“I know things about you that it would take months to learn if we were dating like normal people.”
Something they never would have done. “Like what? I’ve been watching you for almost a month. I have some idea of who you are when you think no one’s watching, but you’ve only known me a few days.” Which made this whole scenario even more ridiculous.
Her hands slid up his pecs, across his shoulders, and down to his biceps, creating a delicious trail of heat. “You’re loyal, intelligent, respectful, reliable, and patient.”
Warmth flooded his body at her praise, even as a sliver of doubt niggled at his brain. After all, she was a master manipulator. But what reason would she have to toy with him now? He’d already agreed to stay. Was she trying to seal the deal?
Christ. Was his self-esteem so low that he couldn’t believe a woman like Valerie would love him? At some point he had to choose whether he trusted her. And his own judgment.
He had to go all in or walk away.
“You could be describing a dog,” he said with a mock frown.
She laughed, her beautiful face shining. “You smell far better. And you’re potty trained.”
“Mostly.”
Valerie grinned and kissed him softly, slowly breaking through the last of his defenses until he let her in and their tongues danced eagerly, stoking his inner fire like a puff of air on a new flame.
“You’re a much better kisser, too,” she said against his mouth.
His chest swelled on a laugh, and he knew he was done for. Walking away was out of the question.All in it is.
Her eyes shone with love and desire as he cradled her face in his hands.
You might hurt her.He dismissed the notion this time. Hadn’t he proven repeatedly since he left juvie that he wasn’t his dad? That he wouldn’t explode no matter how angry? Moments ago, Valerie had tried like hell to get a reaction out of him, and he hadn’t even thought of lashing out. Maybe The Dick didn’t lurk within him after all.
Scott had passed every test. Now it was time for his reward.
He took a deep breath and stroked his thumbs across her soft cheeks. “I love you.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Falls Church, VA
Thursday, 6:30 a.m.
AN HOUR LATER, VALERIE LAY curled up naked in bed with Scott, dawn’s light filtering through the window shades. As her body cooled from their lovemaking, reality crept in. They needed to come up with a new plan, start from scratch.
Just thinking about it wore her out, but maybe now that she knew Scott loved her—he loved her!—she could face the challenge again.
He might not fully trust his feelings yet, but he’d followed her over the cliff anyway, making himself vulnerable in a way she’d never imagined. The glimmering hope of a real future together gave her even more reason to fight. And far more to lose.
Fate had laughed at their rational attempts to avoid entanglement as much as it had laughed in the face of her carefully laid plans to defeat Duncan.
And back to that… She rolled in Scott’s arms and kissed him softly.
His eyes opened, and he smiled sweetly at her and caressed her hip. “Hey.”
“Hey.” She combed her hands through his hair, love and fear beating a tattoo in her chest.
“What’s wrong?” His casual exploration stopped, and he studied her carefully.
She shook her head. “Same old. I want to lie here all day, but we need to come up with a plan.”
He kissed her on the nose and rolled slowly onto his back to stare at the ceiling. “If you couldn’t find anything on the server, we need a whole new tactic. Instead of proving you were set up, we need to find proof that Hollowell is guilty.” A long sigh escaped his lips. “Ramp up our surveillance, maybe try to break into his car, his house, his home computers…”
Valerie traced Scott’s amazing abs and said, “Thereisthat copy of the emails.”
