“I don’t like to wait, Hillbilly.” She really wanted to beg. She wanted to scream “Please don’t make me wait!”

But, dammit, a girl had her pride. Didn’t she?

He smiled, even though she got the feeling she might be killing him. “But you’re gonna wait.” And it was an order. A delicious order she felt all the way to her toes. “You’ll wait for me.”

In the big scheme of things, it wasn’t like she really had a choice.

“Damn cat.”

He chuckled, his free hand playing along the bottom edge of her T-shirt. The air changed around them. Going from playful to serious in a heartbeat. He tugged on the shirt.

“Pull your shirt up.”

Normally, she’d ask what the fuck for. But they both knew that wasn’t going to happen now.

Unwilling to release his cock anytime soon, she gripped the end of her shirt with her free hand and brought it up over her breasts. She never had time to fix her bra, so they were bare, the nipples hard.

Nik tucked the blanket he wore into itself, so that it stayed on his hips. Then he took both his hands and ran them up her ribcage, his fingers gliding along her flesh. The thumping became more desperate. Like a dog banging his tail, waiting for a treat.

Thumpthumpthumpthumpthump…

Nik’s big fingers circled her breasts and they both let out a shuddering breath. She no longer found his hands on her annoying. Not in the least. She had the distinct feeling she could easily get used to this. Used to him touching her, fondling her, making her squirm.

He gripped each of her nipples between thumb and forefinger. Her squirming intensified, the ball of her right foot, pushing into the floor.

He rubbed his lips against hers, but he didn’t kiss her. She wondered if he was afraid to. Afraid he wouldn’t be able to stop.

With a deep sigh, he released her breasts, grabbing hold of her bra. Gently, he re-hooked the lace over her, took the T-shirt from her hand and pulled it back down. He still had his forehead against hers and she watched him struggle with his decision to pull away.

Finally, and with obvious reluctance, he stepped back, unwrapping her fingers from his hard cock.

“We’re not doin’ this now.” He brought her hand to his mouth, turned it over and kissed the inside of her wrist, right below her palm. He ran his tongue along the veins. Once he had her squirming again, he stopped.

“Slow and easy, Sugar. That’s what the South is all about.”

“I’m beginning to hate the South.”

Jesus Christ, who knew a girl could get so wet? Her panties must be sopping. She’d have to change them before she went anywhere or she’d catch her death of cold.

“You need to go, Sugar. My momma’s waitin’ downstairs for you.”

“You must be kidding.”

He shook his head, his black hair falling in frontof his gold eyes. “Nope. And it must be important for her to come traipsin’ on to my territory. So, don’t keep her waitin’ long.”

He let her hand go and stepped away from her.

“Where are you going?”

“The lake. I need to go to my lake… it’s cold water. Nice and cold.”

He backed up to the door, his eyes never leaving hers. The thick blanket around his waist unable to hide the hard-on pointing out at her, he grasped the handle as soon as he reached it and opened the door.

He stared at her for a moment. His eyes sweeping down and back up her entire body. When he returned to her face, he shook his head, “Damn, girl.”

Then he was gone. The door quietly closing behind him.

Angie went to sit on the bed, but crash landed on the floor instead.

She didn’t even feel it.

Chapter Nine

One more shower and a fresh round of underwear and clothes later, Angelina walked in to Nik’s kitchen to find his mother sitting at the table reading the newspaper and drinking coffee. Her long legs were crossed and she had the paper open to the business section.

Without looking up, “I certainly hope I didn’t embarrass you too much, my dear.”

“No, no,” Angie lied. “Not at all.” She reached into one of the cabinets, grabbed a mug and poured herself a cup of coffee.

“I received a rather interesting call this morning.”

Angie debated whether she should repaint her toenails. Something not so dark. “Oh?”

“From Vicki Löwe.”

“Really?” Although, pink didn’t look too good against her skin. So, maybe she should stick with the dark reds. And she really needed to check on Sara’s party plans. Just because she’d been kidnapped and Miki attacked on campus, didn’t mean that Sara’s goddamn birthday party wouldn’t go off without a hitch.

“She thought maybe I had information on the past, but I really don’t because that would require me to care.”

So the question became, did she want to go with closed toe or open-toed shoes for the party?

“I don’t like worrying myself with everybody else’s crap.”

Angie finally turned and looked at Nik’s mother. Nik really did look like her. “Is that right?”

“Yup. I have enough things to worry about. And back then I spent most of my time avoiding Boris. But I do know someone who understands that knowledge is power. And the woman does like power.”

Angie sipped her coffee. She really didn’t feel like getting dressed. Again. But this truce idea had her intrigued. What if she could get Sara and Löwe together for a truce? Would that make Miki’s baby any safer? Maybe calm Sara the fuck down a bit. Really, it was worth looking at a little more.