Actual Stop (Agent O’Connor #1)(15)

“It was an apology. For yesterday. For tonight. You’re right. I’ve been completely distracted lately. I’m sorry.” I sighed again as thoughts of my hectic day threatened to intrude. I managed to push them back with a colossal effort, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a very brief memory of giving Allison a kiss just like it. God, I was being an ass! I closed my eyes and shook my head to break the spell.

Lucia waited silently, knowing me well enough to realize that if she was patient, I’d talk. She never pushed, which I appreciated. Her warm eyes were encouraging as she lovingly brushed an errant lock off my forehead. I captured her hand with my own and kissed her fingertips.

“Work was kind of rough. Mark hit me with a lot of assignments that have very specific and fast-approaching deadlines. I’m just a little stressed. I didn’t mean to let it ruin our evening.” I kissed her again—once, twice, a third time—each kiss lingering longer than the one before it.

“I’m so sorry,” Lucia murmured, when I finally allowed her to use her lips for speaking. “I know Mark has been coming down hard on you lately. I shouldn’t have given you a hard time yesterday.”

I shrugged as much as I was able, trapped in her embrace. “It’s my fault. And you’re right. We’re past it. As for Mark, I’ll manage. I just need to try to put it out of my mind.”

“Hmm. If only I could think of a way to distract you.” Her eyes glinted, and she grinned mischievously. She cradled my face in one hand and slipped the other up the back of my shirt to rake her fingernails over my skin. I shivered and closed my eyes.

“If only,” I whispered.

“What can I do?” Lucia tilted my head back and nuzzled my now-exposed neck with her lips.

“I don’t know.” My eyes were still closed, and I thoroughly enjoyed her grazing the sensitive spot just under my ear with her teeth. My nipples hardened instantly, and sparks of pleasure shot straight to my already aching sex. “I’m really concerned. It might take a lot.”

“Yeah?” Her tone was light as she nibbled on my earlobe. “Guess I’ll have to be resourceful.”

I threaded the fingers of my free hand through her hair and tugged gently to pull her away from her exploration. The passion in Lucia’s eyes made my breath catch in my throat.

As I looked at her, my conversation with Meaghan from the day before echoed in my head, and I deliberately reviewed the long list of things I liked about Lucia. She was smart. She was strong. She was an unbelievably hard worker, dedicated to her job. She had a wickedly sharp sense of humor. Her capacity for tenderness and caring was limitless as far as I’d been able to tell. She was compassionate and understanding. You couldn’t ask for anything more in one human being. I considered myself lucky.

I traced my thumb lightly over Lucia’s full lower lip. Perhaps I was overthinking the entire situation. In fact, maybe I was trying to talk myself into—or out of—something. Definitely not what I’d had in mind when I’d started my introspection.

I held Lucia’s scorching gaze as I slowly pushed myself to a standing position. One day soon, I’d have to stop fighting and really analyze what was happening between Lucia and me and where—if anywhere—our relationship was going. But not tonight. I’d done more than my share of thinking for one day. Tonight I just wanted to feel. More importantly, I wanted to make her feel.

Lucia watched me with a knowing smile. Returning it, I held out a hand and pulled her to her feet. We stood there, face-to-face, our lips scant inches apart, just staring into one another’s eyes. I allowed the fire between us to smolder for another moment or so before I turned and led her down the hall to her bedroom.

The light from the streetlamps filtered in through the window to paint the room in dimly lit shadows broken here and there by yellow swaths of illumination. My eyes raked hot trails down Lucia’s body, and when they made it back up to recapture hers, the desire there made my knees wobbly.

“Ryan.” Lucia’s voice was a whispering plea.

“Soon.” I cupped her face in my hands and pressed my lips to hers, reveling in their softness, their taste.

A moan escaped her throat, and she parted her lips to allow me entry. I teased her with the tip of my tongue, first running it over her upper lip and then her lower, but I refused her blatant invitation and had even gone so far as to pull back with an admonishing “tsk” when I felt her tongue attempt to explore the depths of my own mouth. Lucia let out a groan, and an adorable frown wrinkled her brow.

“Ryan.” Her tone was complaining now, and she reached for me. I grabbed her by the wrists and stopped her before she could touch me.

“Not yet.”

Lucia whimpered, and her eyes fluttered as I placed a kiss in the palm of each of her hands. Her breathing was a touch ragged, and I smiled, intoxicated that I could have this effect on her. I hoped, as I always did, that I’d manage not to disappoint her somehow.

“Are you trying to kill me?” I think she wanted to sound sharp and irritated, but her tone spoke only of lust and longing.

I chuckled but didn’t justify her question with a verbal response. Instead, I took her hands and placed them around my neck, patting them decisively, my meaning clear. She was allowed to touch me, so long as she kept her hands there. Immediately she tangled her fingers through my hair, her grip rough and just this side of painful. I’ll admit that flipped some switches for me, but I was determined to remain focused on Lucia for the time being.