Page 83 of Shadow Dance

“She was my first, but I didn't find out until later that I wasn't hers.”

“And that upset you?”

I shake my head. “No, I just didn’t like that she’d lied about it.”

“That is kinda weird,” she agrees. “Were you a jock type? Or geeky, or what?”

“I was just average.” The light up ahead turns red and I drift to a stop. “I didn’t really hit my stride until college.”

A mock serious expression falls over her face. “And is that when you become a slut?”

I squeeze her high on the thigh, enjoying the way her lips part. “Not a saint, but never a slut.”

“I don't know,” she says, resting her hand on mine. “You’re kind of a saint to me.”

We grab lunch from a taco shop in San Francisco. There are plenty of them all over the Bay, but this one is especially good and I’ve been wanting to bring Maeve. We hold our breath as we cross the Bay Bridge, making it as far as Treasure Island before Maeve starts accusing me of cheating. Which, I was. But so was she.

Back in the East Bay, we drive up into the hills until we find a secluded spot way off in the cut. It’s nestled in the trees and remote enough that I feel safe with Maeve.

She sits on the hood of the car while we talk and eat loads of messy, delicious tacos. I finish before she does, and after we’ve cleaned up with napkins and washed everything down with Mexican Coke, we fall silent, letting the forest sounds of trees rustling, birdsong, and little animals replace our chatter.

I glance at Maeve. She’s got her eyes closed now, her delicate face turned toward the sky. Pretty soon this will all be a memory. Maeve will be safe, and I’ll be long gone, maybe preparing for another case. I hope she finds someone that can make her happy. She deserves it, this brave, pretty girl. Her eyes drift open, and she catches me staring.

The short, gray sweater dress and thigh-high socks she’s wearinghave been my undoing since we left the house. Parting her thighs with my fingertips, I step between her legs. “Hi.”

Her mouth quirks up a little. “Hi.”

I slide my hands up the warm skin of her thighs just a little and she shivers. “Back to wearing clothing that isn’t warm enough, I see,” I say, my touch turning into a tickle.

She tries to squirm away, but I hold on tight, pulling her closer to the edge.

“This is warm enough,” she protests, laughing. “And besides, your hood’s nice and hot. It’s been keeping my butt toasty.”

“Yourhood’s nice and hot,” I say in a low voice, running my hands up and down her thighs. Her skin is so soft.

Maeve’s mouth drops open. “Are you being a perv?”

“Never.” I stare into those emerald green eyes, committing them to memory. I’ve never seen eyes like hers and I doubt I’ll ever see them again.

“I used to think about you, sometimes.” Her lashes flutter as she looks down. “When I was with Callum. I’d … fantasize.”

I rub my hands up and down her thighs. “I used to think about you, too.”

She looks up quickly. “When you were with other girls?”

I dip my chin, giving her a small smirk. “What did you fantasize about?”

“About being with you. The way we were at Wolf’s.”

“What else?” I ask, brushing my thumbs back and forth over her skin.

“I imagined you kissing me.” Maeve swallows, her lips parting again, her eyes hazy. She’s aroused. “Everywhere.”

Sliding my hands beneath her knees, I wrap her legs around me and kiss her. It’s a slow, lingering kiss, my tongue gliding against hers like we have all the time in the world. Her fingers twine into my hair, like they always do, and I reach beneath her dress, fingering the lace on her underwear.

“Whatcha doing?” she whispers, smiling against my lips.

I lower her down so she’s lying flat and set her heels on the edge of the hood. Leaning down, I hook her panties to the side and kiss her clit.She giggles, her knees drawing in as she whispers my name, but I spread them again and begin to lick every part of her.

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