“One time. Just once and I was hooked.”
Wait, was that good? Or bad? Sounded bad.
But she understood the feeling. She’d been the same way. Hooked. On his touch. His kiss.
“Then I started to fall for you,” he said. “Or, hell, maybe I started that first night.” His lips curved, again, and her gut tightened at the sight of his dimples. “That first night—when you knocked me on my ass.”
“Y-you wouldn’t get out.” Her voice softened a bit. “I didn’t want to—”
“Doesn’t really matter when, though.” His eyes narrowed at the corners. “Just know that now, when I breathe, I taste you.”
She gulped.
“When I wake up, the first thought I have is of you.”
Even when he wasn’t in her bed, he was her first thought, too.
“I’m not the jealous type, Lora.” A shake of his head. “But I almost punched that cop because he’d had you.”
Ah, Pete? He was talking about Pete now?
“I don’t want to think of you with anyone else, before or after me. Sure as hell not after, because I don’t want us to end when this case is over.”
Neither did she. Her feelings—yeah, they scared her. Because when you cared so much, you opened yourself up to a world of hurt. She didn’t want to hurt again.
No, she hadn’t planned for him.
Wild sex was what she’d wanted.
But she’d found much more.
Enough to risk her heart again? “Kent…”
He kissed her. He brushed his mouth over hers. Not in a hard, demanding kiss. Instead…
Caressing.
He lifted his head while she still wanted his mouth. “We’ll finish this case. You’ll get your justice for Carter.”
But it wasn’t just about that anymore. So many others—
“But I want you. I want you to give us time to see where the hell this is going because, sweetheart, I’ve never felt this way about a woman before, and I damn well don’t want to lose you.”
Her breath came too fast. He was offering her a chance at love again. Kent. A smart woman would grab hold with both hands.
Her hands locked around him. “You’re not losing me.” Being afraid of taking a chance—that wasn’t her either.
She hadn’t been afraid of life or of loving until Carter. Until she’d lost him.
Then she’d tried to lock herself away.
That plan hadn’t worked. Kenton had broken right through those locks.
Too soon? Too fast? Maybe. But screw it. Life was fast, and if she’d learned anything, it was that life could be over far, far too soon.
Take a chance. She nodded. For him, she’d take it.
She’d take the thrill and the fire and the passion. She’d take everything, and in the end, if ashes came, she wouldn’t regret being with him.
Not for a moment.
A knock rapped at the door. She wanted to ignore it and just stay right there in his arms.
“Guess that’s Garrison,” Kenton said.
Early? Probably. The man always did show up half an hour early for every party.
But Kenton didn’t release her. His forehead pressed against hers. “We’re not done.”
“Not even close,” she whispered back. Because fate had been kind to her. Too kind. Not just one man to love in her life.
Two.
A second chance.
Another knock. Then, “Lake, come on, open the door. I know you’re in there! Step away from the chick and open up!” A woman’s voice, sharp, a bit annoyed.
It was a voice that Lora hadn’t heard before.
He raised his head. “Kim?”
Who?
But he pulled away and fumbled for his clothes. “Hyde must have sent her down. Guess he thought we needed more backup.”
Lora pulled on a robe, an old, slightly frayed hotel robe that had been tossed over the back of a chair.
Kenton hurried for the door. He checked through the peephole, then pulled it open. “Donalds, when did you get into town?”
A small woman with coal-black hair brushed by him. “Fifty minutes ago. I brought the boss with me.”
Hyde? Hyde was back in town?
“They want you at the station.” She glanced at Lora, and the agent’s gaze raked over her. “You the firefighter?”
Lora raised a brow. “One of them.”
A nod. No change of expression crossed her face. The woman didn’t seem to care that the bed was wrecked, that Lora was in a robe, or that Kenton’s shirt was missing all of its buttons.
“I’m your chaperone for the day.” Her smile flashed in a wicked grin. “I got protective duty.” She slanted a glance at Kenton. “That’s why I didn’t bother calling first. Figured we’d just switch out… though I don’t think I’ll be offering quite the same services you just did.”
“Screw off, Kim.” His tone was light, at odds with the words.
She laughed. A quick, rich sound.
Lora frowned. “What’s going on? Why do they need Kenton at the station?”
“Monica has a lead. While Sam’s working it, Hyde’s chewing up the PD. I think he said he’d start with the captain.” She shrugged. “Kenton’s point man, so he needs to be there when the case breaks open.”
Lora’s stomach knotted as her gaze flew to his. “You’ll be careful?”
Another laugh rolled from Kim. “The man has a gun.” Her green, almond-shaped eyes gleamed. “He’ll be fine. You’re the civilian. If anyone’s a target, it’s—”
“Kim.” Not sounding so friendly anymore. Kenton’s voice was definitely entering the land of the pissed.
But the woman hadn’t said anything that Lora hadn’t already figured out. “So you’re my bodyguard?” Seriously, she could probably blow this woman over with a hard breath. Lora had at least seven inches on her, probably forty pounds and—
A lazy smile lifted Kim’s lips. “It’s your lucky day.”
He watched them leave. Garrison came for Lora. The old guy looked nervous as he glanced to the left, then the right. Lora walked out with her shoulders back and her chin up. No fear there. Stupid bitch. She’d learn.
Then another woman appeared. She was small—all hair and eyes, but she carried a gun. His eyes narrowed when he caught a glimpse of the holster beneath her left arm. Another f**king agent trailing after Lora.
Like an agent was supposed to stop him. He didn’t care how many guards she had. He knew just how to get to Lora.