“War?”
“If he’s coming, we should make sure we give Dylan a good show.”
“I don’t understand.”
He was right in front of her. War stared down into Rose’s eyes. “Are you going to seduce me? Good old Gary thought that might be on your agenda.”
“I…” She shook her head. “What is happening right now?”
He slid his hand under the curtain of her hair. “Wouldn’t be hard. Like I told you before, when you’re near, I get hard. Wanting you is second nature to me.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “Why are you saying these things?”
“Because I’m supposed to be working for your asshole producer. But instead, I’m hiding you. He knew that was what I would do. So he sent in a backup to watch me and report on what he saw. Dylan probably thought I planned to screw him over all along. Take the twenty grand and take you.” Ever so tempting. Actually, it was one of the best plans he’d heard in ages. “Since Dylan knows I can’t stand him, it was probably a good idea for him to get a backup PI.”
Her hands rose. Fluttered in the air. Hesitated, as if she wanted to touch him.
“I don’t fucking trust Dylan,” he growled.
“Yes, yes, I know and—”
“The guy who just left? Gary Strom is a PI who makes his living hiding in bushes and taking sleazy pictures of people in compromising situations.”
He saw her eyes widen.
“Exactly,” War murmured. “Just like the compromising picture I got of you. The picture that was a setup. Now we know that Dylan has a working relationship with Gary, and that makes me very, very suspicious.”
“Suspicious? Wait…you think Dylan—”
“You said you were at a conference in Tampa when one of the murders occurred?”
A cautious nod.
His hand was still in her silken hair. “Was Dylan there, too?”
He saw the answer on her face before she even said a word. His gut clenched.
“Yes. But, War, look, Dylan is a jerk, yes, but he’s not a killer.”
War wasn’t so sure. “We’re going to find out.”
“Not like he’s just going to confess if he is guilty!”
“No, not right away, he won’t. That’s why we find evidence. That’s what you hired me for, remember?”
“I…we haven’t even talked about what I’ll owe you.”
“No?” His eyebrows climbed. “Thought we did. Thought we covered that you were seducing me into helping you.”
Her cheeks flushed. “That’s not what I was doing!”
His head lowered toward her. “But that’s what we’ll want Dylan to believe. Dylan and anyone else who may be watching when we leave in the next few minutes. Sell that story. Get used to having me touch you again. Get used to my hands and my mouth. Because when we walk out that door, we are going to put on a show.” He’d lay odds that Gary was out there with his camera at the ready.
You are gonna report back to Dylan, aren’t you? Then let’s give you something good to report.
“Do you think we should practice, just to make sure we can still get it right?” His gaze was on her mouth. He loved her mouth. Plump lips. Sexy and soft.
“No.” A faint exhale from her. “We…no. I don’t need to practice.”
He wanted her mouth. He would have it. But his hand slid away, and he backed up. “Then I’ll trust you to smile for the camera and put on a killer performance when we step outside.”
She hesitated. “War, is this necessary?”
“Yes.” That was all he’d say. Very, very necessary.
Just as coming to the bar had been necessary. He had the place wired for security. Most folks never noticed the little cameras that he had at the doors. He didn’t think dumbass Gary had noticed. But now War had video footage of the guy tailing him. Proof, for later.
If Dylan was on his way to the bar, then this was the perfect time to check out that jerk’s place. While it’s nice and empty. “Let’s do this.” He slid his arm around her shoulder, tucked her against him, and got ready for his close-up.
When he threw open the bar’s front door, the street outside appeared empty. Only his car waited near the curb. No sign of Gary, though he was sure the other PI was close by. War walked Rose to the car, but he didn’t open her door. Instead, he pulled her against him.
Then he took her mouth.
He was setting up the shot. Just as he now suspected Dylan had done. A shot of a couple kissing. The shot that had sent jealousy burning through War’s mind and body and had shattered his control. The shot that had—
“War,” Rose breathed against his mouth, and he forgot everything else.
A savage growl broke from him as his hands tightened around her hips. He pulled her tighter against him as his mouth opened wide on hers. His tongue thrust into her mouth. Tasted her. Fuck, she was good. Delicious. Her tongue met his as she pressed close to him. Her could feel her breasts pushing at him, her tight nipples. He wanted her nipples in his mouth. Wanted his dick in her. Wanted her screaming his name and squeezing him with her sex as her orgasm poured through her and he slammed deep looking for his own release. He wanted—
His hands were sliding under her shirt. He was touching warm, smooth skin.
Stop. You’ve got an audience. That had been the plan, originally. To put on a show. But he didn’t intend to fuck Rose in front of anyone. When they were together, that time was theirs. No one else would see her that way. His head lifted. His breath panted out even as his cock shoved hard against the front of his jeans.
Rose’s lips were red and swollen from his mouth. Her thick lashes slowly lifted even as her tongue slid over her lower lip, as if catching the last bit of his taste.
His body tensed even more.
“Was that…good enough?” she asked softly.
It was freaking perfect in his book. Just as hot and sensual as always.
“Did we give him a good picture?”
A picture? Oh, yeah. Right. Shit. A picture. His eyes narrowed. Desire had him on the edge, but Rose was whispering to him like she’d just been faking her hungry reaction to him. His head started to lower. He’d kiss her again and see—
“It’s not safe to just stay out here like this. Someone might recognize me.”
He yanked open her door. She quickly slid inside. Looked up at him. “War? Are you all right?”
Oh, he just had a severe case of blue balls, but that was his own damn fault. He wanted to fuck her more than he wanted to breathe but again…his fault. He slammed the door shut and hurried for his side of the vehicle.
Gary ducked behind a nearby building. “Go screw yourself, Gary,” War called. At least the other PI had gotten the shots. Dylan would be seeing them soon.
Good.
War revved the engine. His baby rolled away like the boss she was.
Her voice husky, a little breathless, Rose admitted, “I don’t—I don’t get why that was necessary.”
Ah, back to that, were they? He didn’t respond right away. Instead, he focused on breathing and trying not to notice the mouth-watering way she smelled.
“War? Why is it so important for Dylan to see us together?”