Page 19 of Bought

But what he didn’t know was that I was ruthless too. I was a survivor. I’d survived a mother who’d thrown me to the wolves, a father who’d nearly killed me, the men on the streets who’d tried to take what they could from me, and the shady asshole I took jobs from who also didn’t give a shit whether I lived or died. I’d survive Tennyson Fox too.

I just wanted my fucking money.

There was barely any distance between us, and his hard mouth was right there. So I didn’t hesitate. I leaned forward and did the only thing I could that would rattle him and hopefully make him forget all his dumb questions.

I kissed him.

I didn’t know what I expected. I’d never kissed a man before and never wanted to, and I’d thought that perhaps it might be a bit like kissing a statue. All smooth, hard, cold marble.

But kissing Tennyson Fox wasn’t like kissing a statue at all.

His lips were firm and very warm, much warmer than I’d expected. He didn’t move, not a muscle. I shivered as a thread of heat wound its way through me and pulled tight.

God. He looked so hard and stern and yet his mouth felt soft, and he smelled…oh….so good. The thread pulled even tighter, making me feel hot and achy. Did he feel this, too? Or was it all me?

I hadn’t realized kissing someone would feel dangerous, that I’d like that danger. I hadn’t realized how hungry it would make me either. A hunger I hadn’t realized was there. For physical contact, for touch. I couldn’t remember the last time someone had touched me, let alone kissed me, and I just kind of forgot how afraid I was. Forgot that he was holding my wrists and I couldn’t get free. Forgot that I was helpless. All I could think about was getting closer to him, finding out how he tasted. Take some of his unexpected warmth for myself because I was so cold.

I leaned in further, only for his fingers to close in my hair, jerking my head back. I gasped, pain prickling across my scalp because his grip wasn’t gentle.

His gaze was inches from mine and yet this time all the ice in it had melted, leaving behind a fire that stole my breath.

“What did I say about taking what wasn’t on offer?” His voice was still icy and yet there was a faint roughness to it now.

That was a dumb move.

A flush of heat that had more to do with embarrassment than anything else burned in my cheeks. Though really, why should I be embarrassed about taking a kiss he didn’t want to give from him? I was the helpless one here.

You’ve made him angry now, though.

Yeah, well, wasn’t that my default? I seemed to make a lot of men angry. My dad because I wasn’t my mom and all the others for refusing to sleep with them.

Fox was just one more.

I forgot about my mission and my money and grabbed for the anger that was my armor. A cold anger to match his. A determination not to give in. Not to lower my gaze or let his arrogant ass push me around.

I was expecting him to let me go, stop the car, open the door, and push me out.

Except he didn’t do any of those things.

His grip tightened on my hair and the blue silk tie around my wrists, and he held me in place as this time he leaned forward and kissed me instead.

8

Tennyson

I hadn’t meant to touch her, let alone kiss her, but her refusal to back down had changed the rules.

Her kiss had changed the rules.

As soon as I’d brought her closer, pressing her to answer my questions, her expression had hardened, becoming determined, and I knew she was preparing to do something surprising. Something that would test me.

There had been such a complicated mix of emotions shifting her gaze, fear and fury both fully directed at me.

She hadn’t liked me pulling her close or questioning her, yet she’d also been unhappy with the threat of being put out on the sidewalk, so something had to give.

I suspected that she’d been honest with her confession that she couldn’t tell me her name, but I still hadn’t been happy with her answers. They told me nothing and I remained unconvinced that she was inviting herself into my house for completely innocent purposes. Her reluctance to answer hadn’t helped either.

I’d been going to tell her so, then she’d abruptly leaned forward, and her mouth had found mine.