“Anytime.”Her voice was thready.
He could hear her pulse pick up.Her lips parted on a deep inhale, as if she intended to say something.But then she turned like she might leave.
He raised a hand to gently block her shoulders.She looked up at him, her eyes wide, her expression open, expectant.
“You came here for me,” he said matter-of-factly.
Her cheeks reddened and she shrugged.“I’m your partner.Isn’t that what partners do?”
“You’re not my partner.”
“Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because the thing about partners…” He licked his lips.“Partners aren’t supposed to do this.”
He kissed her then.The kind of kiss you remember, not because of its carnal dexterity but because it percolates deep inside your soul long after it ends.He dug one hand into her hair and swept her against the wall, his other working under the hem of her blouse and feasting on the warmth of her skin.
Meredith stiffened at first, either shocked or confused by the passion behind his kiss.But soon her nails dug into the back of his shirt and she pulled him tighter against her, widening her stance to bring him even closer.She opened for him, and his tongue explored her mouth, his hips grinding into her lower belly.The move elicited a soft moan.A hard, aching need overcame him, his wolf begging him for more.
He recoiled when the door opened abruptly, trying his best to look casual and hide the raging hard-on he had for her.Exchanging awkward glances with Meredith, he waited as one of the doctors used a vending machine and then left as quickly as he’d come.
She exhaled deeply when the door closed again.“I guess I’m not your partner then.”
“I think we better take this non-partnership somewhere more private.Go out with me tonight?”
“Valentine’s?”
“Six thirty?”
She tipped her face up to give him an exaggerated wink.“I better say yes.Goddess knows you need a designated driver.”
ChapterTwelve
Silas wanted to ask Laina about the “dragon” comment, but Grateful wouldn’t allow him near her room.If she didn’t rest, there could be complications, and apparently that went for Selene as well.Grateful set her up in a room for observation.
After agreeing to meet him that night, Meredith excused herself to follow up on an assignment the captain had given her.Silas walked her to her car, then caught up with Jason and invited him to lunch.After what happened to Selene, they needed to talk.
“Two weeks in Italy and I come back to this,” Jason said, straightening the cuff of his dress shirt.Damn, the guy still looked polished.Silas looked down at his wrinkled shirt and khakis and wondered how they could be related.“I’m not sure what I’ll do if anything happens to Selene, Silas.I can’t live without her.Not anymore.”
“You won’t have to.Grateful pulled that shit out of her body.All she needs to do is rest and she’s going to be fine.Nice ring by the way.So you made it official.”
“I asked her on a beach in Positano.She’s my mate.I can’t wait to marry her.”
“Congratulations, man.”Silas grinned, genuinely happy for his brother.He looked happy and like he’d gained weight.
“What’s going on with the redhead?”
He fumbled with a fry.“Meredith?She works with me.She’s a detective.”
Jason chuckled.“Right.”
“What?”
“Only that the sexual tension between you was almost enough to distract me from what was going on with Laina today.Almost.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“Yeah.”
