Page 140 of Broken
“Time to catch a killer,” she murmured as she stepped inside.
He shut the front door and flipped the deadbolt behind her. After unleashing Loki, she let her gaze drift to his. He was waiting.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Just once, but his mouth lingered on hers. She could get so damn used to that kind of affection.
“I haven’t pulled an all-nighter since college,” he murmured. “And it was me pushing to finish a term paper that I’d waited too damn long to write. Staying up all night with you is something I’d do again and again and again.”
Me, too, a hundred million times.
“Coffee?” His velvety voice caressed her ears.
There was a confidence in his timbre that instantly made her feel at ease, yet aroused her at the same time.
Snap out of it. You’re losing it. He asked you if you want a cup of coffee. Coffee!!
“I’m telling Ethan that you and Loki are staying here with us.” He filled two mugs and set them on the island. “I’m hoping he can roll with all these changes.”
“I’m concerned it’s too much for him.”
“Having you here is good forme,Jack.”
She melted from his words, the way he was peering into her eyes. She felt like the luckiest girl on earth, but she was getting way ahead of herself. They were working together and they were sleeping together. That was never a good combination. Someone could get hurt, and she had a pretty strong feeling it would be her.
“Maybe we should act like professionals while I’m here,” she said, though she hated the words as they spilled from her tongue.
“What does that mean?”
“No fooling around.”
His deep, sexy laugh sent a thrill skittering through her. It sounded like thunder, miles and miles away. “You think that’s something you can do after what just happened? You love the way I touch you, how I take good care of you.”
“Ohmygod, you are so arrogant. You think I won’t be able to control myself around you? Let me tell you—”
He stopped her with a kiss. Then, a second, this one more urgent. His tongue pressed into her mouth and she groaned into his. Then, he ended it as quickly as he started it.
“I’m the one who’s addicted to you,” he said. “But, play hard to get if you want. I love a good challenge.”
She stilled. Things were moving way too fast and her decisions were based purely on emotion. “You know, I don’t think it’s a good idea if I stay here.”
His eyebrows slashed down. “Where the hell is this coming from?”
“We work together. We shouldn’t be living together.”
“Loki!” Ethan exclaimed as he padded into the room, still in his jammies.
The puppy bounded over to him while Ethan jumped up and down. “You came back, Jack! And you brought Loki! Hurray!! This is the best day ever.”
Emotion surged to the surface and tears filled her eyes. She rarely cried, but this little boy had been through so much in his young life. The joy on his face had struck a chord in the deepest part of her soul.
She would risk her own heart, so she wouldn’t break his.
* * *
Prescott
Prescott wasbusy fixing Ethan his breakfast while Jack fed Loki.
When she set the bowl of food on the kitchen floor, Ethan stood beside her and stared down at him. “What does he eat?”
