Free Afterglow: An Apocalypse Romance by Maria Monroe Page B

the one with the handcuffs in your bag,” he said. “Maybe you like being restrained.” He couldn’t help grinning, and he couldn’t help his cock from stiffening slightly. Just the banter with Nina did him in, not to mention how good she smelled right now, clean with just a hint of sweetness from the shampoo, like candy.
    “Why is it that the person I’m traveling with is a total asshole?”
    Creed laughed out loud. “I wouldn’t say I’m a total asshole.”
    Nina made a “hmph” sound and grabbed a throw from the back of the couch, pulling it over her shoulders.
    “How’s your eye?” he asked. The bruise around it had been fading, but it was still a colorful wound on her face.
    “Fine.”
    “I’m sorry, you know.” He was. He hated seeing it, hated knowing he was the one responsible for marring her otherwise perfect face.
    “Good,” she teased. “But I guess I deserved it. I’d have done the same to you.”
    “You did worse to me, sweetheart.”
    “Yeah. I guess I did,” she said, raising one eyebrow.
    Creed laughed. “Let’s not have a pissing contest. Tell me about your family, Nina. Who’s meeting you at your grandmother’s house?”
    When she spoke, all the sarcasm and hardness was gone from her voice, replaced by softness. “Well, my grandmother, obviously. She’s seriously a cool old lady. Like, if I could be half as amazing as she is when I’m her age I’ll be lucky. When I was growing up, my parents always joked around about how she was kind of kooky, with all her prepper and survivalist tendencies. But I guess she knew what she was talking about. She’s so tough. She’s amazing.”
    As Nina continued to talk about her parents and her younger brother Logan, Creed closed his eyes, enjoying the heat from the fire and Nina’s voice in the dark room. It was the first time since things had gone to shit that he felt relaxed, at least a little bit, that he felt comfortable, even if only for a few moments in time. It was nice, too, seeing Nina so happy for once, any sarcastic or angry edge erased the second she began speaking of her family.
    “What. Am I boring you?” Nina asked abruptly, the softness of a moment ago definitely gone.
    “Huh?”
    “You were sleeping. I’m not telling you bedtime stories, Creed. I was talking about my family. And, I should remind you, you’re the one who asked me to talk about them.”
    “I wasn’t sleeping. I was relaxing.”
    “It’s dark, so you can’t see me rolling my eyes, but that’s what I’m doing right now,” said Nina.
    Creed chuckled. “You’re funny, Nina. Did you know that?”
    “I’m not trying to be funny.”
    “Guess it comes naturally to you,” he replied.
    “Like being a dick comes naturally to you?”
    “And here I thought we were finally getting along! Sharing dinner, enjoying a fire...”
    “Just because we’re traveling together doesn’t mean we have to be besties,” said Nina.
    “Not a lot of choices out there anymore, sweetheart. You got to take what you can get.”
    “I’m rolling my eyes again.”
    Creed laughed, until Nina leaned down to idly scratch her ankle. Her perfect breasts, smooth and golden in the firelight, rose above the black fabric of her top. As she moved, they bounced slightly, and he had to bite back a snarl. He felt like a goddamn animal, barely able to contain himself. Strands of flaming hair fell down, grazing her milky skin, and it took all his self-control not to reach out and brush them away.
    He cleared his throat. “Look, Nina. I wasn’t sleeping when you were talking about your family, all right? I was listening. I know how important they are to you, and I’m going to do everything possible to make sure you get there quickly and safely, OK?”
    “Uh, OK. But why are you being so solicitous all of a sudden?”
    “Can’t you just say thanks and be done with it?”
    “I could , but that’s not much fun.” He could see her smile as she reached out to punch him playfully