Page 9 of Hot Lovin'

“Listen, Lottie...” I hesitate as we reenter her office, closing the door behind me. What I want to say feels too big, too raw. So I abandon words in favor of a more direct approach.

I snag her wrist, halting her as she moves toward her desk.

She turns to face me, a question in her eyes. “Quinn?”

The husky sound of my name makes my groin throb as it leaves her lips. Before I can second-guess myself, I tug her closer, lower my head, and steal an off-center kiss. Shit, I’m rusty at this seduction shit. It’s been too fucking long.

Embarrassed, I start to move away, but then Lottie is cupping my jaw and rising on her toes to bring her mouth to mine again. And I’m lost. Fucking lost.

Working on instinct, I take control, sliding my tongue over her plump bottom lip. “Open for me.”

She does, shivering as my tongue slides into the warm depths of her mouth to slide against hers. I consume her mouth in an endlessly needy act that’s so much more than a mere kiss. Her soft lips, sweet taste, and subtle perfume flood my senses until I’m sure she’s etched into my bones.

With a whimper, Lottie fists her hands in my shirt, pulling me closer. Apparently, she’s as eager for me as I am for her. I turn her, pressing her against the door and fitting my body to hers so she can feel how hard I am, what she does to me. Her legs circle my hips, and a groan rumbles from my chest as she grinds her hot core against my throbbing cock.

My lips moves from her mouth to her jaw to her neck. I nip and suck and kiss my way from her collarbone to her earlobe and back to her mouth. Damn, this woman builds a fire in me hotter than anything I’ve ever experienced. If this is what it’s like to simply kiss her, sliding inside her tight heat will surely incinerate me.

As I finally break the kiss, pressing my forehead to hers, I know one thing for sure—there’s no coming back from Lottie Granger.

“Wow,” she breathes, her breath whispering over my lips.

“Yeah,” I say hoarsely. I clear my throat. “Lottie, I?—”

She puts a finger on my mouth, biting her lip worriedly. “We work together, Quinn. We don’t need to put a label on this, do we?”

Her touch lingers even as she removes her finger. Our eyes meld in a silent communication that says more than any conversation. I know what she’s asking. She wants to pursue this… whatever it is between us, but she’s worried about crossing a professional line and risking Aiden’s case.

I smooth my hand over her hair and cup her cheek. “There’s no reason we can’t enjoy each other’s company, Sunshine. We’re not breaking any protocols or rules. Whatever happens between us is no one’s business but ours. But if it makes you feel better, we can keep things low-key.” I hold her gaze as I slide my thumb across her kiss-swollen mouth. “For now.”

Lottie shivers at the promise in my words. “Okay. Good. That’s… good. Great,” she says huskily. She releases a shaky breath. “I should, um, get back to work.”

I suddenly realize she’s still pinned between me and the door with her legs wrapped around my waist. Shit. I could stay like this forever, pressed against her soft curves. We fit together seamlessly, like I knew we would.

Stepping back a little, I support her weight as Lottie lowers her feet to the floor. She blushes as my hard cock brushes her stomach. I’m still painfully hard, like a fucking teenager with his first erection. I adjust myself in my uniform pants, which are suddenly far too tight. I should be more discreet to save her blushes, but I’m not ashamed of my reaction to her. I want her to know what she does to me.

Smoothing her disheveled hair with a shaky hand, Lottie walks to her desk with a bounce in her step that inexplicably echoes in my heart.

I’m acutely aware of the protective bubble I’ve mentally placed around her. It’s instinctive, fierce, and completely at odds with the lone wolf life I’ve led for years. But Lottie, with her laughter-in-the-face-of-adversity attitude, has done something to me, something unexpected.

She’s made me care.

Not just about the job or the case but about her. About ensuring her smile never dims. And maybe, just maybe, I’m ready to let a little sunshine into my life.

I lean casually against the door, legs and arms crossed as she sits behind her desk. As always, her office is cluttered with the chaos of her world-saving endeavors.

“Got plans for dinner?” I ask, my voice easygoing even though my heart is doing a weird drum solo in my chest.

She tilts her head, an eyebrow arched with curiosity that matches the twinkle in her eyes. “Depends. Are you asking me to go over case files or...”

I push off from the door frame. “No work talk. Just dinner. You and me.”

“Like a date?” Her voice hitches enough to betray a hint of nerves beneath her usual cheer.

“No labels,” I remind her with a wry smile. “Let’s think of it as a not-a-date.”

“Not a date,” she repeats, pursing her lips thoughtfully. “Okay.” A smile blooms on her face that has me momentarily forgetting how to breathe. “I’d like that.”

Chapter 5

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