his mouth and— thank you —he knew he’d never have enough.
They sat there for a long minute and as much as he itched to get her out of that suit, he kept his hands at her waist. When he touched her, really touched her, it wouldn’t be with a damned console in the way.
When he explored that body for the first time, they’d do it the right way. Like adults and not hormonal teenagers about to crawl into the backseat.
And he’d take his time.
Besides, she wasn’t ready. The “this is bad” statement might have been his first clue.
She lurched back again. Yep. Not ready.
Her chest rose and fell a couple of times, her breathing rapid and Ross felt it too. That strain for air.
The want.
She kept her gaze on him, those green eyes, even in the dark, intense.
Freaked.
Time for an icebreaker.
“So,” he said, “that was above average, yes? Next time, I’m thinking more tongue on my part. What do you think?”
She slapped a hand over her mouth and her eyes flew wide. This time though, she wasn’t freaked. This time, all he saw was laughter.
Thank you.
He might just get himself a replay. In a bed. When naked. Her in boots.
Yep, yep, yep.
She dropped her hand, smiled at him. “I think that was just about perfect.”
“Good. I don’t want you to think…”
“Stop.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Whatever you were going to say. Stop. I wasn’t saying no and I certainly wasn’t fighting it.”
Damn, this was a good woman. Reasonable, smart, no pretenses. Rational .
He ran his finger down her cheek. “You’re going to destroy me. But I’m gonna enjoy the ride. Now, let’s see why Don dragged us back here.”
* * *
Kate stood back while Ross pressed his thumb against the pad at the entrance to the surveillance room and held the door open for her. On the way up, she’d hit the ladies room, gave her flattened hair a fluff, freshened her lipstick and cleaned up the mascara smudges from her catnap. All in all, she’d managed to look as if she hadn’t just slept like the dead for the last forty minutes.
Or kissed the hell out of her client.
What an idiot. Blame it on her foggy brain or curiosity about the magic of Ross Cooper, super stud, but yowzer, she’d jumped into that kiss with total abandon. All she could hope was Ross wouldn’t feel the need to share the details with Don.
Or his boss.
Later, she’d discuss it with him. Chalk it up to a long day and a weak moment. She’d also discuss the new discovery that she was a flaming liar. Nothing about that kiss had anything to do with a long day or weak moment.
That was lust. Pure sexual attraction.
Deal with it.
Inside the surveillance room, Don stood in front of the bank of wall monitors barking out instructions to his team members manning keyboards.
“He’s back,” he said. “One of our guys from last night. The son of a bitch is losing.”
Ross held his hands out. “Last I checked that’s a good thing.”
“Not when I’m trying to nail his ass. Kate, I need you on video. I don’t care what we have to pay you or how long it takes, I don’t trust this guy.”
Alrighty then. She moved between them, scanned the monitors. “Is anyone at the table winning?”
“Nothing to be concerned about. Maybe he knows he’s hot so he’s laying low.”
Or maybe he’s not cheating.
“Or maybe he’s not cheating,” Ross said.
“Wonder boy, I’m telling you, somethin’s off. We’re gonna find out what.”
Kate pointed to the far right monitor. “Zoom in on his hands, please.”
The image popped up on the screen just as a woman vacated her seat at the table.
“Ooh,” Kate said, “Spot at the table. I’ll sit and play, see if I notice anything. Watch his hands for me. Is someone down there keeping an eye on the table?”
“Yeah. Plainclothes. And the pit is up to speed.”
“I’ll go down with you,” Ross said. “Time for a walk-through.”
She glanced back at him. “Do your glad-handing thing and schmooze
They sat there for a long minute and as much as he itched to get her out of that suit, he kept his hands at her waist. When he touched her, really touched her, it wouldn’t be with a damned console in the way.
When he explored that body for the first time, they’d do it the right way. Like adults and not hormonal teenagers about to crawl into the backseat.
And he’d take his time.
Besides, she wasn’t ready. The “this is bad” statement might have been his first clue.
She lurched back again. Yep. Not ready.
Her chest rose and fell a couple of times, her breathing rapid and Ross felt it too. That strain for air.
The want.
She kept her gaze on him, those green eyes, even in the dark, intense.
Freaked.
Time for an icebreaker.
“So,” he said, “that was above average, yes? Next time, I’m thinking more tongue on my part. What do you think?”
She slapped a hand over her mouth and her eyes flew wide. This time though, she wasn’t freaked. This time, all he saw was laughter.
Thank you.
He might just get himself a replay. In a bed. When naked. Her in boots.
Yep, yep, yep.
She dropped her hand, smiled at him. “I think that was just about perfect.”
“Good. I don’t want you to think…”
“Stop.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Whatever you were going to say. Stop. I wasn’t saying no and I certainly wasn’t fighting it.”
Damn, this was a good woman. Reasonable, smart, no pretenses. Rational .
He ran his finger down her cheek. “You’re going to destroy me. But I’m gonna enjoy the ride. Now, let’s see why Don dragged us back here.”
* * *
Kate stood back while Ross pressed his thumb against the pad at the entrance to the surveillance room and held the door open for her. On the way up, she’d hit the ladies room, gave her flattened hair a fluff, freshened her lipstick and cleaned up the mascara smudges from her catnap. All in all, she’d managed to look as if she hadn’t just slept like the dead for the last forty minutes.
Or kissed the hell out of her client.
What an idiot. Blame it on her foggy brain or curiosity about the magic of Ross Cooper, super stud, but yowzer, she’d jumped into that kiss with total abandon. All she could hope was Ross wouldn’t feel the need to share the details with Don.
Or his boss.
Later, she’d discuss it with him. Chalk it up to a long day and a weak moment. She’d also discuss the new discovery that she was a flaming liar. Nothing about that kiss had anything to do with a long day or weak moment.
That was lust. Pure sexual attraction.
Deal with it.
Inside the surveillance room, Don stood in front of the bank of wall monitors barking out instructions to his team members manning keyboards.
“He’s back,” he said. “One of our guys from last night. The son of a bitch is losing.”
Ross held his hands out. “Last I checked that’s a good thing.”
“Not when I’m trying to nail his ass. Kate, I need you on video. I don’t care what we have to pay you or how long it takes, I don’t trust this guy.”
Alrighty then. She moved between them, scanned the monitors. “Is anyone at the table winning?”
“Nothing to be concerned about. Maybe he knows he’s hot so he’s laying low.”
Or maybe he’s not cheating.
“Or maybe he’s not cheating,” Ross said.
“Wonder boy, I’m telling you, somethin’s off. We’re gonna find out what.”
Kate pointed to the far right monitor. “Zoom in on his hands, please.”
The image popped up on the screen just as a woman vacated her seat at the table.
“Ooh,” Kate said, “Spot at the table. I’ll sit and play, see if I notice anything. Watch his hands for me. Is someone down there keeping an eye on the table?”
“Yeah. Plainclothes. And the pit is up to speed.”
“I’ll go down with you,” Ross said. “Time for a walk-through.”
She glanced back at him. “Do your glad-handing thing and schmooze
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