He kissed her until they were both breathless. He lifted himself above her, and his mouth and tongue traveled along her jaw, then trailed a moist path down her throat. After kissing his way to her breasts, he pushed her back and made love to them with his lips and tongue and teeth.
She held his head and arched her back as his hand moved down her belly, trailing fire on her skin, until he slid his fingers between her legs and caressed her with slow, unrelenting strokes. In an agony of wanting, she pushed his mouth away from her aching breasts. It wasn’t enough. She had to have more. She had to have it all. There was nothing else in the world. No yesterday, no tomorrow. There was just now, and Dev.
She’d never felt so uninhibited. She’d never been a greedy lover, but suddenly she was voracious, lusting, demanding. She had never felt like this before because she’d never been here before, with this man—with his mouth on her, with his exquisitely hard, hot body pressed against her.
“Now, please,” she begged in a whisper.
He gaze searched hers for an interminable moment, as if considering some monumental, life-altering decision. Apprehension vied with desire as she waited, not daring to breathe. Would he abandon her now, now that he’d shown her what he could do to her? She wanted to scream with frustration. And fear…
He took her uninjured hand in his, touching her fingers and kissing each one in turn. Then he kissed her open palm and put it to his chest, where his heart beat fast and strong. “Do you feel what you’re doing to me? Do you see?” he muttered. “You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
He lifted himself above her, and she parted her legs for him, giving up the last shreds of inhibition in the sweet, sharp anguish of anticipation. He sank into her with his fingers, and she thought she would explode, sensation heightening until it stole her breath.
Her breath came in jagged gasps as his fingers cleverly moved over her exquisitely, achingly sensitive center. He stroked and dipped, nearly driving her mad. Needing to touch him, she slid her hand between them and wrapped her fingers around his pulsing erection. She squeezed, and he groaned.
“Now, Dev,” she moaned.
He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw when she guided him into her.
And then he was thrusting into her. Her body tightened around him convulsively, and she cried out in an immediate, stunning release. He pushed into her again and again, taking her higher and higher as she gasped and cried his name. He filled her, completed her, drove her relentlessly, until her body blossomed and shattered with a second wave of wracking spasms that went on and on.
She felt him stiffen and groan, and he buried his face in the hollow of her shoulder as he shuddered with his own climax.
“Yes,” he groaned. “God, yes.”
…
Dev did not want to move. He wanted to stay there forever, his nose tucked between Connor’s neck and shoulder. Her spicy scent enveloped him. God, he wished he could burrow deep inside her tight warmth and simply hide away from reality. He’d never felt so complete—or so safe.
That thought brought him up short.
Safe
? It wasn’t a feeling he knew much about. He’d spent a lot of his life running, and a lot more hiding, searching for a safe place in a world that wasn’t. But lying here with Connor, he began to realize that safety wasn’t just something he dispensed, as a duty he owed to others. Maybe he could have it, too…
Was it possible?
She caressed his back, and cold metal scraped across his skin. Her hand splint. She was injured because of him.
Like a harsh wind, reality intruded, blasting him in the face. He was supposed to be protecting her. There was still danger out there, waiting to take her from him. He couldn’t afford to keep pretending they were in a place outside of time, where nothing mattered but the two of them.
He lifted his head. Her dark green eyes were bright with unshed tears. “Hey. Are you okay?” he whispered.
She nodded, her hand touching his cheek in a lover’s caress.
Terror streaked through him, stronger than any fear he’d ever known, stronger than facing a knife or a gun on the street—stronger even than facing his big, mean, drunk stepfather.
He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t pretend this was nothing but a quick, meaningless booty call. It had been cruel of him to insult her like that. And worse of him to make love to her letting her believe he’d actually meant those ugly words.
Her supple, sex-warmed body was too comforting, too erotic. If he was going to maintain even a modicum of sanity, he had to stop and regain some distance. There was a vicious murderer out there, and he couldn’t focus on the case if his mind and body were distracted by wanting Reghan Connor. Suddenly, he was scared to death. What if he didn’t find the killer before—
With a harsh intake of breath, he rolled off her and sat up. “Damn it,” he muttered. “This was a big mistake.”
As soon as the words were out, he wished them back.
Connor went totally still. “Too late,” she said, echoing his exact thought. She was trying for light, but the quiver in her voice told him he’d finally gotten what he’d wanted. He’d pushed her away.
But he hadn’t meant to do so by hurting her. Regret sucker-punched him. He was way out of line, not to mention out of his league. Looking into her eyes, he knew the kindest thing he could do would be to break it off right now, before it went any further, no matter how much it hurt. But how could he do that? He shivered as a tiny aftershock of his explosive climax skittered through his body.
“Listen, Connor, I need to—I’m supposed to be—” He was interrupted by the jangle of his phone.
Her gaze snapped to his, and he read her thoughts as if she’d spoken them aloud.
Saved by the bell
. He rolled off the couch and grabbed the thing off the desk.
“Detective Gautier?” It was Biaggi. His voice sounded hollow and strained.
“Talk to me,” Dev commanded.
“Someone got me, sir, with pepper spray, then knocked me out. I lost Nicky. I don’t know what happened. I mean, one minute I was—”
“Slow the hell down, Biaggi,” Dev said, trying to process what the young cop was saying. “What do you mean you lost Nicky?”
Connor sat up, grabbing the dress he’d tossed onto the back of the couch. He averted his gaze from her naked body, concentrating on what Biaggi was telling him.
“Nicky was sound asleep, so I was dozing in a chair. Somebody knocked on the door. There’s no chain and no peephole, so I drew my weapon before I opened it. Pepper spray got me right in the eyes. Before I could do anything, they hit me with something—knocked me out.”
“Son-of-a-bitch. Did you see what they looked like? Anything?”
“No, sorry, sir. And by the time I could sit up, they were gone.”
“Did you hear anything?”
“Sorry, sir, no.”
Dev consciously unfurled his fist. If he weren’t careful, he could break his phone. “What about the apartment? Blood? Signs of a struggle? Anything that looks like Nicky was taken against his will?”
“Sorry, not that I can see, sir, but my eyes aren’t working so good yet.”
Dev clenched his jaw. “Do I need to call a bus?” He hoped like hell the young officer didn’t need an ambulance.
“No sir. I’ve got a cold cloth on my eyes. I’m fine. In a couple of minutes, I’m going to head out and see if I can find Nicky.”
“No,” Dev said, keeping his voice even. “What you will do, Biaggi, is radio for backup and CSU. Meanwhile, I’ll call Detective Givens to put out an APB on Nicky Renato as a missing material witness. If we’re both very lucky, he won’t be found floating in the Mississippi.” Dev hung up before Biaggi could speak again. If he had to hear “no, sir” or “sorry, sir” one more time, he might destroy more than just his phone.
While he was talking to Biaggi, Connor had put her dress back on. She was perched on the edge of the couch like a child expecting to be told to go to her room. And that was exactly what he was about to do.
“I’ve got to go,” he said. “I want you to lock the center doors behind me and then go up to Penn’s room to sleep. She and Katie have their own bathroom, and the bedroom door has a deadbolt.”
“What happened?” she asked. “Has something happened to Nicky?”
He shook his head. “I hope not. Somebody pepper-sprayed and cold-cocked Biaggi, then disappeared with Nicky. I hope it was a buddy, or his girlfriend, thinking they were doing him a favor.”
Connors gaze narrowed. “You don’t really think that, do you?”
Dev grabbed his sweatpants and pulled them up, then turned away.
“Dev?”
He whirled around. “No. I think we’re going to find Nicky floating in the goddamn river.” He pressed the heel of his hand against his temple where a headache was starting.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her face going pale.
“Go on. Get upstairs. I hope I’ll be back within a couple of hours, but I could be out all night. Call me if you think you hear something. I mean it.”
Her back straightened. “Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself,” she said, turned, and strode out of his office.
Mission accomplished. Distance achieved. He should be glad.
So why did he feel as though his whole world had just walked out with her?
…
Reghan awoke slowly, feeling surprisingly rested and refreshed. The mauve and gray light of early morning shone through the window of Penn’s large bedroom.
She stirred, and the movement triggered a tenderness in unfamiliar muscles. Thoughts of Dev and their explosive lovemaking washed over her.
Memories of his body on her, in her, filling her with erotic sensation, pushed every other thought out of her head. Desire, hot and sudden, suffused her whole body. She squeezed her eyes shut against the thoughts and feelings.
What had she done?
She had tempted Dev into making love to her. There was no doubt he regretted it now. Just as she did. But maybe not for the same reasons…
Making love with him had shown her what she could have had, if only she hadn’t been so pigheaded and blind. Now it would never be hers.
Sex. A one-hour hook up. That’s all I have to offer.
He’d satisfied his own physical need, and he’d definitely satisfied hers. Then he’d pulled away, just as he’d warned. If she’d thought one second past her own yearning when she decided to throw caution to the wind, she’d have realized how much his inevitable withdrawal would hurt her.
And it did. Almost too much to bear.
She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep. But her mind and body kept betraying her. They didn’t want to let go of the memories of Dev’s mouth, his hands, his warm, strong body. After several minutes of drifting into erotic dozing only to wake up lonely and bereft, she finally gave up and got out of bed.
She hadn’t heard him come in last night, but then she’d slept more soundly than she had since Annie’s phone call. She listened, but she didn’t hear him moving about downstairs.
She quickly donned the skirt and blouse she’d worn yesterday, doing her best to smooth out the wrinkles, and headed downstairs. She needed coffee badly. And she needed time to think. Things had been happening so fast the last couple of days she hadn’t had time to process any of it—her attack, Dev’s mercurial attitude toward her, the amazing sex…
As she crossed from the stairs to the kitchen, she heard a movement behind her.
“Morning, Connor.”
She started. “Dev. When did you get back?”
“A while ago.” He stood in the door of the office, his hair damp, his face newly shaved. A pair of sweatpants hung low on his hips and he had a towel slung around his neck. He looked sexy as hell, if tired and wrung out. “How’d you sleep?
“Really well,” she said cheerily, then almost winced. Would he think she’d slept so well because they’d had sex the night before? She gestured toward the kitchen. “I thought I’d make some coffee and…just sit for a while.”
He lifted his chin and sent her a pensive look. “Just sit, eh?” He held up a hand and she realized he was holding a mug. “Coffee’s made. But you’ll need to sit fast. Givens wants to talk to you about your little trip up to Angola.”
“Did you find Nicky?”
He furrowed his fingers through his damp hair. “Nope. Didn’t turn up a thing. The only evidence at his apartment was blood from a cut on Biaggi’s head and a couple of open drawers where Nicky apparently pulled out clothes to wear,” he said. “Looks like he went willingly.”
“So he’s not in danger?”
“I’m not saying that,” Dev returned. “The killer could be someone he knows and trusts.”
“I’m sure he’ll be okay,” she said, trying to sound reassuring, but Dev’s dark eyes burned with doubt when he looked at her.
“Get your coffee,” he said. “I’m going to get dressed.”
She fixed herself an appropriately sweetened mug of coffee and was taking the last sip just as Dev came down the stairs. He had on khakis and a white shirt, with a tie slung around his neck and his jacket tossed carelessly over one shoulder. “Ready?”
The sight of him weakened her knees and rendered her speechless. Nobody had a right to look as powerfully sexy and confident as he did.
Lord. When had she stopped thinking of him as a careless charmer?
And when had she decided he was nothing like her father and her ex-fiancé?
The realization didn’t help her weak knees or her ability to talk. Setting her mug in the sink, she swallowed heavily as a frightening thought whispered through her mind.
Oh girl, you’re in big trouble now
.
Dev met her gaze and frowned. The quizzical look in his eyes worried her. Did he know what she was thinking? If he did, big trouble didn’t even begin to describe what she was in.
He walked to the front door and opened it. “Let’s go.”
Passing him, she caught a whiff of his enticing scent. She gritted her teeth.
Stop it
, she admonished herself.
“What?” he said, his voice disturbingly close to her ear as he followed her out.
“What?” She sent him a sideways glance that she hoped didn’t reveal her chaotic thoughts.