eyes went wide. “That’s very…kind of you.”
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I won’t be kept waiting next time.” Damned if
he’d let her think him soft or something. She tilted her head, her brow lined with
suspicion, but then her lips tightened and drew down at the corners.
“I said I was sorry. Take it or leave it.”
Ah, hello there, erection. Long time no feel . Good thing he wore a long jacket this evening. It hadn’t taken five minutes of exposure
before he was raring to go with the woman. What would she do if he hit on her?
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
He shook his head. “Who have you chosen to beleaguer this night, Val?”
His lips quirked up unbidden. Damn, she was cute, even when she was intolerable. No
one had ever challenged him the way she did, and he couldn’t stop himself from being
inexorably drawn to her. She seemed to have stowed her anger from the previous evening,
though if tonight was a replay, she was sure to find where she’d packed it away.
“We’re going to see Ptolomy Keraunos. He lives in Bellevue and one of the bloodings
happened at the edge of his estate. A neighbor walking her dogs found the body.” Her
eyes narrowed and her voice lowered to a husky rasp. “Feel free to help at any time.”
He caught her warning but found it more sexy than threatening. “I know Ptolomy. You
might get nothing even with my help.” He looped her arm through his and tugged her
toward his Mercedes.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? Going to Ptolomy’s. Are you coming or not?” When Douchebag
made a move to follow, Kade turned on him. “Bring your car.”
He didn’t wait to see how the man took the order. Instead, he dropped his gaze to
Val’s slender and graceful hand tucked into the crook of his elbow. He smoothed his
palm over the back of it, his nerve endings stupidly giddy at her softness. Despite
her obvious misgiving about their shaky alliance, she smiled up at him briefly before
ducking into his car. When his belly executed a pirouette worthy of the Kirov performing Swan Lake , a scowl settled onto his face. She made him feel weak inside.
Holy fuck, he liked her and it burned in his gut. He’d like her even better bent forward
over the seat cushion with her slacks around her knees. He would tie her wrists with
the seat-belt straps and wrap her eyes with the wispy scarf she wore. Her long hair
would make a great handhold. Dammit to hell and back. It didn’t matter how deep in
the dirt his mind went. He liked her. A fucking human.
“What happened in here? Did I miss the party?” She glanced sidelong over her shoulder
at him, and that image of her bent over the seat nearly bowled him over. “It smells
like a dive bar.”
He bit off a laugh. “A memorial for the untimely death of two jiggers of Glenlivet.
Here, let me slide by first.” The sinner in him pushed his hips complete with rigid
flagstaff right against her backside as he climbed past her. It didn’t make him smirk
as he’d thought it would. Instead, her sweet, round ass humbled him. He wanted to
drop to his knees and worship it with his mouth, maybe with a little bit of teeth.
“Would you quit it?” Her exasperation cut through his musing. He’d cleared the seat
of glass so she could sit without the danger of splinters. Last thing he needed was
her blood in the open air to tease his already manic senses.
“Quit what?” He reclined against the seat and angled toward her with his legs stretched
across her floor space.
“Let’s just say you should have a parental-guidance warning across your forehead.”
This time, he let himself laugh. “Rated MA for Misogynistic Asshole.”
He didn’t miss the slight quirk of her lips, even though she rolled her eyes and settled
into silence for most of the ride. To his regret, when she broke it, it was to discuss
work. “I didn’t get anything more
“Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I won’t be kept waiting next time.” Damned if
he’d let her think him soft or something. She tilted her head, her brow lined with
suspicion, but then her lips tightened and drew down at the corners.
“I said I was sorry. Take it or leave it.”
Ah, hello there, erection. Long time no feel . Good thing he wore a long jacket this evening. It hadn’t taken five minutes of exposure
before he was raring to go with the woman. What would she do if he hit on her?
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
He shook his head. “Who have you chosen to beleaguer this night, Val?”
His lips quirked up unbidden. Damn, she was cute, even when she was intolerable. No
one had ever challenged him the way she did, and he couldn’t stop himself from being
inexorably drawn to her. She seemed to have stowed her anger from the previous evening,
though if tonight was a replay, she was sure to find where she’d packed it away.
“We’re going to see Ptolomy Keraunos. He lives in Bellevue and one of the bloodings
happened at the edge of his estate. A neighbor walking her dogs found the body.” Her
eyes narrowed and her voice lowered to a husky rasp. “Feel free to help at any time.”
He caught her warning but found it more sexy than threatening. “I know Ptolomy. You
might get nothing even with my help.” He looped her arm through his and tugged her
toward his Mercedes.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? Going to Ptolomy’s. Are you coming or not?” When Douchebag
made a move to follow, Kade turned on him. “Bring your car.”
He didn’t wait to see how the man took the order. Instead, he dropped his gaze to
Val’s slender and graceful hand tucked into the crook of his elbow. He smoothed his
palm over the back of it, his nerve endings stupidly giddy at her softness. Despite
her obvious misgiving about their shaky alliance, she smiled up at him briefly before
ducking into his car. When his belly executed a pirouette worthy of the Kirov performing Swan Lake , a scowl settled onto his face. She made him feel weak inside.
Holy fuck, he liked her and it burned in his gut. He’d like her even better bent forward
over the seat cushion with her slacks around her knees. He would tie her wrists with
the seat-belt straps and wrap her eyes with the wispy scarf she wore. Her long hair
would make a great handhold. Dammit to hell and back. It didn’t matter how deep in
the dirt his mind went. He liked her. A fucking human.
“What happened in here? Did I miss the party?” She glanced sidelong over her shoulder
at him, and that image of her bent over the seat nearly bowled him over. “It smells
like a dive bar.”
He bit off a laugh. “A memorial for the untimely death of two jiggers of Glenlivet.
Here, let me slide by first.” The sinner in him pushed his hips complete with rigid
flagstaff right against her backside as he climbed past her. It didn’t make him smirk
as he’d thought it would. Instead, her sweet, round ass humbled him. He wanted to
drop to his knees and worship it with his mouth, maybe with a little bit of teeth.
“Would you quit it?” Her exasperation cut through his musing. He’d cleared the seat
of glass so she could sit without the danger of splinters. Last thing he needed was
her blood in the open air to tease his already manic senses.
“Quit what?” He reclined against the seat and angled toward her with his legs stretched
across her floor space.
“Let’s just say you should have a parental-guidance warning across your forehead.”
This time, he let himself laugh. “Rated MA for Misogynistic Asshole.”
He didn’t miss the slight quirk of her lips, even though she rolled her eyes and settled
into silence for most of the ride. To his regret, when she broke it, it was to discuss
work. “I didn’t get anything more
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