Page 21 of Donovan's Men

“Your beard grows fast.”

I nodded.

“You ever let it grow?”

“For a few days when I’m off, sure. But never more than that.”

“Ah, so scruff. Scruff is sexy to me.”

“I’m glad.” My words came out on an exhalation. I was glad. I wanted him to be attracted to me. Because I sure as fuck was to him.

“Can I convince you to kiss me?”

I liked that he asked—that he acknowledged, in a roundabout way, that this broke all the rules.

There, though, under darkening winter skies—and in the chilly front seat of my car—I realized I could deny him nothing. “Yeah.”

As he leaned toward me, my eyes drifted shut. Our lips touched.

Where I expected a light brushing of lips, Donovan snagged the back of my head and dragged me closer. Using my surprised gasp, he thrust his tongue into my mouth. He dominated, demanded, and brooked no opposition. He took control.

I let him. I grasped his jacket and attempted to bring him even closer. Desperately, I unzipped his coat and reached my hand inside. I yanked up his shirt to touch bare skin.

He sucked in a breath.

Shit. Yeah, my hand was icy. Yet I didn’t relent in my pursuit to touch every inch I could get my hand on.

If I wasn’t worried about getting arrested, I’d thrust my hands down the front of his sweatpants. As it was, I angled my hand so my palm brushed over his crotch.

Over his very firm erection.

Matching my own.

Wildly inappropriate.

And yet I didn’t care.

When he raked his fingernails along my scalp—through my short hair—I nearly lost it right there.

He growled as he pulled back. “Come back to my place.”

I let out a little puff of a laugh. “I’m driving you home.”

“I mean come up.”

“Donovan—”

“We don’t have to do anything. Just…” He looked away. Out toward encroaching night.

I looked as well, relieved to see no one in our corner of the parking lot. An audience would definitely have been a bad thing, but most people hoofed to their cars and dove in to jack up the heat in this cold weather.

“Just…” I prompted.

He gazed back at me. “It sounds stupid.”

“Nothing you say is stupid.” Instinctively, I understood someone in his past had called himstupidand he’d internalized it. Many people did, and I saw it clearly within him.

“I keep thinking how close I came to losing Cole. And how I see him as my best friend, but he already has two best friends. And they’re just words, but…”