The lion inside him was looking at her through his darkening blue eyes and the expression was one of a lethal predator deciding how best to devour his prey. “I know you tried to forget it, but you besmirched my honor and you need to do something to make up for it.”

“I do?”

“Uh-huh.”

How’d his face get so close? “Wh…” She had to clear her throat. “What do you mean?”

“I think a kiss would do it.”

“What?” Kissing was the best part of sex, she supposed, but that wasn’t saying a lot. So why did the prospect of locking lips with Hotwire sound so darn exciting?

“A kiss, Claire. You know what a kiss is—when a man and woman—”

She covered his mouth to stop the tantalizing words. “I know what it is, smarty pants, but why would you want one from me?” That was her fantasy.

And as she’d just reminded herself, fantasy was well and good…acting on it was not.

He licked her palm and she jerked her hand from his mouth.

He smiled that devil’s smile that always sent her insides jumping. “Because you’ve offended me and now you must make up for it.”

“You’re crazy. Nitro and Wolf offend you all the time. I don’t see you kissing them.”

He smiled, his eyes so full of sensual suggestion, her knees went weak. “My friends are not beautiful women.”

“Well, neither am I,” she said sarcastically.

“There you go, besmirching my honor again. My mama would be appalled at your opinion of my veracity.”

She wasn’t going there. “You don’t expect Josette to kiss you when she offends you.”

“I would prefer not to end up in a fight to the death with Nitro. He’s a scary son when he’s riled.”

“You’re not afraid of anyone or anything,” she scoffed. “Josette told me stories.”

Something moved in his eyes and for a second she saw the mercenary who had gone into war-torn countries to bring out hostages. His was the face of a man who had killed, and would do so again, if it was necessary to preserve the safety of those he had committed to protecting.

But just as quickly as it surfaced, the look disappeared, and Hotwire’s blue eyes burned with sexy challenge. “I want a kiss, Claire…are you going to give it to me?”

“Sure.” She went up on her toes, intent on bussing his cheek.

He turned his head just enough, though, and her lips ended up pressed lightly to his. She didn’t open her mouth, but she didn’t pull away immediately like she’d planned to, either. She hung there, suspended by the connection between their mouths, her body humming with excitement. One second the kiss was soft and light, and the next he yanked her against his hard, male body and his mouth slammed down over hers with definite intent.

He took her mouth with the skill and power of an invading army…or one very formidable mercenary.