Page 12 of Blood Money

She licked her lips then smiled devilishly. “Fair’s fair.”

Jiggling from the ice bucket at a nearby table had him wondering if there was enough ice in it to chill his hard-on into submission. Instead he reached for a glass of ice water in front of him and downed it in three swallows.

It was nearly midnight when Gray walked Alex to her apartment door. He scoffed at the flimsy lock on the building’s outer door, and when they walked down the hallway, nearly all the light bulbs were out. “You need to find a better place to live.”

“I wish I could.” He heard the regret in her voice. “Police admins don’t make a lot of money, and I have too many bills to pay.”

Gray made a discontented sound in the back of his throat but let the matter drop. For now. Alex reached into her bag and dug for her key.

He gently turned her to face him. “I’d like to kiss you good night. If that’s okay.” While he waited for her answer, his heart began to race. He felt like a teenager all over again, trying to get to first base and wondering if she’d say yes.

Alex nodded. “Yes.”

His eyes dipped to her mouth, and her lips parted. He leaned in and cupped the side of her face. When he dropped a light kiss on her lips, he imagined this was what rose petals were like. All dewy and soft.

And leaving him craving more of her sweet mouth.

He increased the pressure, urging her to part her lips. When his tongue met hers, he tasted chocolate mixed with mint from the after-dinner candies they’d grabbed on the way out of the café.

She moaned into his mouth, and his entire body instantly shuddered with yearning. Explosive didn’t begin to describe it when his tongue tangled with hers.

Heat shot to his groin, and fire sped through his veins. Not to mention the crazy-ass urge to take her right there in the dimly lit hallway. Instead, he gently nudged her back against the door, sliding his hands over the sides of her face, caressing her graceful neck, then skimming down her sides to hold her by her hips.

Another tiny moan escaped her lips, and she eased her arms around his waist beneath his suit jacket. Her fingers splayed across his shirt, digging into his back. Unable to stop himself, he nudged his erection against her, showing her just how much he wanted her. Needed her.

Craved her.

Since he couldn’t make love to her tonight—not the way he wanted to, and not with a little boy and a babysitter on the other side of the door—he damn sure intended to make love to her mouth.

Uttering a low groan, he slanted his lips across hers, his tongue thrusting wildly, hers thrusting back as he savored more of her subtle sweetness.

A muffled thump came from inside the apartment, and they drew apart, both breathing heavily.

Alex’s breath was warm against his neck as she gasped for air, and with every intake her breasts pushed against his chest. Her eyes blazed with a fiery passion he hadn’t known existed in her until tonight.

One thing was for sure—she ignited every ounce of fuel in his body. Hell, he’d be burning for her well into the morning.

Gazing down at her, he glimpsed her blue eyes bright with need, just as he knew his were.

A slow, easy grin lit her face. “Thank you for dinner. And dancing.” Her smile widened. “And fondue.”

Gray lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “I should go. I can’t wait to see you again. I have to work nights over the weekend, but how about lunch tomorrow?”

“It’s a date,” she whispered, then turned and inserted the key into her door and slipped inside.

Gray waited until he heard the deadbolt turn, then headed back down the hall. Just before pushing the outer door open, he paused with his hand on the knob. It was all he could do not to charge back down the hallway and kiss Alex one more time. Hell, he wanted to kiss her a lot more than that. Try all night long. He let out a heavy breath and pulled open the door.

A blast of cool March air brought with it a much-needed punch of sanity. Alex had a six-year-old. He’d have to be patient, but she was worth every cold shower he anticipated needing until they took things to the next level.

He trotted down the stairs, imbued by a sense of energy he hadn’t experienced in a very long time, if ever. Juvenile thought though it was, he felt as if he could fly. He loved his job, but he was looking forward to tomorrow for a completely different reason.

Alex would be there.

He snorted and hustled to the curb to flag down a cab.

Oh, man. I’ve got it bad.

The subtle smell of her perfume lingered on his clothes and would probably keep him up all night. Literally. He couldn’t believe how turned on he’d been. Like a randy kid again.