Page 82 of The Murder Club

“Then what’s bothering you?”

“I was waiting.”

Dom turned, balancing on his elbow as he gazed down at her in confusion. “Did I leave something out?”

“Nothing.” She reached up to brush her fingers along the line of his jaw. “But usually at this point I start to feel awkward.” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not much of a cuddler.”

Dom sensed there was more to her words than an aversion to snuggles. “Why?”

“No matter how much I might like a guy, there’s this awkward part of me that wants to get dressed and put some space between us.”

A portion of Dom’s unease faded. Her tension had nothing to do with him or what had happened between them. Thank God.

“A therapist might see that as a fear of intimacy,” he murmured, bending down to press a lingering kiss against her mouth. “But I’m going to cling to the hope that it’s just because you hadn’t found the right man.”

She pressed her hands flat against his chest, not to push him away but to smooth her palms over his rigid muscles.

“I’m going to agree with you because all I want to do is snuggle with you.”

Dom growled in approval as her fingers teased his hardened nipples. Both of them were going to have to work through the baggage they carried from their past, but the fact that they could openly share their fears was a good start. There was nothing they couldn’t work through if they were honest with each other.

And it didn’t hurt that her light touch was setting him on fire. Passion like this was rare and wonderful.

“You feel as perfect in my arms as I dreamed,” he assured her, his hand cupping the soft weight of her breast as he hardened in anticipation. “This is paradise.” He nuzzled the corner of her mouth, shivering as her hands slid downward. She wanted her fingers wrapped around his arousal, stroking him until . . . His delightful fantasy was rudely interrupted by the buzz of Bailey’s phone. Lifting his head, he glared at the offending object. “And that is the serpent,” he rasped.

Rolling to the side, Bailey reached to grasp the phone, glancing at the screen before sending Dom a rueful grimace.

“It’s Zac.”

Dom ground his teeth. Of course it was Zac. That would be the only person with the power to crush their illusion of being secluded from the world. Resisting the urge to take the phone and toss it across the room, Dom sat up.

“What’s happened?”

Bailey shoved her hair out of her face. “I’m not sure. The text says he’s at his office and he has some information we might be interested in.”

Dom cupped her face in his hands, branding her lips with a fierce kiss before lifting his head to regard her with a grudging resignation.

“As much as I want to stay here with you, I have a feeling we should find out what he has discovered,” he conceded.

She touched her fingers to the center of his chest, directly over his thundering heart.

“Remember this moment. We’ll pick up where we left off later.”

“Not later.” He stole another kiss before speaking against her lips. “Soon. Very soon.”

“Yes.”

They climbed out of bed and Bailey headed for the spare bedroom as Dom hopped in the shower. He intended to try to convince Bailey to move into this bedroom, but for now they were both focused on what Zac had to share with them.

Within less than an hour they were across town and entering the courthouse on Main Street where the sheriff’s department was located. It was five on the dot, but Dom was still surprised to discover how empty the old building felt as they passed through the wide corridor that was lined with heavy wooden doors. The emptiness was only intensified as they crossed the outer office and through an open door at the back.

They entered a large room with a soaring ceiling and wood-planked floors. The furniture was worn but obviously from a time when it was made by hand and built to last. On the far wall there was a line of towering windows that offered a view of downtown Pike, along with the picturesque park that was framed with trees.

It was the sort of office Dom had seen on movie sets for old-time cop shows. Only the monitors that were mounted on the wall over the old wooden filing cabinets ruined the effect.

Turning his head, Dom discovered Zac seated behind a desk that was stacked with files and empty coffee mugs. He was in his uniform, but his hair was tousled, his whiskers darkening his jawline. He looked like a man who’d had a very long day. And wasn’t expecting it to get any shorter.

Glancing up, Zac sent them a weary smile. “Thanks for stopping by. I’m short-staffed, as usual, and I don’t want to leave the office unless I have to.”

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