Chapter 10 #3
Talia stopped in her tracks so abruptly, he nearly passed her by.
“You want to talk? Fine. Let’s talk. How about we start with the fact that you just ruined the one place in the city I could come to blow off some steam?”
“That what you were doing with Pencil Dick in there?” He inched a tad closer. “You just blowing off some steam?”
“What I do, and for that matter who I do it with, is none of your business.” Those dark brows of hers dipped low in the center. “And why are you even here?”
“I went by your house tonight to apologize. But then I saw you leave, so—”
“You followed me.”
“Yes.”
Jagger watched as those impressive wheels of hers turned and could almost guess what was coming next.
“Wait, how did you even know where I li—” Her eyes fell shut with a sigh. “Liam.”
“The man does come in handy at times.”
“Go home, Jagger,” Natalia ordered a second time. “And I don’t just mean your hotel.”
She turned and started to leave. Made it all of three steps before he admitted, “I don’t have a hotel.” Not yet, anyway.
Talia’s steps faltered before she stopped and faced him with a scowl. “It’s after eleven at night. If you don’t have a room, where are you staying?”
“Don’t know yet.” He moved with cautious steps toward her. “Suppose I’ll figure that out when the time comes.”
The lines in her face began to smooth as her look of pure anger morphed into one of confused frustration. “Why are you really here, Jagger?” She crossed her arms at her chest. “And no bullshit, either. I want you to tell me the truth.”
Talia was so focused on him, she had no idea that little move with her arms pushed her breasts up and together beneath the top of the dress.
Her cleavage grew deeper. The swells of her curves lifted higher.
And she had no idea how hard he was fighting against the urge to reach out and pull her into his arms.
She wanted the truth, and he’d silently vowed never to lie to this woman again. So there, beneath the parking lot lights, that was exactly what he gave.
“The truth is I can’t stop thinking about you.” He took a step toward her. “And not because I think you’re a dirty agent or that you’re caught up in Sanchez’s smuggling ring.”
“Then why?”
“Honestly? I don’t know.” Jagger huffed out a breath with a quick shake of his head.
“Could be that strength and fearlessness I see in your pursuit of what’s just and right.
Or the way you try so hard not to smile when I can tell it’s killing you not to.
” Another step. “Maybe it’s all that long, silky hair I dream about touching.
Or those luscious, tempting lips I want to taste every time you’re near. ”
“Jagger?”
“All I know is, no matter what I do or how hard I try, I can’t get you out of my head.”
Talia’s arms fell away slowly until they were hanging back at her sides. She stared up at him with an almost dumfounded expression. “Why are you telling me this?”
Her voice was softer now. Not angry, like before.
“Because you asked for the truth.” He swallowed. “And because I went to your place tonight to tell you I will never try to trick you again.”
Her golden gaze searched his. “No more lies?”
“Not one.”
“Even if telling me the truth will piss me off?”
“Especially then.” He grinned.
But Talia’s ruby red lips turned down at the corners. “Why especially then?”
“The truth?”
“Isn’t that what you just promised?”
He loved that she wasn’t afraid to call him on his shit.
“Okay, then. Here it is.” Here goes nothing.
“I feel even more strongly about being honest with you when it’s something I know is upsetting for a couple of reasons.
For one, if I know something would be upsetting to you, that also means it’s probably important.
And if it’s important, then it’s likely something you should know. ”
Her gaze narrowed. “Even if you really don’t want to tell me.”
“Even then.”
Talia filled her lungs slowly before releasing a steady exhale. “You said ‘for one’,” she recalled. “What’s two?”
Before answering, Jagger erased the remaining distance between them. Leaning in close, he brought his lips centimeters from hers. And with a softer, almost teasing tone, he whispered honestly, “And two…I tend to want you even more when you’re angry.”
Her pupils dilated as her lips fell open with a tiny, almost indiscernible gasp. It was in that moment when Jagger’s remaining doubts fell away. Because one look into her honeyed gaze, and he knew—
She feels it, too.
“Do you really mean all those things you just said?” she asked.
He didn’t miss the way her eyes fell to his lips.
“Every word.”
Every single, solitary one.
It was one of those times when Jagger wished like hell he could read other people’s minds. Or at the very least hers. Because despite the obvious attraction the two shared between them, he had no clue what was going through the beautiful woman’s head.
Talia slowly began to move a hand up toward his chest. Somewhere between there and a moment where all Jagger wanted to do was shout praises to God, she fisted his shirt, pulled him toward her, and slammed her mouth to his.