Part 27 (1/2)
”You shock me,” she admitted in a mere breath of sound.
”Back atcha.”
Merissa freed herself and turned to face him. ”Is that a joke?”
Shaking his head, he tracked his gaze over her. Unlike his lady friends, she was fully dressed in jeans and a sleeveless baby-blue blouse.
Almost unwillingly, he grated, ”Every f.u.c.king time I see you.”
Her jaw loosened. ”My G.o.d! You have two women waiting inside for you-”
”Probably not waiting anymore.” His smile taunted her. ”They're the impatient sort.”
”-and still you flirt with me?”
His bare shoulders bunched. ”I wasn't.”
Oh. Her confidence suffered, but she faked it, flipping back her long hair and staring him in the eyes. ”I thought-”
One big stride brought him chest to b.r.e.a.s.t.s with her. He radiated hot anger-and so much more. ”You came to me, little girl.”
She didn't quail, not from Armie. In a whisper, she asked, ”Why are you mad?”
His gaze searched hers, and he jerked away with a curse, turning from her, his hands on his hips, his head dropped forward. Muscles twitched, locked. His chest repeatedly rose with slow, deep breaths.
Merissa stared at his long back, his sun-darkened skin in appealing contrast to his fair hair. The deep furrow of his spine bisected all that firm muscle and without even thinking about it, she followed it down to the paler skin of his taut backside displayed by the loosened, drooping jeans.
Catching herself, she pulled her gaze back up to the tattoo of a winged heart wrapped in barbed wire that rested between his shoulder blades. No color. Just stark black and...sad.
The tats on his arms were different-simple, colorful tribal designs that backed up his bada.s.s rep. She doubted they meant anything. But that heart...
He rubbed the back of his neck and muscles s.h.i.+fted everywhere, igniting a secret heat inside her.
”I'm sorry for dropping in,” she said softly.
Over his shoulder, he scowled at her, then slowly faced her again.
”I was looking for Cannon, but obviously he's not here.” She couldn't imagine her discriminating brother ever partic.i.p.ating in a menage a trois. If he did, no one would ever know about it-and it definitely wouldn't be with such extroverted women who might kiss and tell.
Armie's deep brown eyes watched her with a sizzling sort of menace, and she cleared her throat. ”I tried calling him, but he didn't answer, and he's not at the hotel. I thought maybe-”
”He's with Yvette.”
Why did Armie always keep her at a distance? And why, for the love of G.o.d, did that only make her want him more? ”Yvette who?”
”Sweeny. You knew her, I think. She's-”
”I do!” Wow, she'd wondered if Yvette would ever return. A million questions went through her mind, but she settled on one in particular. ”Why is Cannon with her?”
Armie c.o.c.ked a brow.
”Oh.” Wow again. Cannon and Yvette? Still? It had to have been...what? Three years. In rapid order, she went through the timeline, recalling how Yvette had always crushed on Cannon and how Cannon had helped to rescue her-and how he'd gone off to fight in the SBC and she'd gone off to live in California. ”I see.”
”I have company waiting, so Cannon can fill you in on everything, but he's at her family home with her. Living with her, actually.”
The surprises kept coming. ”Since when?”
”Since the get-go, far as I can tell.” For the first time that night, Armie gave her a sincere smile. ”She arrived and he moved in.”
”That was fast.”
”Slow, if you ask Cannon.”
When Armie smiled, he was the most devastatingly handsome man she'd ever seen. ”Slow?”
”Seems he's been waiting on her for a while.”
The door opened yet again, and this time the redhead and blonde each wore only their panties.
”Oh, for the love of...” Merissa turned away, anxious to avoid any more embarra.s.sment.
From behind her, she heard hushed words from Armie, whining words from the women, and thought about sticking her fingers in her ears. Instead she concentrated on her retreat.
She'd gotten down ten steps when Armie grabbed her again.
”Hold up, d.a.m.n it.”
”What?” she asked as she turned to face him.
Her temper apparently cooled his. He turned patronizing. ”I'm walking you to your car.”
”Ha! No way.” She started off again.
He didn't argue, but d.a.m.n him, he followed all the same. Mostly naked. Those worn, faded, open jeans riding low on his lean hips.
Using both hands, Merissa slammed open the wide double entry doors and stalked out into the humid evening air. Security lights warded off any imagined danger, except for the danger of Armie at her back.
Danger to her peace of mind. ”Go away, Armie.”
Mocking her, he asked, ”Why are you so mad?”
”I'm not.”
He snorted and tugged on a lock of her hair. ”You have steam coming out your a.s.s.”
Gasping, she rounded on him. ”I do not!”
He scrutinized her. ”Maybe your ears, too. And just where the h.e.l.l did you park?”