Read Online The Strip by Heather Killough-Walden, Gildart Jackson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Killough-Walden, Gildart Jackson
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even possible? He redoubled his efforts and could sense her strength relinquish a little under the onslaught.
“I’m fine, I just….” Mary Jane fanned herself and swooned a little. Jake easily steadied her. “I think I’ve just pushed myself a little too hard.”
Though Claire was weakened by Cole’s will wrapped so tightly around her, she was also visibly upset by her friend’s sudden condition, and Malcolm cursed himself for not thinking to wait until Mary Jane had downed more alcohol before allowing Jake to control her with his kiss. It would have been more believable. He wouldn’t have had to resort to this brute force.
“I’m….” Claire swallowed and ran a hand over her face, as if to clear her head. “I’m coming with you,” she said as she somehow managed to side-step her chair and move with fluid grace around the table to take her friend’s hands.
Cole was stunned. She was incredibly stubborn. Not to mention, impossibly graceful and strong.
Mary Jane immediately pulled her hands out of Charlie’s grip and put them on her hips. “Absolutely not,” she said, sternly. She glanced at Malcolm and then back at Claire. She leaned in, wobbling just a touch, and placed her red lips a breath away from Charlie’s ear. What passed between them then was meant to be secret. But Malcolm heard it loud and clear.
“There’s no way I’m letting you pass up this chance, Charlie. That man is a god. You be good to him.” She backed up, gave Charlie a no-nonsense look, and then moved in again. “And besides, I’m not going back to the hotel alone.”
At that, Claire blinked. Mary Jane straightened, a lascivious smile on her ruby lips. Charlie’s lips parted in sudden comprehension and her eyes widened as she blushed. “Oh,” she stammered. “I – I see.”
“That’s okay, baby girl. Give me a hug.” Mary Jane wrapped her arms around Claire and the two embraced. Again, the dark-haired woman whispered something into Claire’s ear. “Thanks for forcing me to come out with you tonight.”
“You’re welcome,” Claire whispered back, too bewildered to say anything else.
With that, Mary Jane pulled away and Jake led her out of the club.
Claire watched her go. And then she looked up at Malcolm. He moved around the table toward her and held up his hand. “Walk with me,” he commanded. It wasn’t even a request. Not any more.
She hesitated anyway. The effect her resistance had on him was to both impress him and to make him even more hungry for her. In truth, he had always liked a good fight. A part of him wanted her to run from him. He was a wolf, and wolves were predators. He pursued anything that ran from him. It felt good. And, though the night pressed with a sense of urgency where she was concerned, he couldn’t deny that the chase was his favorite part of the game.
He smiled when she finally put her hand in his and, once more his fingers curled over hers. Claire St.James was definitely game. She was fighting him as much as she was capable of fighting him; which is to say, with every fiber of her conscious being.
But, no woman on the planet could lie to Malcolm. He could read their bodies too well. The scent of their arousals, the sound of their racing hearts, the sight of their cheeks flushed and their lips parted, all chronicled the truth, no matter what their minds might be screaming. That included Charlie. What her body was telling him was that she was loving it as much as he was.
For Malcolm, that fact was like pitching gasoline onto an fire.
He tossed a wad of bills onto the table and wasted no time in leading Charlie out of the club. Once they were outside, he repositioned their hands so that their fingers intertwined. When he did, he felt her stiffen beside him, for just a fraction of a second. And then she let out a quiet, shaky breath – and relented.
He hid his smile. “Your friend seems very liberated,” he said as he walked them down the sidewalk toward the tattoo
“I’m fine, I just….” Mary Jane fanned herself and swooned a little. Jake easily steadied her. “I think I’ve just pushed myself a little too hard.”
Though Claire was weakened by Cole’s will wrapped so tightly around her, she was also visibly upset by her friend’s sudden condition, and Malcolm cursed himself for not thinking to wait until Mary Jane had downed more alcohol before allowing Jake to control her with his kiss. It would have been more believable. He wouldn’t have had to resort to this brute force.
“I’m….” Claire swallowed and ran a hand over her face, as if to clear her head. “I’m coming with you,” she said as she somehow managed to side-step her chair and move with fluid grace around the table to take her friend’s hands.
Cole was stunned. She was incredibly stubborn. Not to mention, impossibly graceful and strong.
Mary Jane immediately pulled her hands out of Charlie’s grip and put them on her hips. “Absolutely not,” she said, sternly. She glanced at Malcolm and then back at Claire. She leaned in, wobbling just a touch, and placed her red lips a breath away from Charlie’s ear. What passed between them then was meant to be secret. But Malcolm heard it loud and clear.
“There’s no way I’m letting you pass up this chance, Charlie. That man is a god. You be good to him.” She backed up, gave Charlie a no-nonsense look, and then moved in again. “And besides, I’m not going back to the hotel alone.”
At that, Claire blinked. Mary Jane straightened, a lascivious smile on her ruby lips. Charlie’s lips parted in sudden comprehension and her eyes widened as she blushed. “Oh,” she stammered. “I – I see.”
“That’s okay, baby girl. Give me a hug.” Mary Jane wrapped her arms around Claire and the two embraced. Again, the dark-haired woman whispered something into Claire’s ear. “Thanks for forcing me to come out with you tonight.”
“You’re welcome,” Claire whispered back, too bewildered to say anything else.
With that, Mary Jane pulled away and Jake led her out of the club.
Claire watched her go. And then she looked up at Malcolm. He moved around the table toward her and held up his hand. “Walk with me,” he commanded. It wasn’t even a request. Not any more.
She hesitated anyway. The effect her resistance had on him was to both impress him and to make him even more hungry for her. In truth, he had always liked a good fight. A part of him wanted her to run from him. He was a wolf, and wolves were predators. He pursued anything that ran from him. It felt good. And, though the night pressed with a sense of urgency where she was concerned, he couldn’t deny that the chase was his favorite part of the game.
He smiled when she finally put her hand in his and, once more his fingers curled over hers. Claire St.James was definitely game. She was fighting him as much as she was capable of fighting him; which is to say, with every fiber of her conscious being.
But, no woman on the planet could lie to Malcolm. He could read their bodies too well. The scent of their arousals, the sound of their racing hearts, the sight of their cheeks flushed and their lips parted, all chronicled the truth, no matter what their minds might be screaming. That included Charlie. What her body was telling him was that she was loving it as much as he was.
For Malcolm, that fact was like pitching gasoline onto an fire.
He tossed a wad of bills onto the table and wasted no time in leading Charlie out of the club. Once they were outside, he repositioned their hands so that their fingers intertwined. When he did, he felt her stiffen beside him, for just a fraction of a second. And then she let out a quiet, shaky breath – and relented.
He hid his smile. “Your friend seems very liberated,” he said as he walked them down the sidewalk toward the tattoo
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