman had ever criticized one of my vehicles. “Purpose? To go fast and look good doing it. Isn’t that enough?”

A husky laugh sprang free and she smacked a hand against my thigh, making my leg twitch. “If that’s your goal, mission accomplished but you have to admit that it is kind of ridiculous.”

“You’re calling my Bugatti Vision GT ridiculous? I think you’d better take a look in the mirror sweetheart.” This car was a goddamn work of art. Royal blue and black with shiny chrome wheels.

“I’m sure it’s a real boner inducer for a certain kind of guy but it’s got four wheels and an engine. Does it really need all this?”

She waved her arms around the interior and laughed again.

“Okay sure, it’s pretty. But also ridiculous.”

“I’m a car guy. I collect them. You prefer the limo?”

“At least the limo is appropriately ridiculous.” Her hands scrubbed over the leather again with a smile. “I do love this leather though. I’d kill to turn this into a skirt.”

She would look damned hot in this blue leather with her long legs on display. “So not so ridiculous after all?”

“Still ridiculous, but I’m starting to get the appeal. A little.” Her hands slid up and down the leather a few more times. “So you like cars?”

“I like all machines. Cars, motorcycles, boats …”

“Yachts, you mean?”

I shrugged. “Boats of all sizes.”

She laughed again and the sound bounced around the inside of the car, adding an unexpected warmth.

“Yachts. Do you know how to drive a boat or whatever?”

“I know my way around quite a few different boats. Speed boats, yachts, sail boats. I don’t like to be inside something I can’t navigate if I need to.”

“Of course,” she snorted and rolled her eyes. “God forbid.”

The car stopped in the spot beside Layla’s car and she darted out of the car before I even killed the engine.

“Layla, wait!” She kept going, eager to escape for some reason.

“Dammit, Layla.”

I cut the engine and caught up to her at the top of the stairs and reached for her arm. “What the hell?”

She smiled but it didn’t come close to reaching her big blue eyes. “Thank you for the ride, Eamon. I’ll see you tonight.”

Oh fuck that. “Not good enough, princess.”

Her expression changed as she jerked away from my grasp. “Then it’s a good thing I don’t owe you a damn explanation, isn’t it?”

Ah, kitten wanted to play? I backed her up against the wall, not giving a damn whose door I had her pressed up against, my leg between her thighs.

“You don’t owe me an explanation, but I want one anyway.”

“Too. Bad.” That’s what her mouth said but one little tug of her earlobes between my teeth and she was moaning, melting into me.

“Tell me.”

“Tell you what?”

She was already breathless and panting, that little pulse in her neck beating a drum solo.

“Why you’re running away from me.”

Layla pulled back and licked her lips.

“I’m not running away, Eamon. Just going home.” She slid between me and the wall, walking a few short feet to her door, but I grabbed her arm at the last minute and pulled her back to me.

“Looks like running to me.” I cut off her denial with a kiss, holding her at the waist with one hand as I tangled my fingers in her hair with the other, my mouth devouring hers. It was dark and hot and something else I couldn’t describe but it didn’t matter because her taste got better every fucking time.

“See you tonight, princess. Seven p.m.”

She looked too dazed to keep her walls up and her eyes were filled with something I hadn’t seen in a long time. Affection.

“Don’t call me that,” she said but her words lacked their usual fire and I knew she was getting ideas.

“Better get those stars out of your eyes, Layla.”

The sparkle in her eyes dimmed and she took another step away from me. “Those aren’t stars, dork, that’s just a post-orgasm glow.”

She put a fake smile on her face and batted her eyelashes. Then, without a look back, Layla walked away and slammed her door shut.

Engaging both locks.

Message fucking received.

She was pissed off now, but by the time night fell she would be aching for me to fill her, the same way I ached for her already.

One more night and Layla would be nothing more than a smoking hot memory. Then my life would be back to normal.

As I got back in my car and drove home, all I could think about was how suddenly normal didn’t seem all that appealing.