Page 29 of Silverstorm

Brady had been livid when he first found out that Jude had gone against orders, and the sheriff hadn’t been too happy either. But Jude had come up with the goods and they’d both had to concede in the end that he’d been right. Jude still expected some form of penalty from Hank. His boss didn’t take kindly to his deputies taking things into their own hands. He’d probably be put on night duty for a full month once this all died down. But he’d handle that when it happened.

Aria’s face, which had been pale before, went ashen.

“I still can’t believe she’s dead.” He took her other hand and shifted slightly on the couch so he was facing her.

“I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that I had to give you this news.”

“No. No. Thank you,” she said, her voice regaining some strength. “Thank you for finding them. For at least giving them some peace. Giving us a chance to catch their killers.”

“You’ve had a rough couple of days,” he said gently.

“That’s putting it mildly.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “But at least I’ve got you. I can’t begin to say how grateful I am, Jude.”

Tonight she was wearing sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt, but he still thought she looked magnificent, long hair draped loosely over her shoulders, the outline of her willowy body clear beneath the worn fabric of the tee. She wasn’t wearing a bra, and his cock twitched at the thought.

The air between them seemed to thicken, and Aria stilled as she caught his eye.

“It’s all so much. I don’t want to think about any of it tonight. I just want…”

The heat between them was undeniable. It’d been constant from almost the first second they’d met. A tension buzzing between them that was impossible to ignore.

Without breaking their stare, Aria slid her hand up his chest and began to unbutton his shirt. “I want to be with you tonight. I don’t want to think about anything else, except the way you make me feel.”

His breath caught in his throat at her words. Should he let her continue? She was clearly doing this because she wanted a distraction. A distraction from her mounting sorrows. Was it fair of him to let her use him as that distraction? One button, then another, and another, her eyes still fixed on his, daring him to tell her to stop. Until she had the shirt undone and had untucked it from his trousers. Her small hands found the indentations of his abs, tracing each one before sliding up over his pecs and pushing the shirt off his shoulders. This wasn’t a good idea. He could list at least a dozen reasons why he shouldn’t be doing this with Aria, aside from the fact she was using him to divert her sorrow. But was that such a bad thing? And ever since she’d come into his life, he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Couldn’t stop the way his body clenched every time she was near, how one touch from her set him on fire. But this was insane.

“Are you sure?” he rasped, hoping that she might come to her senses at the sound of his voice.

“Yes.” She leaned forward to breathe against his neck. “Yes, I’m sure.” Then her head fell back, baring the sensitive skin of her neck and collarbone. And there was no stopping him. He gently pressed his lips to her heated skin, and she moaned softly as he worked his way up her neck. God, she tasted so sweet, like honeydew or freshly mown hay. Just the same as last time, but better somehow. She drew him to her like she was the sun and he was a sun worshiper on a hot summer’s day.

One hand slid from her hip to explore under the T-shirt, discovering the shape of her slim waist, running around the top of her waistband and reveling in the way her skin twitched beneath his touch. He curled his fingers into the hem of her tee and slowly dragged it over her head and then feasted on the sight of her.

Her breasts were perfect, pert, and slightly plump above her toned stomach.

“Magnificent,” he whispered.

There was a smattering of pale freckles over her shoulders, a reminder of the times she’d spent in the sun as a child, and he leaned in and kissed each one. So magnificent.

He had to kiss her on the mouth now, and his lips skimmed up her neck to reach for her. He took her in a kiss so deep and raw, like he was a desperate, wild animal, but she met his desperation equally as her teeth grazed his lip, and they kissed for what felt like forever.

Her hands fumbled at his belt; and then she was pushing his trousers down past his thighs.

“Wait,” he groaned into her ear. Then he stood and toed each shoe off, kicking them away in a rush. She sat up and watched as he tugged his trousers and boxer shorts the rest of the way off, until he stood before her, naked.

Her gaze burned into him like fire, scorching his skin as she looked him up and down, and he knew she liked what she saw.

“You do me,” she said, lifting her hips seductively and waiting for him to free her from her sweatpants. Which he did in one swift tug.

She wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“Oh. My. God.” He could barely breathe.

She smiled at him, slow and sexy. And he could no longer think of anything but her. Of anything but making love to her. Of caressing her body. He knelt next to the couch and ran his hands up her thighs and over her stomach like he was giving devotion. She slithered farther down the couch, so she was practically lying on it, tugging him up so that he was lying along the length of her. He was so hard; he wasn’t sure if he’d last, and her breathing was so fast it was coming in short pants.

Were they going to do it right here on the couch? Should he pick her up and carry her to the bed? He could do it; he bet she weighed nothing at all. But then she tilted her dark eyes at him and pulled him closer, arching her back so that her hips met his, and he guessed they were staying put.

Uh oh. “Condom,” he muttered, freezing in place. He’d completely forgotten about protection. Never thought that he—

“In the drawer beside my bed,” she panted.

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