“Damn,” he breathed in surprise. He looked at her and shook his head. “You keep surprising me.”
“You, too.” Enticed, she let her fingers stroke up and down the taut muscles of his arms. When she’d decided to come here, she’d never expected this to happen. She’d never expected to be with him again.
Lifting her, he stumbled back to a chair, nearly falling when his pants tangled around his legs. He sat down hard and pulled her close. She straddled his legs and swiveled her hips to keep him inside her.
Concern knit his brow when he saw her shoulder. Carefully, he brushed a kiss across it. “Okay?”
“Better than okay,” she purred as she snuggled against him. She was perfect. Her shoulder ached, fatigue weighed on her and the muscles in her neck sang from the stress she’d carried there. None of it mattered, though. Not now.
He reached between them and expertly popped the front closure of her bra. She sighed in delight when her nipples pressed against his warm, hard chest. She dipped her face into the crook of his neck and breathed deeply. Being with him felt so right.
His hand came up to cup the back of her head. “We still need to talk about what happened on that balcony,” he said quietly. “Specifically Harrington’s boner and the five-dollar bill.”
Talia went quiet. She didn’t want that to come crashing down on her now. “No,” she whispered, not caring how weak it made her look.
He took a deep breath. “One day we’re going to have to.”
“Not today. Please.”
Uneasiness nipped at her but she stubbornly ignored it. He wasn’t the sort of man who could let things like that go but she wanted just this one moment in time. Was that so much to ask?
“Tell me this much,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “Is he eventually going to figure out it was you?”
Her heart began to thud in her chest. “Probably.”
She felt tears start to climb up her throat. She could ignore their problems all she wanted but they weren’t going away. Their connection could only take them so far. There were circumstances out there they couldn’t control.
“Okay,” he said calmly. Hooking a finger under her chin, he made her look into his eyes. “Then when that happens, we’ll deal with it together. Do you understand me?”
Her heart skipped a beat and she looked at him in amazement. Was he truly going to stand by her? Through everything?
He cupped her face. “I know you, baby. When things get risky, you put yourself on the line to save other people. There will be no more of that. No more running off on your own. We’re in this together. Got it?”
“But what about your job?” she asked. It was the one glitch in her plan that she hadn’t been able to figure out. “If you don’t arrest someone for the crime spree, will it cause problems?”
He shrugged carelessly. “The case will just be left open indefinitely. It happens.”
“But the media. I don’t know how to—”
“Don’t worry about them. They’ll latch onto Harrington and forget about me. And if you just disappear, it will only add to your mystique.”
She bit her lip. “Are you sure?”
“Everyone loves the New Covington Cat Burglar. Nobody wants to see her caught.”
“But what about you? Will your conscience be able to handle it?”
He flicked her nipple and her breath caught.
“Remember all those comic books I’ve been buying?” His dark eyes sparked with intensity. “The Patroller married Lady Midnight.”
Talia’s heart began thundering.
Dipping his head, Riley gave her nipple a quick lick. “Just promise me once and for all that our kitty cat is sheathing her claws and I’ll be able to deal with it.”
She ran her fingernails across his shoulders as desire started rising in her again. She didn’t deserve this man but she was going to do everything in her power to keep him.
“They’re sheathed, Kinkade,” she whispered. “For everyone but you.”
About the author:
Kimberly Dean likes the freedom of imagination allowed in writing romantica. When not slaving over a keyboard, she enjoys reading, sports, movies, and loud rock-n-roll.
Kimberly welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at 1337 Commerce Drive, #13, Stow, Ohio 44224.
Also by Kimberly Dean:
Fever
Discover for yourself why readers can’t get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora’s Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.
www.ellorascave.com
On the Prowl Page 29
