Her brain reminded her
“In that case, sweetheart, we’re in big trouble.”
Her eyes widened. Her lips parted and her breath caught in a noticeable hitch. Kane wanted her more than ever before. He prayed for restraint. “Give me the books,” he said, grasping for a distraction.
She shook her head. “I want to work on turning them into a complete list.”
“So you brought them here.”
“I can concentrate better here.”
“This is a
Kane glanced around the secluded area. He’d walked down three flights of an empty stairwell and wandered around numerous cubicles and stacks before finding the right one. “Looks pretty damn private to me. And you came here alone, our only evidence could easily have been grabbed.”
She cringed.
“Not that I don’t think you can decipher these, but I want them in a safe place. I’ve got a friend at the precinct who’s more a bookworm than a cop. He’ll cull the information in no time.”
“Fine. They’re yours.” She shoved the books at him hitting him hard in the stomach.
He stifled a grunt.
She grabbed for an oversize bag on the floor. “I’m out of here.”
She took two steps. Kane grasped her by the wrist, pulling her against him. He couldn’t let her dictate their next course of action. She had no business on the streets alone, but that wasn’t the only reason he wouldn’t let her go.
Her silken hair smelled of lemons, her skin fragrant and fresh. He didn’t just want to keep her alive. He
Because that’s the way she made him feel.
“Let me go, Kane.”
“I can’t.”
“You already got what you wanted from me.”
“You don’t believe that.”
“I’ve found a foil packet that says otherwise.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” He tensed, unsure of what she meant.
“Don’t like being caught?” she taunted. “Then you shouldn’t have left your clothes in a pile and I wouldn’t have been so quick to help out with the laundry.”
“Son of a bitch.” His breath rushed out in a hiss. “You’re telling me you left the safety of the house, you
“Because I want to control my life.” She squared her shoulders. “Besides I don’t want your pity, and that’s what you gave me earlier. I came on to you and you didn’t want me, but you were too much of a gentleman to admit it and make things more difficult, so you…”
“Back up. You think I don’t want you?” The thought was absurd beyond belief. He’d never wanted a woman as badly as he wanted Kayla, never let a female get inside and mess with his head before, and that was telling. She was getting to him, a little at a time, taking control and leaving him with none.
He couldn’t let it go on much longer, nor could he allow her to think she meant nothing to him.
He turned her around. She had no choice but to face him. Tilting her head with his hand, he forced her to look him in the eye. Shimmering moisture glistened in hers. Damn. His methods of protection backfired in more ways than one. Instead of shielding her, he’d hurt her once again.
His gut twisted with regret and an unfamiliar sense of longing, of caring. He hadn’t distanced himself from Kayla as planned, just the opposite, in fact. He was in way over his head.
Reaching into her pocket, she held a black foil packet aloft twirling it between her thumb and forefinger. “I think the evidence speaks for itself.”
“Circumstantial, sweetheart.” He grabbed her free hand, forcing her palm against the strong erection pulsing against the front of his jeans. “Hard evidence says otherwise.”
She sucked in a surprised gasp and Kane watched the play of emotions cross her face. Shock, pleasure and then, ultimately, disbelief. He didn’t blame her for fighting the truth. He hadn’t given her much of a reason to believe in him. But his body didn’t lie and, right now, it strained against her hand.
She tilted her head to one side. Though she met his gaze with a steady one of her own, her eyes showed a range of feeling he wasn’t ready to deal with. Wasn’t that why he’d left the condom in his pocket to begin with?
“Chemistry, Kane. I read somewhere that men think with their…” Her hand curled around his erection.
He gritted his teeth against the combination of pleasure and agony she caused. “Believe me, sweetheart, I’m not doing much thinking right now.”
A heated blush rose to her cheeks. Apparently his innocent Kayla wasn’t as comfortable with this situation as she wanted him to believe.
“That’s what I mean. So you want me.”
“You can feel that I do.” His voice sounded rough even to his own ears.
“It’s not enough.” She jerked her hand back to safety, but the evidence of her touch remained.
“I know.” And that was the notion that grounded him. She wanted more than sex. He had nothing more to give.
He plucked the condom out of her other hand. He’d believed that by not actually making love with her, he wouldn’t be involved. That by giving her pleasure, he could remain detached. But feeling her wet and warm with his hands, knowing she’d wanted him, had pulled him in. And when he’d gotten out of the shower and thought something had happened to her…
He shook his head. No matter what he felt, Kane knew his limitations. “It’s all I can do.” He turned the foil packet around in his hands. The crinkling sound echoed in the otherwise silent library.
“I know.” She turned a too bright smile his way. “Well, Detective, at least we both know where we stand.”
Stalemate, Kane thought. In a war that was far from over.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE POLICE STATION was quiet. Kayla followed Kane inside and waited in the hall while he met with Captain Reid. She didn’t need to be in the room while the two men talked strategy. Time alone would give her an opportunity to think and come up with a plan of her own. Between the phone call earlier and the lists hidden in the books, the police had an official case, if not specific suspects to go after. Kayla wanted specifics. With or without Kane McDermott, she wanted her life back.
With her headache beginning to ebb, came the ability to think more clearly. Whoever was behind the attack wanted the books and whatever money they thought she had in her possession. Kayla had read enough to know the bad guys were always willing to swap when they were desperate. She held the books, they held important information. By far, hers was more valuable, which gave her the upper hand.
Before she realized what she was doing, she rose to her feet and knocked twice on Captain Reid’s door. Without waiting for a response, she let herself inside. “I have the answer.”
“I don’t recall asking a question.” Captain Reid rose to his feet from behind the metal desk in the corner.
“Trade-off,” she explained. “You know whoever attacked me will call back and when he does, I’ll offer him the books.”
“In exchange for…?” Captain Reid picked up on her earlier statement.
