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“I did some charitable work in the area last year. There’s a textile mill at that dock.”
“Good Lord.”
She nodded. “He must be there. All we need to do is go to the textile mill and we shall find him.”
“No. There’s no ‘we’ in this, Cass.”
“Well, you cannot go alone. I won’t allow it.”
He smirked. “Allow it?”
“I cannot...” She inhaled deeply, knowing the confession would cost her. “I cannot let something happen to you, Luke. Your desire to protect me is no greater than my desire to protect you, you know. Men do not have the lion’s share on protectiveness.”
“Nothing will happen to me.”
“You cannot promise that.” She lifted her chin. “If you go, I am coming with you.”
“No.”
“I am,” she said forcefully. “I started this, and I wish to put an end to it.”
“Damn it, Cass, you saw what he did to Betty.”
“Which is even more reason for me to come with you.”
He closed the gap between them so that they were almost toe-to-toe. “Why do you have to be so stubborn?”
“Says you!” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “You are far more stubborn than I.”
“If that were true, I would never have—”
“Have?”
“Kissed you in the first place,” he spilled out. “Clearly, I am not nearly stubborn enough or I would never have laid a finger on you.”
“But I wanted you to lay a finger on me!”
“Damn it, Cass, why must you say such things?”
He eyed her for several moments and her breaths felt thick in her throat. All she could think was how much she wanted his fingers on her again. Wanted him to explore her as he had done before. And maybe more. She swallowed hard and parted her lips to try to draw in a full breath.
His expression darkened.
***
IF HE’D BEEN a better man, Luke would never have put himself in this situation in the first place. His pulse still pounded in his ears, his skin burned. For several sickening moments tonight, he thought he’d lost her and that ate away at his gut still, despite her being in front of him, within reach. If he lost her, he’d never be able to touch her again.
Or kiss her.
He closed the gap and took her into his embrace, drawing her hard against his chest. She gasped and he took the opportunity to claim her with a deep kiss. He gave her no quarter.
His grip hard, tasted her, felt her melt into him with each sweep of his tongue. Her fingers dug into his upper arms. She whispered his name briefly between kisses—a plea.
Good Lord, he could not deny her.
When he pressed deeper, she staggered back a few steps. Something tumbled from the writing desk onto the floor as she knocked into it. He twisted her around and molded one hand around her rear. He groaned while the heat raging through his body centered on his cock. As he rocked into her, she made a sweet, sweet sound of surprise.
“God, Cass,” he muttered.
