Page 42 of False Evidence

JT picked up his champagne flute and downed it in one long gulp. He set the glass aside, stood, then reached out a hand, pulling her to her feet.

With a finger beneath her chin, he turned her face up to his. Barefoot, she was a few inches shorter than his six feet. He held her gaze for a long moment, seeing desire, hope, and, hidden beneath the more obvious emotions, he saw fear.

Fear of what almost happened, or fear he would reject her?

He would never reject her. But he also couldn’t take her up on her offer, not if he ever hoped for more with this woman.

He lowered his mouth to hers. He licked at the seam of her lips, and she opened for him. She tasted of pumpkin and chocolate and champagne. Even if he never saw her again, he’d bet he would always associate those flavors with her.

He left her mouth to run his tongue over her collarbone. Up her neck. Below her ear.

She whimpered and pulled him close. His arm around her waist tightened. His heavy erection pressed into her belly. He moved his arm lower, scooping her up so his cock met her center as the robe split and she wrapped her legs around his hips.

“Damn, Muffin. I want to be inside you.”

“I have condoms. I bought them in the lobby on my way to the room.”

Shit. He couldn’t do this. His plan to kiss her to show it wasn’t a rejection had backfired. He hadn’t guessed how quickly things could get out of hand.

“Tell me one thing. If I fuck you tonight, am I ever going to see you again?”

She stiffened against him, then wriggled until he shifted, lowering her feet to the ground. They stood chest to chest. She tucked her face in his neck.

“Fuck,” she whispered.

“I take it that’s a no.”

She raised her head but didn’t meet his gaze. “I—I can’t. I don’t have time to date. I don’twantto date. Just fuck me. Let me feel in control. Then we’ll part ways with good memories to drown out what could have happened.”

“I won’t be satisfied with a nameless, shameless fuck. Don’t get me wrong. I would love every minute of it and would make sure you did too. But that’s not what I want. I wantyou.”

“How could you? You don’t know me.”

“No. But I want to know you. And if we do this now, tonight, I’ll be part of your processing trauma and putting it behind you. But then you’ll need to putmebehind you too.”

She stepped back from him, pulled the sides of her robe back together, and cinched the belt. “I’mnottraumatized.”

“Muffin.” The name felt awkward, but it was all he had. “Your date booked a hotel room, slipped something into your drink, and then cajoled you into taking a drink, which you would have done if we hadn’t been there to stop you. He would have then taken you to this very room and assaulted you.

“Even though it didn’t happen, it’s a fucking nightmare scenario that was aided by your roommate and her date, who convinced you to go to the party with Russ Spaulding. Physically, you’re fine, but you can’t tell me you don’t feel the pain in your gut. The fear. The what-ifs.Ifeel it. I want to go to the hotel gym and punch the fuck out of the heavy bags. And the adrenaline of it all means I want to fuck you. Desperately. But if I let you usemeas your punching bag, or your fuck-and-forget friend, then I can’t be part of your healing later.”

Her face crumpled then, and she let out a shriek.

He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. Her fists thumped on his chest, but not with a force meant to hurt. “Damn you. I wasfine. I was going to get laid by this hot man who saved me from a monster. And then I was going to leave this hotel room whole.”

He rubbed her back as she wound down and slumped against him.

He stroked her hair, marveling at the soft feel of it between his fingers. “It’s not that simple, sweetheart. You’ll have to face him in a courtroom. His attorneys will claim you wanted the drug, that you use it as an aphrodisiac. They’ll get his friend who set you up to confirm that you asked for it. This is only the beginning. I’d rather be there for you down the line than do something now that will make me part of the nightmare.”

She pulled back and met his gaze. Her eyes were damp. “Have you considered I might not want you with me later?”

“Of course. But I hope you give me a chance.” He stroked her cheek. “Dinner, Sunday?”

“I told you. I don’t have time to date.”

“What I overheard indicated you’re a student. Grad school?”

She nodded.

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