“Shouldn’t we be skipping the dinner out now that we—” Ava leaned across the table and whispered— “you know, decided?”

John leaned in and mimicked her whisper. “Decided what?”

“To, you know.”

A lazy smile took over his face. “I do know, but I want to hear you say it.”

Ava leaned back and laughed, picking up a sugar packet and tossing it at him.

She liked the way he scowled at her as he caught it and tossed it on the table. She didn’t know if he realized just how sexy he was. Probably.

“Just because I know you’re a sure thing now doesn’t mean I don’t want to take you to dinner,” John said, and Ava would be lying if she said part of her didn’t want to skip dinner. She wanted to run home with him and strip his clothes off and get to the “you know” part now.

But she also kind of did a melty thing at the idea that he wanted to spend time with her outside of bed. Not that getting all melty with John was a good thing. She needed to keep reminding herself that this was supposed to be physical only. Her feelings weren’t supposed to be getting involved here.

They were at a more casual place than the last time they’d eaten out together. Instead of Italian, they were doing Falafel pita wraps. John’s name was called and he went up to the counter to pick up their order. When he came back, he sat next to her in their booth, instead of across from her, passing her order to her.

“I haven’t seen anything in the news about any more jewelry stores. I’m on a mailing list with a bunch of other shop owners, though, and everyone is nervous at this point. Some of the stores that haven’t had a guard in the past are hiring temporary guards and others are putting in better alarms.”

“That’s good,” John said when he’d swallowed his bite. “You guys are still being careful?”

“Yes. Still walking out together at the end of the day, and we’ve got the front and back doors locked. We’re doing what you said, having the guard unlock the door as they see customers approaching instead of leaving it unlocked all the time.”

“The robberies have stopped for now, at least.”

“The last one was the one where Officer Hall was shot?” Ava asked.

John confirmed with a nod. “I have a feeling they know we’ll be on them now with all we’ve got. When an officer is shot, it changes things.”

She could see the tension in his body and knew he was upset they hadn’t made an arrest yet. She rubbed his shoulder with one hand as she ate her food.

He leaned into it and grumbled, making her laugh. He’d done the same thing in college when she would straddle him, settling in on his ass so she could massage his muscles. She smiled now, thinking maybe she’d give him a back rub later tonight. She didn’t know if he’d be spending the night, but maybe …

She couldn’t stop herself from remembering what his body looked like. Even back in school, he’d been muscled and hard all over. She loved running her hands over the smooth taut skin and feeling the sheer strength of him beneath them.

He felt like he’d doubled in size, broader across the shoulders and chest than he had been back then. Her mouth watered at the thought that she’d get to explore him soon.

Ava looked at her wrap. She’d taken all of two bites, but she wasn’t as hungry as she’d been a few minutes ago. At least, not for anything on her plate.

“John,” she whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder. It felt good.

His smile was lazy and slow as he turned his head to look at her. “What can I do for you, Av?” he asked, shortening her name like he had in college and lowering his voice to a tone that said he knew damned good and well what he could do for her. His eyes seemed to darken as he looked at her and she bit her lip.

“Take me home,” she whispered.

He had them out of there and in her living room inside half an hour. The drive had been torture. John had kept one hand on her leg the whole time. The simple stroke of his hand up and down her leg shouldn’t have been as erotic as it was. But, damn, the contact of flesh against flesh, the way his hand gradually went higher and higher on her thigh had taunted and teased in the best of ways.

John was just as she remembered, only more so. He was overwhelming, his powerful body hummed a constant thrum of arousal to hers as he stripped her down. She forgot to feel self-conscious at the fact she’d aged and wasn’t as thin as she once was.

There wasn’t room for any of that. There was only him. His mouth on her skin, heated breath on her neck, her shoulder, her breast as soon as he’d gotten it bared to him. Her breath seemed to come in pants as he worked his way over her skin, moving south.

Ava looked down at John as he knelt before her, the sinew and muscle of his shoulders broad and tantalizing before her. He sucked on her nipple, making her gasp as his hands held her hips in place, kept her locked in his arms.

“You always were good at that,” she sighed, her whole body feeling the tingle and spreading heat of his actions. “Always so good with your mouth.” She wrapped her arms around his head, then let them fall to his shoulders, reveling in the warm, smooth skin.

“It’s what I’m good for,” he said, his mouth moving to the other breast.

Ava stiffened. “Good at. It’s what you’re good at, you mean.”

John growled and ignored her words, but Ava tried to pull his head up to look at her. Something about the way he’d said those words—what he was good for—struck her and stopped her cold. She wanted to know what he meant.

He didn’t let her pull him away from his focus, though. He nipped her stomach playfully then worked his way down her body, and she was lost. Her breath came faster as he stood and lifted her, bringing her into the bedroom.

He swore as he laid her on the bed and moved over her. It was no surprise when she felt his erection against her as he settled next to her and ran his hands over her body. He was as ready for this as she was.

Lord, she’d missed this man. She didn’t want to admit how much she’d missed him, but she had. No man had made her feel the way he did. Every part of her thrummed with arousal and the sweet tantalizing anticipation of what was to come. She wriggled, trying to get closer to him.

A deep laugh came from him as he ran a hand down her arm and used it to pin her to the bed beneath him. He pinned her lower half with his leg, heavy and strong on top of hers. “Always so impatient, Ava.”

“John,” she panted, “I need.”

“I know.” His torture was thorough and relentless and unyielding as he used his mouth and hands on her, then.

And it was perfect. Exquisite release came as an orgasm swept through her. It was only then that he put on a condom and entered her. And with that, the spiral that had built in her before began again, and she was begging and crying out his name when he came inside her, pulling her with him in another deliciously sensuous finish.

She collapsed against him, his arms warm and hard as they wrapped around her. She was drowsy, deep in the pleasurable coma that came after incredible sex. Still, she remembered his words from earlier.

She spoke into his chest as he held her against him. “So good at that, John. You’re so good at that, but you’re also good for so much more.”

He didn’t answer, and she felt his breathing steady and slow into the deep rhythm of sleep.

He was good for so much more.