broader, and seemed to envelop her and shield her from the world around them. His heated gaze moved over her face, slow and deliberate. No rush toward an end. It was all meant to be savored.
His jacket was thick, but she still felt how solid he was as she moved her hand over his ribs to pull him nearer. He cupped her elbow and the two of them swayed a moment in a dance to find balance. His mouth dipped to hers. She tilted up to meet him.
The kiss surprised. He was confident, but not forceful. Firm lips that communicated there was more potential than just a kiss. Fueling her own needs. Heat spread deep in her belly and between her legs. She pressed harder against him, opening her mouth to him and seeking out her own answers. Was it real? Was it part of their cover? Her tongue darted out, found his and drew him into her mouth.
It felt like the truth. His need and hers. His hand tightening on her elbow. Her wanting to pull him closer to her chest. The heat they shared in the cold parking lot.
It was too real.
She ended the kiss.
Their hands remained on each other. Heat continued to pulse through her. She knew how to fake all the signs of seduction but understood that the desire on Ben’s face had to be genuine. And her own rushed breath had been inspired by the kiss.
She glanced over his shoulder at the diner. “We sent a message.” But frustration bit into her. The kiss shouldn’t be over. There was so much more to discover, now that she felt signs of life beneath her armor.
His focus remained on her. “They’ll know Ben Louis is a closer.”
She looked up at him. “What’s Mary Long?”
He considered for a moment, which was unlike him. Usually the slick answers came quickly. His hand moved from her elbow. “Unafraid to take what she wants.”
She slid her hand off his side, and the chill air crept between them. “That explains why she’s heading to the train yard when Eddie Limert told her not to.”
The cords of his neck tensed with the prospect of danger. “Want backup?”
She shook her head. “Too suspicious. I won’t press so hard I can’t get out.”
“Right.” He nodded. “We’re here for fact-finding only.”
“Until they get too tight.” She held up a fist between herself and Ben so only he could see it. “Someone makes a play, they’ll regret it.”
He bumped her fist with his own. “Be safe.”
The small touch bloomed like a grenade between them.
An atmosphere of menace polluted a far corner of the parking lot, where the semis were parked. “You, too,” she said.
Three truckers, not the ones she’d marked as carrying handguns, watched her and Ben with more than just passing interest. One of them talked on a cell phone and communicated short sentences to the others. The men hitched their pants up and rolled their shoulders in preparation for a beat down. Ben flicked a look to them then to the police officers in the diner. One of the cops was just hanging up his phone. A serious calm washed over Ben. She recognized it. Battle ready. He knew what was coming.
And he still managed a small wry smile for her. “Time to put on a show.”
“Want backup?” She’d seen Ben’s capable hand-to-hand work. It shouldn’t be too much trouble, three against one. But it didn’t feel right leaving a teammate to fight alone.
“Thanks.” He gently ran his hand down her arm. “But it’s got to look natural.”
“You can still punish them.” She wished for a little of the action, just so she could control a fragment of the tension building in the town around them.
He brightened with a smile. “You know it.”
She got her keys out but hesitated. It still burned her to leave him. A partner. The man she’d just kissed.
He cocked his head toward her car. “I’ll be fine.” His sly eyes slipped back to the truckers. “The cops are trying to send a message without getting their hands dirty. I’ll keep it from impacting our mission.”
“I’ll circle.” She still felt how
His jacket was thick, but she still felt how solid he was as she moved her hand over his ribs to pull him nearer. He cupped her elbow and the two of them swayed a moment in a dance to find balance. His mouth dipped to hers. She tilted up to meet him.
The kiss surprised. He was confident, but not forceful. Firm lips that communicated there was more potential than just a kiss. Fueling her own needs. Heat spread deep in her belly and between her legs. She pressed harder against him, opening her mouth to him and seeking out her own answers. Was it real? Was it part of their cover? Her tongue darted out, found his and drew him into her mouth.
It felt like the truth. His need and hers. His hand tightening on her elbow. Her wanting to pull him closer to her chest. The heat they shared in the cold parking lot.
It was too real.
She ended the kiss.
Their hands remained on each other. Heat continued to pulse through her. She knew how to fake all the signs of seduction but understood that the desire on Ben’s face had to be genuine. And her own rushed breath had been inspired by the kiss.
She glanced over his shoulder at the diner. “We sent a message.” But frustration bit into her. The kiss shouldn’t be over. There was so much more to discover, now that she felt signs of life beneath her armor.
His focus remained on her. “They’ll know Ben Louis is a closer.”
She looked up at him. “What’s Mary Long?”
He considered for a moment, which was unlike him. Usually the slick answers came quickly. His hand moved from her elbow. “Unafraid to take what she wants.”
She slid her hand off his side, and the chill air crept between them. “That explains why she’s heading to the train yard when Eddie Limert told her not to.”
The cords of his neck tensed with the prospect of danger. “Want backup?”
She shook her head. “Too suspicious. I won’t press so hard I can’t get out.”
“Right.” He nodded. “We’re here for fact-finding only.”
“Until they get too tight.” She held up a fist between herself and Ben so only he could see it. “Someone makes a play, they’ll regret it.”
He bumped her fist with his own. “Be safe.”
The small touch bloomed like a grenade between them.
An atmosphere of menace polluted a far corner of the parking lot, where the semis were parked. “You, too,” she said.
Three truckers, not the ones she’d marked as carrying handguns, watched her and Ben with more than just passing interest. One of them talked on a cell phone and communicated short sentences to the others. The men hitched their pants up and rolled their shoulders in preparation for a beat down. Ben flicked a look to them then to the police officers in the diner. One of the cops was just hanging up his phone. A serious calm washed over Ben. She recognized it. Battle ready. He knew what was coming.
And he still managed a small wry smile for her. “Time to put on a show.”
“Want backup?” She’d seen Ben’s capable hand-to-hand work. It shouldn’t be too much trouble, three against one. But it didn’t feel right leaving a teammate to fight alone.
“Thanks.” He gently ran his hand down her arm. “But it’s got to look natural.”
“You can still punish them.” She wished for a little of the action, just so she could control a fragment of the tension building in the town around them.
He brightened with a smile. “You know it.”
She got her keys out but hesitated. It still burned her to leave him. A partner. The man she’d just kissed.
He cocked his head toward her car. “I’ll be fine.” His sly eyes slipped back to the truckers. “The cops are trying to send a message without getting their hands dirty. I’ll keep it from impacting our mission.”
“I’ll circle.” She still felt how
Similar Books
