Declan took a long sip of his chilled beer, trying to watch the baseball game that was on the television. It was in the tenth inning, looking like it was going into the eleventh. He should have been more enthused about the game, but he just couldn’t get in to it.

Aspen.

She was on his mind, and he didn’t know why he was still contemplating doing a background search on her. He’d done it to everyone who lived in his building and any female he’d fooled around with in the past. Hell, between him and Mac, they’d probably checked out half the city between the two of them.

Being cops made it hard to trust anyone. His experience as a SEAL left him only trusting his men, those he knew had his back. The world was cruel, and he knew it from firsthand experiences.

But with Aspen, there was something deep in her eyes that just didn’t sit well with him.

As if she were haunted by something.

He pushed off the couch and stalked into his home office. He sat at his desk and moved the mouse to awaken his sleeping computer.

He’d run the check.

Then he’d feel better.

It would settle all doubts about her.

Placing his beer on the desk, he logged in to the secure website and paused. The cursor blinked steadily in the blank spot for ‘name’. He blew out a deep breath and typed in hers.

Aspen Hale.

The cursor moved to the slot for ‘address’, and he filled in what he knew. He knew her age but was unaware of her birthdate. He filled in as much of the form as he could with the information he knew about her.

Memories of their date came to mind, and he thought of their conversations. She had been vague on her answers about where she’d grown up and her life. Her answers were almost as if they were scripted.

He held the mouse over the ‘submit’ button and froze. He was unsure why he had a sinking feeling about doing this background on her.

A growl escaped him as he clicked the mouse. He leaned back in his chair, running his hand along his face.

It was a simple background check.

Usually the system took a few minutes to search and compile the data on the target. Tonight, it dinged right away.

“That’s strange,” he murmured, sitting back up and taking in the information on the screen. It confirmed the basic information he had entered.

Aspen Hale, 29 years old

African-American female

Parents: deceased. MVA accident

No siblings

No family

No college

Grew up in Arizona

Odd jobs through the years

He read the rest of the report. She’d moved around after her parents had died when she’d been nineteen. Since their deaths, the report stated she’d lived in a few states and changed location every year or two with the most recent being South Carolina.

Alarms were still blaring in the back of his mind. This information was too cut and dried. He glanced at his phone, wanting to speak to her. He knew it was late but he just wanted to hear the sound of her voice. If he could get her to open up about herself, then maybe he could let this uneasy feeling he had go.

He grabbed his phone and swiped the glass screen. He searched through his contacts, passing numbers of countless women he knew he could call on and they’d be at his apartment within the hour.

But none of them appealed to him.

He wanted Aspen.

He hit her number and put the phone to his ear. The sound of ringing greeted him as he stood from his desk and made his way back to the living room.

“Hello?” her soft voice greeted him.

A small smile graced his lips, and he imagined her lying in her bed.

“Hey,” he murmured, taking a seat on the couch. He stretched out, ignoring the game still playing on the television.

“Declan,” she breathed.

His eyes closed briefly, him loving the sound of his name on her lips. During their night together, she had screamed it quite a few times. He had the sudden urge to want to make her scream it again.

“I hope I’m not waking you.”

“No, you’re not. It’s a little late. You know what they call these type of phone calls?” She chuckled.

His cock stiffened at the husky sound of her laugh.

He grinned, thinking she was right. It was after eleven at night. He wasn’t sure if it was that type of call, but he wouldn’t be opposed to making it one.

Just hearing her voice had the doubts in the back of mind disappearing. He was going crazy.

He could admit it.

He’d never pondered over a woman before.

Usually, the women he messed with knew up front that he wasn’t the committing type. He just wanted a little harmless fun between the sheets.

The vision of Aspen’s face as she climaxed had him wanting more.

He craved her.

“If you want it to be, it can be.”

His heart skipped a beat at her quick intake of breath. Was she thinking about him as he’d been obsessing over her?

“And if I were to say I wanted it to be,” she said, “then what?”

He paused, running a hand across his chest, thinking of an answer. He was sliding down a slope into unknown territory. He had said no strings, and she had agreed.

But the passion between them was too hot to let it fizzle out.

Mac had found the woman for him, maybe this was Declan’s chance to find his. Sarena was good for Mac. Declan had instantly seen the change in his friend. The night she’d disappeared, Mac had just about gone nuts.

Aspen may have agreed to a one-night stand, but deep down he knew that wasn’t the real Aspen.

“Then I would say I know a great all-night diner that has some good food,” he responded, putting his offer on the table. He didn’t have to go in to work tomorrow. He was only on call for any situations that would require SWAT.

He reached down and had to adjust himself. His cock, having a mind of its own, was stiff and straining at his sweatpants. He bit back a groan, knowing it was demanding relief.

“Well then, Sergeant Owen, I would ask how soon until you could get here?”

Nervousness filled Aspen as she waited for Declan to arrive. This was all new territory for her. She’d had relationships in the past, but never just sex.

Never a one-night stand.

She was just going to have to get used to her new life.

Get used to meaningless sex.

But the night with Declan hadn’t been meaningless.

It had meant something to her. She’d keep those feelings close to her. She didn’t know what the future may hold, and if this was all she could have, then she’d grab on to it and never let go of the memories he was giving her.

She laughed at the brazen way she had acted on the phone when he’d called.

“Hussy,” she murmured, running her hand over her hair for the thousandth time. She had chosen a cute skirt and low-cut top for their late date. She picked off a few invisible bits of lint from her skirt.

She knew he had called it a date and going out to eat, but she also knew what would be on the table.

Sex.

Hot, sweaty, life-altering sex.

The kind of sex that left you sore the next day.

She wanted it again, and again and again.

Her nipples pushed painfully at her bra with the memories of the last time she had been with Declan. Her core clenched with just the thought of that man’s tongue on her neck, her nipples, and buried in her pussy.

“Goodness.” She gasped, waving a hand in front of her face. Calm down. She couldn’t answer the door totally aroused so willed herself to regain some control, thinking of anything but Declan, but that was almost impossible since he was currently on his way. “Think of something else, Aspen.”

She reached for the remote and turned the television on to try to distract herself.

It didn’t work.

The beams from headlamps flashed across her front window, highlighting the room.

He was here.

She bit her lip and tried to will her heart to stop racing. She stood from the couch and smoothed down her skirt, hoping she wasn’t too overdressed—there were only so many times she could wear heels. Working in a library sure wasn’t one of them. Restocking returned books and processing new ones that arrived called for comfortable clothes and footwear.

A knock sounded at the side door. She made her way over and brushed the curtain to the side.

Declan.

A smile graced her lips as she opened the door.

“Hey.” She leaned against the jamb, taking him all in. His size would be intimidating, but for her it was a major turn on. Her fingers had discovered every inch of his body, and not an ounce of fat could be found.

“Hey, yourself.” His deep voice sent shivers down her spine.

“Please, come in. I just need to grab my keys and purse.” She waved him inside, shutting the door behind him. She brushed around him and scurried toward the living room. She gasped as his hand clamped down on her wrist.

He forced her body toward his, and she widened her eyes.

He crushed his lips to hers. She groaned, opening her mouth to him, his tongue thrusting forward. His hand gripped her face, anchoring her to him while he thoroughly kissed her.

It was hard and wet.

The evidence of his arousal pressed on her belly. She leaned into him, and his free hand slid along the curve of her back to settle on the swell of her ass.

He reached down and picked her up. Her legs automatically wrapped themselves around his waist, and he carried her toward the living room.

His mouth had yet to leave hers. He maneuvered his way into the dark room, only lit by the light from the television.

She tore her mouth from his and opened her eyes, finding his locked on her. Her breaths were coming fast, making it hard for her to form a single word.

He lowered her to the floor without saying a thing. She stood in front of him, still pressed up against him. The feel of his hard body flush to her soft one left her wanting to feel him on her naked. She didn’t want anything to separate the feel of their bodies close to each other.

Her troubles and worries forgotten, she became lost in Declan’s eyes. The feral look in them was proof that they wouldn’t be leaving the house.

At least not for a while.

She couldn’t break the heated stare if someone paid her. His hands slid down and disappeared beneath her skirt. The callouses on his palms gliding along the soft skin of her thighs and hips had her body trembling.

“Declan,” she breathed.

He slid her panties from her body.

Without a word, he slowly disrobed her. Moisture seeped from between her folds as he took his time in taking off her clothes, leaving her to stand in front of him in nothing but her heels.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, taking in her full form.

Her nipples stood at attention, begging for the feel of his mouth and tongue. He leaned forward, putting his face into the crook of her neck. His tongued bathed her skin, burning a trail along her neck toward her shoulders. She gripped his shirt, trying to keep her knees from going out.

He took his time in tasting her, kneeling before her to allow his tongue to make its way to her breasts. She threaded her fingers into his hair as he sucked her breast into his hot mouth. She cried out, wanting to beg him to put her out of her misery.

She needed him deep within her.

Fast and hard.

But by the way he was taking his time, licking and nipping her body, he was about to torture her.