“Just how strong are ya, Mag Pie? Think you can sling me on that back and carry me inside?” He managed to only half slur the words.
Droplets of giddiness dripped into my chest. A well gathering fast. “You’re asking me if I can lift a Mack truck?”
“Hell, no. Just if you can tackle a stallion.”
He waggled his brows, though it was sloppy and goofy and kind of adorable, and god, how easily I could fall for this man.
Like slipping into quicksand.
“What would you say if I wanted to try?” I whispered, throat so tight it was difficult to speak.
He grunted. “I’d say that sounds like a mistake.”
“I thought you said I needed to make a few mistakes along the way?” I lifted my chin, my eyes searching his face in the darkness.
He forced a grin that felt wholly faked. “Ahhh…a few mistakes are called for. But believe me, baby, you don’t want this kind of tragedy.”
“Rhys—”
He shook his head to cut me off. “Don’t.”
I glanced back at the house. “I really should get Royce. He can help me get you inside.”
Rhys huffed out a laugh, shoving off the darkness that had gathered around him like a violent storm. He cocked a playful grin. “Think I’ve received my full allotment of death threats from your brother today, thank you very much. I can make it just fine.”
“Death threats?”
“Let’s just say he made our boundaries very clear.” He gestured at the bare space between us. “Just so you know, we’re already crossin’ them.”
I scowled. “When?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
I huffed a sigh.
Freaking Royce.
“Richard?” I offered instead.
“Nope. Good as new. Can’t keep a good man down.” His words were all slurry and mushed together.
He hopped up like he was going to prove the point.
Only he stumbled three feet to the side.
A goliath who swayed.
I jumped up and rushed to his side. “Whoa there, cowboy. You keep it up, and you’re definitely going down.”
He leaned against me, slinging his arm over my shoulders.
The man heavy and hard and pure masculinity.
He staggered a bit, and I struggled to keep him upright, because holy crap, he was made of brick.
Suddenly, his nose was in my hair. “Why you gotta smell so good, Mags? And this dress.”
My brain was short-circuiting with him this close.
With the words that slipped from his mouth so errantly.
With the way his fingertips grazed over the silky fabric in the barest brush.
Wildfire.
It consumed my flesh.
But it was my heart that was at risk.
Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, FIGHT FOR ME, CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART, and FALLING STARS novels. Watch out for her upcoming stand-alone, BENEATH THE STARS, releasing February 22nd.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
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