Page 49 of Point Blank

His palm kneaded the sensitive skin at the back of her neck. Easing her back, he swept his gaze over her face, crawling up one inch at a time until he found her eyes.

His hard, determined stare vacuumed up the air from her lungs. The pace of his breath quickened. He tucked his chin and sealed his lips over hers. She surged to her toes and met the coaxing of his mouth. His tongue parted her teeth, and she met his hot wetness with her own.

Heat vibrated through her mouth, sending a blaze of desire to the lips that moistened her panties.

She groaned and tipped her head back more, allowing him to deepen the kiss. He stroked his tongue over hers and her toes curled. Her back pressed into his arm and his fingertips flexed on her scalp. His lips broke away from her and her body jerked forward in protest.

Milo joined his forehead to hers. His chest rose and fell in sharp spasms. Strain crinkled his forehead.

“You’re killin’ me, babe.”

Milo on the cusp of losing control was hotter than hell. Serena sucked her tongue over her teeth. The taste of his sweet saliva still hung in her mouth. “We should probably cool it or we’re going to end up naked again.”

Milo dropped his head to the side. “You’re not really going to hold me to that, are you?”

She swatted him. His hand caught hers and stilled it against the breadth of his chest. His palm enveloped her fingers. His mouth twitched and his eyes sparkled. When she didn’t answer, he nudged her thigh with his knee.

“Yes,” she said, pinching the taut skin beneath his shirt. “For now.” Her traitorous alter ego had added the words—there was no way she could let go of the possibility of landing in bed with him again.

His mouth spread into a full-fledged grin. “I should get that written in blood.”

Butterflies swirled in her belly. Milo was a direct threat to her sanity . . . and resolve. She turned out of his hold and pursed her lips at him over her shoulder. “Not a chance, Milo.” She hadn’t meant the words to roll out on a purr—where the hell had this seductress come from?

Severe lack of sex, that’s where.

She tucked her chin and landed her gaze on the counter. “Shoot, I left my phone upstairs.” She darted down the hall and up the flight of stairs. She’d ventured to the second level only a half hour before and must have set down her phone, but missing a call from the kidnapper could be disastrous. The rectangular device lay on the nightstand where she’d left it. She scooped it up and returned downstairs.

The screen lit up in her hand. Panic stopped her in her tracks in the hallway to the kitchen.

“Everything okay?”

Milo crossed the room and she lifted her chin to face him. His arm came around her waist.

“It could be Dani,” she wheezed.

“Get it.”

She reached to swipe the screen, but her movement was jerky, and she fumbled with the device before catching it in both of her palms. Milo steadied her wrist.

“Do you recognize that number?”

The stifling pressure in her lungs leaked out a fraction. A solid weight quickly returned to her chest. She swallowed and reread the number, but she didn’t need to. She hadn’t programmed his name in her phone, but had meant to before everything had happened with Dani.

“It’s Titus. I have to get it.”

It was late afternoon, and she hadn’t expected him to call for at least a few more hours. Milo nodded and took a step back but stayed in the kitchen. She summoned her strength and flipped her hair over her shoulder. She could do this. She could channel the cool, confident Serena Smith, act as if nothing were wrong, as if her sister weren’t missing, as if she weren’t scheduled to rob Titus in a matter of hours.

“Serena Smith,” she sang into the mouthpiece. Her free hand wandered over the wrinkles on her shirt to the yoga pants hugging her hips.

“Serena, it’s Titus.”

“Titus, hi. It’s so great to hear from you. How was your weekend with the family?” She reached up to toy with a strand of her hair and paced the length of the island. Milo hovered in her peripheral vision, his gaze hot on her every movement.

Titus groaned and then chuckled. “Too hectic. I don’t know why I do this to myself.” He spoke lightly and Serena pictured him rolling his eyes at himself. “Thankfully my family left early and I’m in a car on the way to the airport. Which is why I’m calling sooner than I said I would.”

Thank god! Excitement sailed through her and she spun to face Milo. She locked her eyes on his and he searched her face.

“Well, a business trip should help alleviate the stress of family. Have you had a chance to consider your listing?” Normally she wouldn’t be so forward, but another minute of chitchat might kill her.