Page 72 of Exposé

My heart skipped as his fingers tucked around the nape of my neck and pulled me close, his lips pressing against my forehead.

"Same here."

He gazed down at me. "Is this a date?"

My butt hit the side of my car as he leaned in, his thumb rubbing against my cheek. "Dates..." I breathed out and wet my lips, "are intentional. This was a happy accident."

"Good to know."

His mouth drew closer, and I pushed my chin up to meet his in a slow, sensuous kiss, our tongues sliding together, teeth nipping.

My skin tightened, the scent of his cologne causing a rush of comfort throughout my body.

I pulled away with a soft laugh, my hands dropping to his chest. "I'm going to get home." I hid my smile for a moment longer, then glanced up at him with a straight face and hot cheeks. "I'll see you on Sunday."

"See you then." He pinched my chin between his thumb and forefinger, then pressed a goodbye kiss to my lips and stepped back, yanking my heart along with him.

God, he's good.

What if he's too good?

14

Ava

Iheld the little white pill in my fingers as I leaned back in my chair, my feet propped up on my desk, rolling it back and forth. "And you're sure he can do this off the books?"

Aria nodded, her legs crossed as she twisted her desk chair in my cubicle opening. "Do you remember the story I did about the toxic fluids seeping into the water supply, and HydroDynamics refused to acknowledge it?"

Sucking in a breath, I put the little pill back into the baggy and stuffed it in my pocket with a nod. "Yep."

"He was the chemist who tested the water for me." She pulled out her phone. "I'll beam you his number, but he already knows you're coming."

"Thanks."

"What are you expecting to find?" She dropped her phone onto her.

I shrugged. "I don't know. A signed confession and a finger pointing towhodunnitwould be nice."

Aria snorted and spun her chair away. "Good luck with that." When her chair made a full circle, she stopped, her foot hitting the ground as she leaned in. "So what happened with Mr. Smoking Hot last night?"

I shrugged, heat slapping my cheeks. "Nothing. RPD came in, and people went scattering."

"No kidding?"

Cocking my head to the side, I dropped my feet from my desk, knocking my paperclips to the ground with a clatter. "Dammit."

Aria and I dropped to our knees, picking up the multicolored paper clips and putting them back into the small container.

"Okay, but, like, what happened?"

We kissed under the stars like in some Hallmark movie.

"Nothing. We ran. I can't afford a possession charge."

She dropped a handful into the plastic container with a flower I'd etched into it one late night. "Then maybe you should stop bringing the drug out into the open."

"I can't help it."I almost put the damn thing in my mouth."It's crazy to me that this tiny little drug can cause so much havoc."

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