Page 32 of Dark ’N’ Deadly

Oh, girl. Focus on something else. Besides the intensity of those beautiful baby blues.

Or stroking his bone.

“No.” He swallowed, his strong jaw tensing. “I don’t feel a thing.”

“Oh, c’mon, special agent. Your chi is so out of sync, it’s not funny, and it’s clearly making you tense. Let me teach you some of my moves.” She hooked her hand around the crook of his elbow, intending to drag him to the mat, but he was as rigid as a marble statue. With his arm and forearm still damp with sweat, her hand slipped.

Eric’s hand shot out, gripping her upper arm, steadying her before she fell flat on her yogus pantaloonus-clad ass. “Your moves?” He arched a blond brow.

“Yeah, well.” She hissed in an embarrassed breath. “Not my most graceful moment.” Talk about embarrassing. “I meant my yoga moves.”

Briefly, his lips quirked, then his eyes narrowed. “You’ve got five minutes. Not a second more.”

“Deal.” She dragged him to the mat, the heat from his body warming her hand.

Tiger uttered a gruff bark, as if he couldn’t believe Eric was actually giving yoga a whirl.

“Okay, kneel on the mat, and I’ll show you what to do.” After he kneeled, she did the same beside him on the carpet. “Now, place your hands flat on the mat, just wider than your shoulders.” His shoulders were so broad that his arm brushed hers, sending goose bumps racing up her spine.

Shake it off.

“Keeping your hands on the mat, push up and lift your hips up as far as they’ll go.” She demonstrated for him, and when he mimicked her movement… Oh my. His sweats had tightened over his perfectly muscled gluteus maximus to the max.

“Tess. Tess,” he repeated when she didn’t answer right away. “Quit ogling my ass and tell me what to do next?”

Whoops. My bad. “Roll your shoulders to the floor and push your thighs back while you roll back on the balls of your feet. This is downward-facing dog.”

Tiger snorted and got to his feet. Warm doggy breath blew into her ear, making her flinch and jerk away, which sent her toppling sideways against Eric, who also lost his balance. The next thing she knew, her body lay full on top of his, both of them laughing as Tiger panted in their faces, looking mighty pleased with himself.

Still laughing, Eric flicked a finger at his dog. “Tiger, af.”

Tiger uttered a cross between a grunt and a thoroughly adorable whine, letting them know he was less than thrilled at being kicked out of the funhouse.

“Poor Tiger.” The dog’s sad brown eyes watched them longingly, and Tess couldn’t help but feel a stab of guilt.

“Trust me.” Eric laughed. “He’ll live.”

As their laughter ebbed, their gazes met, and she realized that, from head to toe, she was plastered on top of one very hard, very male body. Through her micro-thin yoga pants and top she felt every one of Eric’s well-defined muscles, from his thighs to his abs to his pecs. Her hands cupped his thick shoulders. His hands gently clasped her bare midriff.

Her heart raced double-time, then she realized it was his heart adding to the pulsing rhythm of her own. As she stared into the depths of his eyes, something passed between them. A seductive magnetism. An invisible emotion snapping in the air that refused to diminish no matter how much she wished it.

Pure, unadulterated desire.

His hand skimmed her waist, sliding up her back to sift his fingers into the curls at her neck. Goose bumps erupted across her skin, and with it came the spiraling sensation of falling into a deep, dark crevasse, the bottom of which was endless and beautiful and filled with something she so desperately wanted and needed.

Eric’s chest rose and fell beneath hers. He breathed through his open mouth, nostrils flaring, as if he were breathing her very scent into his lungs.

More warm breath blew into her face—his—and her gaze dipped to the curves of his lips, and the urge—no, make that need—for him to kiss her grew steadily until it was a palpable craving in her core.

Their personalities might be like yin and yang, two seemingly contrary forces, but the virtual energy crackling around them drew her closer. Closer to those sensuous lips she craved on hers. She imagined they’d be soft and hard at the same time, and dammit, she really, really wanted to find out.

This is not a good idea was the mantra that kept repeating over and over in her head. He’s a federal agent. Didn’t matter. Her common sense crumbled like a house of sand. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, this was a man she’d wanted since she first laid eyes on him.

His hand on the back of her neck stilled. She didn’t know who moved first, and she didn’t care. Their mouths came together.

The rough, bruising kiss she’d expected didn’t happen. His lips gently feathered hers, sending tingles to every sensitive part of her body. Her heart rate zoomed, and her patience waned, so she pressed her lips harder against his. The sound she heard next was her own throaty moan.

Their tongues met, tangling, tasting, and she threaded her fingers through all that thick, spiky blond hair, holding him tighter against hers, fearful of him pulling away.