Burning Hearts

by Marci Bolden

  Josh couldn’t take another moment of his sweet torture. As much as Eva was going insane, he was even further gone. He had to have her. When they were dating, they’d relied on her birth control pill for protection, but they hadn’t been dating for a few months. He wasn’t sure where they stood on such things now. “I don’t have any protection,” he said.

  She fell flat against the bed. The light was dim, but he saw something like hurt in her eyes. “Do I need to worry about where you’ve been?”

  “No. I just…didn’t want to assume we were still okay with that.”

  “We’re still okay,” she whispered as she gripped his hips.

  Pulling him forward, she rolled her head back, and he groaned as her heat enveloped him. With their bodies connected in the most intimate way as he dug his fingers into her hair and kissed her lips while she wrapped her legs around his, Josh’s soul nearly cried out with the peace that washed over him. He was home. His body, mind, and spirit were finally back where he belonged.

  Moving with her, feeling her returning every ounce of love he was offering, he thought he was going to lose control. Damn it, he wasn’t ready for this to end yet. As always, Eva seemed to be in tune with him. She unraveled her legs and pushed him onto his back. Taking several deep breaths, he silently thanked her for the reprieve he wouldn’t have given himself. He was far too weak to deny himself of her.

  Catching his breath, he soaked in the feel of her hands on his chest, her kisses along his jaw. He’d just caught his breath when she leaned over him and, much like he’d done to her, sank her teeth into his bottom lip.

  “Ready?” she asked on a breath.

  He laughed quietly. “Ready.”

  Rotating her hips, she slid him back into her body, leaned back, and put her hands to his thighs. This was his favorite. As much as he loved covering her with his body as if he were dominating every inch of her, this—Eva straddling him, bending in a way to increase the friction of their connected bodies—was his favorite.

  Gripping her hips, holding her steady, he ground his heels into the mattress so he could meet every rotation of her hips with a thrust of his. Within seconds they found the rhythm they both had come to know so well. Grind-thrust. Grind-thrust. Her fingernails dug into his thighs as his fingertips pressed into her hips. He knew her tells as much as he knew his own. The moment she started panting his name, he cupped her breasts, squeezing until her body spasmed around him. He shoved into her, hard, pinching her nipples between his fingers until she cried out.

  Feeling her orgasm sent him spiraling into his own. One more firm thrust, and he started pulsating into her. She collapsed onto him, resting her head on his shoulder as he hugged her close to him, both breathless and sweaty.

  Stroking her hair, he gulped several deep breaths before placing a string of kisses along her shoulder. “I’ll fill the tub.”

  “It’s almost three in the morning.”

  “I don’t care. We’ve missed so much. We need to catch up.”

  “You’ll be exhausted at work tomorrow.”

  He kissed her again. “I think I need a sick day to recover from my injury.”

  She laughed as she fell onto him. “I think you need a sick day to make up for lost time with your girlfriend.”

  He hugged her closer at the title she’d given herself. Girlfriend wasn’t enough, would never been a strong enough word to describe what she was to him. But it would do.

  For tonight.

  Rolling her onto her back, he stroked her hair from her face. “Give me just a minute to get the water started and then join me.” A quick kiss and he pushed himself up and into the bathroom. By the time she joined him, he was able to help her in to sink into bellybutton-deep water. The tub needed a few more inches of hot water before the jets could be turned on, but that didn’t stop Josh from sliding in with her.

  He grabbed a washcloth and her lavender-scented body wash to get started on the ceremony he’d been dreaming about since they’d moved into the condo. Sex with Eva was incredible. The bonding that took place afterward was even better. Though they’d bathed together the other night, though she’d let him touch her and wash her and use her touch to soothe his soul, it hadn’t been complete. The ritual had been missing a vital element. The intimacy that had so tightly held them together.

  She leaned back, closed her eyes, and moaned softly as he started rubbing the rag over her skin. He’d get his turn sooner or later, but he took his time to enjoy this. Smiling when she rolled her head and lifted her heavy lids to look at him.

  “This is the best,” she said.

  “Yes, it is.” He kissed the wet arch of her foot before lowering her leg into the steadily rising water. He was working on her other calf when she sat up enough to press the button to start the jets.

  “You know, if you do stay home tomorrow, you can help me set up surveillance.”

  He smiled, excited at the idea of helping her case again. She hadn’t been open to the idea since he’d taken a door to the face. She’d specifically told him to stay out of the way before he got hurt worse. With the tub nearly full, he turned off the water. The jets were loud enough, but without the water running, they could hear each other a better. “What’s your plan?”

  “Well, since it’s illegal to hack the existing cameras and Shane Tremant’s company doesn’t provide more than an hour of memory, I plan on hiding my own cameras. In the hallways,” she clarified before he could ask. “I should be able to catch the she-perv coming and going out of the condos.”

  “When will you question Shane about the lax security?”

  “Tomorrow if possible. But I also need to clarify some things with Neal Price.”

  “I want you to…” He caught himself before telling her to be safe.

  A slow smile spread across her face. “Yes, Joshie. I’ll be careful.”

  “I know you will.” Digging his fingertips into her calf, he worked over the muscle. “I trust you to take care of yourself, Eva. But I’d be a jerk not to worry.”

  Holding his gaze, she conceded his point with one nod. “Yes, you would be.”

  Tugging her foot as he scooted forward, Josh settled between her knees as she spread her legs and sat to meet him. She draped her arms over his shoulders and stared into his eyes. She’d wrapped an elastic band around the pile of hair, but a strand had fallen free, and he tucked it behind her ear. “I meant what I said. I’m going to do better at showing you that I believe in you. Because I do. You are amazing at what you do. If I hadn’t known it before, which I did, I wouldn’t be able to deny it after spending the last few days watching you sort out this mess. You’re brilliant.” Running his hands over her back, he kissed the top of her nose. “I’m honored to call you mine.”

  A cocky grin touched her lips. “Does that make you mine?”

  “Unequivocally.”

  She put her lips to his in a kiss, as if it were a claim to mark what was hers. “Courtney will be so disappointed.”

  He grinned. “Something tells me that isn’t new to her. Sleeping with a married woman never ends well.”

  “You know from experience?”

  “Several of my patients do.”

  She rolled her head back and laughed, giving him perfect access to kiss her neck. He did. Never mind that the angle put a bit of pressure on his upper jaw and sent painful ripples through the rest of his tender face. Her laugh ended with a sigh as she fisted strands of his hair.

  “Don’t tempt me.” Her voice held a sultry tone. “It’s been too long since we’ve been like this.”

  “I know.” He licked over her flesh. “That’s exactly why I’m tempting you.”

  Reaching between them, she stroked him back to a full erection before shifting her hips and easing him into her. Again, they fell into a pattern they knew so well, moving together as the hot water surrounded them and the jets added to the sensual feelings.

  When they moved in together—yes, when—they’d have to move into Eva’s apartm
ent. His bathtub was not nearly large enough to accommodate bath sex.

  13

  Eva touched the gun hidden under her suit jacket, confirmation that her protection was there if needed. Not that she thought she would, but she was about to call Neal Price out on some of his bullshit, and those conversations held a higher risk of going south than most. Pounding her fist on his unit door, she took a step back. Her posture wasn’t defensive but ready. Her nerves had been on edge since leaving her condo.

  In one sense, she was so much closer to catching her suspect, but in another sense, she was back at square one. Now that she knew Neal Price hadn’t placed the cameras, she could get a bit tougher with him. His behavior from the moment he’d hired her had been off. She was about to demand he tell her why.

  The door opened, and Cody stuck her head out. “What do you want?”

  “Is your dad home?”

  “No.”

  A cobra likely had a better personality than Cody. Was probably sweeter, too. What was up with this kid? “Know where he is?”

  “No.”

  “Know when he’ll be back?”

  “No.”

  Putting her hand up, Eva stopped Cody from closing the door on her. Staring the surly teen down, she forced as nice a smile as she could manage. “Is he at work?”

  “Why don’t you check?”

  “Cody?” a male voice called. Neal pulled the door open wider and frowned at Eva.

  She smirked at Cody, who rolled her eyes and stormed off. “Morning.”

  “I thought I told you to stay away from my family.”

  “I’m not here to see your family. I’m here to see you.”

  “I’ll be back,” he called into his condo.

  “Whatever,” his daughter replied.

  Stepping into the hallway, he pulled the door shut. “What?”

  “You’re awfully hostile considering you hired me,” she said quietly. “Why is that?”

  “I don’t like your approach.”

  “What approach is that?”

  He moved around her, toward the elevator. Pressing the button with his thumb, he ground his teeth so tightly the muscles in his jaw bulged. “How much longer is this going to take?” he asked once they were inside the car.

  “I guess that depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On a few things.”

  The door slid open, and she gestured for him to go first. He had an air of hostility about him, and she didn’t want him behind her. If he decided to make a stupid move, she wanted to see him coming. “Let’s sit there.” She gestured toward two chairs in the lobby.

  “I’d prefer to do this in private.”

  “I wouldn’t.”

  They stared at each other for a few moments before he crossed the open lobby and sat in one of the chairs she’d suggested.

  “What’s going on?” he demanded.

  Sitting across from him, she held his gaze, unwavering. “I know Shane Tremant owns the security company you hired for the building. The one that is providing minimal storage, despite you knowing there are crimes being committed.”

  His jaw muscles flexed again. “I told you I’d handle that.”

  “Your records indicate HOA paid for top-of-the-line security, yet that’s not what Jupiter Heights is receiving.”

  “I’ll take care of it, Ms. Thompson.”

  She didn’t flinch at his firm tone. “Where is the HOA’s money going, Mr. Price?”

  “The security package—”

  “The security package they are paying for is not what they are receiving. Where is the money going?”

  “I didn’t hire you to look into the HOA finances.”

  “You mean you didn’t hire me to catch you embezzling from the HOA.”

  Price jumped to his feet. So did Eva. She might be nearly a foot shorter than him, but she wasn’t intimidated and wanted to make certain he knew it. She held her left hand up, a subtle warning for him to stay back while her right hand opened her coat enough to show her weapon.

  He snorted. “You going to shoot me?”

  “You going to make me? Sit down.”

  Easing back into the chair, he blew out a slow breath. “We needed the money for a start-up.”

  “We?”

  “I.”

  She smirked. “Nah. Too late for that. Shane is obviously in on this. What about Brenda? Is that why she’s so angry?”

  A bitter laugh left him. “Are you kidding me? She doesn’t care how I pay for her manicures and dye jobs, as long as I do.”

  “Sounds like she and Tiffany have more than a few things in common.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “I didn’t hire you to look into my wife’s affair either, Ms. Thompson.”

  Eva resisted the urge to blink in surprise. He hadn’t said affairs, as in her to-do list or her comings and goings. He’d said affair, as in extramarital sexual relations. In response to her comment about his wife and Tiffany? Wow. Brenda Price was right; Mrs. Tremant certainly did get around.

  Frowning, Neal sat back. “Yeah. I know about that. How did you figure it out?”

  She hadn’t, but she wasn’t going to confess that. “That’s what I do, Mr. Price.”

  He scoffed. “You have any idea how many times Shane and I paid for them to take weekends way? Resorts, concerts, girls’ nights out. I don’t even know how long they had us snowed before I walked in on them. In my own fucking bedroom. Brenda says they accidently slept together after getting drunk while the four of us were on vacation in the Caribbean. Shane and I went diving. Apparently so did our wives.”

  “Are they still sleeping together?”

  “No. I gave them an ultimatum. Knock it off or leave. I’m pretty sure Brenda was ready to walk out the door, but no way Tiffany was going to end the free ride she’d landed by marrying Shane.”

  “You said you gave them the ultimatum. Where did Shane stand on their affair?”

  Running his hand over his thinning hair, Neal scoffed. “Shane’s a good guy.”

  Eva thought that was debatable. She’d just confirmed they were thieves. She opted not to point that out.

  “But he’s a guy’s guy, if you know what I mean. The only thing he wanted was for them to let him join in the fun. He thought I was crazy because I didn’t want to share my wife. He even took me out one night to have a couple of beers to try to talk me into it. ‘Tiffany says she and Brenda are cool with it,’ he said. ‘We’d be living like porn stars.’” Neal let a little laugh leave him. “That’s all good in a fantasy, but…I didn’t want to watch him or Tiffany screwing my wife, and I didn’t want her coming home to me knowing she’d been somewhere else. I put my foot down. I told her if I found out she was still screwing around on me, I’d kick her ass out. Let Shane and Tiffany support her. And good luck explaining that to Cody.”

  “I’m sorry,” Eva said sincerely. The deep frown and sorrow in his eyes revealed how painful this had been. Neal was obviously torn up about his wife’s infidelity.

  “I watch her like a hawk. One misstep, just one, and I’ll wash my hands of her. Cody is sixteen. She can cope with her parents splitting. Brenda knows it, too. She’s mad as hell, but I don’t care. She’s the cheater. She doesn’t get a pass.”

  “Mr. Price, does Shane know about the hidden camera found in Wendi Carter’s condo?”

  “No.”

  “Does he know who I am?”

  He shook his head.

  “When I spoke with Brenda the other day, she warned me that I was just their type. What did she mean by that?”

  He lowered his gaze and stared at his hands.

  “Is there a reason most of the residents in this building are fair-haired females like me?”

  Leaning back, he looked around the lobby. “Shane and Tiffany… Not having Brenda and me in the mix didn’t stop them from having their fun. Finding out what Tiffany had been up to, and was willing to get up to, was like setting a fire inside that man’s head. He has a type. Jus
t look at his wife. After I shit-canned the idea of having a quad with them, they decided to find someone else. Tiffany didn’t need or want another man, just another woman…or women. Shane couldn’t have been happier about that. In his mind, the more the merrier. Every time a condo comes open, Shane pushes me to bring in…”

  “Sexual prey for him and his wife?”

  He had the sense to look ashamed of himself.

  “And what do you get in return?”

  His sense of disgrace obviously ran deep. Eva liked that. She didn’t feel bad for him, but she did appreciate he at least had the morality to know he’d done something to be embarrassed about. Even if he didn’t have enough to stop this violation of his neighbors before it started.

  “I needed money to start a new company. I said that.”

  “Shane worked his magic to get you on as HOA president so you could work together to embezzle money, and you pay him back by approving purchase offers from women he’s attracted to.”

  He nodded. “Yeah. That about sums it up.”

  “About? Did I miss something?”

  He looked around the lobby again.

  Resting her elbows on her knees, she closed some of the distance between them. “Neal, whatever you’re holding back, I will figure it out on my own. Right now, I’m still working this case for you, but if you continue to lie and deceive me, when I find out what other secrets you’re keeping, I might not be on your side any longer. Trust me when I tell you that you want me on your side.”

  Silence fell thick between them before he decided to speak. “I lied.”

  “About?”

  “About needing the money for a startup. There is no business.”

  Eva considered what other reasons he would have to be dumping money into Shane’s security company. “He’s blackmailing you?”

  “He doesn’t see it that way. He asked the board to go with his company, and they were happy to. They wanted to support their neighbor’s endeavor, you know. I didn’t realize he was cheating us until Wendi Carter found that camera. I asked him to check the surveillance, and he danced around until he had to admit that there wasn’t any. I was pissed. I told him to fix it or I was going to cancel the contract. That’s when he let me know Tiffany has video of her and Brenda together. He threatened to share it with anyone who would watch it. The prick. I hired you hoping you’d catch him putting cameras in the condos. Then I’d be rid of him, could cancel the contract with his company, and not have him threatening my wife anymore.” Lifting his gaze to her, he let out a breath that didn’t seem to ease much of his frustration. “I know it’s him, I just can’t prove it.”