Page 128 of Rags's Awakening
“Who has access to your office?”
“Everyone. There’s always something going on at the theatre besides productions. We have workshops, student internships from the community college, conferences, seminars… honestly, almost anyone could’ve left it.”
“But not everyone knows you’re a history junkie.”
“Most everyone at the theatre does,” she said with a small shrug. “But maybe that’s not the connection. Maybe the person killing these women now took inspiration from the 1903murders. I wonder if the homicide investigators found anything in the victims’ homes like books, articles, or something tied to those old killings.”
Rags snapped the book shut and set it on the table. Then he pulled Casey into him and kissed her hard before holding her tight against his chest. “You’ve been targeted,” he said.
“I don’t think so. It’s probably just some joke someone’s playing on me. I mean the book, not what happened tonight.”
“I don’t agree. The book is significant. I wish you’d told me about it.”
“I didn’t think about it after we started seeing each other. It happened when we were on shaky ground, remember?”
Rags ignored the question, not wanting the conversation to drift. “I’m gonna get Hawk’s security guy out here to install an alarm system on the doors and the windows.”
“I’m renting. I’d have to ask the landlord.”
“Fuck that. If the landlord gives you trouble, you let me know.”
“Okay.” She tilted her head back and met his eyes. “Rags, I’m freaking out right now.”
“I know, baby. Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. I’m not letting anyone hurt you. It’ll be okay.” He ran his hands up and down her back, feeling the tight muscles slowly loosen beneath his fingertips.
“I don’t know what I would do if you weren’t here.” She looped her arms around his neck.
“I am here and I’m not goin’ anywhere, Case.” Seeing fear in her eyes had shaken him more than he wanted to admit. He needed to wrap her in his arms, feel her heart beating against his, and know she was safe.
Rags cupped the back of Casey’s head and pulled her close, holding her for a long moment before his mouth found hers in a hard, demanding kiss. The familiar scent of vanilla and caramelfilled his lungs as her fingers tangled in his hair. He pulled her tight against him, never wanting to let her go. Somewhere along the way, Casey had begun to matter more than he’d planned. She was his now.
“Case,” he murmured as his lips traced her jaw and moved to the hollow between her neck and shoulder.
“Rags,” she sighed. “I want you. I need you more than you know.”
“I know, darlin’,” he said softly. “Because I want and need you, too.”
“I’m so crazy about you,” she said, wriggling against him, her hand rubbing over his throbbing dick.
“I’ve got a real burn for you, woman,” he whispered in her ear.
A hard gust rolled over the house, the eaves groaning under the strain.
Casey pulled away, grasped his hand, and led him upstairs.
When they entered her bedroom, Rags scooped her up and carried her toward the bed, sprinkling kisses across her neck and the soft curve of her breasts.
“Rags,” she moaned.
He set her on the mattress and stepped back, taking her in.
Smiling, she held his gaze while she tugged her top over her head. The lacy lavender bra hit him in the groin. His tongue swept across his bottom lip as she rose and slowly unzipped her black jeans, shimmying out of them without breaking eye contact.
“Damn, woman,” he muttered, taking in the thin lavender scrap of lavender fabric barely covering her luscious pussy.
“You like it?” she asked, running the tip of her tongue slowly over her upper lip.
“Fuck, yeah, baby.”
