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Gunner looked up from the book he was studying, raising his eyebrows. “Depends on what you mean by ‘it’.”
The book I was reading, which was made from the most fragile leather binding I’d ever seen, was boring me to tears, and not because of the subject matter. Which, to be fair, was also boring as sin, but I recognized the need to research the contents. It was killing me slowly because it was the fourth one I’d checked today so far.
We had planned on coming here days ago, but after finding the letter and documents in the safe, Gunner wanted to be positive that there was nothing else in the Lace Elm house that we needed to find. Knowing who Trevor really was hadn’t made it any easier to find the statue yet, but it had given us a few clues on what he had done before he became an art smuggler for a crime syndicate. Maybe having a broader picture of Trevor would give us a better chance of discovering where he might hide important things. No one expected to find the statue itself there, but if we could trace Trevor’s steps during the months before he died, the scope of where we needed to search would make more sense.
Yesterday, sitting on the floor after tapping every single board to check for secret hiding places, we finally had to admit there wasn’t anything else to discover at the house. Every corner, crevice, drawer, and shelf had been checked and checked again. I didn’t think he’d have been able to hide anything in the main parts of the house where I spent most of my time, but obviously, I didn’t know Trevor like I thought I did.
Once we decided to wrap up the search at the house, it was time to move on, and the next stop was the university library Gunner had mentioned.
The library agreed to let us into their historical book collection, but only after Gunner had the genius idea to show them a picture of Trevor’s degree in fine arts, claiming thathewas Trevor and I was his assistant. I think the librarian was still suspicious about a man built like Conan the Barbarian being an arts major, but she gave us the key to the door and waved us on.
It was a long shot, but we thought that if we could find the exact origins of the Anubis figure, then maybe it would give us some indication where Trevor might have stashed it that would never be found. Gunner thought that he might have slipped it into a museum's collection, or just tried to mail the damned thing to Egypt. It was kind of a last- ditch effort, but something was better than nothing. With the danger being as prevalent as it was, we had no time to be idle.
Sitting among nearly a dozen Ancient Egyptian texts that we’d pulled out, I knew good and well how little time we had, but that didn’t mean I could control my thoughts from drifting to the almost-kiss with Gunner before all hell broke loose only a few days ago.
Not to mention that I fell asleep in his arms that night, and he tucked me into bed like a gentleman. The problem was, when we got up the next morning, he seemed colder than he had the day before. More distant. Like all the progress we had made getting to know each other meant nothing. It’s not like I wanted him to be what is basically a head detective and bodyguard for me while also expecting some sort of romantic interest, but I was sure that he was attracted to me. Everything so far has been actions, not words, and I was desperate for some clarification.
“It,” I repeated, as if it should have been obvious. “The little moment we had before we had before the car chase. You know what I’m talking about.”
Surprise, followed by sharp, masculine interest, passed over his features before he was able to slam down the mask of indifference again. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
I left my dusty booklet on my table and sauntered over to his, hopping up to sit on the top of it, kicking my feet as I spoke. “I think there is, and I don’t understand why you won’t acknowledge it.”
“Rachel,” he groaned. “You and I both know we are in a life-or-death situation right now. Anything but professional courtesy is a problem. We need to be vigilant, not make heart eyes at each other.”
His comments hurt. “I didn’t realize it was such a minor thing for you.”
I saw that he was struggling not to let the walls come down by the way he was close to breaking his pen between his fingers. “Once this is done, I will talk about this all you want. I swear. But you’re—” he exhaled loudly through his nose in frustration. “You’re irresistible, and it makes me lose focus.”
“Irresistible?” I parroted, eyes going wide.
“You’ve been through hell, Rachel, but it hasn’t dimmed your shine. I find myself wanting to please you, to make you happy, but those thoughts have no place in my mind right now. I haveto concentrate on finding this damned statue or I’ll be putting you, my sister, and my nieces at risk.” He sighed. “It feels like the weight of the world is on my shoulders, and that there is no way to escape.”
“That’s fine,” I said softly. “All I wanted was to know if thisthingbetween us was mutual. But when it’s done?”
“Then I'd like to see where this goes.” He laughed now, and it transformed his roughly handsome face, making him look younger. One side of his mouth pulled higher than the other, I noticed, filing away that little factoid for later. “I’m well aware that this could just be a physical thing happening between us,” he continued. “But either way, I still want to see where it goes.”
I shivered at his words. The images that “something physical” caused to appear in my mind took me off guard. Warmth pooled in my belly, liquid and golden. “I think we should explore that very concept a little more. Don’t you?”
At the end of his rope, Gunner snapped his book shut, tossing the pen down on top of it, and before I could blink, he was in front of me, one hand on either side of me, palms flat against the wooden table. “Why do I feel like you’re teasing me?” he asked, the serious expression on his face out of place beside his question.
“Because I am. Teasing you, that is.” I admitted. I had to lean back to look into his eyes, and it’s then I saw that it wasn’t seriousness on his face, it was hard won control. He was close to losing control, and the thought of what that would mean made the nebulous need inside of me condense, spreading through my limbs. “Answer my question.”
Gunner’s face was inches from mine now, and I said a silent prayer that this part of the library was basically abandoned. “I think I’d have to fuck you to find out,” he rumbled into my ear, and they hit me so hard that I made a small, helpless noise.
“Although, one time might not be enough of a sample size to know for sure. I think I’d have to fuck you three times at least to see how physically compatible we are, Rachel.” He grabbed beneath the lip of the table and pulled it forward just enough that he was standing between my legs. “Do you think you could handle me three times? I might be too much for you.”
Boldly, I skated my hands up his arms until I wrapped my fingers around his biceps, using his unmoving body as balance so I didn’t fall flat on my back. He shuddered, but didn’t back away. “I could handle you,” I confirmed, my own voice husky with wanting him. “But I don’t think three would ever be enough for you.”
This time he didn’t grab the table, but my upper thighs, pulling me forward in one quick jolt, and in a movement I’ll remember for the rest of my life, he ground his pelvis against mine, the hard line of his erection pushing into me. He didn’t let go of my legs, grinding himself against me again, and this time I moaned, the feeling of him setting my nerves on fire, starting between my legs.
“You make me feel like a fucking amateur,” he gritted out. “I have no self-control around you.”
All I could say before he kissed me was his name, and it unraveled him like nothing else I’d said before. It wasn’t like any other first kiss I’d had; Gunner was demanding, visceral, and explosive. His lips were as soft as I’d thought they would be, but there was no time to explore them before his tongue slipped into my mouth and against mine.
Our hands were everywhere; mine sliding up the front of his shirt to feel his rock-hard chest and the heat of his skin while his hands were buried in my hair as he ravaged my mouth. I managed to get one leg latched around his waist, and the never-ceasing movements of his hips against me had arousal building faster than I was ready for.
I broke away from this kiss, panting. Even fully clothed, I felt every thrust of his cock against my core throughout my entire body. My clit throbbed. “We have to stop,” I gasped.
