Hoisting them up, he turned and swayed again, his lips twisted and forehead furrowed.

Maybe he’s right that I concussed him.

Was that the reason he hadn’t slept beside me? Why I had the feeling he’d stayed watch all night, whispering to me, revealing pieces of himself that he never would while I was awake?

Buttoning up the torn, filthy slacks, he returned to the tailgate and cleared his throat. “Get up. Time to go home.”

“My home is hours away. It’s in a quaint little suburb, and my front lawn needs a serious mow. If we’re going there, I’ll need those keys you threw away last night.” I swiveled to sit on my knees, rolling my sore wrists still bound with my climbing rope. “Is that the home you speak of?”

“Let me rephrase.” He gave me a mocking smirk. “Let’s go back to my home. I need to get back.”

“Why? Is someone missing you?”

“I have chores.”

“Chores?” I laughed quietly. “I’ve seen how clean you keep that house, but surely, dust doesn’t warrant you bolting back in a hurry.”

He grimaced with annoyance. “I preferred you when you were sleeping.”

“And I preferred you when you were being gentle. When you kissed my cheek and whispered to me, all while you thought I was sleeping.”

“You were sleeping.” He scowled. “You dreamed it all.”

“If I dreamed everything, why do I have a blanket covering me?”

“You grabbed it yourself.”

“And you know that how?”

He crossed his arms over his bare chest. “Unlike you, I didn’t close my eyes. I didn’t sleep.”

I stilled. “Not even a cat nap? You must be exhausted.” Come to think of it, shadows did etch under his eyes, darkening his skin and revealing fine lines.

“I’ll sleep when we’re home.”

“Why don’t you sleep now, before we start the long journey back?”

His jaw clenched as his temper spiked. “Is this you nagging me out of concern or just to piss me off?”

“Neither. I just want to know why you can’t sleep.”

“I can sleep.”

“Then why didn’t you?”

He dropped his arms and balled his hands. “Christ, if this is what it’s going to be like living with you, I’m leaning toward the gag idea.”

“Gag me, and you’ll have a serious problem.” Rage heated my blood. “If you won’t tell me your name, at least tell me something. You’ve been inside me twice. You’ve taken it upon yourself to own my freedom. Why can’t you sleep—”

“I need the valley, alright? I need my dorm—” He choked and cut himself off. “Just get the hell out of bed. I want to go. Now.”

My back prickled at his anger. I should stop. I shouldn’t push him. But something urged me to keep nettling him. To nudge and nudge until he snapped and revealed something I could use to my benefit. “I’m rather enjoying our little camp. Let’s stay another day.”

“No,” he growled.

“Why?” I raised my eyebrows. “Think there’s someone worse than you out here?”

He stiffened. His chest rose and fell. I expected him to scoff and slap my question away. To perhaps grab me from the Jeep and force me to walk where he commanded. Instead, his eyes went cold, and his voice turned almost dead. “There’s always someone worse than me.”

I sucked in a breath, aware I’d poked a predator who might not have sharp teeth or claws but could devour me all the same. I felt a small pang of guilt. I’d gleaned enough to know his past was not a pretty one. He’d survived something I couldn’t begin to imagine. Yet his life was not my life, and my life was currently in jeopardy because of him.

Keeping eye contact, I let truth slip into my murmur, “Not from where I’m standing.”

He flinched, then tossed me a savage sneer. “If you’re so aware of what I can do to you, then perhaps you should do what I say.” Throwing me the bag holding my spare clothes, he snarled, “Get dressed.”

Clutching the bag, I didn’t let it go. “What happened last night?”

“What?” His eyes jerked to mine. “I fucked you. Twice. You came. Twice. That’s all—”

“Still determined not to acknowledge it, huh?” Standing on my knees, I let the blanket fall away, revealing every inch of me. Dried mud, pebbled nipples, and a stupid core that never seemed to stop wanting him.

He sucked in a breath as I crawled awkwardly through the remains of our Jeep picnic and swung my legs off the edge of the tailgate.

My heart raced as that undeniable attraction once again infected us with madness as I dropped to the ground and stood nude before him.

He hissed low in his chest as I looked down, locking onto his rapidly hardening cock.

Last night...God, last night.

I shivered as fragments of thunder, lightning, thrusting, and coming all rained down on me. When he’d taken me against my will, I should’ve been appalled. I should’ve vowed to end his life the moment I had the chance. Instead, I’d spread my legs like a hussy and let him take everything.

I’d barely been able to breathe after I’d come. Barely able to think. And then, he’d gone and scooped me up, positioned me gently against the side of the Jeep, placed a fresh water bottle in my hands, a new Snickers bar, and cupped my cheeks with his large calloused fingers.

And he’d just held me.

Held me as if I’d crushed his heart, smashed his world, and set fire to all the ruins.

We were silent.

Still.

Suffering.

His cock had been wet from my orgasm, his tip still oozing with his. The night had thickened until the entire world seemed to hold its breath. Waiting for...something. Waiting for our games to end and fate to set us free.

I’d waited for him to kiss me.

To tumble off the ledge he’d shoved me off and shatter at the bottom beside me.

I waited and wanted and wished harder than I had for anything.

But then, the moment was over, and he’d swallowed hard, pulling away as if it physically hurt him to sit in the dark, wordless and full of warning.

“Offering yourself to me again so soon, Gemma Ashford?” he murmured, stepping into me, grazing my nipples with his heated chest.

We shuddered in equal measure.

Fire sprung between us, tiny flames licking across our skin and slithering through our ribs to our messed-up hearts.

My eyes struggled to focus as I drowned in his dark stare. Even in the sunlight, I couldn’t tell what color his gaze was. Not black, not brown, not dark blue or green. They were colorless in their shadows.

His hand came up and cupped my breast, rolling my nipple with talented fingers. “Get dressed before I string you to a tree and feast.”

I did my best to hide how he affected me. “I can’t dress.” Raising my bound wrists, I smiled coldly. “Not unless you untie me.”

He cocked his head, dropping his hand from my breast and taking a step back. “There won’t be a day in your future that you won’t be tethered to me. I suggest you get used to it.”

“Then I suggest you get used to waiting on me hand and foot, seeing as I won’t be able to do a single thing for myself.”