Free Wicked and Dangerous by Shayla Black and Rhyannon Byrd Page B

vulnerability and sweet teasing.
     Her intelligence probably ranked higher than most women he’d taken to bed. The soft
     chime of her laughter made him smile. She was truly a terrible dancer, but she cared
     about the people in her life. And she trusted in a way none of the jaded women he’d
     met could. Hell, more than he ever had. She deserved to be protected, adored, cherished.
    How fucking crazy was it that he was wondering if he could be the man for the job?
    One thing at a time. First, he had to keep her safe, figure out who wanted her dead,
then
he could decide if he was actually capable of sharing his picket fence with any woman,
     let alone this one.
    At his side, Rachel sighed, caressing him with a leisurely sweep of her hand up and
     down his torso. The thought of her drifting off in his arms made him smile. On the
     corner of the bed, the orange tabby yawned and looked at him like an unwelcome interloper.
     As far as Decker could tell, the cat had remained planted on his little corner of
     the mattress the whole time he and Rachel had rocked it. The hairball was seemingly
     far less annoyed that Decker had violated his mistress than he was about having his
     nocturnal beauty rest disturbed.
    “
Meow
.” The cat’s tone made it clear he was registering a complaint.
    Rachel smiled against Decker’s chest, then propped her chin on him to look at the
     cat. “Be a nice kitten, Val.”
    Kitten
? That thing had to weigh fifteen pounds.
    “Is he possessive?” Decker sank his fingers into her plush dark hair. It was so fucking
     soft, not weighed down by a ton of goop or hair spray. It wasn’t coarse, and she didn’t
     have extensions. It was just naturally beautiful. Kind of like her.
    Shit, now he sounded like some sappy jewelry commercial.
    “Not really. He’s my cat, for sure. He typically doesn’t like other people. He
hated
Owen. It was mutual, however. And Owen swore that Florida was a little bit safer
     when we moved here because I’d removed the ‘beast.’ The fact that Val hasn’t attacked
     or run off means he’s at least willing to tolerate you. Since he’s a better judge
     of men than I apparently am, I take it as a good sign.” She flashed a tired but teasing
     grin in the shadowy room. “Isn’t that right, Valentino?”
    Rachel stretched across the bed to pet the little hairball between his perky ears.
     The move exposed her breasts, and that’s all it took for his cock to go from half-awake
     to aching for action again. Wincing, he dragged in a calming breath. He had to give
     her pussy a break after he’d pounded her like a madman. Besides, while she was soft
     and sweet and sated would be a good time to ask her questions that might help him.
     Any information would be better than grasping in the dark.
    “Valentino?” he asked. “Like the famous actor?”
    “Yes. Like his namesake, Val seems to be well liked by the female felines in the neighborhood.
     The males . . . they turn their tails up at him. Val is also a little bit of a diva
     and likes his way. That’s a cat thing, but it’s even more of a Val thing. I found
     him as a stray when he was just a baby kitten. I was married to Owen, and he threw
     a fit. But I just couldn’t resist Val.”
    That soft heart of hers again. Of course she’d take in a little runt with big green
     eyes that purred and rubbed against her leg. Rachel’s sweetness was part of her charm.
    When had he last spent any time with a woman who had this kind of goodness? Probably
     during the Clinton administration. What did he know about family pets, nice girls,
     and comfortable beds? Jack squat. He needed to get his head on straight and do the
     job he’d come to do before he contemplated anything else. But what was there to think
     about? It wouldn’t be long before Xander and duty called, whisking him away. Rachel
     needed to fall for a great guy who would be there for her day in, day out. Not one
     who’d be jaunting off to another