Agnes led Hoss up the stairs to her bathroom that was relatively clean. At least all the dirty clothes were stuffed into the hamper.

“How big is your shower?” he asked.

She grinned. “It’s big enough for two.”

Even in her small house, the master bathroom was large enough for two people, even someone Hoss’s size.

She dropped his hand, then quickly unbuttoned her blouse. She tossed it onto the floor.

“Wait,” he said. “Not so fast.”

“Excuse me?”

“I want to undress you.”

His voice was husky and flickered his gaze over her, making her squirm in excitement.

“Okay. I was just a little impatient.”

He smiled. “I’m definitely worth the wait.”

She raised her eyebrow. He was definitely full of himself. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever met, and probably used to starve-stricken models, who thought a full lunch was eating two celery sticks. She liked to eat.

She expected him to flinch from her curves like some of the other men she’d been with, but he put his hands on her shoulder and slowly rolled down her bra. She shivered as his fingers brushed down her arms.

He brushed his thumbs over her nipples, making them bud.

Before she could make another comment, he bent over, then knelt in front of her. His lips took her nipple into his mouth. He suckled her slowly, his tongue running over her flesh, then his mouth latched onto her, sucking hard until she cried out. She threaded her fingers into his thick mane, cradling him to her breast.

He moved his hands down her sides, and she tensed.

He suddenly stopped. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s just that you were moving your hands down my rolls…”

“So?”

Heat peaked onto her cheeks. “I know you’re used to thin women.”

“I am? I like all kinds of women. You have nothing to be ashamed of. I like the way you feel under my hands.” He slowly moved his hands to her pants and unbuttoned them. “I want to see all of you.”

She sucked in deep gulps of air as he slid her pants down her wide hips. She wished she had worn lacy underwear, but he’d have to be satisfied with her boring cotton ones.

He slid her pants down past her thighs, still leaving her underwear. He kissed her crotch, and she gasped, wanting to feel his lips on her flesh.

“Step out of your pants.”

She did as he requested, putting her hands on his massive shoulders to steady herself. He lifted one leg and pulled off her sock, then the other.

She’d never had any man undress her like this, and her heart beat in excitement. He sat back on his haunches and slowly raised his gaze. Agnes put her arms across her waist to hide her belly, but he took her hands and forced them apart. She avoided his gaze not wanting to see the disappointment in them.

She’d just want to have fast, thank-you-ma’am sex and not this slow vulnerable kind.

Hoss kissed her belly button, which nearly had her jumping out of skin. He raised his head to stare into her eyes. “Never hide yourself from me.”

She met his possessive gaze, but refused to comment. She wasn’t sure what to make of his comment. Most men just used her as a release and often avoided touching her belly, but not Hoss. He continued to lick and kiss her as if she was his favorite lollypop.

“Aren’t you going to get naked?”

“Not yet.” He moved his hands up and down her trembling legs. “I want you hot for me.”

He slipped his hands behind her buttocks and glided her underwear down her thighs. He edged his mouth down her belly until he fastened it onto her flesh. She cried out as he drove his tongue between her thighs. She hung on tight to his shoulders, afraid any minute she’d collapsed.

As if reading her mind, he murmured, “I’ll never let you fall.”

Her heart pounded faster and faster, sending blood down to her core. His fingers kneaded the back of her buttocks as he greedily feasted on her. She arched her back as the tension left her and the rising of an orgasm filled her. It came swift and fast. She screamed, calling out his name.

He slowly released her. “That’s just the beginning.” He tossed his head. “Get in the shower.”

Her whole body shook from the release, and she numbly obeyed. She slipped into the shower that normally was big enough for her and whatever man she was sleeping with, but for the first time, she wasn’t sure if it was big enough for two. Hoss was taller and more muscular then most men. His shoulders were so wide that she wasn’t sure they’d both fit. She was no anorexic girl, either.

“Turn on the shower.”

His voice was gruff.

What if he was going to turn into a dragon? Having sex with a beast was not going to happen. But as if under a spell, she turned on the faucet. Warm water cascaded down her already heated body.

Appreciation flickered in his eyes. “I like my women wet.”

She was about to make a comment, when he shed his clothes so fast that she thought she’d imagined it. Her mouth froze, and her legs shook violently. He was magnificent and his cock was bigger than any she’d seen… And it had ridges. She kept forgetting he wasn’t human. He was an alien. Not just an alien––a dragon.

He laughed. “The ridges are to please women.”

He joined her, forcing her to lean against the wall. His presence dominated the shower, making the space seem smaller. He smelled of heat and sex. Droplets splattered off his massive shoulders, then dripped down his wide chest, sliding past his flat belly, and onto his erect cock. He pinned her against the wall, his mouth devouring her. Her nipples pressed against his hard flesh. He inserted one finger into her curls, exploring her as if he wanted to discover her secrets. She moaned at the fiery intrusion that left her dizzy with desire.

His mouth moved down her throat, his tongue leaving a curvy trail. The dark shadow on his chin chafed her hot skin. Heat surged through her, building another orgasm. She doubted she’d be able to stand if he’d hadn’t been pressing her against the wall.

He removed his finger, and she groaned at the displeasure. “Spread your legs,” he whispered into her ear.

Eager to feel him inside her, she widened her stance. Lord, he was right. The ridges created intense friction, more exotic, more intense than any other man. It was if she was skiing down a steep mountain swooshing over moguls at full force at full throttle. He lifted his hips, then thrust his cock deep inside her again and again. She rocked her hips, then locked her legs around his pelvis, matching his fierce rhythm.

Water patted their bodies as if trying to put out the raging inferno, but failed miserably.

Fervor fueled inside her like a raging forest fire, thumping from her heart to her body. Her skin was on hot, even with the water turning cool. She swore steam rose from their passion.

She dug her nails into his shoulders as the intensity grew stronger. Her heart beat out of control, then in one swift movement, her release exploded.

He slammed her against the wall, then his seed gushed into her, leaving her spent with bliss.

“God,” she muttered. “I needed that.”

“Was I worth the wait?”

She clung to him, still trying to breathe. “So, sure of yourself?”

“Yes, I am.”

He kissed her, silencing another quip from her. He still pulsed inside her and she lost herself in his kiss. The frustration of not finding the killer, the dead women, the invasion from evil ET’s, slowly slipped from her mind. All that mattered was Anonghos’s kiss, his touch, his strength. He was a man that she could come home to and forget about the horrors of work.

A sharp shrill stopped her kissing.

“Hoss.” She tried to regain her thoughts. “I have to answer that.”

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do. It’s work.” She leaned her head against his shoulder, then bit it.

“Why you little grendor!” He pinched her nipple.

“Hoss! Please, I have to take it.”

“It better be your damn job.” He slowly pulled out of her and stepped aside, giving her a very little path to squeeze past him.

As she did, he moved his hand down her backside and cupped her ass, sending another wave of desire through her.

She ignored the building need and stepped out of the cooling shower. Water splashed on the tile floor. She fumbled for her now silent phone that was in her pants pocket.

She glanced at the number and grimaced.

“Who is it?” Hoss asked. The water turned off.

“My brother.” She immediately redialed the number.

“I thought it was work.”

She glanced over his shoulder. God, he was magnificent. “If I don’t call him back, he’ll keep hounding me.”

She reluctantly called Frank. He answered on one ring.

“Are you all right? I heard you got shot.”

She was surprised at the concern in his voice.

“How did you find out?”

“The hospital contacted Captain Morgan, and he called me.”

“Well, I’m fine.”

“How did you get shot? The officer said he was on the top floor.”

Her stomach tightened. Like she did as her child, she thought quickly of a likable story. “The suspect ran out of Kathy’s apartment, and I chased him. He fired back.”

“Why didn’t you call for back up?”

“It happened too fast.”

“According to Tom, not only are you relying on your mumbo-jumbo, but you’ve been letting a suspect cloud your judgment. You’re over your head, sis.”

Agnes stiffened. “I know what I’m doing, Frank.”

“Yeah, getting yourself killed. This is a serial killer, who’s liable to turn on you. I’m going to ask the captain to take you off the case.”

“Frank, don’t you dare! I don’t need you hovering over me like an unwanted umbrella.”

“You don’t have a choice. You never should have been a cop.”

With that, he hung up. Her throat swelled up and heated tears formed in her eyes, blurring her vision. She stared at the phone, fighting not to smash it into zillions of pieces.

Hoss put his hands on his shoulders. “Everything okay? You’re trembling.”

She blinked her eyes, refusing to cry in front of him. She took a deep breath before answering. “No. My brother is trying to get me taken off the case.”

He slowly turned her around. “Because you got shot.”

She saw no reason to lie. “Yes and because of you and my abilities.”

He ran the back of his hand down her cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She braced her shoulders. “I can handle it.”

He nuzzled her neck. “So tough. So brave. So alone.”

Another wave of passion formed, but she stepped away, wishing she could lose herself with him. “I need to call the captain before Frank does.”

Hoss crowded her against the bathroom door, blocking off any escape. His warm breath tickled on her neck.

She almost dropped the phone in her shaking hand. She quickly called the captain.

“Morgan.”

“Captain? It’s Malloy.”

“I heard you got shot.”

Bad news traveled fast. “I’m fine.”

“You should have reported it,” he growled.

“The bullet only grazed my temple. I need to be on this case, Captain.”

“You’re losing your head over this one.”

Hoss kissed her neck, starting another wave of passion. She struggled to stay in control.

“No, I’m not,” she gasped as Hoss moved his hand down her belly toward her curls. “Frank wants me off the case.”

Silence turned her passion cold.

“You’re off the case when I say so. But don’t make me regret it. No more mistakes.”

“Thank you, sir.”

He hung up without another word.

“See everything’s all right,” he said as he cupped the juncture between her legs.

She slammed her head back as passion gripped her. Pain zipped through her skull.

“Are you okay?”

“I will be if you take me hard and fast.” She couldn’t shed the thought that the captain was holding something back, but she needed a distraction, needed to forget about her domineering brother.

He grinned. “Okay, we’ll do it your way.”

She parted her legs, and he thrust deep insider her, pounding hard, his amazing, ridged cock that wished her to a mile-high of ecstasy, erasing all thoughts of her brother, and creating a distraction that rocked the house.