Her smile held a world of promise. Lots of sexy, sexy promise. “Where would I go?”
He wasn’t going to toss out options. “Stay here.”
Her gaze slid to the nightstand—and the open nightstand drawer. “Is that a box of condoms?” Her voice had gone carefully neutral.
“A full box, minus one.”
“You…entertain a lot, I take it?”
“No.” He waited for her gaze to come back to his. “Bought that box when I realized you were slipping back into my life. Figured this time, I’d be prepared. No runs to the gas station that give you a chance to vanish on me.”
Her eyes widened. “You bought the box for me?”
Who the fuck else? But he held back that response. “Be here when I come back.”
“There is no other place I would rather be.”
Okay, yes, he liked that answer. He’d take it. He jerked his head in a nod and hurried for the bathroom. He’d ditch the condom, try to get more friggin’ control before the next round, then he’d be back for his Ali.
***
She swore that she could still feel him, inside. Ali stared up at the ceiling and released a long breath. Her body was tingling. Aftershocks of release quivered through her sex, and…
Jinx wanted her again.
There was a box of condoms waiting. He was coming back, and they were going to have sex over and over again.
She had so experienced this fantasy before.
A phone let out a quick peal of sound.
Ali jerked. She’d had this reality before. She’d had—
No, no, that wasn’t a phone ringing. Not this time. Instead, it was the warning peal of a text. When her head turned, she saw a light glowing from the pocket of Jinx’s discarded jeans. The peal came again, followed by a vibration.
Jinx was getting a text. “Jinx!” she called.
Had he turned on the shower? Ali thought she could hear running water.
Another peal of sound. Another text. Whoever was texting Jinx—the person seemed very impatient.
She slipped from the bed. Hauled the sheet with her and tiptoed for the bathroom door. Her hand lifted and knocked against the wood. “Jinx? Someone is texting you. Someone is—”
A loud, shrieking alarm filled the house. A startled cry broke from her lips even as she whirled around. The alarm seemed to be coming from every single direction. It was blasting at her, and she knew an intruder had gotten into the house—or was trying to get inside. She needed a weapon!
“What the fuck?” Jinx yanked open the door. He was dripping wet and naked. He grabbed for her.
The alarm stopped as abruptly as it had begun. The alarm shouldn’t have stopped, though, not unless someone had disengaged it.
Jinx pushed her toward the bathroom. “Lock the door.” Still naked, he shot across the room. Yanked open the top drawer of his dresser and hauled out a gun.
“Tell me you have two of those.” She wasn’t hiding in the bathroom. She was staying with him. Watching his six. Helping him.
His head whipped toward her.
“Jinx.” A snarling voice spat his name. A hulking figure stood in the doorway. “I am so going to kick your ass.”
The hell he would.
Chapter Nine
Jinx aimed his gun at the man who’d just broken into the house and kicked his way through the bedroom door. “I do not have time for this shit.” He was far too conscious of Ali’s frozen form near the bathroom.
“Make time for it,” the intruder snapped back as he stalked toward Jinx—and showed no fear of the weapon pointed at him. “And while you’re at it, put on some clothes so that I don’t have to stare at your naked junk all night, would you?”
Ali took a step forward.
The jerk finally noticed her. “Hell.”
Jinx nodded. Hell, indeed.
“That would be the reason your ass is naked,” the jerk realized.
“She would be the reason.” She was also the reason he still had his gun up and aimed. Because no one—not even family—would jeopardize Ali. “You don’t break into my place when she’s here. You don’t scare her.” Each word was hard. Brutal. Cold. “You don’t come anywhere near her, you got me?”
The intruder narrowed his eyes.
“And you don’t look at her when she’s just wearing a damn sheet. Keep your gaze on me, got it?”
A muscle flexed along the other man’s jaw. “At least she has a sheet on. You’re still buck-ass naked.”
Ali cleared her throat. “I believe he’s armed,” she announced to Jinx. “I can see the bulge of his weapon tucked into the back of his jeans. Perhaps you should tell him to put his hands up and then to remain in that position while I take his gun?”
“No one is taking my gun.” Low. Rough.
“The alarm was quite loud and shrieking,” Ali continued in a surprisingly cool voice. “I’m sure Odin will be bursting in any moment. The cops, too. I have no doubt that an instant signal was sent to the authorities. That is typically the way security systems operate.”
Their unwelcome guest swore. “Cancel that shit, Jinx. Now.”
“Are you giving him orders?” Ali asked. “Bad move when he’s the one with the weapon pointed at you.”
“Jinx…”
“Ali, come take my gun. Keep it aimed at him.”
She quickly nodded.
The intruder shook his head in disgust. “What the fuck, man?”
Ali hurried closer. The sheet trailed behind her like a wedding train. Luckily, the sheet also covered most of her body. She took the gun from him. Held it in a steady grip. Jinx backed up. Grabbed for his jeans and jerked them on.
“I will shoot you,” Ali said crisply as she held the gun in position. Jinx snagged his phone. Saw that he’d missed some texts. Quickly, he read through them…
Are you in trouble?
Then…
What the hell is going on?
And…
Fuck it. I’m worried. I’m coming in.
He’d been in the shower and missed the texts. If he’d seen them, he could have prevented the break-in. Oh, well, time for damage control.
He dialed Odin. Put the phone to his ear.
“You all right?” An instant bark from Odin. “Right outside now—”
“Everything is fine here. Make sure the cops don’t come in, got me? It was a false alarm. I accidentally triggered it.”
Silence.
“Make sure the cops don’t come,” he repeated. “Everything is clear here. You can relax.”
“Ok.” And that was all. Odin ended the call.
“Done.” Jinx rolled back his shoulders and shoved the phone into the back pocket of his jeans. “No cops will be busting in to arrest your sorry self and haul you off to jail.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “You are most welcome.”
The guy kept glaring.
“So…” Ali’s voice was still all calm and cool and collected. “Someone want to tell me why Ramsey just broke into the house? Because it looks suspicious and scary as all hell to me, but, Jinx, you just canceled the cavalry.”
Ramsey began to lower his hands. “It’s because—”