Free House of Payne: Rude by Stacy Gail Page B

always get better with practice.”
    “Okay, that’s it.” The breath once again whooshed out of her at the impact of his statement, but this time instead of being confused, she was seriously pissed. “You’ve been trying to get a rise out of me from the first minute you walked in, so fine. You want to play? I’m fucking great at playing, so why not? Let’s play.”

 
    Chapter Six
     
    The upside for Sass in throwing down the gauntlet was watching the surprise bloom in Rude’s eyes.
    The downside was watching him pick it up.
    “About time you gave me some kind of response.” The satisfaction in his tone unnerved her far more than any hostility ever could. “I was beginning to think you were slow on the uptake.”
    “So you admit it. You admit to fucking with me. Good for you.” She nodded, a mocking tilt of her head designed to piss off a saint. “At least you’ve got the balls to own up to it. The question is why.”
    He slow-blinked. “Why am I fucking with you?”
    “Yes.”
    “Oh shit, my bad. You are slow on the uptake.” With a sigh that held a world of patience, Rude pushed to his feet. “Okay, fair enough. I guess I’ll have to show you. Get up for a second.”
    Confused all over again and not sure what he could possibly show her to make his motives clear, she did as he asked, setting aside her napkin and rising from her chair just as he came around to her side of the table. Before she was prepared for it, his arms closed around her and his lips descended to cover hers.
    Oh…God.
    That was the last conscious thought she had before the world as she knew it went up in flames.
    His arms were like a cage around her, holding her as if he expected her to make a break for it. The logical side of her brain insisted that was exactly what she should do, but Rude’s lips on hers negated all logic.
    It negated it because he felt so unbelievably good .
    The best part about his kiss was that he wasn’t at all shy about it. His mouth boldly took possession of hers as if he’d waited his whole life to do it. No, the best part about his kiss was the way he slanted his mouth against hers in search of the perfect fit.
    Then his lips opened hers, and she decided then that the caress of his tongue was the absolute best part. He was openly seductive in how he invaded her mouth, as if he wanted to woo and dazzle her with every stroke. It had to be working, because she was pushing feverishly against him without conscious thought. But she couldn’t help herself. If he’d wanted to woo and dazzle her, he had succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
    A big hand slid under her hair to cradle the back of her head. He held her in place as he deepened the pressure, and the barely contained passion in his intensity became the best part. She stood on her tiptoes in response, a mindless move to lose herself in the heat of him while her fingers dug into the fabric covering his back.
    If he’d been naked, her fingernails would have left marks.
    Then, as she began to wonder what he felt like without the irritating barrier of clothing, she realized everything about Rude’s kiss was the best part.
    When he at last raised his head, his breathing wasn’t as disturbed as hers. But since he was the one who’d ambushed her, she figured that only made sense.
    “Never in a million years,” he said absently, his hold on her not loosening in the slightest.
    She blinked, her mind too hazy to make sense of his words. “What?”
    “Never in a million years did I imagine a kiss like yours existed.” His hand remained at the back of her head, and slowly his fingers tightened to guide her gaze up to tangle with his. There was a firestorm in his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat in something that was almost—but not quite—alarm. “Kissing you is like being burned alive, but it feels so damn good all I can do is want more.” As if to prove it, he lowered his head again to capture her mouth, dancing his tongue with hers with such