I laughed and covered my mouth with my hand, watching him with wide eyes. “Oh my God. You role-play?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
He shrugged, a fluid roll of his shoulders, then shifted to the side so he could pull off his jeans and boxers, which he dropped down to the floor. “Maybe when there’s a sexy lady cop in my bed.”
I made quick work of my own clothes while he was occupied. I pushed under the covers, a chill washing over my skin, and held the blanket open for him.
“My bed.”
He shouldered in under the covers, settling on his side, head propped on one hand, the other dragging over the curve of my breast, his thumb lingering sweetly over my nipple, then drifting down across my belly.
“Whichever bed,” he murmured. “Only one sexy cop.”
“Me?” I asked with all the feigned innocence I could muster with him looking at me like that, touching me like that.
He stilled. “Only you.” The worry flickered in his eyes again, or maybe it was just the fluttering light of candles playing tricks.
His smile turned rakish. “Mother, may I?” His hand slipped down and down, curved at my hip, fingers gripping and releasing.
I groaned. “Maybe you should go back to the sexy cop game.”
“Mmm. I don’t know…” His fingers shifted to drift over my skin so softly, it was almost impossible to feel. “I might have some other games in mind.”
“Do not pass go,” I said as my hands slipped down his back and I drew one knee up to hook my ankle around the back of his leg, pulling him closer. “Do not collect two hundred dollars.” I dragged my fingernails up his back and he inhaled noisily, arching his back up into my hands.
“Don’t need two hundred dollars.” He pressed his warm lips at the side of my throat, and a zing of pleasure rolled through my muscles, turning me into liquid heat. “How about a get out of jail free card?”
My stomach fluttered with desire and a tiny jolt of fear. What if I was making a terrible mistake?
I didn’t care.
“Right now, let’s just have us. No games.” I combed my fingers through his hair,and lifted my other ankle to wrap around his leg, allowing him to settle more intimately against me, molding our bodies to each other.
He paused, his gaze searching mine with something I could not begin to understand.
“No games,” he said softly.
He kissed me, and this time, this one moment, I knew there was nothing but truth between us.
Chapter 22
I WOKE slowly, the dreams of Ryder mingling with the memories of the last few hours.
Dreams couldn’t hold a candle to the reality of him.
I smiled and shifted my hands, drawing my pillow under my head in a more comfortable position. Sex with Ryder had been fun. But after the joking and teasing, it had become something more. He’d held me with his gaze, his hands, his body, like he was trying to memorize me.
Like it would be his only, his last time to touch me.
By the time we were too tired to do more than hold each other, hands stroking gently, absently, the sleep I’d been putting off for over two days caught at me and tugged me down.
I just hoped I hadn’t snored and drooled on him all night.
I opened my eyes. I was facing the west window, and from the soft blue-toned light seeping in through the curtains, it was just barely dawn.
It was silent in the room, dark.
