"No regrets. Let's hit the road." She handed him the car keys without him having to ask.
Deacon slipped on his sexy, mysterious shades and took the wheel.
She'd managed to nap for the first hour, lulled to sleep by the perfect temperature in the car and Deacon's gentle stroking on her bare leg.
After a quick stop for fast food and a bathroom break, they were back on the road. Deacon was the perfect road-trip partner. He didn't listen to the radio. He didn't blather on endlessly. He didn't snack on sunflower seeds. He remained still and alert as they cruised across Nebraska.
Molly kicked her shoes off and grabbed her e-reader from the backseat. Within a few minutes, she became engrossed in the story. The next time she glanced at the clock, she realized almost two hours had passed.
Deacon looked at her. "Good book?"
"Yeah. Sorry I'm not great company. I tend to get lost when I read."
He picked up her hand and rubbed his callused thumb across her knuckles. "I'm not much of a reader."
"You play video games?"
"Some."
"What do you like to do in your off-hours? Now that you're no longer hitting strip clubs."
"Hilarious, babe. It seems I don't have many off-hours."
Molly turned in her seat. "Do you do that on purpose?"
"What?"
"Pack your free time with MMA or martial arts stuff so you don't have to figure out a hobby?"
"I ain't exactly the hobby type."
"Because you turned your hobby into your job?"
It took him a few moments to answer. "Yeah, I guess. Now I'm getting paid to fight."
Ask me my hobbies, Deacon. This is what people in a relationship do.
"What kind of books do you read?"
"Promise not to laugh?"
"Nope."
She laughed. "I read romance."
His lips twitched. "I knew that."
"How?" Had he noticed the books in her living room?
"Tim told me. Pissed me off that he knew your favorite books. But I saw you finger yourself while reading a dirty one, so I win." He gave her a full-out bad boy grin.
Her cheeks heated. "I read more than just erotic romance. I like historical, paranormal, and suspense."
"What makes a book erotic?"
"More sex scenes. Erotic novels also have some kink, which is, ah . . . fun to read about."
He snagged his water bottle from the cup holder. "What kind of kink?"
"Spanking. Multiple partners. Bondage." Molly sent him a sideways glance. "I've wanted to ask Amery about the rope stuff she and Ronin do, but I always chicken out."
Deacon choked on his drink. "Jesus, Molly. Warn a guy first."
"So what do you know about that?"
"It's not my place to say. So if you wanna know more, ask Amery."
"Fine." She swiped her finger across the screen and the text reappeared.
She'd finished maybe a page when Deacon spoke again.
"Why do you like erotic books?"
"The level of intensity between the hero and heroine always seems . . . higher. They express themselves to each other through sex."
"What else?"
Pushy much? "Never mind."
"Oh, no, darlin'. You don't get to admit you like them kinda books and then act pissy because I wanna know why you like them."
"Because they make me hot, okay? The only place I'll ever get to experience that kinkier stuff is through the pages of a book." Embarrassed by that admission, she directed her attention out the window.
Deacon's hand landed on the back of her head. "Look at me."
She shook her head.
"Please."
"No. Keep your damn eyes on the road, Deacon."
He slowed down and pulled onto the shoulder. After putting the car in park, he curled his hand below her jaw and turned her head, forcing her to meet his gaze.
He'd shoved his sunglasses on top of his head, and those icy eyes were scary as hell.
"Understand this. I'm not making fun of you for what you're reading."
"You're not?"
"No." He gave her a look she couldn't decipher.
"Then what?"
"Read it to me."
When her jaw fell open in shock, he took advantage and kissed her. A sweet, coaxing kiss, with teasing flicks of his tongue and the hot and sexy glide of his wet lips across hers.
Against her mouth, he murmured, "I wanna hear what gets you hot."
That caused her belly to swoop. "You're serious. You want me to read to you."
"Yeah, babe, I do." Another soft brush of his lips across hers. "And not just the dirty parts. But you could mark the kinky spots and we could try them out later."
Molly laughed.
He settled himself in his seat again and put the car in motion.
Since Molly was halfway through her current book, she picked an erotic contemporary she hadn't started yet. "You ready?"