Release!:A Walker Brothers Novel (The Walker Brothers Book 1)(29)

I broke off the kiss and rasped against the soft skin of her neck, “I won’t do this again. I can’t fuck you again.” Jesus, I hated it when the higher, more noble emotions got in the way of me getting what I wanted. I’d much prefer to give into the barbarian and take what I wanted.

“Why?”

The disappointment in her voice damn near broke me. “It’s not fair to you. I was a greedy bastard, and I never even thought to ask if you were a virgin. It should have been different for you.”

It should have happened with a man you loved, a guy who could make you feel special.

After everything she’d been through, she deserved that and more.

“It did happen just the way I wanted it. No one has ever made me feel the way you do, Trace. Please don’t regret it,” she pleaded.

That was the problem. I actually didn’t regret it. I relished the fact that I was the only damn man to be inside her, and it made me possessive. I didn’t like feeling that way, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself when it came to Eva. “I don’t,” I admitted reluctantly. “And it’s going to be hell when we have to sleep in the same bed.”

“Why would we do that?” she asked in a distracted voice, a tone that made me realize she was sexually frustrated. Immediately, I wanted to satisfy her need.

“You’re my fiancée. Don’t you think it would be a little strange if we don’t sleep together?” I knew that would be a big red flag for my brothers.

“I suppose,” she answered wistfully.

“We’ll manage,” I said abruptly, moving her slowly off my lap before I could act on the impulses bombarding me, the instinct to claim her again.

She wriggled as she went to stand, and I had to hold back a groan as her luscious ass moved around on my swollen cock. Christ! It took everything I had not to strip her naked and have her ride me into oblivion right here in the chair.

Watching her as she fidgeted, messing nervously with her hair and then smoothing imaginary wrinkles from her jeans and sweater, I felt the sudden need to protect her. Eva had come to enough harm in her short life, and she didn’t need further pain from me.

“Let’s take some of this stuff to your room,” I suggested in a hoarse voice as I stood. I needed a distraction or I was going to lose it.

“It’s too much, Trace. I realize that I have to wear the ring, but the other stuff…” she threw her hands up in the air.

I grinned because I had to. What woman didn’t want to accept gifts?

Only Eva.

And she wondered why I trusted her? Granted, it was more gut instinct than proof, but I would stake my life on the fact that she wasn’t guilty of her supposed crimes. My gut had never steered me wrong. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take away the pain she’d suffered in the past. But I was going to give her a better future, even if I had to fight her to do it.

I’d win.

I always did.

“You’re taking it or you’re fired.” I tried to make my tone firm.

She was adorable when she put her hands on her hips, and she lifted her chin stubbornly. “You won’t fire me.”

Nope. I wouldn’t. It would kill me not to know where she was and how she was doing. But I didn’t say that. “Don’t tempt me,” I grumbled.

“I’d like to go shopping tomorrow. I’d like to buy something for your brothers for Christmas. Can I borrow one of your fancy cars?”

I didn’t give a damn if she took any one she wanted, and it didn’t escape my notice that she hadn’t agreed to accept my gifts, but she would. I was fine with her doing whatever made her happy. Except it meant that I’d be alone in the house, and the idea didn’t appeal to me at all. I’d planned to go to the office early in the mornings, and then get back home in the afternoons. The ball had already been set into motion to investigate exactly why Eva had been in jail, and to view the supposed evidence. I was going to do whatever it took to right the wrongs that had been done to her as soon as possible.

“I’ll go with you,” I answered, resigned. “I haven’t bought things for my brothers either.”

Fuck! I hated shopping. I usually left all Christmas gifts to my employees.

“Where is your tree?” Eva looked at me hopefully.

“My employees haven’t put it up yet.” But they would. Because my family was coming, I’d eventually have a Christmas tree. It was another one of those things that just appeared without me thinking about it.

Her horrified expression was almost amusing. “You can’t let your employees put up your tree. It should be a tradition,” she answered emphatically.