Page 14 of Queen of Diamonds
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Rand didn’t knowwhy he’d cut open his heart, bleeding out his sad story. It might have been Kinsey’s tears when he told her about Zoe. Or maybe it had been her touch when she’d put her hand over his, or it could just be that he was ready to talk about Zoe, share his memories of her with someone who cared. Because he could see in her eyes that she did.
She led him to her bedroom, stopping at the edge of the mattress. Her gaze darted from him to the bed and then to his chest. She didn’t seem sure of her next step as they stood facing each other.
“Kinsey,” he said, his voice sounding rusty to his ears, and in this he was. He hadn’t been in a woman’s bedroom since his marriage had gone south. He was still raw from talking about his daughter, but he needed what Kinsey was offering. And it wasn’t just any woman he wanted, only her. That connection he’d felt the first time he saw her was growing stronger by the minute, and he wasn’t sure what to do with that.
“Yeah?”
“Are you sure you want this?”
She peered up at him with those smoky brown eyes of hers. “I do.”
He watched her fingers skim over his arm. “Why? Because if you’re offering a pity—”
She shook her head. “Don’t even say it. That’s not what this is.”
“Then what is it?” He didn’t want her pity, and he especially didn’t want a pity fuck.
“This is a man and a woman who are immensely attracted to each other…” She tilted her head, studying him. “At least I think you’re attracted to me.”
“‘Immensely’ is a good word.”
Her eyes softened, and she smiled. “We’re consenting adults, and we have every right to enjoy each other if that’s what we want. I don’t go around propositioning men, but I’ve never wanted a man the minute our eyes met across a room. Until you.”
“I’m not happily-ever-after material, Kins.”
“Not asking you to be.” She arched a brow. “Any other roadblocks you want me to obliterate?”
Rand smiled, something he seemed to want to do around her. And those eyes—he could happily drown in them. “Anyone tell you that you have beautiful eyes?”
“Yes. My mother.”
“And now me.” He put his hands on her hips. “I didn’t come over tonight with the intention of sleeping with you, so I’m not prepared.”
“Is that something you need to think about?”
“No, I only mean that I don’t have a condom.” He didn’t even own any, something he’d need to correct if they continued to see each other, and he sincerely hoped they would.
“Oh, not a problem. I have condoms covered. Be right back.”
She danced away, stopping at the door, glancing over her shoulder at him. “Don’t go away.”
“My feet are glued to this spot.”
She grinned at him, then disappeared. While she was out of the room, he took the opportunity to remove his gun and holster from a pocket of his cargo pants. Federal agents were required to be armed at all times outside of their home, but he didn’t want to have to explain why he was carrying. He slipped out of his shoes, pushed the gun and holster as far into one of them as possible, covered it with his socks, then slid shoes and gun under her bed.
She returned with a box in her hand that she held up for his perusal. “I hope extra-large works,” she said with a smirk before setting the box of condoms on her nightstand.
“You sound a little too hopeful,” he said on a laugh. “Come here.” He sat on the edge of the mattress and spread open his legs. When she came to stand between them without hesitation, he put his hands on her thighs just under the hem of her shorts. Her skin was warm and silky, soft under his fingers. He pulled her down onto his lap, curled his fingers around her neck, and lowered his mouth to hers.
For a time he was able to keep the kiss gentle, but it seemed she wanted more. She sighed into his mouth, and he answered with a groan when she swung her leg around and straddled him. He lifted his head and stared at her for a moment, and the desire in her eyes went straight to his groin. She splayed her hand over his chest, and he put his hand over hers, and then his mouth found hers again.
She tugged on his shirt. “Off.”
“Yours, too.”
They were a flurry of tangling arms and legs until their clothes were a messy pile on the floor. “You’re beautiful, Kinsey. You make my heart pound.”
