Chapter 7
As he drove, Reese frowned to himself as he saw Kelley grimace when she thought he wasn’t looking. Maybe overdoing it today would teach her not to be so stubborn in the future. He mentally shook his head. As if that was going to happen.
He parked in front of the Highlander Bar when they reached it. He knew better than to open car doors for her, but with her injury he figured that was an exception. She already had the truck door open when he went around to the passenger side. Considering how high his truck was and the fact that she was petite, she needed his help now.
When they walked into the bar, Reese squinted in the dimness. It was the middle of the afternoon so the place wasn’t as busy as it would be in a couple of hours. Reese nodded to a couple of guys he knew before he and Kelley took a high top. After they were seated at the table, Sophie, a waitress with a short skirt and a low-cut blouse, took their order for two cheeseburgers with everything on them, as well as home fries and two Heinekens.
As the waitress walked away, Reese turned to look at Kelley. He’d always thought his partner was pretty, but it was as if he was seeing her in a new light. She was beautiful with her blonde hair loose around her face, her blue eyes so thoughtful looking, and her gentle curves. He wanted to touch those curves, to run his fingers through her silky hair and to kiss her soft lips.
“What’s wrong?” She looked at him with her head tilted to the side.
He shook his head. “How’s your shoulder?”
“A bit sore,” Kelley admitted. Her face seemed a little pale and strained, but she still looked damned beautiful.
He knew better than to say anything like, “I told you so.” Instead, he just nodded. “Give it a week or so and you’ll be doing a lot better.”
She frowned. “Patience has never been my strong suit.”
“I noticed.” He couldn’t help a little smile.
She looked around. “Like why isn’t my cheeseburger here already?”
He laughed. “Because you just ordered, honey.”
They both froze and looked at each other. He didn’t know whether to apologize for calling his partner “honey” or to just let it ride.
“Saved by the beer,” he muttered as Sophie arrived with their bottles of Heineken.
Kelley laughed. She had such a sexy laugh that it made his gut tighten.
Both bottles were already open and Reese took a long pull of his. He needed to get his head on straight when it came to Kelley, and he needed to do it now.
When Kelley set her beer bottle down, she gave him a thoughtful look. “It’s our anniversary next weekend.”
Reese raised an eyebrow. “Anniversary?”
“Don’t tell me you’re a man who forgets special dates.” She wore a teasing smile.
For the life of him he didn’t know what she was talking about. “Uh—”
“What happened to your deductive skills?” She shook her head. “It’s a sad day when you forget our anniversary. We’ve been partners for two years this Sunday.”
Reese blew out his breath. Of course. “I didn’t forget. I’ve just had my mind on the Taynor case.”
She rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh.”
“We’ll go out to celebrate.” He gave her a quick grin. He knew where her heart was. “Your shoulder should be better by then.”
With a laugh she said, “It’s a date.” Her eyes widened and she held up her hands. “Not a real date.”
“Of course not,” he said, amused.
She grinned. “Can’t wait.”
By the time they left the Highlander it was dark. When they reached Kelley’s home, Reese went to the passenger side and helped her out of the truck. He found himself wanting to hold her hand but released it as soon as her feet were firmly on the ground.
“Come in for a beer,” she said as he walked her up to the door.
Reason warred within him, telling him that he shouldn’t. But something deep inside him didn’t want the day to end. “Sounds good,” he said, shoving reason straight out the door.
Once they were inside, Kelley pointed to the sofa. “Have a seat. I’ll grab the beer and be right back.”
He gave a nod and seated himself on the sofa. A few minutes later and she reappeared with two green bottles of Heineken. She handed a bottle to him then set hers on the coffee table. He watched with a raised brow as she slipped out of the blue shirt she’d worn over her white T-shirt and tossed the shirt over the back of a chair. She unholstered her Glock and put the weapon into a drawer in the entryway table.
When she was finished, she sat on the couch a couple of feet from him. She faced him with her knees bent and her legs tucked under her.
His gut tightened as he watched her. “How’s your shoulder?”
“I had some ibuprofen with me and I took it earlier.” She rested the elbow of her good arm on the back of the sofa and studied him. “Right now I feel pretty good.”
A part of him knew that it was a real bad idea to be sitting so close to her the way he was feeling right now. He drank from his beer bottle but his eyes never left hers. She looked so damned beautiful with her hair a little tousled, her blue eyes darkening with what looked like desire. Her lips parted and he thought he saw a hitch in her breathing.
It didn’t take his detective skills to know that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. It was like something possessed him, not giving a damn about the fact that she was his partner. He set his beer bottle on the coffee table, scooted closer to her and took her bottle from her hand. Her eyes widened as he set her beer next to his.
Their gazes held, as if they couldn’t get enough of looking at each other. He reached out to her and slowly brought his hands to her face and cupped it gently.
He waited for her to pull away, to tell him no. Instead she placed her hands on his chest, her touch warming his skin through his shirt.
Inch by inch he lowered his face to hers.
Kelley’s heart beat faster as Reese’s lips neared hers. She found herself holding her breath, wondering if she should let him kiss her, if she dared.
Through his shirt, his chest was warm against her palms and she clenched the soft material in her fingers. A heartbeat passed and then his mouth claimed hers.
Neither of them held anything back. The kiss was fierce, hungry, intense. His lips were firm and he tasted of beer and his own masculine flavor. She’d always liked his scent whenever she caught a whiff of it, but now it filled her lungs and she breathed deeply, drinking her fill.
She slid her hands up his chest and linked her fingers behind his neck. His skin felt hot. She felt on fire.
Soft moans rose up within her and her belly quivered when he growled in response. He moved his hands from her face, sliding his fingers down her neck, skimming her shoulders, clearly being careful of her injury.
Right now she felt no pain. She only felt heat and desire and a need so great she couldn’t have stopped herself if she wanted to.
She didn’t want to. No, she needed this more than anything. She needed Reese.
He pulled her onto his lap, caging her with one arm as they kissed. She felt his erection beneath her bottom and she wiggled, rubbing herself against it. He groaned against her lips and she grew damp between her thighs.
She moved in his embrace and straddled him and wished their clothes were gone so that nothing would be between them. She imagined what it would be like to ride him now, to feel him inside her as he fucked her.
Fuck. The word was unbelievably erotic, bringing with it visions of him taking her in ways she could only imagine. She wanted to make it real. She didn’t want to have to imagine any longer.
She clenched her fingers tighter in his T-shirt and she made soft, hungry sounds as they kissed. Her desire for him magnified when he gently bit her lower lip.
The kiss grew hungrier, almost frantic. She slid one palm down to his waistband and below, and shifted so that she could feel his hard cock beneath her hand. She moved both hands to his belt buckle and fumbled with it, trying to unfasten it. It came undone and she went for the button of his jeans.
He groaned as she reached into his jeans and her fingers found his cock. She felt the satin and steel of his erection and squeezed it. He moved his lips to the curve of her neck. He caught both of her wrists in one of his hands before he raised his head and looked down at her.
Her chest rose and fell with every harsh breath she took as she met his gaze. She didn’t want to stop. She wanted him with everything she had.
He lowered his head and placed his forehead against hers and she closed her eyes. She could tell his breathing was as heavy as hers.
“We need to stop.” He said the words gruffly, as if angry with someone.
She drew back and met his gaze. “What’s wrong?”
“This.” He looked away before meeting her gaze again. “You’re my partner and you’re injured. This should never have happened. I don’t want to ruin what we have.”
It felt as if cold water had been dashed over her. She jerked her wrists away from his hold and scooted back from him so that there was a good two feet between them now.
“You’re right,” she said, but felt a part of her grow cold as she said the words. “Maybe you should go.”
He held her gaze for a long moment before he gave a nod and got to his feet. “I’ll see you later.”
She stood, too. “Call me about the Taynor case tomorrow.”
He studied her for a long moment. “All right,” he said, and she wondered if he meant it, if he really would call her about the case.
She walked him to the front door and opened it. He stepped onto the porch and gave her one last look. He started to turn and she shut the door, not wanting to watch him walk away.