Chapter 12
Zoe’s eyes darkened until only a tiny rim of green was visible. She drew in a sharp breath, then tightened her grip on his hand. “What’s stopping you, Spence?” she whispered.
“What happened to no hot dates? No getting involved?” he managed to ask.
“We’re here. I want you, you want me. Why not?”
“You know damn well why not,” he managed to say, aware only of her palm pressed to his. Her fingers twined with his and clinging as if there was nothing besides him in her world right now. It was intoxicating. Exhilarating. Damn near impossible to resist.
Especially since he’d wanted her from the moment he’d seen her, months ago, standing in Julia Stewart’s restaurant. She’d looked him over, as if assessing if he was worthy of helping her friend. By the time he and Nico had wrapped up their work at Madeline’s Restaurant, he still wasn’t sure if he’d measured up.
The only thing he’d known was how much he’d wanted Zoe.
Fortunately for his self-restraint, he’d returned to Montana and the Blackhawk Security compound before his self-control could be tested.
But there was nothing but his own discipline standing between him and Zoe right now. And that discipline was on shaky ground when her eyes were pools of lust and need. For him.
“Zoe,” he groaned. “You know we can’t do this.”
“Why not?” she said, her voice a murmur of temptation. “There’s a new lock on the back door. No one’s coming up in the elevator unless Don calls me first. We’re about as safe as it’s ever going to get for me until Ethan’s caught.”
“My job is to protect you,” he said. “That doesn’t include sleeping with you.”
Her mouth curled up in a tiny, alluring smile. “I wasn’t planning on doing a lot of sleeping,” she said. “And I have protection. We’ll both be covered.”
Oh, God. He’d never seen flirty, innuendo-murmuring Zoe before. And it made him want to grab her and carry her into her bedroom. He had to press his hands into the couch to keep from yanking her into his arms.
“Your sister will kill me when she finds out,” he said, his last, desperate attempt to head Zoe off.
“Why would Mel ever find out?” She frowned at him, and he wanted to kiss those tiny lines between her eyebrows. “I’m certainly not going to tell her. And there’s no reason you’d need to tell her, either.”
“Is this one of your ‘no emotional attachment’ deals?” he asked.
She raised one eyebrow. “Are you worried that I’ll cling? Beg you not to leave me?” She shook her head. “We both know your job isn’t in Seattle. Once Ethan’s caught, you’ll leave for another job.” A tiny hint of sadness appeared in her eyes. Vanished immediately, and she managed a nonchalant shrug. “So we’d both be stupid if we formed emotional attachments.”
Yeah, that would be stupid. But he saw the stupid train barreling down the tracks, heading straight for him. How could it not? Zoe was a remarkable, unique woman. One he’d wanted since the first time he’d met her.
He was in trouble already. Making love with Zoe wasn’t going to change that. So he slid over on the couch until their thighs pressed together. Cupped her face in his hands and pressed his mouth to hers.
She sucked in a tiny breath, and her hands gripped his wrists. Holding him in place. Her fingers shook a little, but she held on tightly and opened her mouth to his.
When he tangled his tongue with hers, she moaned into his mouth. It was the sexiest thing he’d ever heard. She tasted spicy, like the dinner they’d just had. Sweet, as if even hot and spicy couldn’t hide her essential sweetness.
He closed his eyes and lost himself in her taste. In the way her body felt, pressed against his. In the out-doorsy scent of her hair, as if it had captured the fragrances of all those flowers across the street and now surrounded him.
Her mouth grew hungrier on his, and her hands roamed down his back. Tested his muscles. Counted the bones of his spine. Slid beneath the waistband of his pants and burrowed deeper.
When her fingers brushed his ass, he sucked in a breath. Felt as if he might explode any minute. Tearing his mouth away from hers, he whispered, “Slow down, Zoe. Or I’m going to embarrass myself.”
She leaned away from him, her lips red and shiny from his mouth, and said, “Really, Spence? You want to slow down? This has been simmering since the first time we met. How are you gonna rein it in?”
“I’ll show you,” he said, standing up. He took her hand and pulled her upright, then swept her into his arms. Walked into the bedroom and set her on the bed.
“Wow,” she said, staring up at him. “I’ve never been swept off my feet before. I like it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, kneeling down and wedging himself between her knees. “I plan on kissing you all night.”
“I hope you’re planning more than kissing.”