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“I agree with that,” he said.
She nodded, glad that he did. “And if we’re fully invested in exploring a relationship between us, Locke, then we should do that. I see nothing wrong with accepting our connection, while staying focused on what matters most.”
“I agree with that, too,” giving her a smile that she thought was way too sexy. He extended his hand to her. “You want to shake on it?”
“No, Locke. I think we can do better than that once we get to your place.”
His sexy smile widened, and she knew he fully understood what she had meant.
“There’s one thing that I don’t want to wait for, Hollis.”
His low, throaty voice stroked her nerve endings and drowned out her ability to think rationally. “What is that?”
“This.” He unsnapped his seat belt, then undid hers, before leaning in and capturing her mouth.
***
Locke had wanted this moment since the day he looked out the peephole and saw her standing on his doorstep. He had known it would be hard to resist her, which was the main reason he hadn’t wanted to hire her.
He was glad that he had. This kiss was long overdue but well worth the wait. Everything he had imagined about her mouth, lips, and tongue was true. Hollis Calloway kissed the way she handled an investigation. Thoroughly. Confidently. Not holding anything back.
If her intent with this kiss was to make him want her more, she was achieving that goal. Only one word could describe the heat of their kiss. Passionate. But then he immediately thought of another word for what they were sharing. Explosive. All thoughts were leaving his mind. He didn’t want to think about what had happened tonight. Even the sound of the train going by was getting blocked. His entire focus was seized by a blaze that was burning his body from the inside out. A blaze she had ignited. Her tongue hungrily mated with his, adding just the right intensity and precision, while not missing a thing.
Her taste was the most delectable flavor, and he doubted he would ever consume enough of it. She was meeting him stroke for stroke, and he was convinced that when it ended, her name would be branded all over his mouth, lips, and tongue. Her moans elicited his groans, and the combined sounds fueled his fire. He was about to pull her over the center console and into his lap when the car behind them blasted its horn.
He pulled away and saw the train had passed. The crossing arms were now up, and they were holding up traffic. He buckled her seat belt and did the same for his own. Damn. He couldn’t wait to get her to his place.
“Locke?”
He glanced over at her, saw her smile and her lips swollen from his kiss. “Yes, Hollis?”
Her smile widened. “You’re off to a real good start.”
He chuckled. “Sweetheart, you haven’t seen anything yet.”
CHAPTER 21
Locke stood aside as Hollis entered his home, rolling her carry-on beside her. This was the first time he had seen her in jeans. To be honest, he hadn’t thought she owned a pair. He could picture her in khakis and leggings, but for some reason, he hadn’t seen denim as her style. He liked it, and thought she looked femininely striking in whatever she wore.
He entered, closed the door behind him, and locked them in, then leaned against it to stare at her. After weeks of his desire for her being under fire, he had willingly stepped into the flames with that kiss. Just staring at her was bringing back every emotion he hadn’t wanted to feel again, but he would admit that resisting Hollis was never an option for him. Not then and not now. He appreciated that tonight he didn’t have to.
Moving away from the door, he closed the distance between them, seeing another side of Hollis Calloway. One just as stunning, beautiful, and striking. But he saw layers he intended to unravel. Facets about her he couldn’t wait to discover. There was no rush. He had the time, since he didn’t plan to go anywhere, and hoped she didn’t either. He wanted to be in for the long haul, which he never thought he would consider again.
From the way she looked at him, he knew at that moment they wanted the same thing. Mainly each other. But the question was whether they would do it hard and fast or slow and easy. Either would work for him, but he would let her decide.
“Do you know how hard I’ve tried resisting you?” he asked, coming to a stop in front of her.
She tilted her head as if she needed to study him. To unravel his layers like he intended to do hers. “Probably for as long as I tried resisting you, I’d imagined.”
He smiled. She definitely didn’t leave you wondering what she thought about anything, and he liked that. It was just one of the things that made her adorable. She knew how to hold her own with any man and had no problem doing so, whether in battle or wit.
“Yet, you claimed I wasn’t your type,” he reminded her.
She smiled. “You still might not be. Do you think you can handle me, Locke?”
“I’m damn going to try, Hollis.”
He swept her into his arms and headed up the stairs to his bedroom.
