Page 133 of Fighting Chance

“What is wrong with you?” she seethes.

“With me?” I point in the direction the guy fled. “He was flirting with you!”

“So?”

My eyes all but bulge out of my head but before I can snap back, she shoves my chest again. “You growled like a fricken caveman! Mine?Mine? I’m not a piece of property you own, Ashford!” Layla is heaving, wild with a tornado of anger. “You stupid twat!” She marches right past me and down the hallway.

“Shit,” I mutter.

Taking off after her, I call her name, not caring who’s looking as the woman who has me by the balls pushes through the service entrance and into the staff parking lot at the back of the building.

The door slams behind me and at the sound her tiny frame spins, that fire still burning in her eyes as she strides toward me, pointing an incredulous finger. “How dare you act like you fucking own me!”

I can’t help it, I chuckle.

Growling, she slaps my chest but it’s not hard or intended to hurt. “Why the hell are you laughing at me?”

“I’ve never heard you swear before. You’re usually too nice for it.”

“Well, that clearly goes out the window when it comes to you! God, Kieran, you can be so infuriating!”

Leaning against the building wall, I kick a foot up against it. “Hate to break it to you, love, but all this is doing is turning me on.”

Her chest heaves as she shakes her head. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

She wags a finger at me. “Look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Your eyes. They’re sparkling.”

My grin turns downright dirty. “You think my eyes sparkle, sunshine?” Pushing off the wall, I stalk toward her, ever so slowly, our gazes hold one another.

She begins to back away until she’s pressed against the adjacent brick wall of the alley.

Ever so slowly I place a hand on either side of her head, caging her in. “I know you like the way I look at you.”

My voice is rough, gravelly, and full of the heat I’ve felt toward this little firecracker tonight. It turns me on exceptionally to know this side only comes out with me. That the world only sees the nice calm side, whereas I see every facet of her.

Cupping her chin so she can’t avoid my gaze, I drawl, “And I know you’d be lying if you said you didn’t love it.”

Her swallow is audible. I trail my finger down her neck, lavishing the way her lips part almost subconsciously.

“Tell me,” I whisper. “On that precious list of yours…does it mention anything about a bar?”

Layla’s icy blue eyes flare.

Trailing my fingers leisurely over her shoulder and down her arm. “Is your blood rushing at the thought of me touching you out here where anyone could walk through that door and catch us?”

The sharp intake of air has a crooked grin spreading across my face.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” I purr.

“I hate you,” she hisses.

“No you don’t. You love the way your belly is heating, and by the way your hips are canting forward and seeking mine, you want this as badly as I do.”