Free The Right To Remain Mine by Linda Kage Page A

gods.
            The look on his face caught her off guard, however. With his eyes closed and his teeth clenched in agony, he bumped his fists against his forehead, muttering, "Stupid, stupid, stupid," to himself.
            And just like that, she melted. Sucking in a silent breath, she wondered what this must've been like for him. Maybe he wasn't quite like she suspected. Maybe his whole plan hadn't been about conquering and then bragging about his victory. Maybe he'd merely been as swept away as she'd been, swirled into some kind of physical whirlwind that killed all reasoning and left him emotionally confused and stripped bare.
            "You are so stupid, Malloy," he berated himself. "You had the most amazing woman in your arms…"
            "Well, I'll agree with that," Willow murmured, her chest tightening with pleasure. Did he really think her amazing?
            Leaning against the doorway, she gazed at the sexy man with whom she felt a sudden rare connection. He jerked at the sound of her voice and opened his eyes, immediately sitting up. His mouth opened as if to deny his own words.
            She spoke over him before he could say something to tick her off, which he most likely would. "Tell me something, Deputy." Taking a leap unlike any she'd ever jumped before, she flashed him a soft, amused smile. "If I give you another chance, are you just going to screw that up too?"
            "What?" Expression filling with alarm, hope, and wary doubt, he started to push off the floor to scramble to his feet, his eyes searching hers frantically for some inkling whether she was lying or not.
            But Willow set her bare foot on his denim-clad leg to keep him from standing. "No. Stay down and answer the question. Do I bother to give you a second chance or not? Yes or no?"
            He plopped back onto his butt and gulped as he swallowed. "Are you serious?"
            The hoarse, uncertain tenor in his voice was all she needed to hear. "As a heart attack," she murmured, kneeling in front of him and smiling in amusement when his eyes went wide.
            "Jesus," he rasped as she grabbed his jeans at his feet and tugged them down his legs.
            "You better have that condom on by the time I get these all the way off," she warned in a silken voice. "Or else."
            Quickly, he searched the floor around him and snatched up the condom so quick, she had to swallow back a laugh. She slowed her progress of slipping off his jeans to give him time. But he paused after grasping the package in both hands. Glancing her way, his blue eyes bored into hers.
            Surprising the heck out of her, he lifted the tiny item and quietly said, "You put it on."
            The pleasure that spiked through her was most gratifying. Raith Malloy obviously had some serious trust issues with women and protected sex. The fact he was going to allow her to touch his condom was humbling. But even more so was the fact he'd lowered his pride for her. The man was such a smug, arrogant guy, she never would've dreamed he would let her have her way.
            "Malloy—" she started, not reaching for the package.
            It was enough that he was willing to let her touch his condom. She only thought to give him his pride back. But he took her hand and wrapped her fingers around the prophylactic.
            "Don't let me mess this up."

    Six
            Raith knew he'd done the right thing when DeVane's eyes glittered with pleasure. Though he never believed she would actually tamper with his condom, he watched her carefully as she rolled it over him, because her hand on him looked too erotic to ignore.
            He sucked in a breath. God, he couldn't believe this was going to happen after all. By all rights, DeVane should've kicked him out and locked the door. Instead, she hovered above him and straddled his thighs. When