He studied her face for a long time before he stepped back, drawing her up with him, so that she stood on her feet, swaying a little while her long skirt dropped to her ankles. “I love this thing you’re wearing, baby. Do me a favor and wear it for me just like this while we have dinner. I love seeing what’s mine.”

“I feel just a little exposed.”

“You live dangerous, baby, you want it or you wouldn’t be with me, you wouldn’t have chosen me. You’re my wild cat. Your man wants to sit across a table from you seeing the candlelight play over your skin, I know you’re up to that. You were up to letting me take my dessert and giving you yours right here in the fucking kitchen.”

Her heart accelerated. She not only had done that, but she’d been the one to initiate it. Worse, she hadn’t even considered if someone might walk in on them. “What if someone comes in?” But she knew she was going to give him whatever he wanted.

“No one will come in. They know better. The bathroom is there,” he gestured toward a door. “Right off the kitchen. You can clean up in there.” His hand cupped the soft weight of her breast, his thumb sliding across her nipple giving her another rush and a little aftershock. “Do me this favor, right?”

She moved around him because he didn’t move. He said things like that. Do me this favor, right? She had never considered that she might be the type of woman who would want to have crazy hot sex in the kitchen, or sit across from her man half naked just because he asked her, but she was. She loved his voice, velvet over steel, rough and yet so sexy, his voice took her there every time.

Elijah watched her disappear into the bathroom. He stood a long while looking at the closed door, his heart beating too fast. She had become his world, his reason for existing, and that wasn’t a good thing for a man in his position. There was protection in his reputation, but there was also a great deal of danger. Mostly, he didn’t know how to be loved like that. He was rough. He’d grown up rough. He was violent. He’d known no other way of life. He could find his way around the criminal world blindfolded, but a relationship with Siena wasn’t going to be easy.