Lethal Pursuit by Kaylea Cross

her face gently. It was scented with peppermint this time rather than wintergreen. Toothpaste? “Unless you didn’t mean it earlier when you said you’d show me how much you wanted me if we were alone.”
    He huffed out a rough laugh. “Hell yes, I want you—”
    That was all she needed to hear. Leaning down to close that tiny gap between them, a thrill shot through her as she put her mouth on his. Slowly. Softly. So she could feel the exquisite give of his lips beneath hers. They were warm, supple. And they parted ever so slightly under hers in silent invitation for her to taste him.
    Then Jackson’s hands came up to cradle her face, taking her off guard for a second. A quiet groan escaped him as he raised his head from the pillow to fuse their mouths together. Her lower belly fluttered in response. She loved the way his hands cradled her face, the gesture hungry and possessive.
    Maya settled in closer, adding more pressure and a hint of tongue as she explored his response, his flavor. He must have showered before turning in because the man smelled deliciously of soap and shampoo. She made a low sound of appreciation in her throat and deepened the kiss, caressing and sucking at his tongue. She couldn’t wait to find out if he was that delicious all over.
    One of his hands moved from her face to slide into her hair and cup the back of her head, holding her close. Satisfied at his reaction and enjoying herself immensely, Maya nibbled at the corner of his mouth and down his strong jaw to his throat. When he shifted and tried to turn them over, she resisted.
    “No,” she whispered against his skin. “Like this.”
    For a moment she thought he’d argue, then he exhaled and relaxed beneath her. Jackson tilted his head back to give her more access and tightened his fingers in her hair, his other hand reaching up to press between her shoulder blades. He was clearly fighting the need to take over, so the fact that he was allowing her to take the reins made it hot as hell. For all his laid-back nature, she sensed he didn’t give up control easily.
    Her breasts made contact with the hard muscles of his chest. Even with their T-shirts dulling the sensation, a shiver sped through her. Her nipples tightened to hard points against her sports bra. Every brush sent a bolt of pleasure straight to the empty ache blooming between her thighs.
    Growing bolder, needing some pressure there to relieve the empty sensation, Maya sat up to peel her shirt over her head and lowered her weight onto the unmistakable ridge of his erection beneath the blanket. Jackson sucked in his breath and slid the hand on her spine down to the small of her back, his warm palm burning her naked skin. With a naughty little smile she pulled off her bra and tossed it aside, then bent to shimmy out of her pants and underwear before he could catch more than a glimpse of her. With her face nuzzling the side of his neck, she breathed him in. “Hmmmm,” she murmured, licking her way down his throat.
    Like he was too shocked to move, Jackson froze in place, one hand in her hair and the other just above the cleft in her buttocks while she teased his skin with tongue and teeth. “Jesus, Maya,” he whispered. “You’re naked.”
    “Mmm-hmm,” she agreed. “Now it’s your turn.”
    He didn’t protest when she sat up suddenly and grasped the hem of his T-shirt, but his hungry gaze immediately zeroed in on her bare breasts poised just above his head, her dog tags nestled in the valley between them. She didn’t miss the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed. She smiled. “Lift up,” she ordered quietly.
    Jackson immediately raised his upper body off the bed, allowing her to peel the cotton up his chest to expose the muscular planes of his torso to her avid gaze. Oh, he was gorgeous. With a hum of appreciation, she bent and nuzzled the pad of his pecs, pausing only to push his dog tags away and press a kiss over his thudding heart before she leaned down and