Page 138 of Dominion

It was enormous—far too big to fit in her mouth—so cream cheese frosting coated her lips when she attempted a bite.

Amusement crinkled Cody’s eyes, but the way he stared at her lips sent heat curling between her legs. He didn’t eat himself, seeming interested only in feeding her.

“You’re right. These are the best cinnamon buns I’ve ever had.”

“Say it again,” he teased.

“Cinnamon?” She feigned innocence.

He stepped closer and stroked a hand up the back of her neck. “Say it, baby.”

Somehow, the simple joke became sexual. His thumb stroked over her lower lip.

She took it in her mouth and sucked, hard.

Cody groaned, looking as if he was in pain.

“You’re right,” she whispered, knowing she’d turned the tables on him.

He closed his eyes, as if gathering control, then opened the carton of milk and chugged it all down.

She fished the burner phone out of her purse and checked for reception.

Cody frowned. “Who do you need to call?”

“My boss. To tell him I can’t come into work tonight.” When his lip curled in disbelief, she explained, “At the nightclub where I bartend.”

Shock sent Cody’s eyebrows flying to his hairline. “You bartend?” Disbelief rang in his tone.

She punched the keys with her thumb. “Yeah. I’ve been working there since I was eighteen. I thought I’d be able to quit when I became a real estate agent, but I don’t make enough yet.” She shrugged as Cody frowned.

Harry, her boss, didn’t pick up, so she left a message about her mom being sick and hung up.

“You bartend?” He still seemed surprised.

“What? You think I don’t know about hard work? I’ve been supporting myself since I went to college. It’s good money. Pays the rent, because Lord knows, Jeremy never did.”

Cody’s scowl had returned in full force. “What did you see in that guy?”

She shrugged and looked away, not wanting to get into it with him.

“No, really.” He grasped her jaw and turned her face to his. “Tell me what you saw in him. I need to know.”

She nibbled her lower lip. “Remember I told you about being kidnapped last year?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, Jeremy was one of my kidnappers. He and a friend flirted with me at the bar and I went home with them after work.”

Cody looked murderous. “Hekidnappedyou? I’m going to kill him with my bare hands when we find the little bastard.”

“He didn’t know what he was getting into. His friend had just offered him a couple hundred dollars to get me into bed. Once they had me, it got more serious, and then he became a prisoner too. He escaped and came back for me. Freed me before they could kill me. So you see, I owe him my life.”

Cody’s nostrils flared and his fists clenched. “I see. So all I have to do to win you over is kidnap you and then set you free?”

She shoved at his immovable chest. “It’s not funny.”

“I’m not laughing, either. I am seriously going to beat that guy to a pulp.”