More quivers that were climbing the scale of pleasant but that didn’t mean I didn’t roll my eyes. I rolled them back when I heard and felt Tack chuckle.

“I told you I needed to think about this,” I reminded him then went on, “What I decide isn’t a foregone conclusion.”

“Uh, yeah it is.”

I had a strong feeling he was right partly because he wanted to protect my soft spot, a spot he liked. Partly because he was hot. Partly because he looked good grinning and he felt better chuckling. And partly because, even as he was annoying, he was kind of amusing.

But mostly because he was treating me like I mattered and he was making it clear he was not going to let me go.

Uncle Marsh said I should expect that and there it was, holding me tightly in his arms.

I didn’t let Tack in on this information. Instead, I declared, “That’s annoying too.”

He grinned again.

“Tack! Stop grinning!” I demanded.

He didn’t stop grinning but said through it, “You got the day. I’m rippin’ that shit on the desk in half too. Tonight, I’m at your place. Tomorrow, your ass is back at your desk but it’s gettin’ there on the back of my bike. Now, you’re gonna kiss me so I can get back to work, you can go home and come to a foregone conclusion.”

Totally annoying but kind of amusing. Again.

I didn’t share that.

“Actually, I was thinking more that my day would include a visit with my best friend to ascertain she’s all right after being kidnapped and interrogated by the Russian mob.”

His grin died a quick death and he returned, “Actually, you are not gettin’ anywhere near your girl or her f**k up of a man. Phone communication only until I got that shit locked down in a way that makes me comfortable for you to pay a visit.”

That didn’t sound good and my heart clenched again but a different way this time.

“Lanie isn’t safe?” I asked.

“Lanie’s safe and so are you, you stay away from Lanie.”

I studied him closely, noting, “So, reading between the lines, Lanie is only kind of safe.”

“Lanie’s as safe as I can make her seein’ as she won’t leave him and he’s not safe. You’re nowhere near either of them and you’re gonna stay that way. You also don’t know where either of them are and you’re gonna stay that way too so you can stay completely safe.”

“This is not making me feel warm and fuzzy, Tack,” I said quietly, still studying him closely.

“You made your decision, sparrin’ with me, takin’ up the challenge and playin’ the game. She made hers reclaiming her man. Friday, she became intimately acquainted with the risks that involves. She still made that decision. She hooked herself a f**k up of a man. You did not. You hooked yourself to a man who will not, under any circumstances, allow you to be in harm’s way. It sucks you don’t feel warm and fuzzy but that’s not on me, babe. That’s your girl. Her choice. My choice is to keep you safe and I’m takin’ it. You get me?”

Okay, well that… that made me feel warm and fuzzy.

“Do I have a choice not to get you?” I asked and his lips twitched.

Then he answered, “No.”

My eyes slid to the side and I muttered, “I didn’t think so.”

“She’s learning,” Tack muttered back and my eyes slid back to him.

“FYI, that’s annoying too.”

His lip twitch turned into a big, white smile surrounded by a sexy, dark goatee.

Shit.

“FYI, baby, havin’ your attitude back is so far from annoying, it’s not f**kin’ funny.”

And he proved his point by pressing his hard body deeper into me, sliding his hand back into my hair and dropping his eyes to my mouth.

“I think it’s time for me to go home and come to a foregone conclusion,” I whispered as my stomach started to melt when his eyes didn’t leave my mouth.

“Wrong, it’s time for that kiss you’re gonna give me,” he whispered, his face getting closer, his lips a breath away, his eyes lifting to mine and they were again determined but a different way this time.

More pleasant quivers and they were way, way up the scale.

“How about you get that kiss when I come to my conclusion?” I suggested as my heart started beating faster.

“How about, seein’ as that conclusion is inevitable, you kiss me now.”

“Tack –”

“Red, quit f**kin’ around.”

“I’m not f**king around. I have a lot on my mind. I’m not in the mood to make out with a man who may or may not end the day being kind of my boyfriend.”

His head came up and his brows drew together. “Kind of your boyfriend?”

“The conclusion is only foregone to you, handsome,” I lied.

“Babe, I’m not anyone’s boyfriend.”

I blinked again but this was so I wouldn’t flinch.

“What?” I whispered.

“You have a boyfriend when you’re sixteen. You f**k a man casually, you don’t have anything except, if he’s good, a supply of orgasms. You got what we’re building, you got everything. But bottom line, I’ve claimed you. This means you’re my woman which in turn means I’m your man.”

Whoosh.

There it went again, my breath.

“You’re my man?” I forced out.

“And you’re my woman,” Tack confirmed.

“We haven’t even been out on a date,” I pointed out.

“Babe, I also don’t date.”

I blinked again but this was so I wouldn’t scowl.

“What?”

“I don’t date.”

“So I’m your woman and you’re my man after only a couple weeks of arguing, confusion, misunderstandings, game playing and breaking bread a few times, most of them with other people in attendance?”

“Yep.”

I felt my eyes narrow. “Is this another part of being in your world?”

“Nope,” he returned. “This is another part of being with me.”

“So, what you’re saying is, you’re not going to treat me to dinner or any attempts to woo me.”

His lips curved and he asked, “Woo you?”

“Woo me!” I snapped.