“What are you thinking?” I asked.
He’s thinking about sex, I’d put money on it.
“You tell me what you’re thinking first.” He tipped his head. His eyes were thin slits but I could see them flashing.
“I could order you to come clean about what’s on your mind, officer.”
“What’s on my mind isn’t clean.”
I knew it.
“So,” he said, “are you going to demand it of me? My inner thoughts and desires.”
Desires.
“It depends—are we standing here as commander of the team and her SWAT officer or as a man and woman?”
“I’d definitely say man and woman.” He moved a little closer and I could make out the small details on his eagle tat.
“Balko.”
“You want to celebrate?”
“Celebrate Riley going down?”
“No.” He nipped my chin between his thumb and finger. “Being alive.”
I swallowed. My nipples were tight and a fizz of excitement was working its way through my torso and settling between my legs.
I’m going to fuck him.
“Being alive is good,” I managed. I had an overwhelming urge to find out how Balko fucked. There was something edgy about him, layers I had yet to discover. “And it’s worth celebrating.”
“It is.” He lowered his head and pressed his lips over mine. Not a wild kiss, and no tongues, just a touch of lips. “Is that okay?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“You got a boyfriend?” he asked. “And I want honesty now.”
“Have you got a girlfriend?”
“No.” He smiled. “I haven’t.”
I was silent.
“You need to answer me,” he said, then licked his lips. “Before we go any further, what are Ricardo and Jonathan to you?”
I watched every tiny movement of his mouth, his eyes. I was hooked and I wanted him. “I suppose they’re my boyfriends—not that we advertise it,” I said, “I love them and they love me, but they’re not the jealous sort.”
His jaw tightened.
“You’ll have to trust me on that one.” I shrugged.
“I’d trust you with my life, Freya.”
“And I would protect you with mine.”
We need to fuck.