She chuckled, sorting through the menus until she had five lined up on the counter. The rest she stuffed back in the bottomless drawer. “Are they worse than the K-rations we had in World War II?”
“You were in World War II?” He blinked. The age thing with Magickals always tripped him up. He understood intellectually they had a five-hundred-year life span, while humans only had about a fifth of that. But it still threw him off when a woman who looked his age claimed to have been involved in a war that ended decades before he was born, let alone old enough to serve in the military.
But she was nodding. “I was a nurse in the war. I was stationed in Hawaii during Pearl Harbor.”
“No way.”
“Yeah.” She grinned. “I’m old, remember?”
“Not too old to have a good time.” He winked at her and picked up the take-out list from the Chinese food place she’d mentioned. “I like chow mein. And every time I eat it, I end up wanting more immediately. Kind of like sex.”
Her eyes went round. “You want more sex now?”
A laugh rumbled out of him. He couldn’t help it. The ice queen was nowhere to be found when she wasn’t at work. He liked that only he got to see this side of her. “I’ll let you regain your strength a bit. Let’s have dinner. Then I’ll have you for dessert.”
A flush rose to her cheeks and her eyes darkened with passion. He watched her nipples tighten, and his cock responded to her arousal. “Maybe I’ll have you for an appetizer, too.”
She didn’t say anything in return, just licked her lips, and he stared at her mouth. Damn, she got to him in the worst way, and he wanted her under him. He hadn’t gotten this hard, this often, since he’d been a randy teenager. But he’d been insatiable the night before. They’d both needed the distraction, and tonight? He had no idea how he’d have the energy for a repeat performance, but he knew without a doubt that he wanted her again.
As if she’d read his mind, she said, “Sex is a big yes, but a sex-a-thon like last night is not going to happen. I need to sleep and be sharp tomorrow, not running on adrenaline and caffeine like today.”
“Agreed.” He laughed. “I might be younger than you, but I’m not a kid anymore. Sleep is my friend. I don’t get as much as I should, so I take it when I can.”
“Gods, yeah. I think I’ve missed more sleep since I became a cop than I did in the entire century before that.” She sighed. “I wouldn’t trade it, though.”
“You really love it, don’t you?” Having done everything else, he would have guessed that the stress-inducing, sleepless, adrenaline-fest of law enforcement wouldn’t be that high on her list. Then again, it wasn’t as if she had to do this. She was old enough and had other skills to make a living off of. Why else would she be doing it if she didn’t love it?
It was a little odd to think he had something that fundamental in common with a woman who outstripped him in age and experience by about fifty miles. Odd, yeah. But he liked it anyway.
“Of course. I could be retired if I wanted to. I might not be rich or powerful like Millie Standish, but even modest savings for a couple of centuries adds up.” She lifted her hands, her thoughts clearly following the same lines that his had. Again.
He narrowed his gaze at her. “Are you a telepath?”
“Nope. Should I buy you a tinfoil hat?” Her grin was sharp and wicked.
“Ha, no. I was just making sure. You Magickals can be weird like that.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“No problem.” He reached for the cordless phone on her counter and flipped over the Chinese menu. “What do you want?”
She ran her nail across his collarbone and down his chest to flick his nipple. Her voice was almost a purr. “You mean, what do I want for food?”
“Yes.” Even he didn’t know if he was answering her question or approving the way she touched him. He loved that she wasn’t shy about letting him know what she wanted. Guessing games in the bedroom weren’t his idea of a good time.
“Chicken chow mein, shrimp fried rice, and an order of egg rolls.” Every word was punctuated by her swirling her finger through his chest hair and around his nipples. Her gaze danced with mischief when she peeked up at him through her thick lashes.
He shuddered, punched in the number for the restaurant, and placed their order. Her hand drifted lower, circling his navel when he hung up. “Let’s get dinner delivered before my good intentions go out the window and I do you on the counter.”
“You’re assuming I’d be opposed to that.”
“Says Detective I-Need-My-Sleep.”
“Yeah, but it’s not bedtime yet.” She managed to pull off a completely innocent expression.
Innocent, his ass. He snorted. “Maybe I’ll enjoy making you wait.”
Her eyes slitted in challenge. “I could change your mind about that.”
He had no doubt. Time for a distraction or he’d be banging her when the food showed up.
Being naked wasn’t going to help his cause at all. Her slim, bare curves were more temptation than he cared to resist. And his cock sticking out like a flagpole wasn’t going to convince her he wasn’t obsessed with getting inside her. Again.
Returning to the living room, he pulled on his pants and shirt, but left it untucked. He scooped up her pajamas and brought them to her.
Amusement twinkled in her gaze and a wry grin curved her lips. “You don’t like me naked, Agent Laramie?”
“I love having you naked, and I’ll show my full appreciation after dinner. For the moment, I need you dressed.”
She laughed outright at that, but gamely slid her clothes back on. It was a damn shame to have all of her creamy skin covered up, but he wasn’t interested in sharing the view with the delivery guy. Her stomach rumbled loudly, and Jack chuckled. She slapped a hand over it and shrugged. “Hey, I was just going to have a carton of ice cream before you showed up.”
“Looks like I got here just in time to whet your appetite for something more substantial.” He gave her an easy smile and she just shook her head at him.
“You’re incorrigible.”
“And you like it.” He winked at her and went over to sprawl on her couch, taking the time to really look around for the first time. He was usually pretty observant—it was a job qualification—but he’d been too distracted until now to observe anything other than Selina.
The house was old, the architecture maybe turn of the century. The inside seemed more spacious than it appeared from the tree-lined street outside. She lived in the eclectic Capitol Hill area of Seattle, not too far from Volunteer Park.
He liked her house. It felt good, which sounded lame even in his head, but that was the best way he could explain it. It wasn’t too girlie or fussy, it wasn’t overloaded with crap, like some of the women’s homes he’d been in. Yet, it felt warm. Unlike how she presented herself at work. She had a definite separation of work and home life. He’d bet none of her co-workers had ever been invited over.
She petted her familiar while Jack looked around, and followed him into the living room slowly, her eyes going between the couch and an oversized chair. Deciding on the chair, she moved past him.
“Yeah, no.” He snagged her arm, and tugged her down on the couch with him.
Grim barked, rising from where he’d just lain down in front of the fireplace. His hackles stood on end, a low growl issuing from his throat.
“I’m not hurting her. She’s okay.” Jack looked the dog in the eyes. The animal was a familiar, something he didn’t know a lot about. They had some magical powers, like their owners, and the ones he’d met seemed to have more awareness than regular pets, but ... he still felt a bit stupid chatting with a dog.