Touch of Red (Tracers #12)(64)

“Sorry I missed that.”

Maddie smiled. “You get a pass this time. But don’t miss the next one or we’ll be forced to talk about you.”

? ? ?

Brooke was home. The front windows were dark, but Sean saw the warm yellow glow from the kitchen spilling out onto the driveway. He parked at the curb and checked his watch as he walked up her sidewalk and rang the bell.

“Hey,” she said when she pulled the door back.

“Hi.”

Sean could tell he’d surprised her, but he couldn’t tell if that was good or bad. Her hair was down and she’d changed into yoga clothes—some tight black top that clung to her breasts.

She caught him staring and raised an eyebrow. “Would you like to come in?”

He stepped into the darkened living room, and for a moment they just stood there, looking at each other.

“Something smells good.”

She yelped and rushed into the kitchen. He trailed behind and found her at the stove, flipping over a perfectly golden-brown grilled-cheese sandwich.

Sean’s mouth began to water as he looked around. Something simmered in a pot on the stove, and a glass of red wine sat beside a cutting board.

Sean spotted the half-empty beer on the counter.

Brooke noticed his look. “Maddie was here.”

“Oh, yeah? How’s Maddie?”

“Good.”

She avoided eye contact in a way that told him they’d talked about him, and Sean wished to hell he knew what Brooke had said.

She slid the finished sandwich onto the cutting board. “The soup’s almost ready. Have you had dinner?”

“No, but I can’t stay. I’m working.”

She looked at him. “Still?”

“We’re running surveillance on a suspect. I got stuck with the late shift.”

“Who’s the suspect?”

“No one you know.”

“Try me.”

“Guy named Eric Mahoney.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “The judge?”

“You know him?”

“I was in his courtroom once to give expert testimony. Oh, my God, you have his DNA under Samantha Bonner’s fingernails?”

Sean frowned. “How do you know about that?”

“Ric mentioned something in the meeting today.”

“First of all, no, we don’t have it. Not for sure, anyway. And you can’t repeat that name to anyone, you got me?”

“The DA must be flipping out.”

“Brooke, do you understand?” He stepped closer. “That information is confidential.”

“I understand.” She gazed up at him, and he could see her wheels turning.

“Don’t even go there.”

“Go where?”

“Wherever you’re going in that brain of yours. This phase of the investigation doesn’t involve you.”

“I know.”

Sean stared down at her as he battled his urges. Brooke smelled amazing, her kitchen smelled amazing, and he wanted nothing more than to stay here all night filling up on her.

“Stay for a bite.”

“I can’t.” He checked his watch. “I’m late already.”

“Then why did you come here?”

He gazed down at her. “I needed to see if you were still pissed.”

“I’m not.”

“And I needed to check something.” He pulled her against him and dipped his head down to kiss her, all the while gauging her reaction.

It wasn’t just one reaction, but a whole string of them, starting with surprise, then hesitation, and finally a slow, delicious opening as she relaxed into the kiss. She tasted so damn good, like wine and spices and that woman flavor he remembered from last night, and he wanted to lift her onto the counter and do her right there. He gripped her hips and pulled her against him, and she moaned into his mouth.

Why did he have to go? He wanted to stay. He wanted to keep her up all night again. And he wanted to watch her eyes go hazy as she clutched him inside her body and screamed his name.

Finally, he eased back, and her heated look erased the moment on the porch this morning when she’d flinched. For the first time in hours Sean felt like he could breathe.

She smiled slowly. “That’s what you had to check?”

“Yeah.”

He wrapped his arms around her, and she rested her head on his chest.

“Sean, about what I said earlier—that ‘my way or the highway’ thing. That wasn’t fair. And you’re right about why I said it.”

He pulled back to look at her.

“I think . . .” She cleared her throat. “I’m a little freaked out about last night.”

“Me too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

Heat flared in her eyes, and he had to kiss her again. He couldn’t resist, not when she was right there in front of him and he’d been replaying their night together all day long. She slid her arms around his neck, tempting him to stay, and it was physically painful for him to step back and let her go.

“I need to get back.”

She nodded and led him through the dark living room to her front door.