P I Honeytrap by Kristal Baird

sexy little way she had, that made him want to eat her alive. God, she could have no idea how easily she set the beast loose in him. It took everything he had and then some to hold back. He laughed. She thought it was at her joke, but it was the knowledge that if she knew what he knew, about how he felt around her, she would run and never look back.
    ‘A guy will take whatever’s on offer.’ Ain’t that the truth? Hayley froze and withdrew her hand from his. Damn his careless mouth. What a stupid thing to say. ‘I’m talking about the equipment. You know how I love my hi-tech equipment.’
    He stood solid and motionless. Don’t make a false move. He wanted her. His body was hard for her. Didn’t know what he might do if she turned and walked now. The wait seemed endless.
    She relaxed again.
    He knew better than to be off guard like that. Had no idea what it was with her and men, but knew something bad had happened to make her so ready to run. It had taken months for her to trust him enough to work out late at his gym. Alone. Just the two of them. That offer to his business neighbour was the best idea he’d ever had. Then he’d had to creep up on her one step at a time, before she let him even touch her. Thank you, Lord, for making me sign up to that masseur’s course all those years back.
    Reuben stepped into the outer changing area and pulled her inside behind him, letting the pine door swing to a close. He reached behind her head and drew the bolt across. ‘All nice and private. Do not disturb.’
    ‘That doesn’t apply to me, right?’
    ‘You, Hayley, can disturb me all you want.’ He knew the teasing was her way of distancing herself from any emotional connection. Just physical need. And maybe it worked. For her.
    Reuben ran the backs of his fingers along her jawline and trailed a forefinger down over her soft throat to the little hollow at the base of her neck. The forefinger of his other hand joined it and he ran his hands outwards along the delicate sweep of her collarbone.
    He loved those prominent little bones. He leant in to kiss them.
    She was a fit woman. Worked out really hard to get like that. Probably had to be ready for anything in PI work. Not that he knew too much about that field of enterprise either. But he could wait until she told him. Despite her tough-girl façade, she still seemed fragile somehow.
    ‘May I?’ He tweaked at her T-shirt, requesting permission to remove it for her.
    She nodded. She was standing so close he could see the wide dark circles of her pupils. She wanted this as much as he did. Almost.
    He raised her arms above her head, holding them in place for a moment, and she left them up there on invisible bonds when he removed his hands to take her clothing from her body. She looked so desirable standing there, willing and obedient. It made his cock grow harder. The delicate precision of this little ritual dance he had to go through with her was the fucking horniest thing he’d ever known. It was as if she might disappear into mist if he made one false move. Yet he could make her do so much that he wanted, if he was subtle.
    The holding back, the self-denial, drove him so crazy with lust for her, he was ready to howl at the moon. Wanted to throw her on the ground beneath him, pin her down, and sate his sexual frustration by pounding into her soft, tight little body. The world outside didn’t exist at this moment. It was just her and him. His focus on her drove the rest of life away.
    Hayley dropped her arms to her sides. She was trembling slightly, but it was with anticipation. God help him, he hoped she would never be afraid of him. It took a lot for her to trust, he knew that as clearly as if she had said it. Her very actions told him better than any words ever could. He wanted to soothe her worries away. He cared about her, more than any woman he’d ever known.
    Reuben ran his fingers down the sides of her body, over her ribs to her waist. She shivered under his