Page 38 of Wine and Research
She blinked, a little shocked to find she missed the feel of him. That was new. She met his gaze and smiled. “I’d come up with a stronger adjective, but my mind is still too muddled to think straight.”
Pride and satisfaction filled his eyes and tugged a grin onto his talented lips as he traced circles on her shoulder. “How about satiated, fulfilled, content?”
“Those work.” She smiled. “Not that I’m complaining about the muddling, mind you.”
“Neither am I.”
She raised a brow. “You’re muddled too?”
He snorted. “Elle, my mind took a hike the instant you opened the door, dripping wet in a sexy damn bikini.”
“Sorry.” She smiled.
He snorted again. “No, you’re not.”
“I didn’t expect you to stop by.” She lifted a hand to brush the delicious stubble on his jaw with her thumb. “But I’m glad you did.”
“Me, too,” he said, his gaze turning serious. “I wanted to make sure you were okay after that fire. Adrenaline can be tough to deal with.”
Warmth spread through her chest, and it had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with the man.
“Thank you. I appreciate it,” Elle said, meeting his gaze, then she smiled again. “And, well, we dealt it that adrenaline masterfully.”
His finger left her shoulder to trace a line down her breast. “Are you sure?”
Breath hitched in her throat. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“On if you have another condom,” she replied. “Although I’m on the pill and okay with that if you are.”
Words Elle had never uttered before. Never even would’ve considered it, but she’d never been faced with the possibility of missing out oncombustingbecause of the lack of a condom.
He nodded. “Good to know.” Then he glided his finger over her nipple, twice. “But I do have one more.”
She inhaled at his touch and his words, as heat skittered through her belly. “Then it appears I was wrong. Seems there’s a little bit more adrenaline lingering after all.” She ran a hand down his warm, hard chest. “Is that something you can take care of, Officer Mercer?”
Heat entered his gaze. “Well, now, that depends.”
“On what?” she asked, repeating his early question.
“On if you’re going to come quietly…or loudly.”
Her heart rocked hard in her chest. “That’s going to depend entirely on you, Officer.”
His erection stirred to life against her leg, and he smiled. “Loud it is, then.”
Chapter Twelve
The next afternoon, Jeremy was in between calls when his mind drifted back to Elle and the sleepy, satiated look on her face as he left her cabin last night.
A look he’d put on her face.
Not for the first time that day, a smile twitched his lips.
Good thing he was alone in the car on his way back to the station. He needed to get it together before he met Nico and Scott at the gym after work later. Those two didn’t miss a trick, and ever since Elle had rocked his world yesterday, he was having trouble keeping a damn grin off his face.
She’d been open and honest and sexy as hell, answering the door in the skimpy bikini that barely concealed her wet curves.
