She nodded thoughtfully. Her handswere trembling, almost imperceptibly.
Damn. He had to touch her. Hereached out for her cold hands, holding them between both of his much biggerones. He pulled her a little closer.
"He's been there the wholetime," he repeated. "And so have you. So maybe he'll be there again.Only this time, I'll be there, too, watching for him." He got up and wentover to his suitcase, and, from beneath a pile of clothes, he pulled out hisGlock.
Marli let out a little gasp.
"Sorry, sweetheart," hesaid, "but I think we need this tonight."
She nodded again, her sparkly greenand gold eyes huge in her face. He came back to her, leaving the gun on thedresser. He set his hands on her waist and looked directly into her eyes."Can you handle this?"
She just stared back at him for a longmoment, then gave a short, jerky nod. "I have to," she said firmly."For Krista."
He nodded, too. Without consciousthought, he drew her closer to him, absorbing the heat of her. That spicymixture of vanilla, cinnamon and musk from the shampoo and conditioner she'dused earlier surrounded him. His fingers slipped under the hem of her tank topto find warm, bare skin.
"You're so strong," hesaid softly, fingers moving over her skin. She shivered at his touch.
"No, I'm not. I'm terrified.But I'm even more terrified of not getting that bastard. He...raped and killedmy friend, set her on...f-fire." Her voice choked with emotion. She methis eyes. "I'll do whatever I have to do."
"Why?" he murmured,fingers sliding higher, under her top. "Why are you so invested in this?Why can't you just let the police deal with it?"
"They're not dealingwith it!" She swayed closer to him, her eyes glazing over with hiscaresses. "Look what's been happening. He's trying to kill menow."
Trey didn't want to agree with her,but damn it, he was afraid she was right. He stroked up her back, then down, inlong, slow brushes of his fingertips. God, she was soft. And warm. "Butbefore you met me, you were determined to do this, even though your plan wasinsanely dangerous and stupid."
"Oh, thank you very much."
Her breasts touched his chest. Hernipples were hard. He could feel them right through her lace bra and the thintop, and he nearly panted with need.
"It wasn't that dangerous. If Isaw him in the bar, what would he do to me? I don't think he'd hurt me in frontof hundreds of people."
"Maybe not. But he'd definitelyget away before you could even call the police, let alone have them show upthere."
"Yeah. Probably. Okay, so Iwasn't thinking straight." She sighed and ducked her head. "If youread the report, then you know what happened that night."
"Why don't you tell me?"He bent his head, wanting to taste her. He touched his lips to the side of herneck, where her skin was thin, fragile, silky. He breathed in the scent of herand his body twitched hard.
Her head fell back and her eyesclosed. "Trey."
"Right here."
"How can you expect me to talkwhen you're doing that to me?"
He kissed her neck again and suckeda little bit, tasting her. She was so sweet. Her hands came up to his shouldersand held on. He loved how she responded to his touch. She clearly wanted him asmuch as he wanted her. No reason to hesitate or wonder if she'd reject him.Even so, his heart pounded hard in his chest; his breath hitched.
He took her mouth then, one handsliding into her hair--that hair!--wrapping the long curls around his fingersand tugging her head to the right place. He tilted his head and kissed her.
It was like an explosion went offdeep inside him, and he dimly thought she felt the same thing as she gaspedinto his mouth. He opened his mouth over hers, touched her lips with histongue, tasting her, teasing her. Then he plunged his tongue in a deep,devouring kiss, his hand tightening in her hair, the other arm sweeping her upagainst him hard.
He pressed her to him, breastsflattened against his chest as he ate at her mouth hungrily. And she kissed himback, just as eager, her small tongue licking his. Her hands clutched hisshoulders as she struggled to get closer, practically climbing onto him withher excitement.
He was so rock-hard he hurt. Ared-hot rush of desire surged through him, setting him on fire for her. He tookher mouth again and again, crushing her soft mouth in deep, demanding kissesthat still weren't enough. Her mouth was sweet, warm and delicious.
He picked her up by her ass, pullingher against his raging hard-on, and she was soft and oh, so hot there. Shewrapped those long legs around him, and now he did groan, a rough sound thatcame from deep within him.
They fell together onto the bed,rolling, legs twined around each other, his erection bumping her softness, andshe pressed her mound back against him eagerly, desperately, grinding. Theirmouths connected again, feverish, seeking, devouring. Then, panting andwide-eyed, she drew back to look at him. A scorching haze enveloped them, andhe took a huge, shuddering breath.
"Marli." He pulled herhead back down to him to take her mouth again. He rolled her over so he pinnedher to the mattress, thrusting his hands into her hair to hold her head therefor his kisses. She sucked his lip into her mouth, then bit him hard enough tomake him gasp, and wicked sensations sizzled down his spine. Her tongue strokedhis lip, pushed into his mouth and he sucked on her, almost frantic with adesperate, urgent need to take. Take everything.
He rolled back, taking her with himso now she was on top and she straddled him. He reached for the hem of her tanktop and shoved it up. The low-cut lacy cups of her bra revealed the curves ofher breasts sweetly spilling out. There was that mole. He
