Stone Cold Heart (Tracers #13)(75)

Her plan had been to establish herself at her new job and make friends and focus on her career path. Her plan had not been to fall headlong into another serious relationship, especially a long-distance one that would force her to compromise.

She’d been trying to protect herself from getting too involved. But when she was around Nolan, the attraction took over, and all her logic and planning seemed to evaporate.

She stepped closer, and his gaze heated as she reached up to touch the stubble along his jaw.

“I’m glad you came and found me today,” she said.

He watched her intently as she brushed her hand down his shirt and traced her fingers over his gold detective’s shield. It represented so many hours and months and years of hard work and commitment, and she admired that.

He didn’t move a muscle as she trailed her fingertips over the grip of his gun and the holster that was warm from his body heat. Her fingers moved to his belt buckle. She glanced up. The intensity in his eyes sent a flurry of nerves through her, so she focused on his belt and getting it undone without looking clumsy. She unfastened the buckle, and he took over, pulling his belt and holster off with smooth efficiency. He set them on the coffee table and added handcuffs and car keys to the pile.

He took her wrist and pulled her close, then bent his head to kiss her, taking her mouth with raw need he didn’t bother to hide. His kiss was deep and hard, and she could practically taste his pent-up frustration with her as he melded her against him and went after her mouth. His teeth nicked her lip.

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“No, I like it.”

Groaning, he clutched her against him and walked her backward to the couch, then lowered her over the arm. He eased down on top of her as she pulled at his shirt, impatient to get her hands on his bare skin. He worked the buttons of her blouse, and one popped off, skittering across the wood floor.

“Shit.”

She pushed his hands away and hurriedly undid the buttons, then wrestled her arms free. He swooped down to kiss her breast through the thin white bra, and she wished she’d worn something even remotely sexy. But she hadn’t expected to see him today, much less bring him home with her.

His mouth was hot and hungry, and she stroked her fingers through his hair. He slid his hand behind her, once again deftly unhooking her bra, and he pushed it up and out of his way. He took her nipple into his mouth, and she cried out, arching against him as she tipped her head back. She loved his weight on her and the rasp of his beard against her skin. He kissed her and teased her with his mouth as the need built and burned inside her.

“Nolan.”

He moved up to her lips, and she slid her hands under his shirt, loving his lean waist and the valley at the base of his spine. She remembered the way their bodies fit together so perfectly and felt a giddy surge of anticipation. She wanted to be skin to skin.

She pulled away. “Bed.”

He paused to look at her. Then he pushed up and in one smooth motion scooped her off the couch, making her gasp when he stumbled over a stray shoe on the floor. He went straight for the bed and dropped her unceremoniously on the rumpled sheets. Sara untangled herself from her bra as he took his shirt off and tossed it away. He rested his knee beside her, and the bedframe squeaked under his weight.

He stretched out over her, resting his weight on his palms. “I’ve been dying to kiss you.”

“Then kiss me,” she said, hooking her leg around his hip. Instead, he hovered over her, looking down at her yellowing bruises.

“How are your ribs?”

“Fine.” She brought his head down to kiss him, shifting her hips until she had him right where she wanted him. But then he pulled back and stood up, stripping off his clothes as she watched from the bed.

Sara kicked off her sandals and unfastened her jeans, and his gaze heated as she pulled down the zipper. He took her cuffs and gave a sharp tug, then whisked the jeans off and dropped them to the floor. The bed creaked again as he stretched over her.

Slowly, he kissed his way down her body, sliding his hand between her legs as she pressed against him. She’d missed him, and he knew it. There was no point in pretending otherwise as he stroked his palms over her. He knew just how to touch her, just how to make her hot and needy. She writhed under him as he brought her right to the edge. But then he backed away, and she whimpered with frustration as he moved off the bed and rummaged through his jeans on the floor.

“Hurry.”

He tore open the condom with his teeth and got it on, and then he knelt between her thighs. She looked into his eyes as he shifted her hips and pushed inside her.

He felt so good, so amazingly right, and she couldn’t believe she’d been hiding from him all week. She clutched him to her, and their bodies moved together. The metal bedframe squeaked and squealed, and she had a fleeting worry about her downstairs neighbors.

Nolan pushed up on his hands. “Damn, that’s loud.”

“Sorry,” she gasped. “I haven’t done this here.”

He laughed. “What, in bed?”

“This bed, this apartment.”

He froze.

“Nolan, please don’t stop.”

He moved his hips again, thrusting into her over and over, until her entire body burned and quaked and felt like it would come apart. She ran her hands over his shoulders, his arms, his rippling back. She pulled him in tight, tipping her head back as he drove into her.