Locked in my bedroom, I pressed my forehead to the back of the door. Though my pants were soaking wet, I couldn’t move yet. I was aroused, every part of my body hard. It’d been impossible to begin with—feeling the softness of her hair, being tempted to kiss her neck and ever exposed bit of flesh as I unzipped her. All of it edged my control and I had managed to carry on.

But then I saw the darkened peaks of her breasts, felt her palms sliding down my pecs and that same raw passion in her eyes as before—I broke.

Kissing her had been the wrong thing to do. She was in danger. Her mind was clouded with fear and anger. I shouldn’t have done it. But as God is my witness, I enjoyed it and wanted to do it again.

Grunting, I turned and pressed my back to the door. The memory of her smell, her hair tangled in my fingers, the softness of her breasts pressed into my chest—fuck, yes, I wanted to do it again.

Irritated with myself, I left my post and wandered further into my room, undoing my pants as I went. I used the towel to dry my flesh as I rooted around in my closet for something to put on. With a pair of jeans in one hand, I discarded my towel then searched for a pair of boxers. Once I was dressed, I took just a moment to pull myself together before making my way back downstairs. Molly was gone, but Kujo was seated in deep conversation with Estelle. When I entered the room, they both looked up.

“You’ve been gone a while,” Kujo said. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah. She just needed some help.”

Kujo smirked and I knew he could probably guessed what I’d done. Before he could say anything else, I cleared my throat and made for the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. “Any news from Swede?”

“Yeah. He said to call him when you were done.” Kujo replied.

“I can see you gentlemen are about to talk business.” Estelle stood. “I’ll go up and see Star.”

“Thanks.” I rasped.

Estelle’s footsteps disappeared up the stairs and I fell heavily into the seat she’d vacation. I put the water bottle on the floor and leaned back into the seat with my hands over my face.

“I’m such a moron.” I groaned. “A complete, moron.”

“Before I can agree or disagree with your assessment, you’re going to have to tell me what you did.”

I dropped my hands and met Kujo’s eyes. “I kissed her.”

“Kiss who?”

“Kujo…Jesus, pay attention. Nova! Who else?”

“I’m surprised, okay?” Kujo frowned. “Nova hasn’t been with anyone since—well, since…”

“Roger.”

“Yeah. From what I hear from Montana, the guy really did a number on her. Swede wanted to be left alone with the asshole for five minutes.” Kujo shifted in his seat. “But I had to remind Blondie he had a pretty mouth and wouldn’t do well in prison.”

I grunted.

“My point is, if another man had tried kissing her he’d pull back a stub.” Kujo got up and headed for the kitchen. “Yet she allowed you to do it.”

I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Why was I so special?

“And look at you!” Kujo returned with a bottle of water. “Kissing a woman—when was the last time you allowed yourself that pleasure?”

“Not everyone is cut out for relationships, Kujo. You know that.”

“I never thought I was—but look at me now? You have to give yourself a chance. Cut yourself some slack. Whatever reason that pushed you to some middle of nowhere town, you’re going to have to get out of it if you want to be happy. Star is a beautiful woman—you see it, don’t you?”

“I’m not blind, Kujo.”

“Then what’s the hold up?”

I rubbed my eyes and focused on him. “I’m no good for her. I carry this weight on my shoulders—I can pull the trigger like breathing. She needs a man who hasn’t committed all the sins I have.”

“Reaper, I think you’re talking out your ass.”

I grunted. “I don’t think anyone knows what Star wants but maybe Star.”

“No?” Kujo quirked a brow. “Why don’t I take a crack at it? Nova needs a man who will be loyal her. A man who will love her and be proud of her when she does something amazing like, carry his child. She’s just wants love—and maybe a little of the kinky stuff.”

I laughed softly. The memory of how she reacted when I pulled her hair came back to me and I groaned. Kujo was right. Nova was a sexy little freak and I could enjoy that. I didn’t want to walk away from her. But, deep down, I knew I didn’t deserve to stay.

Kujo must have sensed my pain for he changed the topic. I drank some water and sighed in appreciation. We talked about what was happening with Nova and the person trying to kill her. We tossed around ideas—in the end, all of them led back to Roger. It just didn’t make any sense for it to be anyone else. I even tossed in Estelle—in the end, somehow, it circled back to Roger.

By the time Swede called us on video chat, my brain was starting to throb.

“Hey fellas—where’s Star?” Swede asked.

“Upstairs,” I replied. “Do we need her for this?”

“Afraid so.”

I excused myself and lumbered up the steps. Instead of barging in, I knock and waited. Nova opened the door, wrapped in a sheet and I smiled. Her hair was bed tousled. How I wished I was the one to make it that messy.

I smiled. “I think Swede’s got something.”

She pressed her finger to my lips then used her chest to ease me back out of the doorway. I glared at her.

“Estelle finally fell asleep.” She whispered, unwrapping herself from the sheet. “Come on.”

I followed her perfectly rounded ass down the corridor and stairs before it disappeared into a chair. I shifted at the computer so we could all be seen and the meeting started.

“Star, do you know a Brian Stromwell?” Swede asked.

Star seemed contemplative for a silent moment before shaking her head. “I don’t think so. It’s a familiar enough name. Why?”

“Well, one of the guys Kujo and Reaper clocked at Estelle’s come back to a group of men who works for him. They sell their services to the highest bidder—usually to do wet work.”

“Um…” She looked at me. “Wet work?”

“Murder for hire,” I replied.

After the words left my lips I wished I’d eased into that. I saw it the moment her heart slipped from her chest. Though I wanted to ease in close to her even to hold her hand, I remained where I was standing.

“So, we have to find Brian and hopefully he’ll lead us to whoever hired him.” I met Swede’s gaze on the computer. “I really don’t want to drop anymore bodies. I’m assuming the cops are asking questions?”

“Yeah.” Swede nodded. “But we’ve handled it. What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking you find Brian and we tail him,” I said.

Swede smirked.

“You found him already, didn’t you?” Star asked.

“Sending all the info to Reaper’s phone right now.” Swede did an over-embellished smash of the enter key. “At the speed of light my pretties. Be safe—call if you need help. Kujo, the boss needs you rested.”

“Aye-ay captain!” Kujo offered a mock salute.

“Smart ass.” Swede laughed and was gone.

I chuckled at the two of them but kept my eyes on Star. She seemed tired.

“Okay—I have my walking papers.” Kujo dragged his palms along his thighs. “I’ll take Estelle with me. She can stay at my place until all this blows over.”

I nodded. “Right. That would make it easier for Star and I to move.”

“Okay.” She stood. “I’ll get her.”

I couldn’t help myself. As she walked away, I tilted my head to watch her ass—the way it moved in those shorts. My pulse quickened, my body weakened and my head became filled with all the things I wished I could do to her.

Kujo’s soft laughter drew me from my head. “I’m gonna grab you a bag from my car. You hang tight.”

“It’s like I can’t control it.”

“I don’t know why you would want to.” Kujo stopped to turn and look at me. “Life is short, my friend. You want her—I can see it in your eyes. If she shares those feelings and you let her walk out of your life when this is over—you’re an idiot.”

“Aww, Kujo—you’re always so sweet with words.”

Kujo shrugged. “They don’t call me Kujo for nothin’.”

Alone, I checked my gun. It was just about empty and I didn’t bring many changes from Climax. Hell, I didn’t have all that many to begin with. It didn’t take long for Kujo to return with a black bag and set it on the center table. I set to work going through it and was happy to see refills for my Glock, binoculars, a couple of burner phones and snack bars. Also, in the side was a shoulder holster. That helped greatly.

I was in the process of refilling my Glock when I heard footsteps coming down the stairs. I finished, shoved the weapon into the bag before pulling out the holster and zipping the bag up.

Estelle and Star hugged. Kujo and I bumped fists.

Star and I was alone again.

“I’m going to change.” She muttered.

As she walked by me, I grabbed her arm and pulled her into my chest. “You’re going to be angry with me for a while,” I said. “But—I told you I would do this whole gig for a fee to be named later.”

“Okay. It’s later.” Her voice breathily. “What do you want?”

“A few minutes to explain.”

“You already did.”

“Obviously, I sucked at it because you’re still mad.”

“Reaper…”

I smiled. “I don’t know how to prove to you I truly did want more. But you haven’t been with a man since Roger and whether you want to admit it or not, there’s a reason for your abstinence. You’re either scared or you’re saving yourself for someone special.”

“You could be that someone, Maverick. You just don’t want it.”

Those words stopped me in my tracks and my fingers fell from her. I watched her leave the room but inside I was screaming—

I want all of it.