She ran her palms down the hard ridges of his arms and back up. So much strength. Then she caressed his back, going over every bullet and knife wound. He was a survivor. Like her. Finally, he was fully embedded in her.
Pain and pleasure and fullness swept her along with a hunger that hadn’t abated. He slowly pulled out and then pushed back in. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmured, his arms rigid.
“You won’t.” She lifted her thighs to the sides of his hips, taking him deeper. They both groaned at the sensation. “Just don’t hold back.” He hadn’t let her hold anything back all night, and she wanted the same freedom for him. “Please.”
His body shuddered. “All right.” He went slow a couple more times, and then one strong hand grabbed her butt, partially lifting her from the bed. He tangled his other hand in her hair, holding her in place for his mouth.
This kiss wasn’t seeking. It wasn’t even challenging. This was claiming. Deep and sure, dark and unforgiving.
Then he started to move. Hard and fast, his muscles bunching along his body, he powered into her. Deep. All of him taking all of her. It wasn’t gentle or sweet, touching or inspiring. It was a hard-out, full-on possession.
And she felt closer to him than anybody in her entire life. Tension built inside her with a hot edge, and she rode it, digging her nails into his back. The orgasm took her, shuddering through her, sending her somewhere else.
He sank his teeth into her shoulder and came, his hard body tightening impossibly.
Her arms dropped to the bed and her body relaxed. With him still inside her, his powerful body above hers, she finally found peace.
Lifting one exhausted arm, she brushed wet hair away from his warrior’s face. She smiled.
His green eyes burned through the darkness, although most of his face was still in shadow. Then he started to move again, his dick hardening inside her once more. “You’re mine for the night, remember? We’re not done.”
Chapter Thirteen
Alone in case room one, Angus Force dry swallowed three aspirin and watched the video of the so-called sighting of Henry Lassiter, taken at an ATM the day before in New Orleans. It wasn’t him. So much for facial recognition software he wasn’t even supposed to have access to. He needed a computer expert. Now.
Roscoe whined from the corner, where he lay near a bowl of water. Sighing, Angus drew two more aspirin from the bottle. “Open.”
The dog opened his mouth, and Angus neatly threw the pills in. “I told you not to drink so much, damn it.” Even the vet was stumped by how Roscoe kept surviving his bouts with alcohol. He had a better liver than most hard-drinking cops.
Roscoe swallowed the pills, gave him a dirty look, and set his furry chin on his paws. He sniffed a few times, closed his eyes, and started snoring.
The elevator dinged, and Angus lifted his head. The boot-steps were heavy, with a slight emphasis on the left leg. Interesting. It was early for West to show up. Very.
West crossed into the room and tossed a fast-food bag on the counter. “Thought you might need food.”
Roscoe snorted and opened his eyes.
West looked at the dog, drew out a sausage patty, and tossed it at him.
The dog snatched it out of the air, and his tail wagged for the first time that morning.
“Don’t encourage him,” Angus said, his gaze on the screen. Nope. Definitely wasn’t Lassiter. “He deserves the hangover.” Angus looked at West. “Your eyes are clear and your shoulders more relaxed than I’ve ever seen them.” Holy shit. West had slept with the mark. Yep. That was guilt in those eyes and irritation in that expression. Would he deny it?
West dropped into a chair. “I think you’re wrong about her.”
Ah, man. “Is that your head or your dick talking?”
West studied him, intelligence in his gaze. “I’m not sure.”
Fair enough. “Please tell me it wasn’t us getting you sloshed that made you go knock on her door.” Then he’d feel guilty, too.
West shook his still-damp hair. “No.” He kicked back, truly looking better than he had since the case had begun. Maybe Angus should get laid. “In fact, I kinda got the feeling she was considering bolting today. A last-night kind of thing. Have sex with the crazy guy next door and then make a run for it.”
Might make sense after the shoot-out. “Think you changed her mind with your magic touch?”
West reached for a breakfast burrito from the bag. “Possibly. I was pretty good, I think. Although the Jack Daniel’s might’ve given me more of a hero complex than I deserve.” He took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. “To make sure, I disabled her car before I left today, so we’re covered.”
Angus grinned. Yeah. The guy was good. “If she notices, she’ll probably ask her new lover to take a look at the car.” In which case, they’d know for sure she was rabbiting.
