“Absolutely not,” he growls. “You’ll stay the fuck away from them. They’re dangerous. Trust Viking to keep you safe. I know I do.”
And with that, he ends the call, but not before he tells me he loves me. At least that’s something. I reluctantly tell him that I love him, too, then toss my phone onto the side table before I spin around to face Viking.
“Welp,” I snap. “Welcome home.”
VIKING
I press my lips together and try really hard to hide my smile, but I fucking fail. I also try not to look at Lainey like she’s absolutely fucking adorable, and I know that I fail at that, too. She looks up at the ceiling, then spins around and marches to the kitchen.
“I don’t have any beer, and I definitely don’t have enough food,” she announces as she tugs open the refrigerator door.
“I don’t drink when I’m on duty,” I murmur. “And we can order in.”
She snorts, then closes the fridge before she straightens and turns to face me. Her gaze narrows on mine, her brow arches, and she stares at me for a moment in silence. I know she’sgearing up to give me some shit. I brace and attempt to hide my amusement.
Lainey amuses me. I really don’t know if I’m going to be able to stay with her like this, day in and day out, without fucking her. I did visit the girl who lives around the corner from her. I’ve already come today, yet I could still get it up for her if she asked me.
“I cannot order in for the foreseeable future. Besides, Thunder Rock has, like, two places to actually order from, and neither sounds like a good choice. Come on. We’ll go to the store.”
She marches past me, grabs her purse, slips her shoes back on, and is standing next to the door. Her gaze is on me, watching me as she waits for me to join her. My feet become unstuck, and I follow her in a slight daze, because, honest to fuck, she literally just told me what to do and how to do it, and I jumped.
What the hell is happening here?
Lainey only stops when we are at her car. I watch as she reaches for the handle of the driver’s side door, but then I catch her bicep. I don’t let her sink down into the front seat. Instead, I gently tug her away from the door, silently guiding her over to the passenger side.
“What are you doing?” she demands as I slip the keys from her grasp.
“I’m not sitting bitch in your ride, babe. I drive.”
Her breath hitches, but I don’t bother looking back at her as I walk around the front of the car and sink down into the driver’s seat. Pressing my foot to the brake, I touch the start button and wait for her to get inside and close her door.
It takes her a moment.
No doubt I’ve surprised her, although I’m unsure as to why. She must know I’m a man who is going to operate a vehicle if it’s between her and me. When she finally sinks down into thepassenger seat, she closes the door before I hear the seat belt click into place.
Before I can shift the car intoReverse, I feel her fingers curl around my bicep. Turning my head, I look over at her and arch a brow, then flick my gaze down to her hand before I find her eyes. She slowly uncurls her fingers, then places them in her lap to join her other hand.
“You don’t want me to drive?” she asks.
“Babe.”
“What?” she asks. “I’m not offended, but it’s my car, so I’m a little confused.”
Shaking my head once, I clear my throat. “I got a dick. I drive. It’s just the way of it. You, of all people, should know that. Piggy ever ride bitch in your car? He ever been in your car?”
She chews on her bottom lip, tugging on the skin there. It’s sexy as fuck, and I want to suck that lip between my lips. I want to slip my tongue inside her. I want to slip my cock inside her, too.
Jesus Christ, I’m going to be jacking myself off every five minutes if I don’t get control of myself soon. And since she doesn’t answer me, I don’t push it and decide to change the subject.
“We’re going to the store to get some groceries,” I grunt. “Let’s do this, because I’m already getting hungry.”
CHAPTER FOUR
VIKING
“I’ll cook,”Lainey calls out. “At least for tonight. But tomorrow, you’re on.”
“I am?” I look up from my phone.