Page 118 of Down & Dirty: Reaper

“His eyes burned a fucking hole in me the whole time we watched a damn movie.”

“He was only trying to intimidate you since he couldn’t do anything else in front of my mother.”

“No shit. You don’t see that as a problem?” he asked.

“Nope. Like I said, all bluster and no bite.”

“It’s not a bite that I’m worried about. Anyway, can we get back to the claiming shit?”

Vi lifted her head to stare at him. “What about it?”

“Do you want me to claim you?”

Her heartbeat began to thump in her throat. Holy hell, he’d actually been serious! “Do you want to claim me?”

“I mean…” He waved a hand over them. “We’ve got a good thing here.”

“The sex?”

“The sex isn’t good.”

Hold up. “It’s not?”

“No, it’s fucking great. But I think we’re past the boss with benefits shit. When’s the last time you slept in your own bed?”

That answer was easy. “The last time you were in Columbus.”

“And why is that?”

“Because…” He wanted her to admit something she wasn’t ready to admit.

Or was she?

She could’ve turned down the invite to dinner with her parents. She didn’t.

She could roll out of bed and return to the farmhouse every night once they both had their share of orgasms. She stayed.

Those were two small insights to a much larger picture.

They spent a lot of time together inside and outside of work.

They rode together.

They ate together.

Late at night they had deep conversations.

Their ethics and values aligned.

He accepted her the way she was and had not once attempted to change her.

Not a lot of true “alpha” men could handle her personality. With him, nothing she said or did bothered him.

Was he perfect? Of course not.

Was he perfect for her?

With Reaper, she wouldn’t be giving up her independence. Since he was also a Shadow, he understood her business and what was involved.