Free Lifestyles of the Witch & Famous by Mimi Riser Page B

Her breast brushed him in the process, and Tyler decided that if a little respect didn’t bother her, it wouldn’t create any major obstacles for him.
    The tender feeling still irked him. A future with her still seemed risky – damn scary, in fact – but he was still willing to chance it. It shocked him how much he was willing to chance for this woman.
    The tightness in his chest increased as he watched her trying to ignore him. Her hands trembled as she fumbled to retie her halter. She was making a mess of it. With a resigned sigh, he pushed up and knelt behind her.
    “Here, let me. I’m the one who’s good with knots, remember?” Without waiting for permission, he swept her hair aside and secured the top at her neck and waist.
    She didn’t thank him for it, but he hadn’t expected her to. Tyler did have some manners, even if he generally hated using them. The act was simple chivalry, a heroic gesture, considering that what he really wanted to do was rip her clothes off her. And speaking of ripping, there was something he’d better dispose of before it stuck fast, and his skin came off with it.
    With her back still to him, he pulled off the condom and tossed it into a shiny brass antique spittoon on the floor by the bed. That’s what the dumb thing was there for, since he didn’t chew tobacco himself, and sincerely hoped none of his guests did – even if this was West Texas.
    By the time he was through, Molly had spotted one of her slippers and was sliding away from him, reaching for it.
    Sorry, babe, not yet.
    Tyler reached, too, and slid her straight back, till her spine snugged up against his chest. An arm around her waist locked her in place. She stiffened in his hold, but he didn’t loosen it. The lady might not want his touch right now, but he wanted hers. Seeing her blood on the item he’d just tossed away had brought home the stark reality of what they’d just done. What he’d done. It seemed he ought to say something.
    “I’m sorry.” Would she realize what those words cost him, how rarely he said them? “If I’d known this was your first time, I’d have done it a lot differently.”
    “But you’d still have done it.”
    A flat answer, and he noticed she didn’t phrase it as a question. Such perception deserved an honest reply.
    “Yes. Very likely I’d still have done it. I’m not a nice person.”
    “If you’re looking for an argument on that, I’m the wrong one to approach.”
    Tyler felt a grin stealing onto his lips. Her kind of spunk was pretty cute actually. He wrapped both arms around her when she gave an experimental twist, testing the waters on breaking loose.
    “I’m not looking for an argument,” he said, “just stating facts.”
    “Fine. Consider them stated. We both agree you’re a louse. Will you let go of me now?”
    He answered by tightening his hold. Why waste words when actions could be so much more eloquent? Besides, it was a wonderful excuse to hug her closer. “I also want to warn you that what I’ve done once, I intend to do a lot more.”
    Molly went rigid. “Ah. I see. Now on that, I will give you an argument.”
    “No you won’t.”
    “That’s what you think.” She wasted several seconds and all her breath in a brief scrabble for freedom. Brief and futile.
    Tyler kissed the top of her head when she collapsed against him, panting. “That’s what I know .” And he explained why. “Because you’re going to marry me.”
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
    This must be her Karma for blackmailing Ms. Patton. Molly had known that would come back to bite her in the butt. What goes around, comes around. She just hadn’t expected the payback to hit this hard. Or soon.
    Marriage. To a billionaire hunk. Some women would love to have that problem. Molly wasn’t one of them. Hunk rhymed with skunk, which seemed way too appropriate at the moment.
    “I’ll give you one hour to come to your senses or suffer the consequences,” he’d said, and not