“Marriage!” Jesus, way to stop his heart, tossing a word like that out there. No other woman had dared—

“Don’t swallow your tongue, Rowdy. You can have a relationship that isn’t too serious but also isn’t just sexual, you know.”

“It can’t be just sexual when we aren’t even having sex, damn it!”

Cannon tapped at the door. “Room isn’t as soundproof as you might’ve hoped. Should I come back later with the papers?”

Fuck and f**k again. “Yes!”

Cannon laughed. “All righty, then.”

Avery, all but huffing in ire, still had her small hand twisted in his shirt. He covered it with his own. “Ease off, will you?”

Horror crossed her features. “Oh, my God, did I hurt you?”

“No.” Why did she have to consider him so weak? “You can’t hurt me. But I don’t want to be mauled by your temper, either.”

She threw up her hands. “Fine. Don’t tell me anything. But I’m still coming over tonight to change your bandages.”

“Glad to hear it. And from what Cannon said, everyone else probably heard it, too.” He caught her by her apron strings when she started to storm away.

She tugged, almost fell and he hauled her back, lifted her off her feet and plopped her up on his desk. Before she could slide back off, he stepped between her thighs, blocking her.

She went still.

Taking advantage of her silence, Rowdy suggested smoothly, “Let’s start over.”

A pulse tripped in her throat. She gave a cautious nod of agreement.

“Hello.” Only by sheer will did he keep his body from reacting to the suggestive alignment of their pelvises.

After one slow breath, she smiled. “Hi.”

It’d be so incredibly easy to lean her back on the desk, to cover her. He toyed with one long lock of hair. “You’re touchy today.”

“Not enough sleep.”

If he got her jeans off her, he could take her this way and it wouldn’t cause even a twinge in his back. “Because you stayed awake like a... What’d you call it? A pervert?” He liked how her face warmed. “Watching me sleep, right?”

“Yes, but it was worth it.”

“Personally, I don’t see the appeal. But I am more rested than usual.”

Ducking her head, she fiddled with his now-wrinkled shirt. “I’m glad.”

The crooked part in her heavy hair drew him. He skimmed his mouth there, inhaling the sweetness of her shampoo, of her. “I’m sorry I lost my temper.”

“Me, too.”

“It’s...difficult.” What an understatement. Talking about his past sent sharp claws of anger after his insides, shredding his heart, his guts.

Avery’s curious fingers moved over his shirt, teasing his chest, then up to his collarbone, over to his shoulder. “I know.”

Rowdy had to kiss her. He nudged her face up with small pecks along her temple, her jaw. He meant to take her mouth, to get some tongue action going, to lose himself in her taste.

Instead he heard himself say, “Marcus is so damned small.”

As if she didn’t realize how those words were torn from him, she nodded and carefully put her arms around his neck. “He’s a skinny little guy, but Alice will have him caught up in no time.”

Morbid reality settled over him, and he hid his face in Avery’s hair. “I saw him slip a cookie into his pocket.”

“Oh, Rowdy.” Proving she did understand, she said quietly, “Saving it for later.”

“Worried there won’t be more when he wants it.”

Sadness brought her closer. “I am so glad that you interceded.” Her small, soft hands cupped his jaw. “Alice and Reese will be very good for him. But, Rowdy, I think it’s important that you’re there, too. You identify with him and the things he does—the things he’ll do.” She kissed him lightly, and her breath touched his lips when she whispered, “How he feels.”

No, he didn’t want to start delving into his own twisted past. No good would come from revisiting that black void. It was too much.

He put his hands on Avery’s lush little ass, his mouth over her soft lips and he got her as close as he could, his tongue licking deep, her br**sts and pelvis crushed to his body.

The hungry little sound she made spurred him on. She opened to him, kissed him back, stroked over his chest—and somehow, in some unfair way, she gentled him so that soon he was only lightly kissing her, caressing her.

The tenderness of it overwhelmed him, and ramped up his lust to a fever pitch. “I want to be inside you, Avery.”

On a vibrating moan, she said, “I want that, too.” Another kiss. “So much.”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “Then—”

“Shhh.” She stroked his jaw. “You have to let your back heal.”

“Forget that. There are positions that’ll work.”

“Like this?” With her legs open around his hips, she looked down at his erection straining his jeans. “I’ve already thought about it, you know.”

“Good, because I’m having a hell of a time thinking of anything else.”

“But what if I forget and wrap my legs around you? I’d die if I hurt you or made your injury worse.”

It’d be pure torture, more for him than her, but Rowdy said, “Let me show you, okay?”