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“It’s around back.”
“Around back? Why’d you park there? There were plenty of spots open up front when I got here.”
So I could sneak away without being seen if I chickened out, that’s why.
Yeah, she couldn’t say that.
“They were all full when I got here,” she lied.
He looked at her with a shrewd grin.
Oh, fudge.
He didn’t really know she’d considered backing out, did he? Cuz that wouldn’t be humiliating at all.
“I’ll walk you to your car.”
“It’s okay,” she said, a little embarrassed. “You don’t have to. I’m a big girl.”
He deliberately looked down at her small stature and raised an eyebrow.
“Stop.” She stood up straighter, as if that would make a dent in their height difference, even with the added four inches from the heels. “You know what I mean.”
“I do, but I’m still gonna walk you.” He placed a hand on her lower back and guided her forward. “Besides, Grand would kill me if I let you walk alone.”
“Grand?”
“My grandma. Believe me, you don’t wanna piss her off. She’ll take you out.”
Laurel laughed. “That sounds ominous. How old is she?”
“Turned eighty on the Fourth of July.” The look of affection on his face was unmistakable.
Pushes in chairs, holds your coat, and loves his grandma. Who is this guy?
“So, you’re saying the big, tough fireman is afraid of an octogenarian?”
Jake gave an exaggerated shudder. “You don’t know her.”
She laughed again because the grimace he sported was comical.
“She’s already gonna kick my ass for not picking you up for the date.”
When they reached her car, Laurel quirked her mouth and looked up at him. “Still not giving you my address.”
“Right,” he said with a grin. “Serial killer. Forgot. Although…” He scanned the deserted parking lot. “This is the perfect crime scene. No one around… away from the street…” He advanced until she was backed up against her car, put a hand on the hood behind her, and leaned in. “Dimly lit...”
Her heartbeat sped up. A shiver ran through her, but not from fear. Jake didn’t frighten her. Maybe that was naive, and she’d be the most gullible corpse on the planet, but she wasn’t afraid of him. Still, it couldn’t hurt to point out… “Officer Bennett knows I’m with you.”
He smirked. “I’m not gonna kill you, Laurel.” Gripping her chin with his fingers, he tilted her face upward. “But I am gonna kiss you.”
His lips descended to hers. The kiss was soft and teasing. She had to admit, the heels did make it easier to reach him, but it wasn’t sufficient. She tried to rise up on tiptoes, cravingmore contact, but quickly realized the shoes already had her practically en pointe.
Jake was far enough away to maintain the feather-light contact, but not close enough to deepen the kiss.
When he ran his tongue across the seam of her lips, she opened. He dipped his tongue into her mouth, just far enough for her to touch the tip with her own. It wasn’t enough. Fisting his shirt with both hands, she tried to tug him down, wanting more, but her efforts were laughable. He was six-foot-something of solid muscle, and she was a hundred and ten pounds soaking wet.
Finally, he moved closer, but only to capture her lower lip with his teeth and drag them across it as he pulled away.
