Page 38 of Once a Killer

He walked her backward until she was pressed against the kitchen wall, then lifted her against him. Fitted his aching cock into the notch between her legs. When she moaned, the only thought in his head was being inside her.

Running his hands down her back, feeling her fluid muscles beneath his fingers, he cupped her ass in his hands. Snugged her more closely against his body.

As he fumbled with the tie at the waist of her baggy pants, she froze as if suddenly realizing what she’d done. She shoved him away, far too easily, and slid away from the wall. Moved several feet away.

“Oh, my God, Jameson.” Her voice was throaty. Raspy. Her throat rippled as she swallowed. “What was that?”

“I think you know what it was.” His greedy gaze swept over her, noticing her pebbled nipples straining against her t-shirt. “It’s been building since the moment you walked into my house.”

Her chest rose and fell as her breath sawed in and out. Just as his did. She swallowed again, and he moved close enough to touch her. But he clenched his hands into fists when a warning flashed in her eyes.

“Bree,” he began, but she put two fingers over his lips. Pressed lightly, and he wanted to suck her fingers into his mouth.

She must have seen his intent, because she snatched her hand away from him. “No more.” Her fingers trembled, and she curled them into a fist and slid her hand behind her back. “If you touch me again, I might…” She swallowed.

“You might what, Bree,” he said, aching to have her in his arms again.

“Do something I shouldn’t do,” she said. “This was… completely inappropriate.” She licked her lips, as if savoring his taste, and he wanted to reach for her again. But he forced himself to stand still. Silent.

“I should call Mel. Ask her to send someone else to protect you. I’m not sure I can be an effective bodyguard for you anymore.” Bree’s throat rippled, and she licked her lips, as if savoring his taste. Wishing for more of it. He ached to put his mouth on all that soft skin.

“It was a moment,” he said, although he knew it was far more than that. At least for him. “An impulse triggered by adrenaline. The rush of the chase. The frustration of losing him. Don’t ruin this balance we’ve got for one kiss.”

“How can I be objective anymore?” She touched her mouth, as if reliving that kiss. “How can I be focused only on your safety?”

“Just like you were before we kissed.” He couldn’t tear his gaze away from her mouth. “Don’t ask Mel to send someone else.” Finally he looked her in the eye. “You already know me. Know the threats. You have your cover story, and you’ve interviewed the people in my lab. It would look suspicious if you disappeared and someone else took your place. Hard to explain. If someone in the lab is the one who’s after my program, it would set off alarm bells. Make it harder to catch him or her.”

“What I did is so far from acceptable that Ishouldleave. Should have Mel assign someone else to protect you.” She swallowed, and he wanted to kiss that ripple of muscle in her throat. “But you’re right. It would alert the person in your lab, if that’s where he or she is, that something’s going on. That you’re suspicious.” She sighed. Closed her eyes. “Make it that much more difficult to catch him or her.”

“So you’ll stay?” he asked.

She glanced away from him. “I don’t think we have a choice. But this can’t happen again.”

He wanted to pick up where they’d left off. He wanted to carry her into his bedroom and lay her on his bed. Devour her. And let her devour him.

But he nodded. “You’re right. We both made a mistake. We won’t repeat it.” No matter how much he wanted to repeat it and take it farther. “Okay?”

She took a deep breath, and he had to force himself not to look at the way her breasts pressed against the front of her t-shirt. “Yeah. Okay. We’ll both just forget that this happened.”

As if he’d ever be able to forget how she tasted. How she’d moved against him. But he nodded, because that’s what she needed right now.

She drew in a ragged breath. “Go to bed, Jameson. We both need to sleep.”

She turned and walked out of the kitchen, and he watched the flex of her ass as she headed toward her bedroom. Wished that she was going intohisbedroom, withhim.He wanted his hands on her ass. His mouth on her mouth. But that wasn’t happening. Not tonight. Probably not any night.

No matter how much he wanted her.

He sure as hell was going to have trouble falling asleep again tonight. His body burned with the memory of how Bree had felt pressed against him.

Had she felt the same way? Was her body missing the weight of his body against hers? Wishing they were going into the same bedroom? Getting into the same bed?

He hoped so, but he had no idea. Bree was an expert at hiding her emotions. Her feelings. The pressure of her mouth on his, the way her tongue had danced with his, made him think shedidwant him as much as he wanted her.

But Bree was the most disciplined woman he’d ever met. And no matter how much she wanted him, he was pretty sure there would be no repeat of the kiss they’d shared.

Which was too damn bad. He put his fingers against his lips. He could still feel the heat of her mouth. The silk of her lips. The taste of her tongue.

He wouldn’t be able to focus on anything but Bree.

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