door. Once we’re inside, you can ask him whatever you want. Even if he’s suspicious, he won’t be able to call Hoffman until we leave. That’ll give us time to get away.”
Parker got to his feet. He paced to the door and back, one hand gripping his neck. She knew he was weighing the pros and cons, probing the flaws in her plan. But it would work. It had to. It was the only real option they had.
“I won’t tell the senator you’re with me,” she added. “Not until we get there. He doesn’t know the police are after me, so I doubt he’ll lay a trap.”
Parker stopped beside her again. “But he’ll learn who you are. Your identity will come out. You’re sure you want to take that risk?”
Of course she didn’t want to risk it. But she knew what she had to do. “It’s going to come out regardless. Now that the newspaper has run my picture...”
“It still might take them a while to find you. You should wait until we’ve arrested the killer at least.”
“We don’t have time. That gang’s already attacked us once. Now the police are after us, too. Our luck won’t hold for long.”
Parker hesitated, then shook his head. “There must be another way.”
“I don’t see one. Besides, I want to do this.” She was the one they were after. Only she could stop the slaughter—no matter how terrifying the thought.
“What about your friends?” he asked. “I thought you had to protect them.”
“I’ll call Haley and warn her. Nadine’s in South America, so she’s safe enough for now.”
“I still don’t like it. Too much can go wrong.”
Knowing she had to convince him, she feigned courage she didn’t feel. “It’s going to work. I’m sure I can get us in.”
But would they get back out?
She met his worried eyes, his concern for her touching her heart. And all of a sudden, she was certain of something else. They might not survive this ordeal. They might never see each other again if they did. But she knew with dead-on certainty that she wanted to make love to Parker one more time.
She dropped her gaze to his mouth. Memories tumbled through her mind—of how he’d tasted and looked and smelled. And she desperately needed to feel him, to experience that delirium again.
Because the truth was, she didn’t care if he was a cop. She didn’t care if she’d get hurt when they parted ways. Even if it was just an illusion, she longed to relive the feelings he’d evoked—of being sheltered, cherished, loved.
She swallowed hard. Parker didn’t know it, but he’d given her a precious gift last night. For the first time in her life, she’d had a taste of how real love might feel, the security of being safe in a strong man’s arms. And God help her, even if this all ended badly, she wanted to experience that one last time.
She reached up and stroked his jaw. Surprise flared in his hypnotic eyes. “Kiss me, Parker,” she whispered, stepping so close she was cradled between his thighs.
His eyes went hot. The muscles worked in his whiskered throat. He curled one hand around her neck, the sensual touch scrambling her thoughts. “Are you sure? Your arm—”
“Forget my arm,” she whispered. “Just put your hands on me before I go insane.”
He growled then, a deep, feral sound that sent thrills shuddering down her spine. Then he pulled her hard against him and lowered his mouth to hers. And she didn’t think again for a long, long time.
Chapter 12
“You’re sure you want to do this?” Parker asked Brynn again as they exited the staircase just off the atrium in the Hart Senate Office Building and turned down a light-filled hall.
“I’m sure.”
“We can wait for the senator to come back.” As it turned out, Senator Riggs was out of town. But several phone calls and various staffers later, they’d managed to get an appointment with Gwendolyn Shaffer, the senator’s chief of staff.
“I’ll be all right, Parker.”
It didn’t feel all right. It felt like a huge mistake—another potential screwup he was going to regret. He’d already messed up by making love to Brynn again. He’d had no business touching her, no matter how blinding the sex. But instead of whisking her to safety, instead of doing his sworn duty and shielding a vulnerable civilian from harm, he was exposing her to a situation he feared could go lethally wrong.
But they had to take the initiative. They couldn’t stay on the