Her head bobbed with a vehement nod. “Right now.” She opened her eyes, lifted her hands back to his rugged jaw, and guided his mouth back to hers. “You can follow me.” Her lips feathered across his as she spoke. “And don’t worry. I know a short cut.”
Jagger’s rumbled chuckle reverberated from his chest to hers. “Thank God for that.”
“Just make sure you keep up.” She smiled, leaning in for a quick, parting peck.
One long, glorious moment later, he linked his fingers with hers and began walking her to her car.
“Let me guess.” Natalia stole a sideways glimpse of the mouthwatering man. “This another one of your southern gentlemanly duties?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Jagger tipped the rim of a hat that didn’t exist.
The corners of her lips curved even higher. This may turn out to be a massive mistake, but after that kiss, Natalia couldn’t bring herself to care. For the first time in a very long while, she gave herself permission to forget.
The case against Sanchez. The job and possible ramifications for sleeping with a member of R.I.S.C. Natalia shoved every complication or source of stress out of her mind and focused solely on the one thing she wanted most.
Him.
Just this once. Just for this one night. And then maybe,maybeJagger’s face would quit haunting her every dream.
“This is me.” Her voice sounded a touch breathy as they traversed the narrow space between her car’s driver side and the vehicle next to hers. She stopped to look up at the man standing inches away. “See you soon?”
“Not soon enough.” Jagger’s dark eyes burned into hers as he leaned in close. Pulling her bottom lip between his teeth, he gave her a tiny nibble before kissing her goodbye. “Be safe.”
“Just make sure you can keep up.”
His masculine laugh escaped into the frigid night air. Surprisingly, the cold hadn’t fully registered on her skin.
Gee, I wonder why.
Natalia knew exactly the source of the heat coursing through her veins. And he was staring back at her as if he wanted nothing more than to eat her alive.
Right back atcha, partner.
Rather than leave, however, Jagger reached a hand slowly toward her face. With the softest of touches, he feathered the back of his knuckles down the length of her cheek.
“I can never keep up with you, darlin’.” He gave a slight shake of his head.
Her heart kicked the inside of her ribs, her racing pulse fueled by his touch. More than ready to feel those hands of his elsewhere, Natalia turned around and started to open her door.
She froze mid-reach when something on her windshield caught her eye. Her heart pounded for a different reason than before when she saw the small, manilla envelope held in place between the glass and her wiper.
A low curse reached her ears from behind as Jagger reached his long arm over her shoulder to carefully pull the envelope free. “Looks like someone left you something.” He held it out for her to take.
Natalia hesitated to take it from his hand. It was only a slight pause. A fraction of a second, at most. But that was all the time he needed.
“What’s wrong?”
Without a word, she took the offering from his hand. A hand that, mere moments before had been holding her close in a sensual embrace. But that moment had clearly passed, destroyed by some sick freak who seemed to be everywhere and nowhere, all at the same damn time.
Open it.
Natalia flipped the envelope over and began releasing its small, metal clasp. With the flap up, she could easily retrieve the contents.
A folded, clipped article from what felt like an old newspaper slid free. The air in her lungs froze when she opened the printed portion’s two halves. It wasn’t an article but rather a young man’s obituary.
Her eyes burned as she read the name…
Julian A. Miller
