Page 60 of Locke

I go still for one second.

Then the tightly wound coil of tension that formed as soon as I saw Grant’s silhouette through the bus window breaks free and I let out a quavering, breathy moan of release.

Locke’s hand moves slowly across my back, making large, soothing circles.He doesn’t say a word.

I don’t know how long we stand there but it’s long enough for my pulse to calm and my hands to steady.Certainly long enough for me to become aware of other things, like the warmth of Locke’s body and how good he smells after his shower at the arena.

I lift my head and find him staring down at me.Our faces are very close, and I have approximately one more second to back away.

Instead, I go to my tiptoes and kiss him.

As I expected, he kisses me back.It’s immediate and with zero reluctance, almost as if he had been waiting for this.

There are no thoughts of Grant, and certainly not about my job and how this is crossing a line.It’s just my hands finding the front of his shirt and my mouth finding his.

Locke’s arms come around me and he kisses me back with such ferocity that my brain short-circuits before emptying out entirely.I fall into the kiss, the feel of his tongue against mine, and a tiny thought is almost grateful that Grant showed up because it set into motion a sequence I’m not sure either one of us would have initiated ourselves.

But… there’s a small wave of doubt.I pull back first.

We’re both breathing hard as we stare at each other.

“This isn’t a good idea,” I whisper, because I’m apparently required by some deep professional instinct to say it out loud.

Locke’s mouth curves.“You just kissed me, Livia.”

“I’m aware.”

“So the bad idea was yours,” he points out.

“I’m aware of that as well,” I mutter, my hands flexing in his shirt that I’ve yet to release.

Locke doesn’t move, refusing to press the advantage.The fact that he’s not is very dangerous, because it makes me respect him more.

“I don’t do this,” I say, feeling like I should justify myself.“I need you to know that.”

“Do what?”

“Kiss mysterious men who want nothing to do with me,” I grumble.“I certainly don’t kiss men I work with.Ever.”

He studies me.“I know that.”

“You understand why I’m—”

“Livia.”His voice drops slightly.“I’m not going to pretend I don’t want you.And I’m not going to make it easy for you to talk yourself out of this.If you want to stop, tell me to stop.I’ll walk out that door and we won’t talk about it again.”His eyes stay on mine.“But if you don’t want to, stop looking for a justifiable reason.”

My heart hammers with fear, indecision, excitement and need.The emotions are overwhelming and I know he’s right.

But I watched him put himself between me and danger tonight without a single moment of hesitation.My resolve was already weakening on that sidewalk and now that it’s come undone, I don’t think I want it to be put back together.

I uncurl my fingers and slide my palms up his chest, over his shoulders, and clasp my hands behind his neck.

I have to exert zero pressure as Locke finds my mouth again.This kiss is different from the first one.It’s deeper and so much slower.It’s as if time has no meaning and we have nowhere else to be.His hand slides to the back of my neck and the other finds my waist and pulls me flush against his body.I feel exactly what this is doing to him and it devastates every rational thought I have left.

I make a sound against his mouth that’s unavoidable, causing his hand to flex at my waist.Locke moves me backward, slow and deliberate, and I go with zero resistance.The backs of my knees find the edge of the bed and we stop there, mouths still connected, his hands at the hem of my shirt.

We break apart long enough for it to come over my head and then his mouth is back and my hands are at his buttons as we take off each other’s clothes layer by unhurried layer.The room is quiet, only the sound of our breathing, and then he’s gone.

Or rather, Locke retreats just far enough to look at me.