Heaven have mercy, this woman is going to be the death of me. Watching Marina eat and enjoy her food is enough of a seductive move that I barely get through my own dinner. We don’t talk much, and I’m not sure that’s a bad thing. I want her something fierce. I want to bury myself so deeply between her luscious thighs I nearly choke on my food.

Marina is completely different from the ordinary women I meet. She isn’t pomp and primp; she’s earthy and real. Her eyes are so expressive that I can tell nearly everything she’s thinking. When she had spaced out before our dinner came, I could surmise her thoughts weren’t good. Something was making her sad, and I wanted to take her pain away. Before I could ask her what she was thinking, our food came, and I haven’t had an opportunity to ask her again.

Now, we’re on our way back to her house, and the cab of my truck is filled with silence. Not that awkward we’re never going to go out again silence. More of a comfortable quietness that neither of us feels the need to fill.

As I park in front of her apartment building, I shut my truck off and turn to her in the middle seat where I’ve pulled her again. “Do you have anything going on this weekend?” I can’t let her leave without making plans. I need to see her again.

“Oh, well, I’ve got some packing– “

“Packing?” Panic seizes my chest at the mention of her leaving. “Where are you going?”

“To my parents for a couple weeks. I haven’t spent much time with them since the accident.” She looks away.

Accident.

In the one word, there’s so much meaning inflected that I haven’t a clue about.

“What accident?” I can’t help the anxiety squeezing my heart. Fuck, she’s got me twisted.

Waving her hand like it’s not a big deal, she brushes it off. “From last year. They’re busy, and I haven’t seen much of them, so I thought I’d stay with them for a couple weeks this summer.”

“Can I see you tomorrow?” I need something set in stone with Marina, or I might turn into the creep that sits outside of her apartment waiting for the slightest glimpse of her.

“Tomorrow?” She frowns. “Well, I suppose.” She seems confused about my wanting to spend more time with her.

“Good.” I grin, opening my door and helping her down. I love her small size compared to my huge frame. I walk her to the door of her building with a hand possessively placed on her waist so that anyone watching knows she’s mine.

“Well, thank you for dinner.” Her gaze doesn’t meet mine.

“Marina.” My voice is barely recognizable to me. Cupping her face, I pull her chin up. I’m not leaving until I have another taste of her.

Her eyes shine brightly with unnamed emotion as my head lowers. Her breath exhales with warm puffs of air as our lips meet softly. I try to keep it easy. Not devour her.

If only she didn’t grip my shirt and let out a small moan.

I could have controlled myself better.

Stepping in to her, I crowd her against the door as I deepen the kiss. Licking at her lips, I take her where I want. I give her everything I’m feeling in that instant. And I want every-fucking-thing.

It takes her a second to join in on the fun, but when she does, her tongue comes out to meet mine, and I follow her retreat. Loving the taste of vanilla, mint, and cacao on her. She’s sweet and bitter. She’s fire and ice.

Marina is mine, all mine.

The way she gives herself to me as I keep on devouring her mouth. Grinding her hips into my body, gripping her tiny fists into my shirt. I know when we finally come together, things will be explosive.

“Arsen,” she gasps as I pull away and lay small kisses along her jaw up to her ear, nibbling on her flesh.

“Marina,” I groan, matching her need with my own.

A light turns on, slowly breaking its way through our fog. Reluctantly stepping back from her heated body, I watch as she licks her lips, savoring the taste of me on her tongue. Smirking, I take the keys from her hand and open the security door for her. She turns to me, intending to say goodnight, I’m sure, but I follow her in.

Climbing the stairs to the third floor, I’m not impressed with the lack of lighting in the stairwell and hallways. “Is it always this dark in here?” I gaze around, seeking out any spots that could turn potentially dangerous for her.

“Umm, I suppose. I’m not normally out this late.” I don’t know whether to be happy about her admission or sad for her.

“I don’t like it,” I grunt.

She laughs. “I couldn’t tell.”

Following her to the third door on the right, I hear shuffling from the entranceway across the hall, and my displeasure grows higher. I officially hate this fucking building.

Marina opens her door, and I get a quick look inside to see she lives in a small apartment not fit for someone like her. She deserves to have everything she can imagine.

“Arsen?” Her voice draws my attention. “Is everything okay?”

“Fine.” I don’t know how to tell her I’d rather that she come home with me without sounding like a control freak. “I’ll pick you up for lunch,” I say instead.

She nods as she steps over the threshold. “Goodnight, Arsen.” When she goes to close the door, I stop her.

Gripping the back of her head, I lay a deep kiss on her soft mouth, insuring that she thinks about me all night. Sweeping my tongue into her surprised mouth, it dances with hers. I’m enjoying each little mewl of delight as she catches her breath when I pull away.

“Goodnight, Marina,” I whisper against her pliant lips. “Lock the door.”

“Okay,” she breaths out.

I can’t suppress the smirk forming on my lips as she closes it, knowing I did that to her. I don’t leave until I hear the deadbolt slide into place. “Good girl,” I utter walking away.

Leaving Marina isn’t what I want to do, but more what I need to do for her. I get the sense she’s got some demons she’s hiding, and in order for me to help her heal, I need to earn her trust first.

Patience has never been one of my stronger suits. My younger brother Kol and I were always getting into trouble because of our need to get shit done. Thankfully, our parents had the patience of saints. Ember, our sister, was an angel. Always quiet. I don’t know how she survived growing up with us. I think the significant age difference was the buffer.

With one last look towards Marina’s building, I pull away from the curb, regret burning a hole in my gut. I have no desire to be more than a foot away from my girl. The possessive feelings I’m having towards her are so unreal but feel so right. I like that she’s consuming me. Driving me to want more.

Instead of going home, I head into the precinct to finish up some case reports so I can have my entire weekend dedicated to Marina before she leaves for her parents’.

“Daniels,” the desk Sergeant greets me, “what the hell are you doing here?”

I can’t help my grin. “Got a busy weekend planned. Figured I’d get some paperwork done, so the boss isn’t hounding my ass.” Laughter follows me because he knows our captain will be all over me if I didn’t get shit on his desk bright and fucking early come Monday morning.

“Rod?” Now, this I am surprised about. My partner’s wife is expecting their first child, and he always wants to be at home.

“Hey, man.” He doesn’t look up from whatever is on his computer screen.

“What are you doing here, man?” I sit across from him. When we parted ways this afternoon, we had no active cases demanding our attention, and there have been no calls, so I know something’s up.

“Em isn’t herself. She’s moody and cranky, and I can’t get a moments peace.” He doesn’t sound like he minds any of it.

“So, what’s the problem?”

He does look at me then. “Her.” His scowl makes me laugh. “She’s pissed off at herself for being so bitchy—her words, not mine—and she kicked me out for the evening. Told me to go do guy things.” His expression deepens.

“This”—I wave my hand around the empty room—“isn’t exactly guy things.”

“No shit, Sherlock. But what the fuck else am I supposed to do? I don’t want to do guy things, they aren’t as fun as…well, let’s just say, pregnant sex is way better than we’re led to believe.”

I don’t know what the fuck to say. I’m jealous as hell that he has everything I want. A wife, a baby on the way. Love. I fucking want that. Marina’s soft laughter plays through my mind, and for the first time, I think I might have it within my reach.