Caro stepped closer and settled a hand on her arm.“Are you worried for our safety?”
It took her a great deal not to flinch at the touch.She had no wish to hurt her sister’s feelings but personally, she was still learning about this public affection.Or any at all, really, other than from Den and obviously Lance.But with that man, it was the ground she understood.Sex was a language she spoke fluently, her difficulty came when it turned deep and intimate.Lance didn’t seem in any rush to push her to get to his level.
“Of course I’m worried.You’re my sister and you have two small children and a third on the way.”She shook her head.Had she not made that clear?That she would do anything to protect her sister and her family?
“And you’re mine.Jasmine, we’re twins.And we’re safe.No one is going to hurt me, or even the kids.I have you, Declan, and Lance.”
The three of us may not be enough.She puffed a breath and nodded even as movement at the porch snagged her focus.Lance.He had on an FBI hoodie unzipped halfway, showing off a green shirt and a loose-fitting pair of black sweats.Those damnable green eyes—he no longer wore his contacts—were on her with laser focus.Her breath came short and sharp as a different kind of awareness filled her.
Caro chuckled.“I don’t think I’m needed for this.I’ll go inside and leave you two to…umm…explorebefore breakfast.I’ll tell Declan not to expect you both until later, and when Den gets up, we’ll let him know you’re out on a walk.The way he’s looking at you is how Declan looked at me before this happened.”Laughter tinged her sentences as she gestured to her swollen belly.“Again.”
Before Jasmine could say a word, Caro kissed her on the cheek and walked away.She squeezed Lance’s arm briefly as she bypassed him upon entering the cabin.Lance didn’t move until the door closed behind her sister.Then he flowed down the steps toward her.Eyes locked on her as he neared, he slipped his hand along the nape of her neck and tugged her so their foreheads touched.
“Morning, baby.”
She smelled the coffee on his breath and smiled despite the unease rolling around her gut.Lance Baldwin in her mind was a god among men.
He settled a hand along her cheek.“I missed you this morning.”Lance dragged his knuckles down her skin and she could feel her body responding instantly.
“I had a date.”
He grunted and kissed her until she sagged into him, boneless and relying on him to keep her upright.
“Don’t make me hate on a kid, baby.”
“I can’t make you do anything.”She wrapped her arms around him, happy to simply be with him.The negative woman in her who figured this, whatever it was between them, had an expiration date and she wanted to soak it all up while she could.“Want to take a walk?”
His response was to lead her off toward the forest once more.This time, however, she wasn’t holding a wooden sword, nor hunting her nephew.Head resting against his shoulder, she went easily where he led.
“There’s something I need to talk to you about, Jasmine.”His words were serious and more of that alarm skittered up her back.
She drew away from him and glanced over to his face.He clucked his tongue and pulled her back to him.
“No, no, baby.No pulling away.”He guided her along, occasionally brushing a hand along her cheek, tucking some wayward hair behind her ear.Never letting her even consider he wasn’t paying attention to her.
They came upon an area with a few larger, overturned trunks.Cool morning wind blew through the towering trees that rose from the earth and strained to brush the sky.Shadows flickered, created from some sun-dappled leaves.The moss that wound around trunks and rocks had leaves and pine needles captured within.There were plenty of pinecones dotting the ground, as if a toy chest of precious trinkets had been tipped.
Lance encouraged her to sit on one of the trunks.She didn’t like this.
He gave a rough chuckle.“Baby, you look like you’re about to hurl in my direction.”Moving between her legs, he settled his hands along the sides of her face.
The idea was possible.Highly probable.She shifted on the rough wood.“I’m not sure what you’re looking for from me.”
His tongue dipped out to skim over his lower lip and her belly clenched in response.“What I want?After everything we’ve been through, you’re not sure what I want from you?”His voice had risen in volume and was drenched in disbelief mixed with anger.
She narrowed her gaze, not at all appreciating him getting huffy with her, she’d been honest.“No need to yell at me, I was just asking a fucking—”
He slammed his mouth over hers, taking no prisoners, thrusting his tongue deep and growling when she followed his lead.A rumble rolled up from his chest when he broke the kiss.
Heads touching, he dragged his thumb over her lower lip.“Everything.”
Jasmine furrowed her brow as he drew back, putting a tiny bit of space between them.
“I wanteverythingfrom you, baby.You already have me, I want the same.Don’t talk to me about how it shouldn’t be.Wework.No matter what excuse you have ready, I’ll counter it.I want you with me, morning, noon, and night.I was thinking about what Mark said.Private investigators.We can take cases we want, go where we want.But we’ll be together.I can’t without you, Jasmine.Ican’tdo it.Not without you and Camden.”
Heart thundering nearly out of control, Jasmine watched him.Saw beneath the assured, nearly cocky look to uncertainty, and a hint of desperation.Of a need so powerful, this man was willing to bare his vulnerability to her.
There were hundreds of excuses she could provide why it was wrong.Why they were wrong for each other.And she didn’t doubt he would have hundreds of counters to hers.
