Page 60 of Raging Inferno

“He’s the suspect in several suspicious fires, all that included fatalities.”

“Oh, hell no. Eddie? I want to say it’s not possible, but the guy is a hothead. I could see him snapping. If I hear from him, I’ll contact Detective Branch.”

“Thanks.” Presley disconnected and called Reggie to fill him in on what she’d learned.

“He seemed like a good guy. I find it hard to believe he set the fires. I didn’t get that vibe from him.”

Wow, Reggie had a hard time trusting anything she told him. “I’ll tell you what, Reggie. Why don’t you call the real Jed Flowers and talk to him?”

“I’m not saying you’re wrong, Presley.”

It sure sounded like it to her. “I won’t bother you again, Reggie.”

“Pres—”

She disconnected and tossed her phone on the side table.

Dominic’s brows were raised.

“What?” she snapped.

“That was a tad harsh. Both your question to me and how you treated Reggie.”

She had barked at Dominic. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take my frustrations out on you. It’s Reggie who deserves my ire. He believes nothing I tell him. He dismisses me.”

“Isn’t his job to be skeptical?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Whose side are you on?”

He lifted his hands. “I didn’t know there were sides. But you. Always.”

Presley’s heart somersaulted in her chest. Right answer.

#

Dominic was having a hard time keeping his hands off Presley. Everything she did turned him on. She was tough, determined, and so damn beautiful he forgot to breathe sometimes. Watching her was quickly becoming his favorite hobby.

Knowing his daughter was safe from harm’s way had eased the pressure in his chest. When the truck had rammed into them last night, his only thought had been to keep the SUV on the road. He hadn’t known sheer panic like that before, and he’d once rushed headfirst into a structure fire with flames licking at his gear to rescue a child. As it was, he’d have nightmares formonths to come, worrying about Gia in the back seat and Presley beside him.

There was no way in hell he would let Presley face the threat alone. She might have a coworker coming to assist, but his job was to protect her or die trying. He could think of several ways he wanted to watch out for her. Most of them involved being naked.

“What?”

Dom shook his head. “I’m sorry?”

“You were staring at me funny.”

He pushed off the couch and stood. Then he removed the laptop from her hands and placed it on the desk. She stared at him with wide blue eyes. Holding out a hand, his breath stalled waiting for her to grasp it. When he felt her soft fingers on his, he knew he wasn’t letting her go.

With a tug, he yanked Presley into his arms. Then he was kissing her. Deep, breath-stealing slides of lips, teeth, and tongues. It was exquisite. She met him every step of the way. Somehow, he maneuvered them through the house, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. Clothes littered the floor like breadcrumbs until they were skin to skin. His hands caressed her sleek muscles. He let out a moan, or she did. He couldn’t wait another minute to make love to her.

With the breathtaking scenery of the lake in the distance, he followed Presley to the feather down mattress. As much as he craved her, he would put his needs aside and do this right. He kissed a path from her mouth, down her neck, and to her breast, taking one turgid nipple in his mouth while tweaking the other with his hand. She wasn’t overly endowed but the perfect size.

Her back arched, and her fingers grasped his head. “So good, Dominic, but there’s time for that later. I need you now.”

She didn’t have to tell him twice. He dug around on the floor for his pants, found a condom in his pocket he’d optimisticallystashed there this morning, donned it, and then he was pushing inside her. Dom’s eyes rolled back in his head. The sensations were nothing like he’d ever experienced before. She was hot, tight, and felt like heaven. He had to stop and revel in the perfection of their joining.

“Dominic?”

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