His broad chest filled out that dark shirt, jeans riding low on his hips, boots still dusty from Billy Rockefeller’s yard. And that whole dangerous, don’t-mess-with-me attitude that had been on full display when he’d grabbed Billy by the throat and nearly shaken the life out of him.
The memory flashed through her mind. The strength in his arms. The way he’d stepped in front of her without hesitation. The way he’d protected her.
Terrifying.
Impressive.
Intriguing.
And horribly, terribly, undeniably sexy. She’d deal with that later. Right now she was furious. “You lied to me,” she said.
“I did not.”
Bianca crossed her arms. “We had last night and this morning together. You knew I planned to use the Willoughby house.” Her voice sharpened. “You knew it.”
Adam exhaled slowly, his chest expanding beneath the dark cotton of his shirt. “I tried to tell you,” he said. “But you said no business.”
“You should have said something anyway.”
His jaw flexed. “Yeah,” he admitted quietly. “I should have.”
The words nearly dropped her to the floor. She stared at him. “Did you just apologize?”
He gave a short, humorless chuckle. The anger still burned in his eyes, but a softer glimmer moved beneath it now. “I was wrong. I should’ve told you about the Willoughbys even though you told me not to.”
She blinked. That… had not been the response she expected. “Okay. Well now. Don’t do it again.”
He planted one hand on his hip, watching her closely. “Your turn.”
She lifted her chin, her spine straightening with each stubborn vertebra. “Me? I didn’t do anything wrong. I have a job to do.” The second the words left her mouth she knew it had been the wrong thing to say.
Adam moved.
Fast.
She barely had time to gasp before he closed the distance between them. His hands caught her around the waist and lifted her clean off the floor. “Hey—” Her protest turned into a squeakas he pinned her gently, but very firmly, against the wall. He was warm, solid, and completely immovable.
Her breath caught.
“I strongly suggest you apologize and promise not to put yourself in danger again,” he said.
“No.” She wouldn’t give in on this, damn it.
His eyes darkened. “All right.” Then he kissed her. Hard.
She’d meant to stay angry. But the second his mouth took hers, the fire between them exploded. The kiss wasn’t sweet or even sexy. It was fierce. Demanding. Full of frustration and dominance. A whole lot of it.
She grabbed his shirt before she even realized what she was doing.
Adam made a rough sound in his throat. “Still mad?” he whispered against her mouth.
“Yes.”
“Good.” Then he kissed her again, slower this time, deeper, the anger between them melting into heat that rolled through her body.
Her fingers slid up into his hair. She wrapped her legs around his waist without thinking, clinging to him, her body primed and ready right now. For all of him.
“Bianca,” he breathed, her name sounding different coming from him now, lower and rougher. She rested her forehead against his for a second, both of them breathing hard. “You’re gonna apologize, baby. Make it easy on yourself and do it now.”