Free The Best Part of Me by Jamie Hollins

having trouble keeping up. He blew through the door at the top of the stairway, stormed into a tiny apartment, and finally released her arm. He slammed the door shut and turned his angry eyes to Quinn. She couldn’t breathe, and she was slowly backing away from him. The back of a sofa stopped her retreat, and she braced herself for whatever came next.
    Instead of following her, Ewan stalked into the tiny kitchen and pulled down a bottle of whiskey from above the refrigerator. He unscrewed the cap and took a swig straight from the bottle before slamming it down on the counter. His back was to her, his hands braced on the counter in front of him. His head hung low as she watched his shoulders rise and fall with each breath.
    Quinn stood quietly in the doorway of the kitchen, feeling as if she should say something, anything. It was one of the few times in her life that she didn’t have the courage to make a sound. Even though she couldn’t claim she knew him, something about him told her that he wouldn’t hurt her.
    At least physically.
    He wouldn’t have dragged her up there if he didn’t have something to say. So she just waited. After what felt like hours, he finally straightened and put the cap back on the bottle. He turned, and she noticed a cut at one of his temples.
    â€œI’m so sorry.” She took a step toward him instinctually but stopped when his eyes simmered as he stared at her from across the kitchen.
    His breathing rate was increasing again as his chest started to rise faster. His mouth was pressed into a straight line, and his nostrils flared.
    In two long strides, he was in front of her. His hands grasped both sides of her head, and before she could blink, his lips were pressed hard against her mouth. His kiss was hungry and demanding. The heat from his mouth caused hers to open with a gasp. His hungry tongue pressed between her lips as he greedily stroked the inside of her mouth. The feeling was sensational.
    He walked her backwards, still caressing her mouth with his tongue. Her back pressed flat against a cold brick wall. Desire shot from her mouth all the way down to between her thighs, and she could feel herself getting wet. In response, she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to move her mouth against his.
    His kiss grew harder. He pressed the entire length of his body against Quinn and moved one of his hands into her hair. Instinctually, she began to move her hips against him, feeling his erection through his jeans. He growled, sending shivers through her body.
    Just as she started to melt into him, he suddenly pulled his lips away, tightening his grip in her hair so she had no choice but to look up at him. Her vision was hazy, her lips swollen, and she sighed aloud at the loss of his mouth. She longed for him to continue as his dark blue eyes stared intently into hers.
    â€œI don’t know if I want to spank you or fuck you,” he gritted as he touched his forehead to hers. His voice was coarse, and his Irish brogue was more noticeable than she’d heard before. He traced her bottom lip with his thumb. Anger and lust danced across his face, and immediately her desire increased. She brazenly fisted her hands in his shirt and drew him closer.
    Quinn quietly cleared her throat. “I don’t think I care for the first option.”
    He closed his eyes. “Quinn, those men—” He stopped and took a deep breath. “They are very bad men.”
    She reached up and ran her fingers gently against his cheek. “If I in any way started any of that downstairs, I’m so sorry. I just wanted to say hello to you and—”
    He released her and pushed himself away from the wall, running both hands through his hair. He leaned against the back of the sofa, his hands gripping the edge of the upholstered backing. He was staring at the floor in deep thought, his face etched with exhaustion.
    She stepped toward him hesitantly. She had no idea what