Perry lowered his mouth to hers, gentle at first, but then his demands grew, his actions intensifying, until she was panting underneath him and dragging her nails over his shoulders.
“You’re starting to get under my skin, darling,” he whispered, and continued kissing her.
She was drowning in him, every inch of her tumbling in a whirlwind of lust and need. It was an odd sensation, and one that wasn’t completely unpleasant. But when she finally was able to gulp in a breath of air, desperately trying to clear the fog overwhelming her brain, the urgency to ground herself became overwhelming. It would be too damn easy to lose herself in a relationship with this man.
“You’re just horny,” she said, her voice raspy.
Perry lifted his head, staring down at her as if she’d just said something ridiculous. “Are you trying to tell me you feel nothing for me at all?”
As many times as she’d done it during previous assignments, she hated him cornering her, especially when it forced her to lie. She bit her lip, using the pain to harden her heart. “I’m sure you’re a very good cop.”
His expression changed, creating a painful sensation that ripped through her heart as if he’d just stabbed her. Kylie couldn’t breathe and, worse yet, couldn’t look away from him.
“A good cop,” he repeated dryly. “That’s all you think of me?”
“I’ve been too busy working on my thesis to give it much thought,” she lied, her mouth suddenly so dry she could barely get the words out.
“You keep lying to me and I promise, I’m going to bend you over my knee and spank that perfect ass of yours,” he growled into her mouth.
A moment too late she remembered the cameras were on and recording all of their actions and everything they said to each other. Not to mention sending live feed into the field office. Maybe the fact that no one came running to her door when they attacked each other proved no one was watching right now. Or possibly she put on such a good show they were waiting for the finale.
“You lay a hand on my ass and I swear I’ll be spanking you right back,” she snarled, making sure to keep her voice to a very soft whisper.
Perry lifted her like a rag doll, moving with skills that put all of her training to the test. She was facedown on the couch, unable to outstrengthen him when his hand hit her rear end, creating a cracking sound that forced her pussy to tighten in reaction. The instant warmth that spread over her rear end created a pressure inside her. All of the training she had was no match for the lust Perry ignited inside her in moments.
“Damn it,” she cried out, pushing herself to her knees before turning and scowling at him over her shoulder. “You are going to pay for that, Perry. Trust me on that one.”
“Tell me the truth and it won’t happen again.”
“Stop it, Perry.” She jumped off him and managed to stabilize her footing before stumbling over her own coffee table. Lord, wouldn’t that add humorous undertones to the sexual foreplay at least one agent was possibly enjoying the hell out of at this very moment. If Paul made one crack to her about this, she’d kick his ass.
Perry was pushing her into dangerous territory. Her best move was to get them onto a different subject, one where she wouldn’t have to lie so much it cut her to the core. “Tell me how you got into my home.”
Perry stood and then pulled off his T-shirt. The body armor was strapped like a girdle around his chest. “Through the window by your kitchen table,” he said, thumbing in the direction of the kitchen. “Want to give me a hand with this?”
Kylie crossed her arms, damned if she would record herself helping Perry out of body armor. Even worse, touching him right now would be a serious mistake when her insides were pulsing with need so great it was all she could do to maintain her distance.
“So you climb through my kitchen window. And all because my security system gives you a complex?”
“I didn’t feel like knocking.” He realized she wasn’t going to help him and managed to work his way out of the suit himself.
“Cut the crap.” She kept her arms crossed, holding herself, while watching him struggle until the heavy, thick body protection was finally free of his body. It was imperative she keep the upper hand, reprimand him for breaking in, and remain focused-on the conversation and not his suddenly bare chest. “You’re a cop, not a criminal.”
“A good cop knows the minds, methods, and how to act like a criminal,” he told her, his voice low and compelling.
She closed her eyes, all too aware what he said was true. Again, singing his praises for getting past one hell of an advanced security system sounded a hell of a lot more appealing than reprimanding him for doing it.
“Nonetheless, what you did was wrong,” she said quietly.
Even with her eyes closed, she heard him approach and stepped backward as she opened her eyes and focused on him quickly. He wrapped his arms around her waist, a relaxed hold this time, and one she could pull free of if she wished. Or at least that was the impression he offered. When she uncrossed her arms, her hands brushed over his bare chest. The heat from his body, his slightly moist flesh, and that perfect spray of chest hair tortured her fingertips worse than she imagined it could.
“I have as much of a problem with a camera spying on me when I want to come see you as I do with your unwillingness to admit you want to see me as much as I want to see you.”
There was no way she could comment. It hurt too much lying to him. Sucking in a deep breath didn’t do a thing to calm her frazzled nerves. “Then maybe if you called before showing up, I could turn it off just to appease your male ego.” She was proud of her flippant tone but couldn’t move her gaze from her fingers, which were stretched over roped muscle.
“Where’s the fun in that?” he growled.
She shouldn’t have looked up. But she did. And immediately drowned in those incredible dark green eyes that swarmed with all the emotions she was feeling. She was sure of it. She saw in Perry what she experienced inside her soul. Most definitely lust. But there was another emotion, darker, primal, unexplored. And it had surfaced in him the same way it simmered inside her. Maybe it was curiosity, or a mutual fascination, a craving to explore and learn more about not only each other’s bodies but minds and hearts as well.
“I was informed today that you weren’t attending dinner at my sister’s tomorrow night.”
“So was I.”
“I see.” That emotion she couldn’t label seemed to grow, dilating his pupils and making his hands, which rested on the small of her back, feel hotter the longer they rested there. “So you didn’t cancel. I wonder what Dani is up to.”
“She’s jealous.” Kylie didn’t mean to let that slip out and lowered her gaze. Staring at his muscular chest didn’t help clear her thoughts much.
“Jealous? Of you… being with me?” He paused for a moment, but his arm muscles twitched as if he anticipated her moving and didn’t want her going anywhere. “Interesting. I guess none of my nieces have ever seen me with another woman.”
“At least you have enough manners to keep them away from your family.”
His low baritone sent chills rushing over her flesh when he chuckled. And she didn’t like the twang of regret when he moved his hands from her back. He continued touching her, though, resting one hand on her shoulder and using the knuckles with his other hand to tilt her chin until her gaze returned to his. “They don’t see women with me because I don’t date.”
“Don’t let me disturb your routine.” Kylie needed space and pushed away from him.
“Too late,” he growled, pulling her back into his arms. He captured her mouth again, his method of attack proving a lot stronger than her ability to fight back.
Kylie wasn’t sure how long she’d been returning the kiss, leaning into him with her arms wrapped around his neck and making a feast of him. But a ringing in the background brought her to her senses and made her realize she’d completely surrendered and devoured all he offered.
She quit standing on tiptoes, which ended the intensity of the kiss.
“Who would be calling you after midnight?” Perry growled into her mouth, his question even more proof of how possessive he would be.
That is, if she accepted him as a lover. Which wasn’t an option, not to mention, if he learned the secret she kept from him, he wouldn’t want anything to do with her anyway.
“I don’t know,” she said, pushing away from him and hurrying down her hall. She was pretty sure she knew who was calling and had even less doubt why he was calling. “I’ll be right back,” she called over her shoulder.
