of truth and you don’t believe me.”
The shrug wasn’t planned, but revealed a glimpse of a wounded male ego. Because she’d doubted him? It seemed that her Knight Errant really was uncomfortable telling the truth. He tapped his forefinger against his arm, waiting, perhaps unsure how to proceed. He took a deep breath and cracked his lips to speak.
“Don’t say anything else.” She raised her hand to stop him from explaining or moving. “You’re here to find Pike’s murderer and you believe that person is Michael. If you want evidence to use against my brother, you won’t find it.”
He’d been reading her like a book since they’d met. Now she’d turned the tables by seeing through his little cowboy act. She was curious how he’d react, but there was more important information to process.
She studied the pictures on the wall, expecting some clue to jump out and guide her. The simple plastic frames seemed out of place against the real-wood panels covering the walls.
The one place she couldn’t look was at him. The way his biceps tightened as he crossed his arms, the way his lower lip almost pouted. While he waited for her to speak. Very tempting, and very unhealthy. She hid the tingle that sprouted wings up her spine.
She couldn’t get the taste of him out of her mind.
When she looked at him, there was something in his Kentucky-bourbon eyes that made her
Okay, faith or sex.
Why try to deny she loved his physique?
Her mind reeled. Trust him or not. Believe his story or don’t. Even before she could accept Michael’s involvement with Pike, she needed to believe.
The concept of sweet, old Walter Pike having his own undercover agency was just too
Erren moved a step closer, lifting his hand to touch her arm. She stepped just out of his reach.
“I suppose you’re in a hurry to get things started? To dig deeper?” she asked, inwardly wincing at the double entendre.
“So you believe me?”
“Your story is so farfetched.” She took a step away. Not running, only moving from the intense passion now apparent in his eyes. “Don’t you think we need to contact someone? Surely there’s an authority who knew what Pike was up to? Someone who knows who all these people are? Someone who can help? How can you expect the two of us to get everything done or to—”
“Take a deep breath, Detective O’Malley. We have all day to determine what our next move will be.”
“Hmph…as long as that?”
Somehow Erren was next to her, touching her shoulders, turning her to face him. She had to look, a small tilt of her head and there he was. All of him—scraped forehead, purple bruise on his cheekbone, a knife wound in his side and broken nose. But she could only see his lips.
“Yeah. We need to finish what Walter asked us to do.” He wrapped one arm around her waist and tugged her to his body. “My gut tells me we’re getting close.”
The intensity in his touch made her stomach quiver. She wanted him to kiss her. For real. Not in response to taking his mind off of their situation, but to intentionally focus on her lips.
“Wait a minute.” She placed her hands on his chest to stop herself from completely leaning into him. “I haven’t said I believe you.”
“If you didn’t, I’d be knocked to the ground and you’d be hightailing it out of here in the truck.” He grinned.
Her hair had sprung into her face. Erren looped it around her ear again. His touch sizzled against her skin. It was effortless to accept his hand cupping her cheek and gently moving beneath her chin, taking her directly to a kiss.
Wham.
There was nothing gentle about the fierce way he claimed her mouth. Nothing gentle in the confident way his arms circled her body. Nothing gentle in the positive response every inch of her wanted to return.
His fingers tiptoed under her windbreaker and she began to suffocate. Yearning was too light a word for what she…required. Could she be bold? Could she forget the responsibility…?
Hell, yes, she could. Her hands mirrored Erren’s and soon led the way across his triceps, his pecs, his abs. She wanted skin. His skin. Her fingers demanded the smooth contours of his muscles.
She tore her mouth from his, but his lips continued their quest, leaving a shuddering trail of nips to the hollow of her collarbone.
“Take your shirt off.” There, she’d said it, commanded it with a gasp, but commanded.
And he obeyed.
“Yes, ma’am.” Gone was the fake John Wayne accent. His voice was strong yet held the slight twang of a natural Texan.
They broke apart long enough for him to pull the T-shirt over his head and let it fly across the room, hitting a lamp that wobbled yet didn’t fall. His fingers came back to her windbreaker and began to lower the zipper.
It was time to take what she wanted. Just a few minutes to stop thinking about obligations or proving her brother’s innocence. She could trust Erren for a few moments.
“I’ve been waiting all morning to do this,” he said.
“It is kinda hot in here.”
“Not nearly hot enough.”
He kissed her again, hard. Not frantic, but…scorching. He tasted of the coffee and the jalapenos he’d added to his What-A-Burger for breakfast. His mouth opened enough to make her more curious. She twirled her tongue to evoke a low moan that vibrated through Erren’s entire body. He shifted closer, making her aware of his reaction.
Connecting with his skin, her sense of touch came alive. One hand wrapped around his neck, leaving her thumb near his pulse point. His blood battled through his veins in time with her own.
While moving the zipper, the backs of his fingers skimmed her breasts and she echoed his throaty growl. Her body’s unfamiliar response to this almost stranger shook her to her core. It was happening so fast, but she didn’t want it to slow.
His hot palms slid around her waist and up her back, leaving a fire trail in their wake. His mouth took charge, tilting her head farther back, creating another burning trail down her neck.
One minute she’d accused him of trying to trap Michael and the next she was certain he was there to defend her brother.
His deft fingers popped the hooks of her bra.
“Wait.”
The word popped into Erren’s consciousness several seconds before his body could stop consuming Darby’s flesh and he could almost think again.
“Erren, please.”
Please what? Please get her naked? Please devour her breasts with his mouth? Please take her to bed?
His mouth pushed past the no-nonsense bra, inching its way to reveal more creamy white flesh. His tongue could almost expose a rosy nipple.
“Erren, we have to stop…”
Her hand left his neck and gently pushed at his shoulder. There was definitely another firm grip on his
