Page 24 of Junkyard Dog

She drew in a deep breath as he tangled his fingers into her hair and trailed kisses down her throat to her collarbone. His other hand inched onto her thigh, pulling her closer to him as he worked his lips to her jaw. “Can you still see?” he muttered into her neck, his senses going into overload from the intoxicating combination of the taste of her skin and the scent of her perfume.

“Uh-huh,” she replied, shifting slightly but refusing to look away from the screen.

He sat back and gripped her hips, pulling her slowly across the sofa and rolling his eyes when she lay back and pointed to the TV.

“The clues are so obvious once you know the outcome.”

He pushed her oversized shirt up to expose her stomach and ran his fingers over the smooth skin. “Want me to stop?” he asked as he bent down to run his tongue across the band of her shorts.

Her fingers ran through his hair. “No. You seem pretty content. Just stay above C-level.”

He looked up at her. “Sea level?”

“C-level,” she repeated. “The center line. Keep your paws off my drawers.”

“I…” He glanced down, lifting his hands off her hips and sliding them up her ribs, stretching her arms above her head. “Better?”

“Much.”

Recognizing that his powers of seduction were no match for Charlotte’s desire to see her plot predictions proved correct, he straddled her, wedging his knee into the back of the couch and ignoring the discomfort the wooden frame provided as it dug into the bone. He grazed his hands along her stomach, her sides, and her arms, noting her responses and stashing them in his head for another time when he wasn’t competing against a well-spun story line.

“Knew it!” she called out, clapping her hands together once and gesturing to the screen. “Can I call a twist, or can I call a twist?”

He leaned over her, his hair falling forward to block her view of the television. “I’m impressed. Kiss me.”

Her scrutinizing dark eyes narrowed as she looked at him.

“Please?” he added, cocking a brow.

She lifted her head up, her soft lips brushing against his.

So. Fucking. Done.

Chapter Nine

“Get your lazya—Whoa, boy.”

Max flung Charlotte’s apartment door open with a bang as he announced his presence, his jaw dropping open as he took in the sight of her bedhead and Alex still crashed out on the floor at her feet.

“Shush!” she hissed, easing her legs out from under Alex’s arm and tiptoeing past him. She grabbed Max’s shoulders and spun him around forcefully, walking him to her room.

“I spent yesterday evening overseeing an FBI rock climb and you got laid? How is that even fair?” he grumbled, sitting on the edge of her bed and glaring. “We’ve been called in early for a briefing before we head out for the night. So hurry the heck up.”

“I didnotget laid.” She gasped, glancing behind her to ensure Alex hadn’t woken and followed them. “Just give me ten and I’ll be ready to go.”

She snatched clean work clothes from her drawers and rushed off to shower, her mind still foggy from the sudden waking. The water took forever to warm, leaving her slightly chilled by the time she dried, dressed, and began brushing her hair out to the sound of Max grilling a groggy Alex about the evening’s events.

“Leave him alone!” she called out, wrapping an elastic around her wet hair before she attempted to rescue Alex from Max’s interrogation. She was still carefully tucking in her beige work shirt as she entered the living room to see Max standing in the middle, his arms crossed, and Alex still leaning against the sofa. He looked up at her and grinned lazily, licking his lips and giving her a reminder of just how skilled those lips were.

“You here to rescue me?” he teased as he pushed himself to his feet.

She rolled her eyes and picked up her hat from the kitchen table. “Yeah, yeah, pretty boy. I have to head in early tonight, so…” She paused.

What am I even supposed to say right now? Get out? Call me? Thanks for the make-out session, you’ve obviously had a lot of practice?

Alex pulled his boots on, staying well out of Max’s reach. “Call me when you’re off in the morning.” He smiled, backing out the door. “Maybe we can grab breakfast before you head home.”

Grateful for the graceful exit, she waved quickly and let the door close before laying into Max. “Give me my key,” she seethed, extending her hand.

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