Page 72 of Danger

Me a problem?No he didn’t.

“You’re such an ass. I’m not the problem.”

He takes a single step back, like distance is the only thing keeping him in control. “Then don’t make yourself one.”

He grabs my phone and slips it back into my hand. Our fingers tangle for a moment.

“And that app?” He draws. “Don’t get someone killed.”

I lift my chin. “Is that your way of saying I matter to you?”

His eyes darken. “You matter to making this arrangement work.”

"That's the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me." I fire back sarcastically.

He hooks an arm around my waist and flings me over his shoulder like I weigh nothing.

“I can walk, you jerk!”

“Don’t care,” he says. “You run your mouth, I run your legs.”

“Put me down!”

“No,” he says, gripping my thighs to keep me still. “You’re testing me, and you need to be put to bed before I lose my damn mind.”

I stop fighting—if you can call my kicking “fighting”—and smirk. “It’s kind of hot when you go all alpha Daddy.”

His grip tightens.

“Keep pushing me, Winnie. See what happens.”

I hope he means it.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

danger

I hearthe boots before I see them—snakeskin, echoing off the tile. I catch the stance at the urinal next to mine, too fucking close. But these fuckers are never subtle.

“Never seen one before?” I ask, not bothering to look up from the wall covered in stickers and phone numbers.

Trey shrugs. “Seen plenty. Got one of my own. Heard yours has a tattoo, though.”

I zip. “Your mama tell you that?”

He grins like he’s already made peace with his own funeral, then leans a shoulder against the tile.

“Funny thing,” he says. “We dropped off the hat one of y’all left on our ranch. Thought maybe you were ready to explain what the fuck you’re up to. Gettin’ kinda old now.”

I step into his space—not fast, not slow. But close enough that he has to tilt his head to keep eye contact.

“Someone’s been watching over you,” I say quietly. “If I’d found one of you last night, you’d be dead already.” I pause. “Still deciding if tonight’s the night.”

His grin tightens. “We both know you won’t pull shit here at the bar tonight.” He jerks his chin toward the door. “At yourbrother's engagement party. They got it all dressed up out there. And way too many witnesses.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t catch you after,” I say. “Parking lot. Side road. Wherever you go next.”

He laughs under his breath. “Speaking of parking lots—heard your baby mama’s back in town.”