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“What? No!” Her face scrunched in confusion.

“Didn’t think so. Is there a reason you’re following me? Looking to add stalking charges to your record? How did you get the cab driver to follow me, anyway?”

Was she as overcome with thoughts of him as he was of her? Is that why she’d followed him?

“I’m not stalking. I told the cab driver we were getting divorced, and you refused to share a cab with me. Turns out he just went through a divorce of his own and sympathized.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “I’ll give you credit for creativity.”

“High praise coming from you.”

“Well, if I’m not handcuffing you or shooting you, then what are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions.” She spoke with a confidence he wished he could get some of the agents under him to speak with. But he couldn’t answer questions, especially not from a reporter he’d detained.

“I can’t talk to the press. It’s against policy.” He shoved one hand in his pocket and stared down at her. He couldn’t stop imagining the danger she’d put herself in and the ways he wanted to punish her for it. Or maybe he wanted to punish her for distracting him from his grudge against reporters.

“Your boss is up to something shady.”

That snapped him out of his inappropriate thought pattern. “Director Higgins?”

“Who’s Director Higgins? I’m talking about Corbit Upwood.”

“He’s not my boss. I’m protecting him. Big difference. Director Higgins from the Secret Service is my boss.”

“Word is Upwood doesn’t want the detail.”

“People rarelywanta protection detail. It usually means somebody is trying to kill you.” He stepped closer to her and her delicious scent floated past his nose.

“Would you like to have dinner?” Where the fuck had that come from? His dick was the obvious answer.

Carrie took a step back. “Dinner?”

“Well, if we’re getting a divorce, it really only seems fair that we have at least one date before we split up.”

She tucked a strand of wayward hair behind her ear and curled her lips up in a smile.

Something about the motion drove him beyond the brink of control, and he closed the distance between them and slid a hand around her waist. She blinked up at him in surprise.

“For a reporter, you sure are cute,” he whispered, pulling her close.

“I… I am?” she murmured.

His mouth covered hers and she gasped. His tongue probed between her lips and his free hand cupped the back of her head as he deepened the kiss. She groaned, and he took the opening to plunge into her mouth, his tongue exploring.She tastes so fantastic.His thoughts were frantic and dirty as he devoured her mouth. She whimpered just as the cabbie honked.

“Fuck. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” He backed away, holding his hands out in front of him. He held up one finger to the taxi, indicating he should keep waiting. What the fuck had gotten into him?

Carrie’s hand fluttered across her lips. “You’re right. We are getting divorced after all.”

“Cute.”

“So you keep saying,” she said as she took two more steps back, thankfully putting a safe distance between them.

“How about dinner and you let me lay out what I think Director Upwood is up to.”

Her switch to reporter mode brought him back to the real world, and he folded his arms, scowling. “You should go home before I arrest you, Miss Davenport. This is your last warning. My cab is waiting to take you.”

“Are you serious right now? You just fucking kissed me.” Carrie started toward him, but he put out a hand to stop her.