Then she gazed at him. Her fingers smoothed over his chest. She stared at Kenton and didn’t know what to say.
So she put her head down, leaning over his chest. Her ear pressed against his heart and she just stayed there.
Just for a moment.
The steady beat filled her ears. Fast at first, then deeper, steadier.
His arms came around her, and he held her close. “You can f**k me,” he told her, his voice deep and gruff. “I’ll give you all the pleasure you need, but I won’t be a stand-in for the lover you lost.”
Her eyes squeezed shut. It hadn’t been like that. She hadn’t wanted a body in the dark so she could pretend Carter was touching her. If she’d wanted that, hell, she could have gotten it months ago. Finding a new lover wasn’t hard with all the eager cops and smoke eaters around.
But she knew that he’d sensed her hesitation when he’d first pressed his lips against her sex. She took a deep breath. It would be easier to be honest in the dark. Maybe that’s why she kept her eyes closed. “I wasn’t trying to screw a ghost. I just wanted you.” But it had been hard, dammit, harder than she thought, to shove away the past.
Some memories didn’t fade so easily.
His hands slid down her back. Warm hands, strong and solid. A man’s hands. It felt good to have him hold her.
Not alone. Not now. It wouldn’t last, nothing ever lasted, but—
His hands froze. “What the hell?”
Ah, how had she forgotten? This always came up, sooner or later.
Her eyes opened, and she pushed up, the better to stare down at him. “Scars, Kent. They’re just scars.” A line criss-crossed the base of her back. Old scars. Not like they hurt anymore. They were just a reminder.
Like she would have ever forgotten.
“What happened? Damn, it must have hurt like a bitch.”
“Yeah, the kiss from fire can be a real bitch.” He had that right. She forced a smile. She didn’t want to talk about the past right then. “It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter now.” Lying in the dark would have been much easier.
The thick ridges would always be there. Sure, she could probably do some kind of surgery to get them reduced. But why bother? What would be the point?
So she wasn’t perfect. She never had been.
Lora gazed down at Kenton. No, she’d never been perfect.
“I see you,” she told him. “Not Carter.” She wanted to be completely clear. Not an old lover. Not memories. It was just them, and they had the rest of the night.
“But who do you see?” she asked him. Just because she’d been hurt once, that didn’t make her a victim, no matter what some of her former lovers thought. She didn’t want pity. Not a victim. Not just a woman chased by the flames.
His fingers were still on the base of her back, lightly tracing the scars. “I see the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.”
Ah, now that sounded promising.
She lowered her head to hide her smile. “Good answer.”
They were screwing. Through the binoculars, he stared at the light glowing in Lora Spade’s bedroom and knew that the agent was f**king her.
Barely in town a few days, and Lora was already spreading her legs. What a f**king whore.
She’d played the fire widow, crying and shaking. But she’d given it up fast enough to the Bureau bastard.
Should have known. She was just like so many of the others on the inside.
Twisted. Wicked.
She’d learn. They’d all learn. And when he was done lighting up this town, no one would ever forget him.
Sweat beaded his brow as he stared at the window. He didn’t make the mistake of getting too close to a scene, not when he was scouting. It never paid to have witnesses see you before a fire. Hell, he’d learned that with the Skofield kill. One slip. Now he always cased from a distance—the better to observe his target.
And Lora’s lovely house, the house she was so damn proud of… he wanted to set that place on fire, to let the flames run loose.
Not yet.
The rage ate at him, but he pushed it back, knowing that he had to be careful. He had to plan his moves, wait for his attack.
He had to be sure that his prey would suffer. When he struck, that bastard Lake would die screaming.
And Lora—she’d watch. Just like before.
Because Lora liked to watch the flames.
Dance and burn.
CHAPTER Six
He awoke to the feel of silken hands on his cock. Teasing. Stroking. Working his length with a grip that was pure pleasure.
Either this was the best wet dream of his life or…
Kenton opened his eyes and found Lora beside him, her br**sts bare in the morning light, the pink ni**les tight. Her hands were on him, squeezing his c**k and pumping the flesh.
Better than a dream.
Her lips spread in a slow, sexy smile. “Thought that might get you up.”
The bark of laughter came before he even thought about it. Oh, yeah, he was definitely up.
Her smile widened, even as her fingers tightened around the base of his shaft.
Sweet damn.
“Last night… seemed like you got to do the exploring.” She crawled over him. Aw… fuck. Lora settled between his legs, arching her back a bit, showing those gorgeous lick-me br**sts.
Please, let her be talking about…
Her head lowered, and her breath blew over his cock. “You don’t mind if I have my turn, do you?”
Was he an idiot? “Go…” Okay, that sounded like a rumble. Kenton cleared his throat and tried again. “Go right ahead.”
Her tongue came out, small and pink, and she swiped over the tip of his erection. His hips rose off the bed.
“Easy.” A taunt. “Trust me, you’ll like this.”
Oh, he bet he would.
That mouth—he’d wanted it on him from the first glance.
Made for sin.
Those lips—wide and soft and—
Her mouth closed around him. Kenton choked out her name. Then she started moving her head, taking him in deeper, sucking, and stroking.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. His heels dug into the mattress as his fingers fisted in the sheets. He wouldn’t be able to take this. Not too long. His c**k was close to bursting now, and her mouth—that tongue—
She swallowed.
He jerked. “Lora!” More a roar this time.
But she kept working him. Her fingers curled around the base of his shaft, and she pumped in time with his thrusts in her mouth. Faster.
He glanced down and saw her mouth around him. Saw those eyes on his.
And nearly came right then.