Free Risking it All by Tessa Bailey Page A

instilled a need to
    prove herself to him. To everyone.
    Focus now. Stop dwelling on what
    you can’t change. Your plan is to find
    the evidence, expose Hogan, and
    become invisible again. Just like you
    have been forever.
    Having finished serving the table, she
    straightened, intending to return to the
    bar. When she ran straight into Bowen’s
    solid figure, she couldn’t contain a yelp
    of alarm. He steadied her with both
    hands on her elbows, gaze narrowed
    suspiciously. “You all right?”
    “I’m fine, I just didn’t expect you to be
    standing there.”
    “Okay.” He drew the word out. “I
    have to leave for a little while, but I’ll
    be right back.”
    She tugged away and pasted on a
    casual smile. “Who’s going to glare at
    me from the bar while you’re gone?”
    “Nobody better. If anyone does, you
    tell me.” After what seemed to be an
    internal debate, he slid a hand around
    her waist and pulled her close again, as
    if offended to have her so far away.
    “Think you can manage to kiss me
    without turning into a wildcat?”
    A mere breath separated their lips.
    “You didn’t seem to mind before.”
    “Baby, you’re making me hard right
    when I need to walk out the door. It’s
    goddamn inconvenient.” He sampled her
    mouth with a wet tug of his lips. “Don’t
    stop.”
    As though it were the most natural
    thing in the world, her hand slid up his
    chest and disappeared into his hair. He
    snaked his arm around her body so it
    rested against the small of her back and
    drew her close. So close. Their mouths
    came together on a groan. The sensual
    devastation reached to her toes, then
    slithered back up to settle between her
    legs. How could he do this to her? One
    minute he was the enemy; the next he
    drew
    reactions
    from
    her
    body,
    scrambling her brain. Made her question
    everything she knew about herself.
    Bowen released her mouth on a curse.
    “Watching you work fucks me up. You
    have any idea what it does to me when
    you bend over a table and smile? It
    makes me want to pull up your skirt and
    turn that smile into a scream.”
    His words shivered down her back.
    “Do you talk to every girl like this?”
    “I don’t even turn on the lights for
    other girls.”
    Why did that kick up a spark of
    pleasure? It was just another line. She
    knew it and yet, combined with the way
    he looked at her, she felt like the only
    person in the room. “That’s just bad
    manners.”
    Gray eyes twinkled. “They’re the only
    kind I have.”
    “You’re confusing me, Bowen.” She
    took a deep breath. “I need to get back to
    work.”
    When she tried to extricate herself, he
    didn’t budge. “That’s the first time
    you’ve said my name.” He rubbed their
    lips together. “Whisper it again in my
    ear, then I’ll go.”
    “You’re a lunatic.” He simply raised
    an eyebrow and she sighed, annoyed at
    the traitorous smile playing around her
    mouth. Holding his shoulders for
    support, she pressed up on her toes and
    laid her mouth against his ear. After
    taking a moment to inhale his smoky
    leather scent, she let his name fall from
    her lips. “ Bowen .”
    He actually shook. The arm banding
    her waist tightened, and the breath
    whooshed from her lungs. Then just as
    quickly, he let her go. “I’ll be right
    back.”
    All she could do was nod.
    CHAPTER SEVEN
    Bowen bit the inside of his cheek to
    silence the screaming in his head, the
    churning sickness in his stomach. His
    knuckles ached and he needed to wash
    them off before he saw Sera. It helped to
    think about her, so he hung on to the
    image of her lying in the middle of his
    guest bed. Any minute, he would get out
    of this car full of jackasses bragging
    about
    the
    beatdowns
    they’d
    just
    delivered and see her again. And maybe
    she’d let him pretend like earlier. Maybe
    she’d let him kiss her and call her
    Ladybug and fantasize they weren’t so
    different. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
    Not one fucking certainty in his life,
    except for