Talon (Uncompromising #1)(24)
Like he had all the time in the world and a fucking right to be on my property, Randy strolled around to the front from the side yard. “What, no hello?”
“Trespassin’ is a crime. I shoot you now, no court will convict me.”
He held his arms up and smiled like he had the upper hand. “I’m not packing.”
“Your second mistake.”
“Yeah?” He chuckled but there were deep lines of worry around his eyes. “What’s my first?”
“Comin’ to my house.”
He kept up the smirk. “So, I guess we’re not going to lunch?”
He was fishing and I wasn’t going to give him shit. I wasn’t ready to tip my hand yet. He probably knew she’d come to me but he didn’t know she was here or this would’ve been going down a lot differently. “Not now, not ever.”
“It’s like that, huh?”
Smarmy fuck. I wanted to break both his wrists. “It’s like that.”
Randy casually walked to his truck and opened the door. “Just so you know, I got eyes on you, Talerco.”
“Can’t imagine why, Carter.”
Flipping me off, he got in his truck and spun his tires pulling out. I watched his taillights as he hit A1A then I pushed the button on my remote to close the front gate. A second later, I’d locked my front door and was taking the steps two at a time.
“SIREN!” I CUT THROUGH THE kitchen. “He’s gone.”
She stepped out of my bedroom. “I heard.”
I stopped dead in my tracks. Hair flowing around her like sunshine, makeup covering the bruises on her face, wearing a pale yellow dress that hit just above her knees, she looked so damn pretty, I was speechless.
“You didn’t tell him I was here.”
I stepped forward and gently tipped her chin. She’d used powder and eyeliner and from a few feet away, you couldn’t even tell she was hurt. “No, I didn’t.” I turned her face, looking at the swelling, but it was negligible. “You ice it this mornin’?”
“Mm hm. And last night.”
“Looks good. Your leg hurtin’?”
“I’m all right.”
Her voice breathy and soft, I wanted to hear her say my name. “You showered.”
A faint blush hit her cheeks. “I used your bathtub.”
She smelled incredible, like fresh flowers and sunshine and woman and all I could think about was her nipple in my mouth this morning. “Good,” I murmured, tracing her bottom lip with my thumb. “This is almost healed.”
Her tongue darted out and she licked the thin trace that was left over from her split lip. “Yes.”
My heart hammering, my dick hard, I knew I could take her right now and she’d surrender willingly. The thought of her under me, in my bed, it was fucking with me. I let my fingers run up the smooth skin of her thigh until I felt the gauze.
She sucked in a breath.
“You need a clean bandage.” I took her hand and led her into my bathroom. Pulling supplies out of my cabinet, I washed my hands then turned to her. “Lift your skirt.”
“Talon?” she asked softly, not moving.
She didn’t have a clue how sexy she was. “What?”
Bottomless blue eyes full of innocence stared at me. “What’s happening?”
“I’m changin’ your bandage.”
“Please don’t lie,” she whispered. “I see it.”
The muscles in my shoulders tightened. “See what?”
Like she needed air for courage, her chest rose with a deep breath. “Want me, pity me, think I’m pretty, but don’t look at me like you’re looking right now. Don’t look at me like you care.”
I didn’t stop my eyebrows from drawing tight. “Why can’t I care about you?”
“You don’t care about women. You sleep with them.”
My jaw went rigid and I dropped to a squat. “Lift your skirt,” I demanded, my voice harsh.
Her thin, delicate hands with bruised knuckles pulled the yellow fabric up to the top of her legs.
Roughly taking off the old bandage, I cupped the back of her thigh and used my fingers to spread antibiotic cream over her wound. Not wearing gloves went against all my training but I didn’t give a shit, I wanted to touch her. I covered the wound with clean gauze then wrapped a new bandage around her thigh. The whole time I worked she kept perfectly still but the second I was finished, she stepped back and dropped her dress.
Washing my hands, I looked at her in the mirror. “You wanted me inside you this mornin’.” I was a dick for saying it but she didn’t get to throw an insult about me not caring and get away with it.