She opened her mouth to do as he asked, but it was suddenly so dry she could form no words.His face was mere inches from hers.The heat from his arm burned a brand into her neck.She should pull away, disentangle his arm from around her shoulders, sit back on the bed and pretend this was just the act of a simple friend comforting another friend.But those otherworldly gray eyes held her immobile, as if a laser beam had attached itself to her soul, and she couldn’t move if she’d wanted to.They were face to face in the muted light of the bedroom, and she could think of nothing to say, nothing to do, except… The need to kiss him hummed through her like a surging wave.His gaze slipped to her mouth, and she knew he wanted to kiss her too.
His hand came up to cup her face, and he lowered his head so that his lips landed on hers, hot and firm.Needy, but not overbearing, giving her the leeway to end this if that’s what she wanted.But she didn’t want to.The blood pounded in her ears as she slipped her tongue inside his mouth and tangled it with his.Heat and desire surged through her.This man was everything.The kiss—this first kiss—was everything she’d thought it would be.And more.So much more.
Then, without warning, he drew back, and she was left panting for breath.She could see his chest rising and falling in time with hers.What had just happened?Why was he stopping?
“I shouldn’t have done that.I’m sorry,” he said, and got off the bed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“I SHOULDN’T HAVE done that.I’m sorry,” he said, and got off the bed.
He was a jerk.What had he been thinking?But she’d been staring at him with those dark, soulful eyes like pools of liquid sable, and he’d wanted to dive right in.The last thing he should do was take advantage of her, especially when she was feeling vulnerable and scared.It was unprofessional as well as reprehensible.Before this, when he’d wanted to kiss her, he’d been able to control himself.Just.But this time something had slipped and overridden that restraint.She’d been so close, she was disrupting all his defenses, drawing him in with a siren call so strong he was unable to ignore it.
That was it.It was her proximity that’d caused his lapse in judgment.He was stupid to have sat so close to her on the bed.All he needed was to keep his distance, and everything would be fine.He’d be able to maintain his equilibrium if he just stayed away from her.
Mårten still had his back to Summer, a part of him not wanting to turn around to see the hurt in her eyes.Hurt that he knew he’d put there by being a jerk and letting his urges get the better of him.Then he’d been a double jerk by leaping off the bed as if she’d burned him.He’d rejected her, and they both knew it.But he had plenty of good reasons if he could only make her understand.
Steeling himself, he turned to face the bed.“Look, Summer,” he started.“I’m a police officer.I make it a rule not to—”
She cut him off.“It’s fine, Mårten,” she replied, voice tinged with ice.“I get it.I’m sorry it happened too.”
Okay.It looked as if she didn’t want to hear his reasons.Which was fair enough.Part of him wished he could take his words back.How could he regret something as primal and hot as that kiss?But that would do neither of them any good.He needed to leave this room for both their sakes.He opened the door and stalked out into the passage, almost letting out a shout of alarm when a dark figure emerged from the kitchen in front of him.Jesus Christ, it was only Jacob.
Not allowing his shock to show, Mårten walked toward his friend as if nothing was wrong; as if he hadn’t just appeared from Summer’s bedroom in the wee hours of the morning.“I have a favor to ask of you,” he said, ignoring the look of open surprise on Jacob’s face.Mårten wasn’t about to account for himself.They’d known each other long enough for Jacob to know not to probe, and he wouldn’t be offended when Mårten proffered no explanation.But Jacob was also very good at not letting things go.He’d bide his time, survey the situation, and launch an attack when Mårten was least expecting it.
“Okay,” Jacob replied, slowly taking a seat at the kitchen table as Mårten did the same.
But before Mårten could open his mouth to elaborate, Summer appeared in the doorway looking all rumpled and cute and stealing his breath from his lungs.Was it just his imagination, or were her lips slightly swollen?Swollen from his kisses?Shit.Mårten dipped his head, not wanting to meet her gaze.
“Have you told him yet?”she demanded.
Mårten’s stomach twisted and flipped over, and he kept his gaze lowered, not wishing to meet Jacob’s eye now either.It took him a few seconds to realize she’d meant the photos and not their illicit kiss.Shit, he needed to get his head back in the game.
Because Mårten hadn’t proffered an answer, Jacob leaned forward and asked, “Told me what?”
“No.Yes… I was about to,” Mårten replied with a sigh, lifting his chin; he couldn’t avoid her now, she was right there, and Jacob was looking at them both with growing incredulity.He locked his gaze with Summer’s, caught in her powerful tractor beam of silent recriminations and hurt feelings, reminding him just how much of a jerk he was.
If only he couldn’t still feel the echo of her lips upon his, he might be able to act half normal.But as it was, he could barely stop himself from standing and taking Summer in his arms, to apologize for being an ass, to tell her how much he wanted to kiss her again, to protect her from all that was to come.None of which he could do, so he just sat there like a dumbass, staring at her.
“Told me what?”Jacob repeated a little louder this time when neither of them answered, a frown drawing deep lines across his forehead.
“Anyone want some hot chocolate?”Nikki shuffled sleepily into the room to stand beside Summer, stifling a yawn.Then she seemed to catch the vibe and stopped.“Or do we need something stronger?Shall I break out the whisky?What’s going on here?”
Great, now everyone was awake and asking questions.Mårten gave a resigned sigh.Perhaps it was for the best; at least they wouldn’t have to tell their story more than once now.He just hoped Nikki wasn’t as adept at picking up the awkward vibe between himself and Summer as Jacob had been.Because she wouldn’t let it drop like Jacob had.She’d want to know in minute detail what’d just passed between him and Summer.And there was no way he was going to mention how he’d given in to temptation and kissed the woman he was supposed to be protecting.Yeah, he knew Jacob would say that technically, Summer wasn’t his problem; she was the Seattle Police Force’s problem.But now that this thief had attacked a second time, Mårten was determined to keep her safe, whether she was in his jurisdiction or not.The police here were doing a piss-poor job as far as he was concerned, and no one else seemed to take her plight seriously.Yet, anyway.Maybe after tonight, they would.
“No need for whisky,” Summer said, breaking the impasse.“Hot chocolate would be nice.”She moved to grab four mugs out of the cupboard.“I’ll help.”Nikki gave her a curious glance but turned to fill the kettle, saying nothing.
“So,” Jacob said impatiently as the two women busied themselves at the countertop.“What’s going on?”
Mårten schooled his features into what he hoped was his normal implacable mask before he answered.“We may have found a clue,” he said.“Can you pull some strings and run a license plate for us?Or get Miller to do it?”
Jacob sat up straighter.“Possibly,” he hedged.“But I’d need to know why first.”
“Summer discovered a photo that might be important,” Mårten replied, then filled them in on his and Summer’s unexpected find of the image of the two men who were acting mighty suspicious on the mine site.
Nikki said nothing, merely made an interested humming sound and looked to Jacob for his response.
But Jacob pursed his lips for many seconds before he said, “That sounds like a long shot.”
