Page 50 of Night Prey
“You?” His eyebrows rose, tempting her to run a finger over them. “I can’t believe that. You’re so gorgeous, guys have to be hitting on you all the time.”
“Thank you for the compliment.” She resisted fanning herself from the warmth building from his kind words and closeness. “I get hit on at times, but when I’ve kissed guys, the thing with Junior always comes to mind. Maybe I’m not as over it as I claim to be.”
“I could try it,” he said.
“Try what?”
“Kissing you.” A mischievous look glinted in his eyes. “Like an experiment. You know, for your mental health.”
“I don’t know.”
“If you want me to stop, you just have to tell me.”
“I’m not really…”
He stood and drew her closer. “I’ve dreamed of this. Many, many times.”
The passion in his eyes was her undoing, and she didn’t resist as his lips came down to lock on hers. The revulsion she usually felt didn’t come. Instead, pure joy flooded her body. She snaked her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. She could do this forever and not come up for air.
His phone rang, breaking the moment. He drew back and glared at his phone on the counter.
“It’s Londyn.” He blew out a breath. “I should take it.”
He picked it up. “Hold on for a second, Londyn.”
He muted his phone and focused on her. “Well? Revolting?”
“No.” She smiled. “Kissing you, Ian Blair, was everything I ever imagined. Everything.”
11
Nerves peppered Malone as she waited in the homicide bullpen the next morning for the suspect lineup to begin. Sure, she didn’t want to see the man who’d ruthlessly gunned Junior down in front of her, but more than that, she was nervous about seeing Ian for the first time since last night. She touched her lips. Remembered the kiss. She’d slept very little. Maybe she’d feared that if she went to sleep the kiss would somehow become a dream and not be real.
But ithadbeen real, very real, and her reaction was just as authentic. For years she’d kissed the wrong guys. Frogs. And here was her prince. Ready to make things right and good for her. Except he wasn’t ready. He was beaten down under years of having dysfunctional parents. Malone may have lost her parents early in life, but she’d at least witnessed great self-sacrificing love. Even her final set of foster parents, if not as in love as she remembered her parents having been—and honestly, her memories might be embellishing their connection—were good role models for her. Loving God and loving each other. Loving all the kids.
She started to sigh.
No. Stop.Detectives surrounded her, and she didn’t want to draw their attention any more than she’d already done. She looked at Ian’s desk for a distraction and wasn’t surprised to find it neat and tidy. She was the same way. Something they had in common. But what else did they share?
Nothing that she could think of. Maybe she should watch for things in common while they were together to see how compatible they might be.
Wait. Was she thinking about getting together with him?
Her usual obstacle seemed to have been removed. The kiss had been everything she’d dreamed, just as she’d said. But was she willing to risk starting a relationship with him only to discover he wasn’t cut out for it? She thought she knew him well enough to know he could commit to someone and be happy, but she could be wrong. And more importantly, he didn’t know for sure. Maybe he didn’t want to. Maybe he was just using his parents’ marriage as an excuse not to get involved.
Oh, man, she was a mess.
Thankfully, Ian strode across the room, taking her full attention. He wore dark jeans and a pressed button-down shirt. His expression was tight, his eyes narrowed.
Uh-oh. Not good. “Something wrong?”
“No. The lineup is ready. Since you’ve witnessed lineups before, you know the procedure.”
“I do, and I know you can’t be there so you can’t potentially transmit which man is the suspect.” She stood. “Let’s get to it.”
He spun and led her across the room. She felt the inquisitive gazes of detectives following her. As an attorney, she’d interacted with many of them, and maybe they were making up stories in their heads about why she was there. She’d be doing that, anyway, and detectives were naturally curious and observant.
Ian took her down a long hallway to the end and opened the door. Inside stood attorney Renaldo Peoples, who was known for representing career criminals. He was high priced and Snipes likely couldn’t afford Peoples. Olivo was probably footing the bill to get his guy out.
