alone—not right then. She cleared her throat. “An apology would be a good start.” She turned to face him. “Just because we’re partners on this case, that doesn’t give you any rights in my life. You don’t get to control what I do or who I do it with.” No one did. “So if I want to go out, hook up with some hot guy and forget the rest of the world—”
He turned toward her. “Why not me?”
Her mouth fell open a bit.
“Why not hook up with me? If it’s sex you want, come to me.” He moved even closer. She stiffened her knees and refused to back up. “You know the attraction is there between us.”
Victoria wasn’t going to pretend that she didn’t feel that hot lick of heat when they were close. “I think you’re attracted to most women.” She’d seen the way he flirted—too many times. “You said you knew me? Well, guess what? I know you, too.”
He shook his head. “You were right before. I don’t think we know each other nearly as well as we both believed.” He lifted his hand.
She tensed.
“I don’t want you to do that,” he said, voice thickening. “You let him touch you. Why not me?”
Because the man at the club hadn’t mattered. Her rules. Always, hers. Flynn played the game she wanted. No commitment, just fun. He was easy to deal with. Easy to understand.
She didn’t think there was anything easy about Wade at all.
Wade’s fingers curled around her chin and he tilted her head up.
“I’m not looking for some kind of commitment,” Victoria blurted. Commitment was the last thing she wanted. Ever. “I don’t want ties, Wade.”
“And you think you’d have them with me?”
“We work together, we—”
He kissed her.
She’d wondered before how he would kiss. If he’d be careful at first, if he’d try to woo her with sensual skill.
She hadn’t considered that he’d just . . . take.
There was no tentativeness in his kiss. No hesitation at all. Her lips were open, so were his, and he claimed her mouth with a hot, hungry savagery. His tongue slid over the curve of her mouth. He thrust it past her lips, and her heart slammed into her ribs.
Maybe she should have pushed him away. She didn’t. Instead, her hands rose and locked around his shoulders. She pulled him closer. She opened her mouth wider. He wasn’t the only one going to take.
Earlier that night, fear and sadness had twisted inside of her. She’d left LOST as fast as she could. She’d gone home. She’d read over those terrible files on Kennedy Lane.
She’s dead. I know she is. Another one gone.
And it had been too much. She’d needed to escape. To put the dead behind her and feel alive again.
But Wade had stopped that plan. Wade—handsome, sexy Wade. Wade—the man kissing her as if he wanted to devour her right then and there. And she . . .
Maybe I want to be devoured.
His mouth slowly pulled from hers, but he didn’t let her go. She didn’t let him go, either. Victoria realized that she’d never just kissed a man before—and ignited.
Not until Wade.
“Been wanting to do that for a while,” he admitted.
Then you should have done it.
“You don’t have to go to some bar,” Wade said gruffly. “And find a stranger to give you what you need.”
He had no clue what she needed.
“I’m right here, Viki. I can give you everything that you want.”
Oh, but those words were tempting.
But Wade . . . Wade wasn’t a onetime thrill. She wouldn’t be able to walk away from him and go on with her life. She’d see him every day, and how was she supposed to handle that? Her fingers flexed on his shoulders. “I told you . . .”
“You didn’t want ties. Fine with me. I’ll take what you want to give.”
Those words . . . she didn’t understand him, not at all. “Just what are you offering?”
“Consider me your partner, with benefits.”
Her eyes widened. No, he had not just said—
Wade pulled away from her. “Think about it.”
Her hands fell to her sides.
“See you in the morning.” Then he headed for the door.
Wait—now he was leaving? When she could still taste him? When her body was aching? When she just wanted to drag him into her bedroom and forget everything else? Now?
She didn’t want to think about his offer. If she thought about things, she’d change her mind. She’d see how wrong this was. How wrong all of it was.
Partner, with