Instead, she ran her finger across his belly, over the skin above his waistband. Every time it felt as if she might dip into his open fly, she ran her flattened palm up to his chest. And then he saw the sly smile tugging at the corners of her mouth and knew she was purposely teasing him.
This time, the gloves came off.
Cassie swallowed. Not because she was nervous. But excited. Impossibly turned on. It wasn’t just his touch that had her pulse skidding out of control, but the hungry look in his eyes….
He unsnapped, unzipped and pulled down her rose-colored jeans before she finished gasping. When she didn’t readily step out of the jeans, he lifted one ankle out of the slim-fitting leg, and then the other. Her thong matched the red silk bra he’d thrown on the armoire, and he reached around, cupping her bottom with both hands.
He sat on the edge of the mattress, spread his legs into a vee and pulled her between them. Just when she thought he’d take one of her breasts into his mouth, he slowly turned her around.
At first she resisted, staring at him with a puzzled look, but she let him have his way. Either she trusted him or she didn’t.
“I just want to look at you,” he said, as if sensing her uncertainty.
He pulled her back toward him. “You’re something else, lady. You’re beautiful…perfect…” The words died and he just stared at her.
“What?” She tried to skitter away.
“Don’t.” He didn’t restrain her.
She glanced over her shoulder at him. She wanted to bolt, but she wanted to stay. He made the decision by bracketing the sides of her thighs to hold her steady, and then kissing each soft cheek. He bit one lightly and she tensed her muscles. He licked the spot.
“Take off your panties.”
She tensed again, hesitated, but then hooked her fingers into the elastic.
“No, don’t turn around yet.” He continued to grip her thighs when she tried to face him. “Take off the panties first.”
Again she hesitated, but only for a moment, and then she slowly slid the red silk down her thighs, bending at the waist as she guided the panties down her calves.
She heard his sharp intake of breath. His reaction gave her courage and she moved to the music in her head. Warm breath fanned her skin. His mouth. Close. Her heart nearly exploded.
She wanted to turn around. See his expression. She wanted to feel his mouth on her.
He moved his hands from her thighs and ran them over her buttocks, and she immediately started to straighten. “Wait, baby.”
Lightly he squeezed her flesh, then slid his hands to open her thighs, using his thumbs to find her damp core. She whimpered when he reached the thick thatch of curls and jerked back toward him. He inserted a finger inside her. She whimpered again, clenching her muscles around him and stood upright.
He withdrew his finger and let her turn around. Heat seared her face, but she met his glittering eyes, put her hands on his shoulders. He hauled her closer and drew one of her nipples into his mouth.
She pulled away before she shattered in a thousand pieces. “Take off your jeans.”
He smiled at her admonishing tone.
She stepped back to show him she meant it. “Now.”
He didn’t respond right away, but let his gaze roam over one breasts and then the other until she wasn’t sure who was in charge. Finally, he did as she asked, slowly, shoving his jeans to his hips, watching her watch him.
She blatantly stared as he lifted his hips and pushed the jeans down his legs, and then kicked them aside. His erection strained against the black boxers, but he didn’t remove them, but waited for her instructions.
“Keep going,” she said, her gaze stayed riveted to the way his boxers tented, gesturing impatiently when he didn’t respond right away. “The boxers.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He smiled and pulled them off.
Incredible. He stole her breath.
She reached out and used the tip of her forefinger to touch the bead of moisture at the end of his arousal.
“That might be a little dangerous.” He grabbed her wrist, stopping her and guiding her to the bed, forcing her to sit down.
“Hey, I’m calling the shots—” she said, her voice ending in a muffled groan when his mouth captured hers.
He laid her back, running his hands up her belly to her breasts, kneading and stroking while his tongue explored her mouth. She managed to get hold of him and he froze.
“You have to stop.”
She stroked him again, really getting into the rhythm this time.
He groaned and grabbed her wrist. She tried to resist, but he caught her other hand, brought her wrists together and held them together with one hand. She yanked and twisted and almost got free.
He nibbled her lower lip. “Don’t make me tie you up.”
“Knock it off. You’re getting me excited.”
He drew back to look at her, uncertain about her teasing. A hopeful glint lit his eyes. “You mean we might have a use for my handcuffs?”
She laughed. “Maybe another time.”
He blinked, and she didn’t miss the hint of misgiving in his eyes. What? All she’d said was another time. It wasn’t as if she were asking for a future with him.
The idea rattled her.
“Well, now that you’ve got me,” she said with a mischievous look meant to put him at ease. “Whatever are you going to do with me?”
A slowly sexy smile lifted his lips. “Shock that smirk off your face.” With that, he traced his tongue softly across her throat to her collarbone, then slid down to suckle one nipple and then the other. He raised his head, pleased at her heavy breathing. “What would you like me to do with you?”
Her eyes had drifted closed and her lips parted but she said nothing.
“Maybe something like this?” He fluttered his free hand lower until he reached her opening and slid two fingers into her slick warm wetness.
“Dalton.” She whimpered and tried to bring her thighs together. Too late. He’d staked his territory.
She was so damn wet. So ready. He was the one being teased and tortured. He wanted to be inside of her. Now.
“Dalton?” Her nails dug into the back of his hand. She groaned and arched her back. “Do you have condoms?”
He continued stroking her with his fingers. In his wallet, there had to be a couple.
“You’d better get them,” she panted.
“I don’t need them for what I’m doing.” He trailed the tip of his tongue down to her navel. “What I’m about to do…”
“Dalton, get those damn things now.”
He laughed at the frustration in her voice. “Okay, baby, we have all night to get creative.”
He released her and got up from the bed. Where the hell had he thrown his jeans?”
Cassie watched him dig into his pocket and pull out his wallet. She had never in her entire life been so turned on. If he didn’t hurry, she was going to come just watching him. He had a hell of a great body, and his sexy smile turned her ability to reason to mashed potatoes. His backside was so firm and perfect it made her want to weep.
And the front…his…
She closed her eyes and tried to recall the words to “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” No more teasing. She needed him inside her now. And she wasn’t kidding. He’d have to save his creative energy for later. But right now…
“Hey, Sleeping Beauty.”
She opened her eyes.
Dalton stood at the edge of the bed, his erection still at full mast. “You had me worried.” He stretched out beside her. “I thought I’d put you to sleep.”
She shivered at the intensity of his stare. She sure hoped she knew what she was doing. Shadowy feelings that went deeper than they should had haunted her all day. “Dalton?”
He cupped her cheek, using the pad of his thumb to stroke her skin. His gaze stayed with hers as he waited for her to speak.
“I just wanted to say…that is, I want you to know that tonight is
just tonight.” She bit her lower lip. “Does that make sense?”
He hesitated, and then nodded. “Yes, Cassie. I understand.”
Did he? His expression had shut down and she couldn’t read him. “Kiss me,” she said.
He angled his head and kissed her on the lips, not too lightly and not too hard. The song was right. It was in his kiss. Everything was okay with them.
When he finally pulled away, he asked, “Do you want to put this on me?”
She looked at the foil packet. “You do it.”
He sat up, totally at ease with his body and state of arousal, and tore open the packet.
Just watching him touch himself got her so hot and bothered she feared she’d fall apart as soon as he touched her. He was obviously very skilled at making a woman happy.
“Cassie? You okay?”
She realized she’d been staring, her thoughts wandering. “Impatient, but okay.”
His confident smile made her swallow hard. “Come here.”
She got up on one elbow and leaned toward him.
He shook his head.
Unsure what to do she got up on her knees.
He shifted back a foot and piled both their pillows together behind his back. “Come.”
She moved toward him, hoping he’d give her direction. As soon as she was within arm’s length, he grabbed her waist and urged her to sit astride him. But he didn’t guide himself into her as she thought he might. He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her, parting her lips with his tongue.
His hands moved to her shoulders and then to her breasts.
She reached for him and he jerked, breaking the kiss and trying to stop her from circling him.
She laughed softly. “This goes both ways, honey.”
“Yeah, but you aren’t ready to explode.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Ah, Cassie.” His breathing was ragged, his voice hoarse. “Baby, we better take it slow.”
“Why?”
“Because…hell, I don’t know.”
She positioned herself and slid onto him.
He cried out. Or maybe it had been her. She had no idea.
She stayed motionless a moment, getting used to feel of him inside her. He felt so good, so right tears burned the back of her eyes.
When she finally moved, the earth shifted with her.
DALTON LAY BESIDE Cassie, playing with a strand of her hair while she slept. A slim stream of light coming from the bathroom shone on the right side of her face.
After making love three times, in three different positions, she’d completely worn him out. He had no idea why he wasn’t sound asleep. He should be. Instead of doing what he had no business doing—thinking about after the case. About reasons why he should still see her. Hell, how he could see her.
His job would likely take care of the problem. He traveled so damn much, at least three different cities a month, requiring stays anywhere from one to three weeks.
He liked that about his job. Travel prevented monotony. Kept him out of the office. Away from Higgins and the other suits who made Dalton nuts with their political ambitions and kiss-ass hierarchy and by-the-book preaching. Let them get out in the field and have to live by the letter of the law.
Many of the higher-ups had once been field agents. Caught up in the agency’s politics, they’d forgotten that sometimes survival meant you lived by your wits, that there was no neat and tidy rule that would get you out of a tight spot. Especially one that was life-threatening.
Higgins thought Dalton was the one who was nuts. With his Princeton education and excellent arrest record, Dalton knew he could quickly climb the ranks within the bureau. He simply wasn’t interested.
His parents didn’t understand either. Especially his father who thought Dalton should have a loftier goal. At least they hadn’t paid for his education so they couldn’t claim their money had been wasted. He’d had a full ride, every penny of his tuition had come from either a scholarship or grant.
At one point he’d almost done it, taken a desk job to make Linda happy. But when push came to shove, he couldn’t cave in. How happy could he have made her if he was miserable?
“Dalton?”
Cassie’s sleepy voice penetrated his thoughts. He let go of her hair. “Sorry, honey, did I wake you?”
She turned onto her side and slipped an arm around his middle. “Why are you still awake?”
“I don’t know. I dozed for a while.” He kissed her forehead. Even after their workout she smelled so damn good.
“Go back to sleep. We’ll have to get up in a couple of hours.”
“Maybe.”
He smiled. “Maybe?”
She yawned and nodded. “Maybe we’ll stay in bed all day. I dare anyone to tell us we can’t.”
“Ah, Cass.” He slid down so that she could rest her head on his chest. “What am I going to do with you?”
She lifted her head and looked at him. It was too dark to see her face, but she sounded too serious when she said, “Is that why you’re awake? You’re worrying about what to do with me?”
He didn’t get what she meant at first, and then he sighed. “Don’t start looking for hidden meanings or reading things into what I say.” She stiffened against him, subtly retreating. He brought her close again and hugged her. “I am not worried about what to do with you.”
“Good. You don’t have to be.”
He frowned. What did that mean? He almost laughed out loud at himself. Talk about paranoid. “Let’s both try to get some sleep, okay?”
She swirled her finger through his chest hair. “If you aren’t tired yet…”
“Jesus, Cassie, you trying to put me in intensive care?”
She sighed and patted his chest. “I forgot. You are pushing thirty.”
“Excuse me?”
She erupted into laughter.
He slid his hand between her thighs, immediately finding her heat, and the laughter died.
15
THE NEXT MORNING, while Dalton was in a male-bonding session, Cassie confirmed her appointment to see Bask after dinner. She didn’t tell Dalton. She knew he’d give her a hard time. But seeing if she could get Bask to come on to her had been the original game plan, and since it was a good one, she was sticking to it.
Dalton thought their best avenue was through Simone. Cassie didn’t discount either source. She thought they needed to exhaust all possibilities. And normally, she knew Dalton would agree.
She sighed as she folded her dirty clothes and stuffed them into a plastic laundry bag. Very mixed emotions plagued her over Dalton’s sudden notion that she not try and lure Bask into temptation, so to speak. It was kind of nice that he felt so protective of her, even though he’d deny that was the reason, but that macho knucklehead attitude annoyed her, too. If he believed she was capable of handling her job, then he shouldn’t be worried. Simple.
Sighing again, she sank to the edge of the bed, laid back and stared at the ceiling. Simple, hell. She’d blown it. She wasn’t supposed to have fallen for him. Last night was supposed to have been a job perk. Not a night that replayed in her head so many times it made her dizzy.
So many more qualities than she’d ever imagined made up Dalton Styles. He was smart, funny, considerate, tender and when he was turned on…
She shivered, thinking about how skilled he was at touching a woman’s body, finding just the right spot to drive her insane. How tempted she’d been to ask how many women he’d been with, but of course she hadn’t dared. Not only did the timing stink, but she didn’t want to fuel his worries.
Something was bothering him. She really didn’t think it was regret. In fact, she was the one who had to kick him out of bed and order him into the shower. She smiled thinking of how he’d tried to drag her in with him. Which would never have worked. They’d already practically missed breakfast.
The amazing thing was, she felt so comfortable around him, as if she’d known him for a long time. Some people talked ab
out old souls, and having crossed paths in other lives. She’d never believed any of that stuff. But the familiarity and comfort level they shared had her a little creeped out. In a good kind of way, but still…
Someone knocked at the door and she sprung to a sitting position. Tasha, probably, to tidy the room, but Cassie had already made the bed.
She opened the door, ready to tell Tasha to skip their room, but it was Simone. “Hi.”
“Can I come in?” Simone sniffed, and then dabbed her nose with a tissue. Her eyes were red and puffy.
“Of course.” Cassie stepped aside. “Take the chair. Can I get you some water?”
“No, thanks.” She sat down. “I changed my mind. I would like some water. And would you happen to have an aspirin?”
“I’m sure I do.” Cassie got her a glass of water first and then went into the bathroom to root through her cosmetic bag.
Simone had missed breakfast altogether and it was obvious why. She looked terrible. Either lack of sleep or a hangover had her looking older and more pathetic. Cassie couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the older woman, but what an opportunity. As long as Bask didn’t know where Simone was, Cassie had a great shot at getting some information.
“Here you go.” She held out the bottle of tablets.
Simone shook out three into her palm and downed them with half a glass of water. “Thanks.” She sniffed and then gave Cassie a shaky smile. “You’re probably wondering what the hell I’m doing here.”
“Uh…” Cassie shrugged and sat on the bed. “Yeah, actually I am.”
Simone nibbled on her lower lip, looking hesitant suddenly as she studied the hem of her white cotton shirt. “I shouldn’t have come.”
“Something I said?” Lame remark, but Cassie hoped it would help relax her.
Simone glanced up, a frightened expression tugging at her brows. “Actually, yes.”
“Huh?”
“Yesterday. During our open therapy session. I liked what you said about marriage and partnership and all that.”
“Oh. I meant it.”
“I know. I could tell.” Simone looked down again. “I admire that you know your mind. At your age, hell at my age, I’ve let myself be so easily swayed.”
Hands On Page 16