Page 21 of Mike

“You’re a…female?”

Not the response she’d imagined.

“Last time I looked,” Joe chuckled darkly. “Now do you want to move out slowly, or do I have to come in there and drag you out of your hidey-hole.”

“Seriously?” the voice righted itself and scoffed. “You and what tactical unit?”

Joelle’s returning laugh was real. She had no idea that dimwit Cameron was so funny. “You really want to test me? Find out what I’m capable of?”

There was a grunt. “Well, to be fair, I guess if I decide to engage, I should tie one hand behind my back.”

“I see. So, you’re delusional as well as criminal,” Joe scoffed with humor. “Good to know.”

As much as she was oddly enjoying the exchange, she was tired of waiting, and Drambuie, she needed to get some antiseptic on her still stinging cut before it became infected. “I’m counting to three, then I’m coming in for you. One…two…” Of course, she moved before she got to three, and?—

Jeeebus!

She leaped low as her target rolled right, their bodies colliding at the edge of the truck’s frame. Joe ended up underneath the guy, and instinct kicked in. She slammed her attacker’s head up onto the metal edge of the undercarriage, getting a loud growl in return for her effort. She also saw the man’s arm cock back to bash her in the head, which she readied to counter when?—

“Fucking hell. It’s you.” A deep voice hissed from above her.

Joe turned her focus from the poised fist to the face hovering over hers, and…

“Cripes on a cadaver. Get the hell off me, Mike.” Joelle dropped the gun still clutched in her hand, ramping her danger level down from nuclear retaliation, to Defcon four.

Mike narrowed his eyes at the tossed weapon, then lowered his fighting arm, but otherwise didn’t move.

“How do you know my name?” he countered suspiciously, then inadvertently snorted. “And who moves on the count of two?”

Joelle relaxed, beginning to enjoy herself. Not only was the body she’d been dreaming about for two nights pinning her to the ground, she absolutely adored a man who could tease in the middle of a fight.

“You also went on two, apse-scroll,” she pointed out.

He grinned, and all his lovely white teeth showed. “Apse-scroll?”

“It’s a long story,” Joe dismissed. “Now ‘fess up. why did you go on two?”

“Because that’s what I’ve been taught to do,” he replied, his tone reasonable.

“Me, too,” Joelle confirmed, getting comfortable beneath the large, warm body, pinning her to the dirt. Wiggling a little as she settled in.

And…

Should she waste a perfectly good opportunity? There was only one answer.

Helix, no. She raised her hips where they were lodged under Mike’s, and…bingo. Houston, we have interest. The man began launching an impressive stiffy.

“Shit. You’re not playing fair,” Mike rasped, but didn’t move away.

“Don’t let that worry you,” Joelle replied, rolling her pelvis again. “I’m about to up the ante.” Without wasting a moment thinking about whether it was right or wrong, Joe raised her head toward his and slammed her lips onto Mike’s, moaning deep in her throat as he not only didn’t back off, but leaned in and gave her as good as he was getting.

Yummm….

A first-class kisser.

His mouth wasn’t too dry, it wasn’t too wet, he tasted like candy and he worked his lips like a pro. He knew just when to nip, when to feint, and when to go in for the kill, using his tongue in a way that stole Joe’s breath.

Yes. This was what she’d been fantasizing about from the moment she’d seen the man all hot and almost-sweaty at the gym. And speaking of sweaty, the man was currently emitting some…decidedly manly odors that meant he’d been working out. Hard. But instead of being repulsed, Joe was drawn to his au naturale musk, and once she disengaged from his mouth, her nose went questing to his neckline where she took a good long sniff.

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