home, and that would leave Arilyn available to take Pinky. Hell, he’d warned her it was temporary anyway, and Pinky would do better there. Much better than carting her around to the station and in the squad car. Better than sneaking her hamburgers and allowing her to sleep in bed with him as if she were a person.
Better than him.
The light shone brightly on Arilyn’s front porch. He walked up the path, noting her top step needed repairing and the bungalow could use a fresh coat of paint. The screen in the window was still torn. He meant to replace it last week before the winter kicked in. Stone knocked on the door.
When she opened it, he lost his breath.
God, she was beautiful. She’d changed into a cotton nightgown with little pink roses on them. Old-fashioned. But delicate lace edged a low scoop neckline, emphasizing smooth white skin and a hint of cleavage. The fabric clung to her so he could clearly see the outline of her lithe body. Her hair was loose and wild, falling to her hips. Feet bare. Face scrubbed of makeup. She stared at him for a few moments. Then smiled.
Stone tightened his stomach muscles as if he had taken a hard punch to the gut. Had he ever met another woman who stopped his heart cold and filled him up with emotion? Just being around her made him damn happy. Her smile gave everything she was and asked for nothing in return.
The weight on his chest pressed harder, until he wasn’t able to pant, let alone breathe.
Arilyn reached out, took his hand, and pulled him inside.
“Did you have fun playing pool?”
He studied her in moody silence. His head felt like it was cracking open, and she was trying to be polite. “What the hell are we doing, Arilyn?”
She dropped his hand and took a step back. He cursed when he saw the hurt flash in those meadow-green eyes, but he was too far gone. “Don’t you know yet?” she said softly. “I do.”
He rubbed his scalp and began to pace. “Actually, I know what the plan was. Have great sex. Date. A few laughs. But lately it’s been more than that. I’m feeling pressure and I don’t know if this is working out.”
He waited for her thoughtful response and her need for a dialogue. Instead, she grabbed his arm, yanked at him, and got in his face.
“Don’t give me those lame excuses because you got spooked!” she shot back. “The only pressure you’re feeling right now is from yourself. I didn’t ask for this, either, buddy, but here it is, and I’m going to deal with it!”
He sneered and leaned in. “I knew you’d start spinning cozy fantasies about us. How many times do I have to tell you I’m no good for the long term?”
“Bullshit.” She shoved at his chest in pure fury. “So you’re divorced? Big deal. So you’re a cop? Big deal. So you like to go shoot pool with the guys every Friday night? Oooh, so scary! I didn’t put any pressure on you, and I don’t intend to. But I’m not going to pussyfoot around the big bad cop and not be honest about my feelings. I’ve done that enough with my ex.”
“Don’t compare me to him again!” he yelled. “He’s a son of a bitch who never deserved you!”
“Neither do you if you keep acting like an ass!”
“I know!”
They fell silent, panting, the energy building and raging around them. The sexual connection crackled like a live wire, and then he was pulling her against his chest and his lips slammed down over hers and he was drowning.
He ripped down her bodice and shoved her gown up to her waist. She moaned in the back of her throat, clawing at his jeans, her mouth opening wide to the thrust of his tongue. Stone tore off her panties, yanked her leg up, and drove his fingers deep into her core.
She cried out. He lowered his forehead to hers while his fingers sunk into wet, burning heat. He curled his middle finger just the way she liked it until he hit the sweet spot and she shuddered violently. “I gotta have you now,” he gritted out, frantically searching for the condom he always kept in his pocket.
“Quickly,” she urged. Another shudder caught her and a rush of liquid coated his hand. She fumbled, then her hand closed around his erection, stroking, guiding him to the sweetness between her thighs. “I can’t wait.”