Page 51 of Drilled

A neon pink heavy-duty rubber mallet instantly caught my attention and I yanked it off the shelf. I got ahead of Sy's long, herding arms as he tried to put them around me to retrieve the tape, and held out the hammer right against his jaw.

“‘Fess up,”I demanded in victory. Sy's mouth twitched in amusement. “What else are you passionate about?”

“Is that a threat, Miss Whittaker?” he asked.

“There are no witnesses around. No one to hear you scream,” I said.

It was in that instant that I became fully aware of just how true that was. One or two customers had drifted in, and Doug was fixed to the front of the store. But where we had ended up, we were practically as isolated as we could be in the tiny labyrinth. Goosebumps broke out across my body.

Silas must've come to the same realization at the exact same time because his playful smile melted. He took a step closer, keeping eye contact with me and practically forcing the mallet harder against his jaw.

“Why do you want to know?” he asked quietly.

“Because… Because I interrogate people for a living.” I swallowed hard. I took a step closer this time. “So tell me. What else are you passionate about?”

I was hyper aware of the way he practically towered over me, and the way my breath started coming in faster. I was aware of his pupils dilating, the tell-tale warning shot of his hands clenching at his sides like he was fighting with himself.

Silas's body lunged forward, as though propelled by something he couldn't control. His arms went around my waist, pulling me up against him and then his mouth was on mine and the kiss we shared was desperate and almost sloppy and so perfect.

I almost dropped the mallet, but my free hand grabbed the back of his neck. Sy tasted of mint and cinnamon and his lips were so much softer than I'd expected.

I felt more than heard the deep growl in his chest and he shoved me back hard against the shelf, sending a smattering of tools and accessories crashing to the floor with a series of noisy clangs.

“What was that?” Doug's voice called out from the front of the store. Sy popped his mouth off mine for just long enough to reply, but his gaze was still locked on me.

“Nothing, Doug. Just being clumsy, I'll take care of it,” he said gruffly.

“Okay, son,” came the reply but Silas had other plans. In one swift movement, he'd taken my hand and dragged me to the very back of the store, right up to a door marked “Employees Only: Overstock”. Instead of a digital keypad, it was held shut by a simple magnetic roller, easily flung open as he turned the handle and shoved it open with his back.

He pulled me into the dimness inside and the door clicked shut behind us.

18

Lane

Every single one of my senses kicked into overdrive.

The poor light meant that Silas's body was my primary anchor. He pressed me up against the door, his lips seeking mine out again and his hands roaming around the layers of clothing that were quickly becoming too hot for me to stand.

A mix of soap and his natural scent filled my nose. I reached up and pulled off the tie he used to keep his hair out of the way and dragged my hands through the blond locks, savoring the silken strands between my fingers.

He slid his thigh between my legs and flexed and I gasped, covering my own mouth before I could make any louder noises that would get us in trouble.

As fond as Doug seemed to be of the guys, I was willing to bet he wouldn't be very happy to walk in and see us desecrating his storeroom.

But the pulse of pleasure that shot between my thighs was almost too much for me to handle. Silas pressed his forehead against my temple.

“I wanted you for so long, Lane,” he whispered, his voice rough as though his throat had been scraped raw. I tightened my hands in his hair, pinching my eyes shut. “Do you know how painful it was for me to pretend I didn't? For me to stop myself every time I wanted to touch you?”

I groaned low in my throat, shifting my hips above his thigh. He flexed his muscles again, rocking me against him and I whimpered at the pressure.

“Sy,” I gasped. “Sy, I need you to touch me now. God, please.”

“Yeah?” he asked, nuzzling into my neck. He dropped a kiss behind my ear and I bit my lip hard. “I can touch you?”

“Yes!” I said as loud as I dared. “Please, I need you to.”

“I don't just want to touch you, Lane.” Sy kissed me again, deeper this time. I lost my breath, holding onto him like I couldn't afford to let go. I didn’t know how it was possible for a man of his size and height and strength to be this gentle. He wasn’t like Dax who just took what he wanted, or like Bear who naturally directed the pleasure of the encounter with the same dominance he brought to the job site. Silas brought a reverence to every kiss and touch that made my heart feel like it was about to tear itself from my chest.