“I get that,” she says, slowly unfolding her arms.
“That switch never worked on you,” I continue, wanting to get it all on the table. “You were everywhere and there was no shutting it off even if I’d wanted to, which I didn’t. Then when Sawyer went missing…”
Suddenly she pushes away from the counter and crosses the space I’d been struggling to keep between us.
“I turned off emotion in favor of the investigation,” she finishes for me, placing a hand in the middle of my chest. “It hurt you.”
I take her hand and press my lips to the pulse on the inside of her wrist.
“And I lashed out,” I admit. “I’m sor—”
“No,” she says firmly, pressing her fingers against my lips. “We both did what we needed to do. No apologies.”
Slipping my arms around her waist, I pull her flush against me and lower my head, looking into her eyes.
“I’m in awe of you,” I confess right before I close my mouth over hers.
As seems to happen any time I touch Kate, the initial spark turns into an inferno in seconds. She moans against my lips and her fingers curl around my neck, pulling me even closer.
My focus is complete as I map her body with my hands, memorizing every soft curve and enticing dip. The need to touch her bare skin has me tugging up the hem of her sweater, when a shrill whistle has both of us jump.
“Water’s boiling.”
She breaks away with an apologetic smile and lifts the kettle from the burner, turning off the gas. Then she reaches into a cupboard beside the stove.
“I have Earl Grey or Orange Pekoe. Do you have a preference?”
Fuck, yeah, I have a preference, and it’s got nothing to do with tea.
Moving in behind her, I put my hands on her hips and press my hard cock against her round ass. Then lean down and brush my lips against her ear.
“I do. Show me your bedroom.”
She turns slowly, purposely brushing my dick with her ass, a seductive smirk on her lips. Then she grabs my hand and pulls me toward a narrow staircase leading upstairs.
“Watch,” she warns when we reach a small landing.
I narrowly avoid hitting my head on the low doorway into her bedroom.
Letting go of my hand when we reach the bed, she turns to face me and whips her sweater off, dropping it to the floor. Helpless to stop myself, my gaze locks in on the swell of her breasts. Beautiful creamy skin, almost matching the color of her nondescript bra barely containing them.
I love how she doesn’t try to hide any part of her as she strips in record time. I’m still frozen on the spot when she starts tugging on my clothes.
“Kate…” slips from my lips right before my jacket lands at my feet.
Her fingers work feverishly on the buttons of my shirt next, but I’m right out of patience. Brushing her hands out of the way, I make short work of my shirt, simply pulling it over my head.
Moments later I’m as naked as she is and eager to feel her skin against mine. I reach for her, but she’s faster, planting her hands in the middle of my chest and shoving me toward the bed where I land flat on my back.
“God, I missed your body,” she mutters when she climbs on top of me, straddling my hips.
Her spread palms slide from my stomach up to my chest as she leans forward. When the tip of her tongue plays with my nipple, her hair brushes over my skin and sends shivers down my spine.
Then she starts sliding down my body.
“Kate, baby…”
I hadn’t planned for this. Hoped, maybe, but at most I’d wished for a chance to talk to her.
As I should’ve expected by now, Kate is a surprise as she slowly licks the thick, throbbing vein running the length of my cock from root to tip.
The warm, wet drag of her tongue breaks the last of my control.
“Knees,” I grunt as I roll her off me.
She doesn’t argue and rewards me with the sight of her ass in the air.
Fuck, yeah.
I’m already close when I enter her pussy, feeling those slick muscles close around me like a fist. Determined not to go off without her, I slip a hand between her legs and work her clit.
My mouth drops open as I piston my hips, unable to control the pace until that tingle at the base of my spine starts to build. Quickly wetting it in my mouth, I slip the tip of my thumb past the tight ring of her asshole.
Right away her whimpers turn to grunts as she grinds herself against me. The next moment she yells and as I feel her body clench around me, I can finally let go.
“Mitch?”
She’s sprawled over me, her fingertips drawing figure eights through the hair on my chest.
I’m still willing my heart rate to come down after round two, as I press my nose in her hair, breathing her scent.
“Hmmm.”
“Do you think we’ve got enough to put Melnyk away?”
Seriously?
Groaning, I roll both of us so she ends up under me and push up on my elbows to look down into her flushed face.
“Let’s make a rule,” I suggest. “No discussing him or any other sick pervert when we’re naked after mind-blowing sex. Or better yet, how about a ban on discussing work in bed altogether?”
A smug smile spreads over her lips.
“Mind-blowing?”
I groan again and plant my face in the crook of her neck.
“Babe, sex with you is the toughest cardiac workout I’ve ever had.”
Her small hand pats my ass.
“We’ll just have to practice more.”
I chuckle against her skin.
“Only you could make me excited about working out.”
Her limbs wrap around me, holding me in place, and we stay like that for a few minutes until she asks another question.
“So can we talk about us?”
I lift myself off her again.
“Always.”
She hesitates for a moment, smiling almost shyly.
“Where do we go from here? You and me.”
“Forward, hopefully.”
I lift my eyebrows in question, which she answers with a nod. Leaning down, I brush her lips with mine.
“We’ll figure it out as we go,” I promise. “We both have demanding jobs, we live in different cities, I’m sure it’ll be a challenge at times to match up our schedules. But where there’s a will, there’s a way, and I’m willing. I want this,” I emphasize, looking deep into her eyes.
“So do I,” she admits, making me feel like a million bucks.
“One thing though,” I continue. “We’ll have to start with a do-over on meeting my daughter to start with. She’s eager to redeem herself. In fact, I had to deter her from coming with me tonight.”
She chuckles softly before turning serious again.
“I’d love that. As long as you’re sure Sawyer’s not going to hate me.”
Now it’s my turn to laugh.
“My sweet Kate…she’s gonna love you, I promise.”
I kiss the tip of her nose and add in a whisper, “It’s impossible not to.”
THIRTY
Opal
“Hey, what are you doing here?”
I’m surprised to see Mitch walking into the GEM office, he’s never been here before.