Free Barely Undercover by Sarah Castille Page A

size of his fist clogged his throat. Once, he’d had both—her sass and her sweetness—and he’d thrown them away.
    She held his gaze for only a few seconds before her bottom lip quivered and she turned her head. The tiny glimpse of her vulnerability inflamed his desire. God, he wanted her. He wanted to strip off her clothes and run his hands over her lush curves. He wanted to feel the softness of her skin against his chest and the heaviness of her breasts in his palms. He wanted to hear her laugh, and moan, and whisper his name in the still of the night. He wanted her to sass him like there was no tomorrow, and kiss him like it was the day before he’d walked away from the best thing in his life.
    He gritted his teeth against the ache of wanting what he couldn’t have, but he couldn’t stop himself from cupping her soft cheek in his palm.
    She breathed out a quiet “oh” and stepped back, her face wary. “I guess I should…get…ready.”
    Her words tumbled out, tripping over each other, as she backed away. So unlike the Lana he remembered. She had always been cool and confident. He had never seen her unnerved.
    Lana bumped into a chair and froze.
    Something moved inside him, triggered by her desperate retreat. Frustration that she no longer trusted him? Wounded pride? Fear he might never heal the rift between them? Anger at her rejection? He didn’t know, and right now he didn’t care. He needed to touch her, reassure her and let her know he only wanted to keep her safe.
    He closed the distance between them in three easy strides. Although his mind told him to stop, his body kept going, reaching for her, drawing her in, not slowing down until he held her in his arms. And then he just hung on, wishing he could have made a different decision two years ago.
    Lana’s breath hitched, and trepidation carved lines into her face. With a gentle stroke, he swept his hand along her jaw, cradling her face and tilting it back, until their gazes met, locked. Without thinking, he dipped his head and brushed his mouth over her soft, lush lips.
    She pulled away.
    “Please…James.” Her voice broke and dropped to a pained whisper. “Don’t.”
    He froze and silently cursed himself for giving in to his base desires. He’d made his decision two years ago. His circumstances—the past—hadn’t changed. It didn’t work then and it wouldn’t work now. He was just making things worse.
    For both of them.
     
    Lana drew James’s hand away from her cheek. He offered no resistance, as startled by her words as she was. When had she ever turned him down? But he was moving too fast and presuming too much. Although she appreciated his concession, she still didn’t trust him. Not by a long shot. Not with her heart.
    Still, she didn’t miss his sharp intake of breath, or the way his shoulders tightened when she stepped away.
    “We’d better get going.” His voice was cool now, guarded. “The sooner we let everyone know you’re mine, the sooner we can get you out of danger.”
    Mine. Her breath caught in her throat and longing squeezed her heart. Her father hadn’t wanted a daughter, particularly one he hadn’t planned, and after her mother had died, he’d wanted her even less. Rejection and a desperate need to be loved had sent her into Levi’s arms. But he wasn’t the savior and protector she’d thought he would be. She had been his possession but she had never had his heart. And he had never had hers.
    Oh God. What was she doing? Reality crashed down on her fleeting moment of happiness. Could she really face a biker clubhouse again?
    She sank down onto the couch and scrubbed her face with her hands. But nothing could banish the memories—so many hands, so many voices. Struggling, screaming…and the pain. So much pain. Her body chilled and a violent tremor shook her body.
    James knelt in front of her and rested his hand lightly on her head. “What’s wrong? Do you not want to go? I won’t hold you to it. In fact I