His smile was slow in coming and it melted her heart and wreaked havoc with every cell in her body. “I didn’ realize you couldn’ resist me, honey. You just handed me the world. I can’ seem to resist you either. The real you, not the one who goes huntin’. Are you goin’ to trust me on this, babe? You got to come to me all the way. With both feet in. If we’re doin’ this, both of us have to be all the way in.”

“I’ll kill him. You don’t want to see that I’m capable of being every bit as lethal as you and your friends, Wyatt,” she said steadily, wanting him to see the real her. “If you want me, you have to know that’s part of who I am. If he hurts one of them, if he makes them feel as if they aren’t human, I’ll kill him and never look back.”

He pressed closer to her, his grin going wider, his eyes dark and sensual. “You think that’s goin’ to put me off you? Is that your way of tryin’ to push me away? Because it only makes me hotter for you. I like attitude, babe, and I like a woman who knows her way around a knife and a gun. You’re not sayin’ anythin’ I don’ want to hear.”

She shook her head. “I hope you believe me, Wyatt. I won’t hesitate to protect my children.”

“Our children, Pepper,” he corrected. “Never forget that. They’re ours. Ours to protect. I’ll do that with the last breath in my body. And just so you know, you’re exactly my kind of woman, honey. I’m countin’ on you to protect all of our children with your last breath as well. I want a partner, babe. But you got to trust my lead.”

His hand came up to bunch the hem of her shirt, drawing the material up. “We good, honey? Because I’ve got this wicked hard-on that you just made harder. It’s a hell of an ache.”

She swallowed hard. “You plan to do something about it?”

“You have no idea,” he answered, and lowered his mouth to hers once more.

Fire raced from his mouth to hers. Flames poured down her throat and spread like a wildfire through her body. She heard the soft little sound of despair escape before she could stop it. Already her hands had run up his chest and curled around his neck, dragging him closer. She was lost in him. She’d always be lost in him. Tears burned behind her eyes, but as if he knew, he lifted his mouth from hers and kissed both of her eyes.

“Don’ do that, sugar, you’re breakin’ my heart. I’ll take care of you and the girls. I want you just as much as you want me. It isn’ just you in this. You aren’ alone.”

She lifted her head to look at him. She’d already memorized his face. Every line. Every edge. “I don’t know what love is, Wyatt. But whatever we have between us is strong and won’t let up.”

“I’m going to teach you all about love, honey. My kind of love. It’s fierce, burns hot and has stayin’ power. Enough for a lifetime.” He drew her shirt over her head and tossed it aside.

She reached for his. She had to believe him. She’d been in his mind. He was tough and hard, but he wasn’t a deceptive man. She could keep her eye on Trap, but she’d warned Wyatt. He was intelligent enough to believe her. He saw her with all of her flaws and even her terrible need and weakness for him – and he still wanted her. Like this. A firestorm of passion that burned so hot they both were in danger of going up in the flames.

“I’d burn in hell for you,” Wyatt whispered against her throat.

“With me,” she corrected. “Burn with me.”

Wyatt couldn’t move fast enough, his hands dropping to his jeans. He just pushed them down, off of his hips and thighs so his cock sprang free. He jerked her jeans and lacy panties down to her ankles.

“Kick off the shoes, babe,” he instructed. “Hurry it up.”

Already her addicting spice called to him, the scent drifting up to tease his cock and make his mouth water. “Damn it, woman, hurry the hell up.”

“You’re always in such a frenzy.”

Her laughter curled inside of him, around his heart and lungs. He pushed two fingers deep inside her slick, hot channel, and found her sensitive button. She gasped, and he took her mouth ruthlessly, hot blood surging through his veins.

She damn well had to stop questioning their relationship. He wasn’t going to allow her to walk out on him before they even got started. Aggression mixed with lust was tempered and colored by the curious melting around his heart. He kissed her over and over, making certain she knew exactly who was kissing her. It’s my fingers inside you, Pepper. And it’s my cock you’re goin’ to be ridin’. Don’ think about leavin’ me again. We have a problem, you talk to me about it. You don’ just decide we’re over. You’re scared about somethin’, you come to me to fix it. Do you understand?

He knew he sounded harsh and dominant, but he didn’t give a damn anymore. She had to know they were supposed to be together. Hell or heaven, it didn’t matter. They had to be together.

He stroked and tugged on her clit, brushing his thumb over the bundle of nerves again and again as he pushed his fingers deep into her. Her breathing came in ragged little pants and gasps, music countering the roaring thunder in his ears. Finally, finally, he heard the shoes drop to the floor.

Instantly Wyatt swept her up to his waist, drawing her leg around his back. “Like that, sugar. That’s good.”

She got the idea, wrapping her legs around him, her hands at his neck.