“Won’t that put us in more danger when the cops come with sirens blaring?” MJ furrowed her brow. This was supposed to make her feel safer, not scare the bejeezus out of her.
“When we hear the unsafe word, we call them and tell them it’s a hostage situation, and they need to come in quiet.”
Rob nodded. “Smart,” he said.
The two men stood and shook hands. They seemed more like long-lost friends than someone Rob only met recently. Maybe it was that military bond. Rob had told her that Frank had been in the army.
“Call if you need anything,” Frank told them.
“We will,” Rob answered. “Thanks.”
“I’ll let you know if I hear anything,” Frank said, shooting Rob a look and a nod.
“What was that about?” MJ said after he’d left.
“I told him I was looking for a job.”
“Really? I didn’t know you were ready to do that.”
“I like Ridgeview, MJ. There’s somebody special who lives here. I want to see where things will go with us, and I’ll need a steady income.”
“I want to see where things will go, too. You’re someone special. I love that you’d want to put down roots here. That means a lot.”
She took a step toward him, and he pulled her into his arms. He held her tight and whispered softly, “I love you, Mary Jane Van Buren.” Then his mouth descended on hers.
Rob was lost in the sensation of MJ in his arms and how perfect she felt there. He knew she hadn’t said she loved him. She wasn’t in the same place he was, dreaming of a future together. In time, maybe he’d be able to convince her that taking a chance on him was worth it. He had his work cut out for him. He’d show her every way he could that he was the man for her.
He shut off his mind, and turned his attention to the soft, warm woman in his arms. His tongue pressed against her lips, and she immediately opened for him, their tongues caressing. Their breaths intermingled, and the intimacy ignited his passion even further.
His hands roamed her body, and he wanted to claim her, for them to touch each other skin-against-skin. He slid his hand under her sweater, stroking her smooth back and unfastening her bra.
She broke away and pulled her sweater off, followed by her bra, dropping both to the kitchen floor. The sight of her unfettered breasts, the dusky rose of her nipples peaking to his touch, nearly undid him.
“Too many clothes,” she complained, and he hurried to rip off his long-sleeved T-shirt, hurling it toward the living room, barely missing Maverick who watched them from the doorway.
“Sorry, boy,” he said in response to the dog’s whimper.
MJ’s hand soon found his chest, and she moaned as she rubbed her face against his pecs like a cat.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward her bedroom.
“Yes, please,” she murmured. “I need you, Rob. Please.”
“Sorry, boy,” he told the Malinois. “Go lie down. Cuccia!”
Rob swept her up in his arms and carried her the remaining six feet to the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them to keep the dog from interrupting them. He threw her down onto the mattress with a bounce.
She giggled. He was acting like a caveman. He took a deep breath and tried to slow himself down. He followed her onto the bed and held her face in his hands.
“Tell me, MJ, do you want this?”
She nodded, her eyes dark with desire and something else.
“You’re sure?”
She nodded again.
God, he felt as if he’d won the lottery. Much as he’d like to slide into her and pound her against the mattress until neither of them could see straight, he needed to make this good for her. Their lovemaking needed to be special, because this wasn’t just about sex, at least not for him. He didn’t think it was merely sex for her, either.
“Rob?”
Okay, he’d disappeared into his head. He touched her chin and caressed her lip with his thumb. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m here. You are so beautiful, I almost can’t bear it.”
“Shh,” she said, putting her hand over his mouth and shifting restlessly against him.
His hands moved almost automatically toward the button on her jeans, and she sighed as he undid the button and moved the zipper slowly downward. She wiggled to help him get them off, and he threw them toward the dresser.
His eyes roamed her body, and he reached out to touch and caress her breasts thoroughly, before he moved down to her glistening, pink folds. His fingers touched the sensitive button beneath its hood, and she arched in response, her body chasing his fingers, begging for more.
“We’ll get there, honey.” He stroked her hip and inhaled the scent of her arousal.
“Too many clothes,” she complained again, and she reached for his jeans.
He pushed her hand out of
