Taming a Texas Devil - Katie Lane Page 0,62

last night, now it was flat out impossible. He needed to get their relationship back where it belonged.

For his own sanity.

He cleared his throat. “We can’t let what happened last night . . . and this morning, happen again.”

She sighed and got up and came around the desk to stand in front of him. Much too close. “I get it, Lincoln. You’re a man who lives by a strict moral code and I figured you’d feel like what we did last night was breaking that code. Not just because we work together, but also because I was a virgin.”

“You should’ve told me.”

“You’re right, I should have. But I already apologized for that and you need to get over it. It was my choice. And I don’t regret it.”

Part of him felt relief at her words and the other part felt scared to death. He got up and moved to the window. “Well, you should regret it. You’re Barbie. You’re this perfect little doll from a perfect little world. You should’ve chosen a perfect little Ken to give your virginity to. Not some scarred lawman with a soiled past and emotional issues.”

She moved up behind him. “I never liked Ken. He has a fake smile and no penis or balls.”

Lincoln turned around. “Dammit, Dixie. You’re not making this any easier. While I’m here working on Sam’s case, I can’t be your lover too.”

“You can’t or won’t?”

He drew in his breath and said the hardest words he ever had to say. “I won’t.”

She studied him with sad eyes. “You remind me of my daddy. He’s a man of rules too. The more rules, the more secure he feels. And I guess if anyone needs to feel secure, Lincoln, it’s you. So if it will make you feel better to pretend like last night didn’t happen, go right ahead. But I’m not going to ever forget it. I’m not ever going to forget the way I feel when you touch me. Or when your lips are pressed against mine. Or when you’re deep inside of me. And rules or no rules, if I get a chance to repeat it, I’m going to take it.”

“It won’t be repeated.” He didn’t know if he was telling her or himself.

She tipped her head and smiled a slow, sexy smile that did something to his insides. “Yes . . . sir.”

The two words sent a shaft of heat straight through him. After last night, they were no longer a sign of respect. He had made the mistake of playing out one of his sexy deputy fantasies with her. Now, whenever she said the words, all he would be able to think about was her kneeling in front of him, with her eyes glazed over with passion and her lips wet from his kisses, as she said “Yes, sir” right before she gave him the most incredible blowjob of his life.

“Fuck,” he whispered before he jerked her to him and kissed her. As soon as his lips touched her, he knew there was no going back. It was a mistake, but it didn’t feel like a mistake. It felt like the rightest thing he’d ever done. As he devoured her sweet lips, he walked her back against the door and started unbuttoning her shirt. He only got three buttons opened before she drew back from the kiss.

“Stop, Lincoln.”

He blinked and tried to clear his vision. “What?”

She cradled his face in her hands and smiled. “There is nothing I would like better than to have you strip me naked and take me right against this door. But when we were finished, you’d feel even worse. Because you are a man of morals and rules. So here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to separate work from play. You’re going to leave and go back to the Double Diamond ranch and search for the rest of those bones. And I’m going to stay here and search the reports. Tonight, you’re going to get your butt back to my apartment and we’re going to take up where we left off. And if your conscience starts to bother you and you don’t show up, I’m coming to get you. Do you understand, Officer Hayes?”

As much as he didn’t want to release her, he stepped back. Once he had some space between them, he started to come up with reasons why meeting at her apartment was a bad idea. But she knew him too well. She placed a finger over his lips.

“Do