That was what made her gut roll at the idea of leaving him.
He picked her up and set her on the table, shoving a chair out of the way. His hands sank into her hair. “Don’t. Don’t pull in on yourself. Share it with me.”
Somehow it was easier to talk with his hands moving over her scalp, his hips shifting her knees apart and making a place for himself there. “Talking to my dad was rough. He wants me to think about coming back to New York. I might have a job there.”
He stilled, but only for a moment, as though he had to absorb the blow before he moved on. “Okay. You need to think about that. But not now. Now, concentrate on this.”
He leaned over and his mouth covered hers in a long, luxurious kiss. He held her still for a moment before her hands came up to find his hips, and she let go of anything but the feel of him.
Her body went liquid. His hands stroked over her and suddenly her shirt was open, the tops of her breasts exposed to his touch. He quickly found the front clasp of her bra and freed them. Cool air brushed her skin, making a contrast to the fire that licked everywhere he touched.
She would never get enough of this man. Not enough of his touch or his kiss. Not enough of cuddling with him and working beside him.
It no longer mattered that someone could walk in. He was right about that. She would tell them to shut the door and get back to loving him.
His tongue slid inside her mouth, gliding against hers in a lush approximation of what he would soon do with another part of his body. She could feel his desire pressing to her core even as his kiss stayed patient. He seemed willing to override his needs to give her time to enjoy every moment they had together. Sex for Zep Guidry was something to be indulged in, to revel in.
Because it was his way of telling her how he felt. Because he wasn’t sure how to say it in words.
Because he might love her.
His arms tightened around her. “Lean back.”
She would do anything he asked of her. She’d come to trust him so much. He wouldn’t willingly hurt her. Her heart might get torn asunder, but it wouldn’t be his fault. It would be hers. She put her palms down flat on the table behind her and offered herself up to him.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?”
He told her so often, she almost believed it. “Yes, but I haven’t told you how beautiful you are, Zéphirin. Inside and out. I always knew you had a gorgeous face, but it was that beautiful soul that got to me. Touch me or I won’t be able to breathe.”
His hand came out, big palm covering her breast. “I think about touching you all day. You should understand that even if I’m not around, I’m still touching you in my head. You’re so soft.”
No one had ever called her soft before. She was hard. She’d always had to be, but maybe she’d found the one place where she could let her guard down and let that softness that was always there inside come out.
He pulled her blouse and bra off, dropping them to the side, and then worked the buckle of her belt. It clanged to the table, the sound reminding her she was still in uniform, and that meant still carrying a gun.
“Damn it. I don’t guess Armie would consider allowing you to wear a skirt?” Zep asked.
He always made her smile. He would have her in a miniskirt chasing down the bad guys if he could. But there was a simple solution. “Back up a minute. I’m not letting you out of this until you give me everything you promised, but it won’t work if I’m in these pants, and you need to get out of yours, too.”
He stepped back. “Nah, I can do what I need to do just by shoving them down a little, baby.”
She kicked off her boots and worked her way out of her pants, and before they hit the floor, he was on her again. He turned her so her back was pressed to the front of his body. She was naked while he still had all his clothes on, and there was something sexy about it. She could be vulnerable with him. He would only give her pleasure.
His hands found her breasts again, but this time he cupped and fondled them while he whispered in her ear, telling her how much he wanted her, how beautiful she was, how lonely he’d been without her all day.
When his hand trailed down her torso and found her feminine core, she gasped and went still against him, not wanting to miss a minute of his talented fingers. He stroked her, taking her higher and higher with every touch, every sweet word he gave her.