She arched an eyebrow. There was no doubt, but she couldn’t let his ego go unchecked. “Or it could be that I haven’t had a session with B.O.B. in a couple ofweeks.”
His eyes darkened. “I’d like to watch that one day.” Dropping his head, he nipped at her earlobe. “Watch how you get yourself off with your vibrator. How do you feel about using toys duringsex?”
She thrust her hips against his. “You can’t ask me things like that when you have less than four minutes until you have toleave.”
His erection, bulging behind the seam of his jeans, dug into her sensitive flesh. “I know. I regretted it as soon as I asked, but it’strue.”
He raised his hips away from her and kissed her. It was softer. Gentle. He lingered with his lips pressed to hers before he ended it and laid his forehead against hers. “I don’t know what we’re doing, but I really want to keep doing it.” He raised his head, his gaze searching hers. “Work, this case, it’s crap. Noise that’s doing its best to fuck this up. I want to ignore it and focus on what’s going on right here between you andme.”
Denise swallowed and took a deep breath. Time to leap or step back from the edge. That tight spot in her chest seemed to freeze, as if it didn’t know if it was going to get tighter or finally begin to work itself loose. She licked her lips and swallowed again. “I want to figure out what we’redoing.”
Chris let out a breath and released all his weight, crushing her. “Thank fuck.” He rose up on his elbows. “So…want to go on a date withme?”
Denise laughed and the knot began to loosen. “I have to take the kids on a date first. They haven’t done anything fun for a few months and I promised them dinner and amovie.”
“Okay. Let me know what day works for you.” He glanced up. “And now I’m going to belate.”
He pushed up from the couch and grabbed her shorts and underwear from thefloor.
Sitting up, she took them from his outstretched hand and slid them back up her legs. She grabbed the pillow her hips had been on and tossed it toward the hall where the washer and dryerwere.
Grabbing his keys from beside the door, he slid his feet into his shoes. Pulling her close, he kissed her. “Be safe. Call me if anything happens or you see anyonesuspicious.”
He had his work face on again. “Iwill.”
His head reared back and he regarded her suspiciously. “Call me first if you end up shooting anyone,please.”
She rolled hereyes.
Kissing her temple, he let her go to open thedoor.
“Chris?”
He turnedback.
“Thank you for fixing the kids breakfast thismorning.”
“You’re welcome.” He winked andleft.
Chapter 17
“You can’t bringthat dog in here!” The young woman jumped up from her chair and moved behind it, using it as abarrier.
Denise glared at the girl and decided she hated her on sight. She was already annoyed at being called to the school in the middle of the day because Kimber had been sent to the principal’s office. She’d had to ask Emily to stay and call in one of the volunteers because she didn’t like leaving Emily by herself after Eddie’s threat. Finding Kimber sitting in the outer office still crying had pissed her off even more. She was feeling stabby and this twenty-something, teacher-Barbie chick had put herself at the top of the list with hercomment.
“Actually, according to titles two and three of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Ican.”
Sprocket, the dog in question, pawed at Denise’s foot and leaned against her. She knew Denise was agitated and was trying to distract her. Unfortunately, this wasn’t something she could be distractedfrom.
The man behind the desk stood and held out his hand. “Ms. Reynolds, of course there’s no issue with your service animal. I’m Mr. Silverman, the vice-principal. We didn’t get a chance to meet when you came in to speak to Dr.Petersen.”
Denise shook his hand, judging him by his soft and weak handshake. Blame it on too much time spent with people who knew the importance of establishing boundaries with the grip of a hand. She sat in the chair on the other side of his desk and Sprocket sprawled across her feet with her head pointed toward the door andKimber.
“Why is my niece in the outer officecrying?”
“Because she’s a snotty brat,” the young woman mumbled as she sat backdown.
Denise white-knuckled the armrests of the chair to stay in it. “What did you say?” she asked through clenchedteeth?
