Page 17 of Exposed
Ah, hell. Here comes the attitude.
“I sleep naked, Nate. So like it or not,” she said, her fingers plucked at the towel around her waist. “This is how I’m staying until I crawl into bed.” She lifted her chin and smiled.
Annoyance layered with desire simmered inside him. The muscles in his neck tensed and he worked his jaw. An image of Maddie curled in bed, naked and still damp from a shower, flashed through his mind. And that wouldn’t be the only place she’d be wet. All it would take was one touch, one step in the direction of her room, and she would come.
Over and over.
“Look, if you’re going to stand there and stare at me, I’m going to bed. Lock the door when you leave the same way you managed to unlock it.” She pushed away from the counter. “See ya.”
He brought his hand out and caught her wrist. Her silky smooth skin burned through him. Heat spread through his body and a deep, desperate pulse surged inside him. He needed her more than he’d ever needed anyone in his life.
She swiveled to face him, her gaze fell to his hand on her arm, but she didn’t pull away. She stepped closer, her body pulled him like an intense magnetic field. Her eyes locked with his, every instinct told him to turn away, to run… If he had her once, he’d want her forever.
His fingers snapped open, dropping her wrist. Her small white teeth caught her bottom lip and her gaze fell to his jaw.
A muscle in his neck twitched. He moved his jaw, and forced his brain to make a sentence. “What happened for him to change the plans?” His tone was low and rough. If he didn’t get out of here soon, he’d lose all of his resolve.
Her lips jerked into a mocking grin, but she didn’t move away. “Tony attacked me in the parking lot when I left work,” she said flatly. “I had no choice but to handle it.”
Nate’s heart slammed against his ribcage. He clenched his hands into fists at his sides. If the bastard had hurt her…
“What happened?” he ground out.
She lifted her eyes to the ceiling and dropped them back down. “He came on to me and threatened to tell Carlos that I had hit on him if I didn’t sleep with him. He got a little grabby and I used some self-defense moves.”
His eyes dropped to her neck, a faint reddish-purple mark stained her skin. He cursed and brought his fingers to brush the spot. Her skin was warm from the shower, faint drops of water scattered across her chest. “He choked you?”
Her shoulders trembled beneath his touch. Her lashes lifted and the intensity in her eyes hit him like a punch to the solar plexus. Her fingers curled around his forearm and she pulled his hand away and stepped out of his reach.
“I’m fine. You should know I wouldn’t let him get away with anything. I don’t think he said anything to Carlos. He was drunk. And aside from that, he’d look like a wuss for getting his ass kicked by me.”
She was right. If Tony had been drunk, he’d have been careless. Security cameras littered the interior and exterior of the club. If Carlos found out he’d assaulted one of his women, he’d kill him.
“Now Tony knows you’re skilled. That’s a problem. Even if he won’t chance saying anything to Carlos, it means you’re on his radar.”
Maddie’s forehead crinkled. “What was I supposed to do? Screw him to keep him quiet?”
Irritation flared through him. “Of course not, dammit.”
“Then why are you insinuating I did something wrong by protecting myself?”
His patience waned. He dragged his fingers through his hair. “That’s not what I said.”
“What did you say?”
He snorted. “I don’t need to explain myself. You’re itching for a fight.” He waved his hand in the air, sidled past her and headed toward the door.
“You’re the one who can’t even look at me without running away.”
His footsteps faltered. Had it not been for the shake in her voice, he would have kept walking.
Christ, did she think he couldn’t stand the sight of her? Had he given her that impression?
He turned on his heel, and opened and closed his hands at his sides.
Her fists balanced on her hips, her hair scattered around her shoulders. She scowled, making her lips pucker. That damn, full bottom lip of hers made his pulse quicken. He closed the distance between them, and stopped in front of her.
Desire surged through him with the force of an electrical current. His hand swooped into her wet strands and cupped the back of her head.
