Page 70 of Feel Me

She laughs, her eyes brimming with tears. “Is this why you stopped by on Christmas?”

“It was one of the reasons,” I admit.

She tilts her head.

“I missed you,” I confess. “And wanted to see you.”

She’d taken almost two weeks’ vacation during the holidays to spend time with her father. She was out for a run when I stopped by. I couldn’t stand to not see her on Christmas, but she was gone for a long time and my family was expecting me. With Miles as sick as he seemed, I think she needed an avenue to work out her stress. I don’t tell her I drove around trying to find her. But that’s exactly what I did.

“I have to go,” she says. She places the necklace over her head, pausing to clutch the locket against her chest, her eyes shimmering. “Thank you for the beautiful gift, and for the memory.”

I push away from the desk when she rises and lifts the box away. She wanted space, and I gave it to her. But enough is enough. I whip her around before she reaches the door, kissing her deep.

Her body melts against mine, her mouth hot as my tongue slides in.

I used to rip into Curran for his lack of professional behavior around Tess, not understanding how the hell he couldn’t control himself. But as my hands graze down Melissa’s back to grip her ass, I get it. Damn it, I’ve been lost without her.

She doesn’t fight me, her fingers gliding through my hair as our kiss turns frantic and my fingers knead her curves.

I’m briefly aware of the jewelry case falling on the floor, and of the knock at the door. But I can’t stop and neither can she.

It’s only when the door swings open that we break away.

My hands slide to her waist, but I refuse to let her go.

“Oh,” Stephanie says. “Am I interrupting?”

She knows she is, and she’s pissed about it. I’ve turned her down the last few times she’s offered to come to my apartment and “help me with my cases” and warned her she needs to spend more time at her desk.

“What do you need, Stephanie?” I ask, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

She shoots Melissa one hell of a glare. “Detective Melo was looking for you.”

“Detective Melo was just here,” I grind out. “He knows where I am, and how to reach me. Don’t ever barge in here again, and watch your attitude around Melissa.”

“My apologies,” she says with a fixed smile she doesn’t mean. “Sorry for interrupting,”

Mel turns away as Stephanie walks out in a huff. Although I can’t see her face, I know she’s smiling. “I should go,” she says.

“No,” I tell her. “You should be with me.”

I kiss her neck, making her shudder. “The governor is endorsing me for D.A. at the ball on Saturday,” I whisper between flicks of my tongue. “I know you’re going. I want you with me.”

“As friends?” she stammers. She ignores what I’m doing, even though it’s taking everything I have not to pull up her dress.

My hands wandering back to her ass. “No.”

“People will think there’s something between us,” she says.

She gasps as I nibble the base of her throat. “Are you kidding?” I mutter. “They’ll know the moment Stephanie opens her trap.”

She laughs, angling around to kiss me like we haven’t been apart. Shit. It’s taking all I have not to slip my hand between her legs.

Our kiss grows more heated, leaving us panting as she pulls away. “I’ll go with you,” she says. “But I’m not making any promises.”

“I’m not expecting anything,” I tell her, lying to her face.

The limo hugs the curb. I adjust the tie to my black tux as the driver lowers the window separating the cabin from the front. “Would you like me to escort the young lady to the vehicle?” he asks.

---