Wicked and Dangerous by Shayla Black and Rhyannon Byrd Page A

we’re going to have problems.”
    Rachel pulled back a bit. He drew her close again and held in a curse.
    Oops, probably too much.
Likely, he’d scared the hell out of her. He tried to laugh it off and hoped she bought
     it.
    “God, that made me sound like I live in a cave, eat raw game, and beat my chest.”
    She giggled, at ease once more. He let out a relieved breath.
    “Maybe a little. I was trying to ask you why you’re in Lafayette. Is this a temporary
     stop?” she asked.
    “Maybe.” He shrugged. “That depends some on the Santiago brothers. I’ve been here
     a few months, and I’ll be here at least another few days. That’s the longest I’ve
     stayed in one place since I was a kid.”
    Her gaze slid away, and he didn’t have to guess that she was telling herself right
     now not to get attached to him, not to see any sort of future. Normally, he’d applaud
     that insight. Now, for some reason it absolutely pissed him off.
    “But I like Lafayette well enough. Xander and Javier seem really content to cozy up
     to their new bride and wait for their baby to come. I don’t see them leaving her side
     anytime soon, and she likes it here, so I might be here a lot longer.”
    “So they really share a wife?” she whispered, sounding a bit scandalized.
    Crap, he’d seen shit that would shock her to her pretty pink toes. Probably done a
     few things that would incite the same reaction.
    “Yep. They’re fairly open about it among their friends. Her mother wasn’t keen on
     the idea at first, but she’s come around. You probably would have thought Xander was
     an ass before London. Javier was a fucking train wreck. They both need her, and she’s
     got a heart big enough for two.”
    “I’ll bet they scandalize their neighbors.”
    Since Xander had been really persistent about seducing London in their backyard over
     the summer, and she and Javier had almost been caught fucking in the car in their
     driveway a few weeks ago? “No doubt.”
    Rachel smiled and braced her chin on his chest again. “You’re easy to talk to.”
    “You are, too,” he answered honestly. “Sorry if I got a little, um . . . demanding
     earlier. I promise I won’t drag you off by your hair—at least not often.”
    “Did you hear me complaining?”
    “Hmm . . .” He pretended to cock his head in thought. “Unless ‘please, don’t stop’
     is some new code for ‘no,’ then I guess not.”
    Even in the dim light, he could see a faint flush crawl up her cheeks. “In fact, it
     was . . . wow.”
    He cupped her chin and brushed a thumb over her slightly swollen lip. “It was pretty
     ‘wow’ for me, too, beautiful.”
    And he meant that. It wasn’t because of her spectacular technique or her deviant sexual
     kink. It definitely wasn’t because she dressed as scantily as a Hollywood Boulevard
     hooker. It wasn’t at all because she knew how to seduce a man in sixty seconds or
     less. It was precisely because none of those things were true about Rachel.
    She had permanence stamped all over her, and he wasn’t a staying sort of man. He was
     going to have to be careful not to hurt her if—no, when—he left. Why lie to himself?
     This cozy feeling would pass, right? Probably, but . . . he didn’t want to know why
     the idea of parting ways with her made him somewhere between grumpy and enraged.
    “Tired?” she asked with a smile.
    “No.”
    “Hungry or thirsty?”
    “No.” He grinned. “Ask me if I’m horny.”
    She wrinkled her nose. “I hate that word.”
    “Ask me if I want to fuck you again.”
    Rachel hesitated, then with an impish smile, she lifted the blanket covering them
     both and tried to peer down at his cock, but it had to be too dark for her to see.
     To make sure she didn’t miss even an inch of his cock throbbing for her, Decker threw
     back the soft sheets and handmade quilt and took himself in hand.
    She gasped. “I don’t think I need to ask.”
    Her voice suddenly