“Pretty much.” She folded her arms over her chest, then dropped them when his gaze zeroed in on her cleavage. Tingles skipped over her skin, and she did her best to ignore them. “I got more help from a civilian than I did from my own department.”
“A civilian?” His eyebrows arched. “A Magickal reporter or something?”
“Hardly.” She snorted. “Theodore Holmes is the last living vampire hunter. Nice guy, if you overlook the burning, foaming-at-the-mouth hatred he has for all vamps.”
“Charming.”
“Not at all.” A wry smile curled her lips. “But he was there for me when I needed him the most, and that made overlooking his issues a lot easier.” She sighed and couldn’t meet his gaze when she went into half truth. “So this was my first murderer, and he got away. All those people died because I didn’t know what the fuck I was doing. It’s ... haunted me. Unsolved cases happen, and I’ve put several of them behind me, but not this one. This one almost made me quit the force.”
He reached out and cupped her shoulders, his fingers massaging lightly. “This was the guy who got away.”
“Yeah.” That was true enough, and she hated the way her insides knotted at not telling him everything. It couldn’t be helped, but she wished it could. “I want to finish what I started, you know what I mean? Today was rough because it all rushed back at me ... same M.O., same scene with relatives sobbing and asking why, and me with no answers for them. Again. I’ll be fine by tomorrow, but today sucked ass.”
He drew her up against him, brushing a kiss over her forehead. His hands slipped up and down her back. When was the last time she’d allowed herself to be held, comforted? She stiffened, reminding herself that she needed to set boundaries. But a slow, insidious desire wound through her. Her body warmed, even though she didn’t want it to. Damn chemistry. She couldn’t make herself pull away. Tilting her head back, she met his eyes.
His gaze had that focused, intent look that men got right before they kissed a woman, and Selina’s insides quivered with utter want. Her core went damp, slicking with juices just that quickly. She wanted his mouth on hers again. It was stupid, but there it was.
“I want you.” The words were a deep growl.
“We’re working together now.” It took every ounce of her willpower to derail the promise in his eyes. She had to say it now or she wouldn’t be able to. If he kissed her, she was screwed. Literally.
“I know. I know we should back away. I know it would be better for everyone. I know. Damn it.” And then he tightened his grip and slanted his mouth over hers.
The taste of him was just as good as she remembered. Somehow she’d thought the champagne had sweetened the experience beyond reality, but no. Heat curled through her, liquefying her bones. It was just as intoxicating as it had been the first time his lips had touched hers. A soft moan spilled out, a sound that was shocking in its neediness. She almost pulled back, but his arms wrapped tighter around her, hauling her flush against him.
The heat burned straight to pure fire.
Everything else fled under the onslaught of lust. She thrust her fingers into his soft hair and twisted tight. Opening her mouth, she licked her way into his, wanting more of that taste. It was addicting. Her nipples beaded to painful points, moisture slicking her pussy. Now that she knew how good it would be with him, her body was primed and ready with stunning speed. His hands roamed her back, sliding down to cup her hips and rock his hard cock into the cradle of her thighs.
A high keen of need broke from her as her entire body lit. She arched into his muscular form, hooking one leg around his hip to open herself to greater contact. He took advantage of the access, backing her into the closed door and grinding his erection into her sex.
She broke the kiss, throwing her head back to gasp for air. “Gods, you just got here. For dinner.”
“Food later. I’m starving for you.” His hips surged against hers, rubbing against her clit through their clothing. An involuntary spell rolled out of her, lightning forking from her fingers. He shuddered, groaned. “Jesus, Selina.”
“More,” she gasped.
“I have no magic for you. No seduction spells.” He bent to slide his tongue over her collarbone and up her throat to her earlobe.
“I’ve had seduction spells. This is better.” She sent hot sparks streaking down his skin. “I hope you don’t mind if I use them on you.”
“Not at all.” He bit her ear, and she cried out, more moisture gushing in her sex.
It took everything she had to gather her wits and put together a coherent sentence. “I have a spell ... that would have the effect of a seduction spell from you to me.”
He pulled back so he could meet her gaze, and he searched her face for a long moment. “I’ve never even heard of such a thing.”
“I’ve picked up things along the way.” She shrugged and struggled to control her breathing, slow her heart rate down. It didn’t work. He was still pressed to her body, his pelvis moving in infinitesimal thrusts that slid his erection over her throbbing clit. She was surprised she could think at all. “I dated a vampire once who liked pleasure spells, but the fanged races suck at casting so ... I found a better way for us. That used only my magic, but both our lust.”
“Show me.” A slow grin formed on his lips, a flash of straight white teeth.
Gathering the unraveled edges of her control, she forced herself to concentrate for a moment. The spell was psychokinetic—physical manifestations of thoughts or emotions—but it didn’t have a lot of power behind it because telepathy wasn’t one of her magical gifts. It had just enough kick to work as a pleasure spell, which was all she needed.
She wrapped the spell around them, cycling it between their bodies, linking just the lust that flowed from them. Physical manifestation of any other kind of emotion was something she didn’t want to deal with. The tangle of her own thoughts the last couple of days was something she’d rather avoid, especially at a moment like this, when she was minutes away from going off like a rocket.
Stroking his hands down her arms, golden light bathed her skin, shimmering for a moment before it sank into her. He grinned. “Cool.”
No, it was hot. Burning.
“Jack,” she whispered, her breath catching as the energy spinning between them intensified.
He tugged up the hem of her top, pulling it over her head. Her pajama pants slid away even faster as she divested him of his clothing in return. She unfastened his belt and fly, untucking the bottom of his dress shirt. He dropped his jacket and set his shoulder holster on the table she had by the front door while she worked his tie free and unbuttoned his shirt. He kicked off his shoes, and they wrenched the rest of his clothes off.
Slipping her palms up his chest was a tactile pleasure, all steely muscles, crisp hair, and warm skin. She circled one flat, brown nipple, and he hissed out a breath when she zapped it with a tiny fork of lightning. She moaned when he cupped her breasts, that golden warmth spilling over her. It was exquisite torment when he twisted her nipples with slow precision.
Gods, the heat of his passion sizzled her nerves. If she’d had any doubts about this thing being mutual, they were blown out of the water. The spell let her feel how much he wanted her, how much he craved touching her.
Abandoning his chest, she went straight for gold, swirling a finger around the tip of his cock. A bead of fluid slipped down the crest and she bent to catch it with her tongue. The salty flavor and musky scent of him turned her on even more. Everything about the man revved her up. Her sex spasmed as she licked a path down the length of his hard shaft.
“Jesus, if you do that, I won’t last a minute.” He pulled her upright and grabbed her hips, crowding her back with his big body and lifting her against the door.