Page 84 of Smoke Screen
Goddammit, he couldn’t keep doing this. Letting people and situations get to him. Making him feel shameful.
Unworthy.
Jesus.I need to go.
Just get out.
He pushed off the table, spun, and headed for the door. “I gotta go.”
“Hey,” Zeke said. “We still got reporters out there.”
Nowhere to run. Story of his life. He shook his head, picked up his pace, pushing through the vestibule door and then the outer one. Desperate for air, he sucked in a hot breath.
Summer in North Carolina.
He stopped, turned back, contemplated going back inside. To cool air and his brothers, who would offer the strange comfort of riding him endlessly about being soft.
One step was all it would take. One step back to the door and Zeke’s over-the-top security.
To BARS.
He turned again, marching along the path to the side door of the Friary.
Maddy reached Phin’s door,lifted her hand to knock, and a phone started ringing. Not from inside. Behind her.
She turned just as Phin hit the top step, his tall, fit frame filling the space and igniting a starburst inside her. Heat streamed and her body, even from six feet away, yearned for something. Something that included Phin losing his clothes.
The man had a way.
He pulled the phone from his pocket, silenced it, and shoved it back before looking up and spotting her.
The set of his jaw and hardness in his eyes, nearly knocked her back a step.
“Whoa. Are you mad at me?”
He moved closer.
When he reached her, she stepped aside. He shoved his palm against the pad next to his door and a red light blinked. “Goddammit.”
He tried the door again, this time leaving his hand a second longer, and the lock disengaged. “Finally,” he muttered.
“Phin, please. Talk to me. Did I do something?”
He smacked at the door handle and pushed the door open. “Guess what? Not everything is about you.”
“Hey!”
Great comeback to a scorching insult, but, well, she couldn’t think of anything else. A few seconds ago, she’d been considering the idea of Phin naked. Kinda challenging to shift gears that fast.
He shoved the door open and kept one hand on it, holding it for her as he crossed the threshold.
When she didn’t move from the hallway, he glanced over his shoulder.
“Are you coming in? I’m assuming since you’re here, you want something.”
Andwow. “Gee, Phin, who knewyoucould be such an ass?”
For some reason, that made him laugh.
