Gena Showalter - Playing With Fire (tales of an extra ordinary girl)

I’d charmed him? I suddenly felt like dancing (naked).

Before I could, though, Rome turned back to Lexis, his expression sobering. “He’ll take care of her,” he said, and I think he said it to comfort himself as well. “He might not have powers, but he’s trained military.”

“Come,” Lexis said, wiping away her tears. She held out her hand. “We’ll talk in my bedroom.”

“Behave,” Rome said to me. As if it was totally natural and he’d done it millions of times before, he released my hand and took Lexis’s, and they headed down the hall.

I scowled at their backs, suddenly furious and feeling the rims of my eyes burn. “You expect me to wait here? Seriously?”

Rome groaned under his breath and stopped abruptly.

“Yes,” Lexis said. “We do.”

He released Lexis’s hand (a lifesaving action, for sure) and gave her back a gentle push. She tossed me a glare over her shoulder, then flounced away. Rome remained in place, not turning to face me.

“If you think I’ll let you go off and have a beddie-bye chat without me,” I said, “you’re in serious need of an IQ exam.” Rome and Lexis, former husband and wife. Alone. Together. Hell, no. Not on my watch.

And this had nothing to do with jealousy. Really. Seriously. My safety hung in the balance, and I had a right to hear any and all conversations about me, my powers, the people chasing me, Rome, his present/past/future (he is my partner), Tanner, and a possible relationship between Rome and Lexis. After all, Rome had kissed me and admitted he wanted to sleep with me.

After the way he’d taken her hand… Anger brewed and churned inside me, and I swear tiny curls of smoke wafted from my nostrils. “Well,” I prompted.

Finally he gave me his full attention. His lips were pressed together. To keep from scowling? Or grinning? He crossed his arms over his chest, and his gaze cataloged my expression. His brow puckered in confusion, but there was a sparkle in his eyes. Grinning, I realized.

“What are you mad about now?” he asked.

“Nothing,” I said in typical girl fashion, while inside I shouted, Everything! A part of me wanted him to read my mind and figure it out. Was that too much to ask?

“He can’t,” Lexis suddenly said.

I hadn’t heard her return; my attention had been consumed by Rome. Unfortunately, she now stood beside him. “Can’t what?” I asked, frowning.

“Read your mind. Rome can’t do it.”

How had she known-My mouth opened and closed, and I’m sure I looked like a rabid fish. “Can you?”

“Yes,” she answered evenly, as if it were a perfectly normal thing to do.

That wasn’t possible, I thought, eyes slitting. I stared over at her. What am I thinking now, you rotten-

“What am I thinking now, you rotten… what?” She fisted her hands on her hips and pursed her lips. “Please finish that riveting thought.”

“Get out of my head,” I gasped, horror consuming me. “Right now!” If the woman could read minds, she probably could predict the future, too. Great. She’d said I’d be nothing but trouble, and Rome had heard her say it. I didn’t want him to think of me as trouble; I wanted him to think of me as sexy. And I’d rather be strangled with my own intestines than allow Lexis access to those most private thoughts.

“One,” she said. “That’s disgusting.” In a perfect imitation of the exasperated look Rome sometimes gave me, she arched her brows. “Two, if you want me out of your head, you’ll have to erect some walls.”

“How?” My muscles bunched, gearing for a fight. This supernatural world I’d entered really sucked the big one. Hard core. Who else had read my mind?

Lexis glanced to Rome. “You want to explain it?”

His attention, I noticed, had never veered from me. “Have you ever hung a Keep Out sign on something, Belle?”

“Yes.” Keep your mind blank. Keep your mind blank. Show Madam Bitch a blank screen.

“It was a blank screen, anyway,” she muttered.

My nails dugs into my palms, and I took a menacing step toward her.

“Hang a sign in your mind,” Rome said, closing the distance between us and gripping my shoulder to keep me in place. “Visualize it.”

At this point, I’d try anything. I closed my eyes and began to construct an elaborate block of wood, painting “Keep Out, Bitch,” in bold red letters. Then, of their own accord, the words began to smear, dripping up and down, branching left and right, weaving together to form a tightly crafted shield.

I gasped. It had worked. It had actually worked. I blinked open my eyes and watched Lexis shrug as if she didn’t care.

“All done?” Rome asked. The hand on my shoulder caressed a fiery trail down my arm. His fingertips brushed my sensitive palm.

I nodded in satisfaction, trying to ignore the intense surge of pleasure such a simple touch elicited.

“There,” Lexis said. “She’s protected. Shall we adjourn, Rome?”

“I’ll be there in a second.”

With a frustrated grr, Lexis sailed down the hall. Rome cupped my chin and captured my attention. His decadent smell enveloped me, as heady as his touch.

“A little warning next time would be nice,” I grumbled, drawing on anger rather than wallowing in desire. “If you had told me she was psychic, I could have worked on that wall sooner.”

To my utter delight, he dragged his thumb over the seam of my lips. A delicious shiver racked me. “What was that all about?” he asked softly. “You’re usually snippy, but I’ve never heard such animosity from you. And don’t tell me it was the mind-reading thing, because you were upset before that.”

I’m usually snippy? Oh, that grated. “I’m happy, damn it, a joy to be with. I bring sunshine to everyone around me.”

He chuckled. “I believe you, but that doesn’t answer my question.”

I tilted my chin, quite aware I looked inexorably stubborn. “You have your secrets and I have mine.” Telling him I craved having him all to myself, telling him I didn’t like the thought of him with another woman, no matter the reason, held a high price. My pride. And I wasn’t ready to pay such a large sum.

A heavy pause, a heavy sigh. “Fair enough. But you need to understand that’s the exact reason I want you to wait out here. My secrets.”

“No.” My chin rose yet another notch.

“You can keep an eye on Tanner.”

“He’s fine.”

“Belle.” He uttered another sigh.

“ Rome. I’m not staying out here while you have a quickie with your girlfriend, then discuss me to your little hearts’ content. Sorry, but my answer is and will remain no.”

“Girlfriend?” He snorted. “As if I could handle two of you.” Hands slinking to the base of my neck and tightening in my hair, he lowered his lips to mine for a soft, exquisite kiss, a simple but blissful brush of his mouth against mine. “Your thought process fascinates me.”

I gulped. “I usually offend people.”

“Not me,” he whispered, his warm breath fanning my lips, my chin.

My body instantly quickened with arousal, eager, so wonderfully eager, for more of him. It was as if he’d never stopped kissing me the first time, as if stopping had been foreplay for this moment. My nipples were hard, my stomach achy and my legs shaky.

“If I promise not to have a quickie, will you stay here?” His voice was coated with desire, hoarse and rumbling.

A long while passed before I could form a coherent response. “N-no.” I finally managed to work the sound past the hard lump in my throat. The man was turned on. Unleashing him into the wild now would be foolish, especially with the piranha waiting for him in the bedroom. Rome might not have romantic feelings for her, but I suspected she still had plenty for him-another reason for her hatred of me.