Dangerous (25 page)

“What are the charges?” he suddenly demanded to know.

“How about being irritating and unresponsive?” She pushed him up the stairs. “Keys?”

He raised an eyebrow in answer.

“All right. I'll find them.”

She shoved a hand into his pocket and made the most of the situation, brushing his upper thigh through the material. He might not be trying to cooperate, but his body had different ideas. She felt his flesh swell against her hand. He still wanted her. At least physically. She could only pray for more. He was being
stubborn and idiotic
, but she was certain she could get to him. He'd told her he loved her. She'd been too stubborn and idiotic then to tell him how she felt, but surely his feelings couldn't have changed in a matter of days, certainly not after the way he'd come to her rescue.

Opening the door, she waited for him to go first, then closed it and leaned back against it. She took a moment to really look at him. His expression was tight. Angry. But his eyes told her another story.

“What is this about, Camille? If you're not taking me in, then unlock the damn cuffs.”

Stepping away from the door, she pushed him toward the middle of the room. “Not until you talk.”

“About what? About Angel?”

“About me. About us.”

“There is no us.”

The tone was believable. The expression was, too. But something deep in his gaze told her he was trying to hide something from her, as if he was trying to protect himself. She understood that feeling. Hadn't she protected herself by shutting out people who tried to get close to her most of her life?

She pushed him again, this time maneuvering him toward the couch.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“What do you think?”

“That you're trying to make me angry.”

Another push and the back of his legs hit the couch cushions.

“You know I can report you for using force on me,” he threatened.

“I haven't used force…” One more little push, and he fell back onto the cushions. “Yet.”

She followed, splaying her body over his.

“If you wanted sex, why didn't you just say so?” But his seductive tone held a false ring. “Uncuff me and I'll be glad to oblige.”

Right, and then he could do anything he wanted, including avoid this conversation.

“It's not sex that I want.” She brushed her mouth over his. “Well, at least not all that I want.”

“What, then?”

“I want
you
, Drago Nance.”

She unbuttoned her shirt so that he could see her breasts spilling over her bra. Then she threw it off and stepped out of her shoes and slacks. Wedged between his thighs in nothing but her skimpiest underwear, she sank to her knees and undid his fly and zipper.

“Tell me that you want me, too,” she coaxed.

He seemed a little confused. “I already told you. You ignored me.”

A tug at his briefs and his erection sprang free. “I was scared.”

She surrounded his flesh with her hand and with her mouth, eyes open and watching his intense expression as she seduced him.

“What changed?” he grit out, a bit breathless.

She took him in deeper and he groaned and began to rock. Sliding her mouth up slowly, she lifted herself over him, nipping him through his T-shirt, finding his mouth and kissing him deep and hard as she straddled him.

Coming up for air, she said, “I realized we were more alike than different.”

Kissing him once more, she tugged at the string holding her bikini underwear together until it popped, then threw the skimpy fabric aside. She surrounded his flesh with the entrance to hers and ever so slowly slid down his length until they were locked together.

He tore his mouth free of hers. “But I killed a man. I'm probably going to jail again. I won't be making any collect calls.”

She shook her head. “Anderson decided your shooting Angel was justified.”

“What about you?”

“You saved my life, and if it had been the other way around, I would have done the same for you.”

She pulled up slowly, pulsing inside along his length so deliciously that he licked his lips. He was trying to say something but apparently couldn't focus to find the right words.

“I don't just want sex from you, Drago Nance. I love you, and I won't stop this until you tell me you still love me and need me in your life.”

His expression softened and he managed a sexy grin. “It might take all night to force that confession from me…Just saying.”

Smiling, Camille licked the shell of his ear and whispered, “Whatever it takes.”

Acknowledg
ments

Thanks to Michael A. Black, retired police officer and author, who is my major go-to guy when I have questions about police procedure.

And thanks to Cheryl Jefferson, a member of my critique group, who helped me figure out a key element that made this story work.

PHOTO: FIREFLY NIGHTS PHOTOGRAPHY

With ninety-six novels and more than seven million books in print,
New York Times
and
USA Today
bestselling author P
ATRICIA
R
OSEMOOR
is fascinated with “dangerous love,” combining romance with danger. She has written various forms of romantic and paranormal romantic thrillers, bringing a different mix of thrills and chills to her stories. Patricia was the recipient of a Golden Heart from Romance Writers of America and two Reviewers Choice and two Career Achievement Awards from
RT Book Reviews
. In her other life, she teaches popular fiction and suspense-thriller writing, credit courses at Columbia College Chicago.

patriciaro
semoor.com

Facebook.c
om/Patrici
aRosemoor

@PRosemoor

Happy New Year, everyone! Have you made your resolution yet? I have—to read more Loveswept romance—and maybe we can make it your New Year's resolution too? Take a look at some our fabulous January new releases…

New York Times
bestselling author Patricia Rosemoor kicks off the month with a bad boy Loveswept debut,
Dangerous,
the story of a driven female cop who teams up with an irresistible ex-con to bring a killer to justice—and discovers that breaking the rules is hotter on the wrong side of the law; followed by a Rolling Stones–ins
pired romance,
Can't Always Get What You Want,
a deeply romantic and uplifting debut novel from Chelsey Krause about losing everything you thought you wanted—and getting exactly what you need. Claudia Connor follows up her heartfelt debut,
Worth the Fall,
with a novel about Matt's brother, Stephen—and when a McKinney brother falls in love, powerful emotion and overwhelming desire are never far behind. Don't miss
Worth the Risk
. Then Cecy Robson's
Once Loved
continues the Shattered Past series—he's the campus golden boy. She's picking up the pieces of her broken past. But in this scorching novel of second chances, their differences only make their connection more explosive. Katie Rose's Boys of Summer series returns for a delicious double-header, with the story of total opposites who are drawn to each other like moths to a flame in
Too Hot to Handle
. And welcome to the Devil's Den series, written by a Loveswept debut author, Violetta Rand, who invites us to a Texas strip club where the air is heavy with desire—and sometimes dreams come true:
Surrender
.

Make Loveswept your 2015 romance resolution and start your New Year off right—you'll have something new each month to voraciously devour. Yum!

~Happy Romance!

Gina Wachtel

Associate Publisher