here talking about this? I have work to do, as I’m sure you do as well.”
“ For the record, I always pay my way.”
Connor could tell his injection of humor didn’t go over well, but it was his way of bringing a little sanity back into his head. What he really wanted to do was close the distance between them and demonstrate to her that the chemistry between them deserved to be explored. Those red lips of hers weren’t that color because of the wine she drank. They were naturally that shade and he wanted nothing more than to claim them as his.
“You know what I mean,” Lauren said, the frustration she clearly felt causing her voice to rise.
Ashley’s behavior had set him back, but thankfully reminded him why he wasn’t cut out for anything serious. Lauren was standing in front of him saying she wasn’t looking for anything complicated, but pushing her now wouldn’t get her to see what they had in common. Being in the military had taught him patience that he’d never had in his younger days. Glancing down at the table, he saw a pad and pen. Picking them up, he scribbled down his information. Ripping off the top sheet, he threw the rest back down.
“Let’s get your facts straight,” Connor said, slowly crossing the room to where she now stood. He waited to continue until he was directly in front of her, looking down into her sea green eyes. Did she actually think she wasn’t pretty? “First and foremost, regardless of me being a Dominant, I am capable of being a gentleman while sharing a dinner with a beautiful woman. The two are not mutually exclusive. Second, you are a beautiful woman. You’re assuming I like overly thin women. I’ll have you know, there’s nothing more sensual than a woman’s curves. Third, I suggested dining in on Chinese food — not tying you down to the dining room table.”
Connor reached down and gently took her hand, which was now rolled into a tight fist. He wasn’t surprised to find her pale skin as soft as her silk blouse, but what did cause him to pause were the rough calluses on the ends of her fingers. He assumed it had to do with her working with her hands, but would save that question for another time. As if handling fine china, he pulled back each of her fingers until he was able to place the piece of paper within her palm. Brushing them closed once more, he lifted the back of her hand to his lips and softly kissed her knuckles.
“When you change your mind, call me,” Connor said, lowering his voice. “And let me reiterate that my wanting to enjoy your company has nothing to do with my investigation. Goodnight, Red.”
Connor walked to the door without looking back. He had every confidence that she would be in touch. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something in Lauren’s eyes that articulated her desire. Something was holding her back, but with a little incentive he was hoping she’d contact him. Hearing her say she wasn’t looking for anything permanent was just icing on the cake.
Connor closed the door softly behind him. He stood in the hallway, waiting until he heard her latch the lock and swing the deadbolt home. It hadn’t left his mind that there was still a killer out there and they had yet to figure out a motive. It didn’t escape his notice that Lauren had ushered him into her apartment before whoever was in apartment 321 opened his or her door. What Lauren didn’t know was that he got a look at the elderly woman with the curious stare. He walked down the hallway, knowing full well that the old biddy got a good look at him through her peephole. Connor winked as he strolled past. What he would give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Chapter Five
Connor couldn’t help but think the collar and clamps were significant. He’d been at his desk for well over two hours going through the evidence that he’d been provided. The detectives on the
“ For the record, I always pay my way.”
Connor could tell his injection of humor didn’t go over well, but it was his way of bringing a little sanity back into his head. What he really wanted to do was close the distance between them and demonstrate to her that the chemistry between them deserved to be explored. Those red lips of hers weren’t that color because of the wine she drank. They were naturally that shade and he wanted nothing more than to claim them as his.
“You know what I mean,” Lauren said, the frustration she clearly felt causing her voice to rise.
Ashley’s behavior had set him back, but thankfully reminded him why he wasn’t cut out for anything serious. Lauren was standing in front of him saying she wasn’t looking for anything complicated, but pushing her now wouldn’t get her to see what they had in common. Being in the military had taught him patience that he’d never had in his younger days. Glancing down at the table, he saw a pad and pen. Picking them up, he scribbled down his information. Ripping off the top sheet, he threw the rest back down.
“Let’s get your facts straight,” Connor said, slowly crossing the room to where she now stood. He waited to continue until he was directly in front of her, looking down into her sea green eyes. Did she actually think she wasn’t pretty? “First and foremost, regardless of me being a Dominant, I am capable of being a gentleman while sharing a dinner with a beautiful woman. The two are not mutually exclusive. Second, you are a beautiful woman. You’re assuming I like overly thin women. I’ll have you know, there’s nothing more sensual than a woman’s curves. Third, I suggested dining in on Chinese food — not tying you down to the dining room table.”
Connor reached down and gently took her hand, which was now rolled into a tight fist. He wasn’t surprised to find her pale skin as soft as her silk blouse, but what did cause him to pause were the rough calluses on the ends of her fingers. He assumed it had to do with her working with her hands, but would save that question for another time. As if handling fine china, he pulled back each of her fingers until he was able to place the piece of paper within her palm. Brushing them closed once more, he lifted the back of her hand to his lips and softly kissed her knuckles.
“When you change your mind, call me,” Connor said, lowering his voice. “And let me reiterate that my wanting to enjoy your company has nothing to do with my investigation. Goodnight, Red.”
Connor walked to the door without looking back. He had every confidence that she would be in touch. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something in Lauren’s eyes that articulated her desire. Something was holding her back, but with a little incentive he was hoping she’d contact him. Hearing her say she wasn’t looking for anything permanent was just icing on the cake.
Connor closed the door softly behind him. He stood in the hallway, waiting until he heard her latch the lock and swing the deadbolt home. It hadn’t left his mind that there was still a killer out there and they had yet to figure out a motive. It didn’t escape his notice that Lauren had ushered him into her apartment before whoever was in apartment 321 opened his or her door. What Lauren didn’t know was that he got a look at the elderly woman with the curious stare. He walked down the hallway, knowing full well that the old biddy got a good look at him through her peephole. Connor winked as he strolled past. What he would give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation.
Chapter Five
Connor couldn’t help but think the collar and clamps were significant. He’d been at his desk for well over two hours going through the evidence that he’d been provided. The detectives on the
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