The Midnight Effect
Page 21
His cock jerked in agreement. Jonah reached down and adjusted himself, but it didn’t help. There was no relief to be found. He’d already done quite a bit of research on Ms. Amanda Barrington and nothing in her past sent up a red flag. She seemed to be exactly what she presented herself as—a dealer of antiquarian and used books who’d moved to Jamesville for a fresh start.
Amanda had one hand on the handle of the basement door. It was more than obvious that she wasn’t comfortable with him. That had to change if he ever hoped to get her into bed with him. And he did.
“How about a cup of coffee?” He placed his toolbox on the floor.
She hesitated. “Okay. I guess that would be…okay.” She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and nibbled on it.
Jonah almost groaned. There was a natural sensuality about Amanda that he doubted she was even aware of. He glanced away from her and noted all the boxes. She hadn’t even begun to unpack yet.
“I think I can find another mug.” She opened a box and peered inside before she began to rummage.
Unable to resist, he moved up closer to her. As if she sensed him behind her, she jerked upright. “What are you doing?”
“This.” Reaching out, he stroked his thumb over her cheek, brushing at the dirt there. “You have a smudge right here.”
“Oh.” A tinge of pink colored her face. He was fascinated by how easily she blushed. Her pupils dilated as he ran his thumb over the bridge of her nose. “I must have gotten that when I was down in the basement earlier.”
“No problem.” Her skin was so soft beneath his calloused fingers. He wanted to run his hands over her entire body, learning her curves, searching out all her sensitive spots. His gut clenched as he imagined how soft and inviting her pussy would be.
Her breathing was shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She licked her lips and swayed slightly toward him. Her eyelids drifted shut, fanning her thick lashes against her cheekbones. That was all the permission he needed.
Cupping the back of her head with his hand, he held her steady as he lowered his mouth to hers. Her lips were as soft as the rest of her. Jonah ran his tongue over her bottom lip before moving on to the top. He caught the faintest taste of cherries and knew it had to be her lip balm.
Her hair was thick and he tangled his fingers in the mass, not wanting her to escape him. Not yet. He loved the color, with its tinges of cinnamon, red and mahogany. It was vital and alive, just like Amanda. He wanted to know if the hair between her thighs was the same color.
He urged her closer and she came. She made a small sound of pleasure as the soft mounds of her breasts pressed against his chest. One of her hands slid up his arm before stopping at his nape. Her touch made his skin tighten and his balls ache.
Deepening the kiss, he pressed his lips more firmly to hers and let his tongue slide over the seam. She parted for him and he slipped inside. Her mouth was warm and wet and oh-so-inviting. She tasted of coffee, of late nights and early mornings. She tasted like home. But he wasn’t a forever kind of guy.
Jolted, he pulled back. Yes, he wanted to bed her. And he would have her.
She can’t fight her way out of a paper bag—but she might just talk him out of his heart.
Leap of Faith
© 2008 Arianna Hart
Dr. Jane Farmer, a marriage and family therapist and the host of a public radio station talk show, likes her life calm, controlled and on schedule.
But after she accepts a package for her mysterious neighbor, Lex D’Angelo, her well-ordered life goes out the window. Now she’s on the run from gun-toting goons and putting herself in situations her lady-like upbringing never prepared her for.
Former FBI agent Lex D’Angelo can’t believe he’s stuck on a mission with his uptight neighbor. How is he going to solve a case that killed one of his former lovers when he has to rely on a psychologist? What’s she going to do—talk the gun out of the bad guy’s hands?
But as the situation gets more dangerous, Jane shows strength he never expected. Now Lex isn’t so sure that she isn’t the right woman for the job—and his heart.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Leap of Faith:
“Would you slow down? I’m going to fall if you keep pushing me like that.”
“Then move faster.”
She practically ran through the shoe department to a door marked “Employees Only.”
“We can’t go in here. It says employees only.”
“So arrest me. We need to get out of here without our buddies in the Caddy seeing us. It won’t be long before they get sick of waiting and come into the store, if they haven’t already.”
Lex led her to a garage door that was partially open. Gas fumes and cigarette smoke lingered in the air.
“Wait here while I make sure they don’t have someone covering the back door. If you hear shots, run like hell and scream your head off. They won’t try anything with this many witnesses.”
Gunshots? Again?
Dropping his pile of purchases, Lex pressed her behind a forklift and slipped out the door. A shiver danced down her spine and she clutched the packages closer to her chest.
What on earth was happening to her?
Her heart raced and sweat dripped down her face as she imagined a million catastrophes. What if he left her here? What if he got shot? Worse, what if she got shot? What if right this very second someone was coming to get her?
A whimper tried to claw its way out of her throat but she bit it back. How long had he been gone? She strained her ears to pick up any little noise but all she heard was the rushing of traffic in the distance.
Her knees almost buckled when a car pulled up to the docking bay. Lex burst out of the front seat and charged toward her.
“Move it, Janey. I knocked one of the guys out but he could come to any second. The other one is in the store right now.”
Her head still spinning from fear, Jane ran as fast as she could in flip-flops over the dew-covered pavement. Lex had already thrown his bundles in the back seat and motioned for her to hurry up.
“C’mon! Get in.”
A pebble jabbed the arch of her foot through the thin rubber but she ignored it as she practically fell into the front seat of the huge car.
She wasn’t even buckled when Lex put the car in gear and crept out of the driveway.
“Keep down.” He pushed her head next to his thigh, crushing the bags she still held to her chest.
“Are they after us?”
“Not yet. When we didn’t come out the front door, the big guy went into the store. I waited until he was in before I got you. If luck is on our side for once he won’t find his missing partner right away and that’ll buy us some time.”
“So can I sit up?”
“Not yet. They’ll be looking for a blonde so I want to keep your head out of sight as long as possible.”
“This is vastly uncomfortable.” The seatbelt cut into her stomach and her face was pressed just inches from his jean-clad leg. She could smell the musky odor of sweat and man and it did strange things to her insides.
“Not as uncomfortable as a bullet in the head.”
Good point. She wiggled around to try to find a better position. Her face brushed against his thigh and he let out a groan.
“Could you please keep still?”
“I’m sorry. I’m doing the best I can. I’ve never had to lie across the front seat of a car before.”
“What a shock.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” She tried to lift her head up to get a better look at him but he pushed her head back down.
“Forget it. You wouldn’t understand.”
He was laughing at her. She could hear it in his voice. “Just because I don’t run from gun-wielding lunatics on a regular basis is no reason to make fun of me, you brute. I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances.”
“I’m not making fun of you. Really.”
“It sure sounds like you are.”
A g
ust of air ruffled her hair as he sighed. “When you were a teenager, did you fool around in your boyfriend’s car?”
“Of course not!” Her mother would have killed her. Ladies didn’t “fool around” at all, but most especially not in a car. Not that Jane wouldn’t have been willing to try it at least once if she’d had the opportunity. Unfortunately, her dates in high school were limited to chaperoned events orchestrated by her mother.
“I didn’t think so.”
“What does my youthful experience,” or lack thereof, “have to do with being squashed against the seat?”
“Lady, you don’t want to go there. Trust me.”
“Right. Like I’d trust you about anything.”
“Whaddya mean by that crack?”
“You have to admit, you’re not the most upstanding of citizens.”
“What’re you talking about? I was a freaking FBI agent!”
“You run away from the police, you carry a gun, and you have a penchant for, ah, playing the field.” Her face flamed in embarrassment, but she didn’t back down. If he was going to mock her for her lack of experience, she could comment on his plethora of it.
“My what?”
“The revolving door on your bedroom.”
“You’re crazy. I’m not a player.”
“Oh pul-lease. If you had any more women parading through your condo you’d have to install one of those ‘take a number’ machines like at the deli. You are most definitely a player.” Whatever that was.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve had relationships with all the women who’ve ‘paraded’ through my room. Jesus, it’s not even like there’s been that many. I’m not home enough to be a player.”
“It’s none of my business how you choose to live your life.” Oh Lord, could they please just drop this subject? She should have kept her mouth shut. This was only slightly humiliating.
“You’re right. It’s not.” He tapped his hand on his thigh.
Jane couldn’t help but stare at his long fingers just inches from her nose. He had a strong hand, very masculine with a smattering of dark hair sprinkled across the knuckles. It would look perfectly natural holding a beer can or a hammer. She couldn’t picture Lex drinking from a wine glass or using a delicate fish fork with those broad, callused hands.
An image of his fingers cupping her breasts, his darkness against her lightness, flashed through her brain, singeing every synapses along the way. He wouldn’t be a gentle lover. No, he’d be hard and demanding and probably very thorough.
Her breath hitched as her heart rate shot through the roof. Suddenly she felt far too warm. Sweat trickled down the back of her neck and between her breasts.
“I am not a player.”
“Whatever you say.”
“Don’t try that reverse psychology crap on me. Just because I don’t live like a monk doesn’t mean I use women. They know the deal going in. I’m not around enough for a permanent relationship. That’s not what they’re looking for either. Just a mutually satisfying experience between consenting adults.”
“Of course.” Very satisfying, from what she could tell.
“Why am I explaining myself to you?”
“I have no idea.”
Lex swore softly and Jane hid a smile. The conversation was completely inappropriate, but he was no longer picking on her for not making out in a car as a teen. It was nice to actually win a battle with him for once.
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