by Lorie O
“What the hell are you wearing?” she asked, and then yanked on his shirt to see for herself. “Body armor,” she growled. “You aren’t playing fair.”
“Want to try it on?” he said, sounding amused. His dark eyes flashed with emotions she wasn’t sure she wanted to decipher at the moment.
She hated body armor. It weighed half a ton and itched. “No thanks,” she said dryly.
Kylie wasn’t paying attention to the drama show on TV, but when it cut to commercial and a news brief started playing she froze, her attention snapping to the screen.
“Earlier tonight, Rita Simoli, a seventeen-year-old junior at Mission High, disappeared from this parking lot,” a pretty young woman began, holding a microphone to her mouth as she stared seriously at the camera. “Investigators have confirmed she was chatting with a boy on the Internet that she didn’t know, whose name is currently not being released, and agreed to meet here after the grocery store closed.”
Perry lifted her, and himself, and resituated them on the couch, pulling Kylie onto his lap. She was so wrapped up in the reporter’s story she didn’t realize her arm rested on Perry’s shoulder, or his hand on her upper thigh, until he had them comfortable. His expression was blank and almost cruel looking as he focused on the set.
“The Simolis, owners of a restaurant here in town, are offering a large reward for the return of their daughter, alive and well. But beyond that, they’ve arranged to have meetings at their restaurant for parents of other girls who’ve disappeared in the Kansas City area over the past year. Apparently the number is quite high, and shocking to this reporter that the local law enforcement have kept this so quiet when we obviously have a serial rapist and murderer on our hands. Last October, Maura Reynolds, a sixteen-year-old who lived right here in Mission Hills, was found dead, raped, and beaten. The situation surrounding her murder is so similar to Rita Simoli’s, it’s eerie. Both girls chatted with a boy on the Internet, agreed to meet him, and then disappeared.” The reporter looked at the camera, disgusted. “I don’t know about you, Mark, but if I had a teenage daughter, I wouldn’t let her chat with anyone on the Internet right now.”
The scene switched to Mark, an older reporter sitting in the newsroom. “At least don’t let them chat with anyone they haven’t already met.” He stared at the camera with a serious, remorseful expression. “Take time to learn the screen names of your children’s friends, and make sure you know everyone they are talking to,” he suggested.
Perry blew out a heavy sigh and then followed it up with several expletives. “Just what I fucking need,” he said, his voice rumbling in his chest.
Kylie wasn’t sure she had the strength to keep from adding a few words to show her reaction to the idiot reporter who’d just made her job ten times harder than it had been. She would need one hell of a good song and dance now to meet Peter on Thursday. He’d assume she’d be under lockdown after that newscast, which every teenage girl should be until Kylie got the bastard behind bars. But now he’d hide in the shadows even more, and be twice as careful about meeting anyone. Prove too easy or eager and he’d get suspicious, especially knowing the cops were on his ass with recorded chats.
“And obviously I need a better security system.” She hated changing the subject. More than anything, sympathizing and having a good rant over media interference hindering investigations sounded a hell of a lot like better conversation than creating a beef with Perry for displaying his abilities to break into her home.
She pushed away from him, but Perry tightened his grip, pulling her to him and then leaning over her. She was forced back on the couch, her legs intertwined with his and his dark, brooding expression inches from hers.
“I’m answering for every move I make these days. I have a perfect track record, and don’t deserve the treatment I’m getting,” he whispered, his mouth so damn close to hers and his eyes a blur of animosity and lust. “Tonight I arrive at a crime scene only to find out the FBI stepped in and scoured the place before I could get there.”
“I’m sorry,” she offered, meaning it in more ways than she could let him know.
“Breaking into your home wasn’t premeditated. But when I got here, and already knowing those cameras were installed outside your home, I decided to see how well you have yourself protected. Why monitor the front of your house and not the back side?”
“I live alone. Duh,” she said, narrowing her gaze on him. There wasn’t any point despising not being able to tell him the truth. This was her life, her job, all that she lived and breathed for. That wasn’t going to change-ever. “When I can afford it, I’ll install more equipment in the backyard. But for now, it’s a safety precaution.” She couldn’t tell him the cameras were there to record whoever she had over, and not for protection.
“Then get a dog.”
“Sometimes using something that only requires double A’s proves a lot less complicated,” she said, and watched his expression darken until it looked as though a thunderhead was ready to explode.
“And maybe something living and breathing would require you admitting that sometimes you need someone else to take care of you.” His tone was bitter, challenging.
She bristled under the implications.
Perry lowered his mouth to hers, gentle at first, but then his demands grew, his actions intensifying, until she was panting underneath him and dragging her nails over his shoulders.
“You’re starting to get under my skin, darling,” he whispered, and continued kissing her.
She was drowning in him, every inch of her tumbling in a whirlwind of lust and need. It was an odd sensation, and one that wasn’t completely unpleasant. But when she finally was able to gulp in a breath of air, desperately trying to clear the fog overwhelming her brain, the urgency to ground herself became overwhelming. It would be too damn easy to lose herself in a relationship with this man.
“You’re just horny,” she said, her voice raspy.
Perry lifted his head, staring down at her as if she’d just said something ridiculous. “Are you trying to tell me you feel nothing for me at all?”
As many times as she’d done it during previous assignments, she hated him cornering her, especially when it forced her to lie. She bit her lip, using the pain to harden her heart. “I’m sure you’re a very good cop.”
His expression changed, creating a painful sensation that ripped through her heart as if he’d just stabbed her. Kylie couldn’t breathe and, worse yet, couldn’t look away from him.
“A good cop,” he repeated dryly. “That’s all you think of me?”
“I’ve been too busy working on my thesis to give it much thought,” she lied, her mouth suddenly so dry she could barely get the words out.
“You keep lying to me and I promise, I’m going to bend you over my knee and spank that perfect ass of yours,” he growled into her mouth.
A moment too late she remembered the cameras were on and recording all of their actions and everything they said to each other. Not to mention sending live feed into the field office. Maybe the fact that no one came running to her door when they attacked each other proved no one was watching right now. Or possibly she put on such a good show they were waiting for the finale.
“You lay a hand on my ass and I swear I’ll be spanking you right back,” she snarled, making sure to keep her voice to a very soft whisper.
Perry lifted her like a rag doll, moving with skills that put all of her training to the test. She was facedown on the couch, unable to outstrengthen him when his hand hit her rear end, creating a cracking sound that forced her pussy to tighten in reaction. The instant warmth that spread over her rear end created a pressure inside her. All of the training she had was no match for the lust Perry ignited inside her in moments.
“Damn it,” she cried out, pushing herself to her knees before turning and scowling at him over her shoulder. “You are going to pay for that, Perry. Trust me on that one.”
“Tell me the truth and it won’t happen
again.”
“Stop it, Perry.” She jumped off him and managed to stabilize her footing before stumbling over her own coffee table. Lord, wouldn’t that add humorous undertones to the sexual foreplay at least one agent was possibly enjoying the hell out of at this very moment. If Paul made one crack to her about this, she’d kick his ass.
Perry was pushing her into dangerous territory. Her best move was to get them onto a different subject, one where she wouldn’t have to lie so much it cut her to the core. “Tell me how you got into my home.”
Perry stood and then pulled off his T-shirt. The body armor was strapped like a girdle around his chest. “Through the window by your kitchen table,” he said, thumbing in the direction of the kitchen. “Want to give me a hand with this?”
Kylie crossed her arms, damned if she would record herself helping Perry out of body armor. Even worse, touching him right now would be a serious mistake when her insides were pulsing with need so great it was all she could do to maintain her distance.
“So you climb through my kitchen window. And all because my security system gives you a complex?”
“I didn’t feel like knocking.” He realized she wasn’t going to help him and managed to work his way out of the suit himself.
“Cut the crap.” She kept her arms crossed, holding herself, while watching him struggle until the heavy, thick body protection was finally free of his body. It was imperative she keep the upper hand, reprimand him for breaking in, and remain focused-on the conversation and not his suddenly bare chest. “You’re a cop, not a criminal.”
“A good cop knows the minds, methods, and how to act like a criminal,” he told her, his voice low and compelling.
She closed her eyes, all too aware what he said was true. Again, singing his praises for getting past one hell of an advanced security system sounded a hell of a lot more appealing than reprimanding him for doing it.
“Nonetheless, what you did was wrong,” she said quietly.
Even with her eyes closed, she heard him approach and stepped backward as she opened her eyes and focused on him quickly. He wrapped his arms around her waist, a relaxed hold this time, and one she could pull free of if she wished. Or at least that was the impression he offered. When she uncrossed her arms, her hands brushed over his bare chest. The heat from his body, his slightly moist flesh, and that perfect spray of chest hair tortured her fingertips worse than she imagined it could.
“I have as much of a problem with a camera spying on me when I want to come see you as I do with your unwillingness to admit you want to see me as much as I want to see you.”
There was no way she could comment. It hurt too much lying to him. Sucking in a deep breath didn’t do a thing to calm her frazzled nerves. “Then maybe if you called before showing up, I could turn it off just to appease your male ego.” She was proud of her flippant tone but couldn’t move her gaze from her fingers, which were stretched over roped muscle.
“Where’s the fun in that?” he growled.
She shouldn’t have looked up. But she did. And immediately drowned in those incredible dark green eyes that swarmed with all the emotions she was feeling. She was sure of it. She saw in Perry what she experienced inside her soul. Most definitely lust. But there was another emotion, darker, primal, unexplored. And it had surfaced in him the same way it simmered inside her. Maybe it was curiosity, or a mutual fascination, a craving to explore and learn more about not only each other’s bodies but minds and hearts as well.
“I was informed today that you weren’t attending dinner at my sister’s tomorrow night.”
“So was I.”
“I see.” That emotion she couldn’t label seemed to grow, dilating his pupils and making his hands, which rested on the small of her back, feel hotter the longer they rested there. “So you didn’t cancel. I wonder what Dani is up to.”
“She’s jealous.” Kylie didn’t mean to let that slip out and lowered her gaze. Staring at his muscular chest didn’t help clear her thoughts much.
“Jealous? Of you… being with me?” He paused for a moment, but his arm muscles twitched as if he anticipated her moving and didn’t want her going anywhere. “Interesting. I guess none of my nieces have ever seen me with another woman.”
“At least you have enough manners to keep them away from your family.”
His low baritone sent chills rushing over her flesh when he chuckled. And she didn’t like the twang of regret when he moved his hands from her back. He continued touching her, though, resting one hand on her shoulder and using the knuckles with his other hand to tilt her chin until her gaze returned to his. “They don’t see women with me because I don’t date.”
“Don’t let me disturb your routine.” Kylie needed space and pushed away from him.
“Too late,” he growled, pulling her back into his arms. He captured her mouth again, his method of attack proving a lot stronger than her ability to fight back.
Kylie wasn’t sure how long she’d been returning the kiss, leaning into him with her arms wrapped around his neck and making a feast of him. But a ringing in the background brought her to her senses and made her realize she’d completely surrendered and devoured all he offered.
She quit standing on tiptoes, which ended the intensity of the kiss.
“Who would be calling you after midnight?” Perry growled into her mouth, his question even more proof of how possessive he would be.
That is, if she accepted him as a lover. Which wasn’t an option, not to mention, if he learned the secret she kept from him, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her anyway.
“I don’t know,” she said, pushing away from him and hurrying down her hall. She was pretty sure she knew who was calling and had even less doubt why he was calling. “I’ll be right back,” she called over her shoulder.
As she scooped her phone off her desk in her middle bedroom, frustration and embarrassment made her angry. Part of her believed she’d be smarter to let it go to voice mail. But that would lead to another slap on the wrist from John in the morning. The screen said: Paul’s Desk Phone, and she answered the call, dreading the chastising she was about to receive.
“Hello.”
“Sorry to interrupt,” Paul said, his tone not half as amused sounding as she’d anticipated it being.
“I’m sure you are,” she said, rubbing her brow.
“You need to send lover boy packing,” Paul said. “We’ve got a situation.”
Kylie turned to shut the bedroom door and froze. Perry stood in the doorway, his arms crossed, looking larger than life as he took in the contents of the room. As she turned away from him, realizing how pointless it would be to send him back to the living room now, her irritability grew.
“That’s fine, sweetheart,” she said, confident her voice sounded calmer than she felt. “You did the right thing. Can we talk about it more tomorrow?”
“He can hear you, can’t he?” Paul asked.
“Yes, I do, and that’s fine.”
“Call me back once you’re clear.”
“Okay, bye-bye.”
Kylie stared into Perry’s exceptionally dark eyes as she closed her phone and then gripped it in her damp palm. Suddenly knowing Paul watched Perry kiss her didn’t matter as much as trying to figure out the best way to handle Perry now.
“Tell me that wasn’t my niece,” he growled.
Kylie blinked, and whatever expression he caught on her face relaxed his features somewhat. He started toward her, but Kylie met him before he could walk all the way into the room.
“That wasn’t your niece, although I’m not sure what to do about her.” Keeping the topic on Dani was safer territory than any other direction it might wander. Kylie pressed her hand against his chest, but he didn’t budge. She needed to get him out of this room. “There are other teenagers I’m talking to, Perry. And regardless of how you may feel about it, some of them are starting to view me as a mentor.”
“Regardless of how I might feel about
it?” he asked, his tone turning dark as he looked past her at the contents of the room. “That implies my thoughts don’t matter to you and I doubt you’ve forgotten already what will happen if you lie to me.”
She didn’t like his tone, not at all. She hated even worse how his deep baritone sent chills rushing over her flesh and created a quickening in her womb.
“I don’t like being manhandled.”
Perry grabbed her, lifting her into his arms. “There’s a difference between being manhandled and receiving attention.”
“Being spanked is receiving attention?” She pushed her hands down on his shoulders, twisting in his arms and trying to slide down his front to the floor. There was no way in hell she’d let him know how turned on she got from that spanking.
“Being spanked can be many things,” he whispered, allowing her to slide down his body but then cupping her ass. “It can be erotic, heightening pleasure that I know you already enjoy.”
“Yet you imply it’s a punishment. And since you don’t own me, aren’t training me in any way, there is no reason for punishment.”
“Let’s just say I’m getting your attention.” His hands moved over her rear end, and then he squeezed, lifting and spreading her open. “And that I love the way your eyes glow and your cheeks flush whenever I suggest taking my hand to your ass.”
“Maybe we should find out what look you get on your face if you’re spanked.”
“That is something you’ll never know,” he grumbled.
“And why is that? Is your machoism simply a cover for lack of self-esteem?” she challenged. “Maybe you really are trying to be just another one of those dominating wannabes who don’t have the strength within themselves to take in what they dish out.”
“And maybe I simply am macho. Maybe my inner strength is one hundred percent male and I believe with all my heart and soul that I am the protector and you are the one to be protected and cherished.”
“If you think I don’t have what it takes to protect myself, Perry, you can go to hell. Now back up and get out of this room,” she hissed, having had just about enough of his “I’m the man” crap. “I’ll have you know that I’ve taken care of myself very nicely for twenty-seven years.”