Page 21 of Dark Terror
“It’s okay, Cara. You’re safe.” And she felt good in his arms. Too damn good. She lifted her face, those gold-flecked eyes capturing his, holding them prisoner. As a patrol cop he’d left his car in the middle of a storm to rescue a dog that had been wandering on the highway, causing cars to swerve. Lightening had struck close enough that he’d felt the current flow through him. He felt that same thing now as sparks seemed to crackle in the air between them. His gaze fell to her mouth, his only thought that he had to kiss her.
He lowered his face until their lips were only inches apart, pausing to give her time to tell him to stop. Or slap his face if that seemed the appropriate response to her. Instead her lips parted and her eyes darkened, the gold flecks in them shimmering like a beacon to lead his way.
“Okay then,” he murmured right before he covered her mouth with his. Their tongues met, tasted, stroked, and tangled together as if needing to be forever fused. When she sighed, telling him she was experiencing the same pure pleasure as him, he knew he was lost. He trailed his hands down her back to her lower spine. As much as he wanted them even lower, he still had enough use of his brain to know that it was too soon to take that kind of liberty.
Or maybe not, he thought when she arched her hips up, pressing against his erection. He hadn’t wanted a woman this badly since… hell, he couldn’t remember since when. She moaned into his mouth, and he wanted her under him, needed to be inside her, to feel her hands on his fevered skin. He scooped her up, fully intending to carry her straight to her bedroom.
The sound of a dog barking in the distance penetrated his lust-filled brain, and he dropped her legs, letting them slide down to the floor. Christ, he’d forgotten they were standing on her porch where anyone driving by—like Connie or Masuka— could see them. He wasn’t a risk-taker, didn’t do things that would jeopardize his job. Things like kiss a witness, no matter how much he wanted to.
He stepped back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Yeah, that was a mistake,” she said, her gaze on the porch floor.
It was, so why didn’t it feel like it? Because nothing in his life had felt as right as having her in his arms. Even so, he shut down the voice in his head that said kissing Cara Jenner wasnota mistake.
Chapter Eight
Cara wanted the porch floor to open up and swallow her. She felt safe with Gabe, and she’d been so happy to see him that she’d thrown herself at him. Although her intention hadn’t been to attack his mouth, that was what she’d done. So mortifying.
“Let’s go inside,” he said.
“Yeah, sure.” He followed her in, and Cricket ran up to him, his tail happily wagging.
“Hey there, little dog.” He bent over, giving Cricket a chin scratch, then straightened up. “Officer Masuka said you have a photo on your phone of the man?”
Right to business then. A part of her wanted to apologize for assaulting him, but she didn’t regret kissing him. And he had participated, so it wasn’t all on her. She’d never been kissed like that, not even by Jeremy, and she’d thought they were in love. For the few minutes she’d been in Gabe’s arms, she’d finally understood what it meant to be possessed and devoured by a man. She was afraid he’d set the bar high for any man following him, and she wasn’t happy about that.
Her phone was on the coffee table, and she picked it up, scrolled to the picture with the man in it, then handed it to him. “Other than proving there was really a man in my bushes, I don’t think it will be much help. You can’t see his features.”
He scowled as he studied the screen. “That’s unfortunate, but I still need to send it to the lab guys. Maybe they can enhance it enough to learn something. I’m going to send this to my phone, okay?”
“Sure.” While he was here, she was safe. She glanced around, looking for a reason to get him to stay a little longer. “You want something to drink? Coffee or maybe a beer?”
“No, thanks.” He handed her the phone. “You need to pack a bag.”
“Because?”
His look implied that she was stupid for asking. “You’re not staying here. That photo proves that he knows where you live, so it’s not safe.”
“Can’t argue with that.” She glanced down at Cricket. “Know any hotels that allow dogs?”
“You’re not staying in a hotel alone.”
She frowned. “Who knew you were so bossy? I’m not putting any of my friends in danger, so don’t even ask which one you can dump me on.”
“Bossy, huh?” One corner of his lips twitched.
“No one ever told you that before?” She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes. “Your mother, a girlfriend, the cops you work with? Surely they aren’t all so dazzled by you that they’re blind to your faults.”
A wide smile appeared on his face, and he leaned forward, putting his mouth to her ear. “When you get that stubborn look on your face, Cara, it makes me want to show you just how bossy I can be. Go pack a bag.”
Yes, please,she almost said before she managed to get control of her mouth. Her knees, however, were mush. Afraid she might embarrass herself by folding like a wet noodle at his feet, she took off for her bedroom.
It was Lisa’s fault for planting the idea in her head of having a little fun with Gabe. She packed everything she thought she might need until Monday, including her Kindle and laptop, along with their chargers.
“Just in case,” she murmured as she added her sexiest panties and bras. He hadn’t said where he was taking her, but she was prepared for the possibility of Gabe seeing her undies.
“I need to pack up Cricket’s food and a few toys,” she said on returning to the living room.
