Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 49416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
I arch against him, clinging to him, matching his intensity.
“Kitten,” he growls, drawing back enough to look down at me. His blue eyes are molten. “We have to stop.”
He looks like he has no desire to stop at all.
And I don’t either.
Which brings reality crashing right over me.
“Right,” I say, breathless, even as I make no move to shift away from him. “We agreed to just a kiss.”
But we’ve slept together before…would it be so bad to do that again?
My body is saying hell yes please.
My heart is worried about how attached I’ve grown to him over the past two months, and that’s before I even knew his name.
“Don’t get me wrong,” he says, smoothing his thumb over my bottom lip. “I want more. I want you with no masks between us. But I’m also going to respect the boundaries you’ve set. I’m not crossing that line until you’ve told me you want this without a rash decision pushing you.”
My heart warms at his words, and it’s hard not to smile up at him. “So, you’re saying if I asked you now—”
“Don’t,” he cuts over me, a pleading look on his face. “Kitten, I’m finding it very hard to say no to you. But you wanted a kiss, not a repeat. And I can’t let you make a quick decision.”
I blow out a breath. “Like we did that night?”
He nods, slowly backing away from me, bumping into a barstool and nearly tripping on it because his eyes are still on me. “Fuck, this is hard,” he groans as he backs toward the door.
I laugh, smiling at him.
“Yeah…I need to leave. Immediately.” He shakes his head. “You’re in for the night, right?”
I nod, the switch back to professional ground giving me whiplash.
“Good. I’ll be out here a minute waiting on a Lyft,” he says, opening the door. “Lock this behind me. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Will do,” I say, still trembling from his kiss.
I lock the door behind him, leaning against it.
Kissing him had been the worst idea ever…
Because now I knew I didn’t want to go another day without doing it again.
CHAPTER 5
Owen
It's been a week, and I can't stop thinking about Zoe’s mouth. The way she tipped her head back and parted those luscious lips for me. The way she'd felt in my arms with no masks between us.
I'm trying to keep things as professional as I possibly can, and her safety is my top priority, but there’s no stopping the thoughts every single time I see her.
There hasn't been another letter or sighting since last week, but the fear the last letter caused still clings to Zoe like a second skin.
I'd be lying if I said it didn't bother me in a way that isn’t strictly professional.
Of course, every case I work bothers me because of their nature, but this is Zoe. This is the kitten who blew my mind on the roof of my club, and then had me absolutely wild about her from every text we've exchanged since.
And now that I know her without any secret, mysterious restrictions? I only like her that much more.
I’d known she was smart the second I met her, but after watching her work and sharing so many amazing conversations with her, I know she’s absolutely brilliant. Her mind is a multifaceted thing, capable of offering advice and priceless council to the people who seek out her help.
And she genuinely loves helping people. The way she dedicates herself to her job, always improving her skill set is evidence enough of that.
That night on the roof, I’d been palpably attracted to her, the physical chemistry between us undeniable. And after that, with our back-and-forth texting, I fell for her personality, her sharp wit, and her sweet view of the world. Add that brilliant mind of hers on top of it all? She’s a trifecta of perfection.
I linger near the entryway to the building—my guard post at this time of day. Any second now, she’ll come walking through her office door, ready for me to walk her to her car. I always love the sight of her after a long day of work, her eyes shining in a beautiful combination of exhaustion and satisfaction of a job well done. And the sight of her—no matter if she’s dressed in heels and a skirt or comfortable sneakers and slacks—always takes my breath away.
“Just fed Gregory,” she says as she rounds the corner. “I’m pretty sure he missed you, but he wouldn’t admit it.”
I laugh. “Pretty sure that cat hates me, but he’ll warm up to me eventually. He almost let me pet him this morning.”
Zoe smiles at that, eying me where I stand stoically near the door. “You still opposed to me getting you a stool or a chair?” she asks, looking downright fuckable in a pair of tight black pants and a flowy white top.