“I do have manners,” I murmured.
Her laugh in return was throaty, the sound of it tossing more fuel on the flames kindling between us. When we stepped onto the small landing in front of her door, Jade turned to me.
I decided not to bother playing this any way other than blunt. “I want you.”
Her breath came out in a startled puff and then she laughed again. “Well, just get right to the point, why don’t you?”
“Thought it might make it easier.”
I waited, giving her a clear chance to send me packing. There was a small light under the curved enclosure above the landing. Her green eyes glittered underneath it, and her cheeks were tinged pink.
“Okay,” she said simply, before turning and unlocking her door. She held it open for me to follow her inside.
My gaze scanned the space. I couldn’t help myself, my curiosity for Jade continued to grow. Just now, I took in that she had gauzy gray curtains in her windows, with touches of purple accents around the room. A half-wall served as a divider between the living room and kitchen and was painted in a deep purple, while the rest of the walls were soft cream. There were hardwood floors with round rugs strategically placed.
The living room had a large sectional sofa in the corner and a cushioned ottoman. Aside from a television mounted on the wall and two end tables, that was the extent of the furnishings. The kitchen, to the left from the front door, had a round table and counters lining three walls. The space was cozy, although I would’ve expected as much given the size of the house. It was a single-story bungalow style home.
Jade kicked off her shoes and shrugged out of her jacket, hanging it on a coat stand that looked like a flower. The space, though simple, was a touch more whimsical than I would’ve expected for Jade.
She tossed her purse on the table by the door. “Well, are you coming in?”
I felt my lips kick up into a smile. “I’m already inside.”
“I guess you can stay there. Would you like something to drink?” she called over her shoulder as she strode away.
My eyes immediately were drawn to the subtle sway of her hips and the swing of her hair. I didn’t know if it was the husky edge to her voice, or that I thought earlier about wrapping her long glossy hair in my hand as I fucked her from behind, but I was galvanized into motion. I didn’t have a jacket on, but I quickly toed off my boots and followed her.
I caught her hand just as she was walking past the half-wall and into the kitchen. When she spun back, she bumped against me. I felt the sudden press of my cock against the zipper of my jeans.
“No.”
Her eyes widened slightly, and her lips parted. “No, what?”
“I don’t want something to drink. I told you what I want. You.”
Lust was tightening screws in every corner of my body. I could see the wild flutter of Jade’s pulse at the base of her throat and held back the urge to lean down and taste the sweet, sensitive skin there.
“What are we doing, Walker?” Her words were just above a whisper.
Jade, who was so strong and so guarded with that sharp edge, had a hint of vulnerability flickering in her eyes. The lasso she’d tossed around my heart hours ago, when we stood beside the road and I asked if she wanted my help, tightened.
Jade was sexy, beautiful, strong, and standoffish. That she would even let her guard down enough to let the vulnerability shine through, no matter how hard she tried to hide it, took my breath away.
“I don’t know if I can answer that.”
My reply was honest because I didn’t know what else to say. Stepping closer, I lifted a hand, tucking a loose lock of her hair behind her ear and letting my fingers trail through the silky strands. “All I know is we have unfinished business. But, I’ll leave. Right now. If that’s what you want. Is that what you want?”
I could feel every beat of my heart reverberating inside my body as I waited for her to respond. She shook her head, just barely.
“Is that a ‘no, you don’t want me,’ or ‘no, you don’t want me to leave’?” I prompted.
Jade’s cheeks turned an even deeper shade of pink as she cocked her head to the side. “Oh, for God’s sake. You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?”
I nodded and waited.
After too many beats of my heart, she replied, “Please stay.”
Chapter Nineteen
Walker
The moment that single word crossed her lips—stay—it felt as if hot sparks filled the air, electricity reverberating around us.
Jade’s tongue darted out, the pink tip swiping at one corner of her mouth. My restraint snapped its frayed tether. Stepping closer, I slid a hand around to cup her nape. My heartbeat thundered through my entire body, each beat a strike against the flint of desire between us.
She moved closer just as I did, her warm, soft curves pressing against me. The moment was a strange mix of slow and fast. The urgency of lust driving me contrasted with the way everything felt suspended in a haze of sensation.
Bending low, I brushed my lips across hers, and it felt as if sparks struck at the point of contact. Jade made a little sound, something between a whimper and a hitch of her breath at the back of her throat. At the sound, I fit my mouth over hers and dove into the fire with her.
Jade was no passive kisser. The moment she threw herself into it, our tongues were tangling in a sensual war. Our kiss went spiraling into madness—hot, wet, and intense. With one hand tangling in her glossy locks, I slipped my other down her spine to cup her bottom, pulling her against my arousal.
I was so hard,
