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Until now.
The stranger I’d met in the coffee shop earlier in the day.
And I wanted to be taken by him.
No. No. I’d merely been working too many long hours, fueled on stale coffee and maybe three hours of sleep.
I wasn’t that kind of girl. I’d never hungered for any man after only meeting him briefly, let alone a figment of my imagination. I was a rough and tumble girl, capable of killing a man with my bare hands.
And all I wanted to do was spread my legs for him, allowing him access to every inch of me.
Maximillian.
A warm flush of embarrassment crept up from the base of my neck. I felt ashamed at my lurid thoughts and I certainly knew his line of thinking had to be entirely different given my dreadful behavior. I’d been a complete asshole to him, taking out my elevated anger based on the case I was working on. The very reason for taking time with a girlfriend had been to get my mind off the violent aspects of the case in the first place. The man hadn’t deserved my wrath.
I bit my lower lip, struggling to lift my martini glass.
“Are you okay?” my bestie asked, her voice booming over the loud music of the bar.
I took a deep breath, envisioning his face, the dark eyes that hadn’t left me since the moment we’d met. My God, I was losing my shit. All over a man. I swallowed twice before being able to glance at Amber. My best friend knew me better than anyone, every secret divulged over copious amounts of liquor and terribly unhealthy food. This was different. This was…
A dangerous secret.
There was absolutely no reason for my thoughts, but as I shifted in order to scan the room, I caught sight of him and my legs began to shake. Or maybe I was willing him to be here. Christ. What the hell was wrong with me? “Just… fine.” I purposely turned my head, snarling under my breath.Cut the crap, girl. You have no time for this.
“Fine. Right. Are you sick?” Amber asked imploringly.
“No. No! I’m fine. Really. Just thinking about a case.” My answer was far too perfunctory and immediately she lifted her chin, perusing the perimeter of the bar.
“Uh-huh. You’re a terrible liar. I think you are hunting. Did you finally decide to join the land of the living?”
“What the hell does that mean?”
Sighing, she rolled her eyes. “That means that you haven’t been on a date in decades.”
“Very funny. You know my captain is a slave-driver and this latest case is… time-consuming.” If she knew any of the details of the horrific crimes, she’d keep her doors locked at all times.
“You say that every time I ask about dating in general,” Amber huffed. “I know you love your job, but trust me, girlfriend, you need a man.”
No one everneededa man, at least in my opinion. And still, I dared to glance over my shoulder, trying to calm my nerves.
Grumbling under my breath, I took a careful sip of my drink as she feigned anger. I had to get my mind out of the damn gutter.
When she leaned closer, I closed my eyes briefly, still envisioning Maximillian’s carved body. “Not going to happen,” I snapped.
“I see one beautiful specimen of a man walking in this direction, the very one you were gawking at a few seconds ago. I must admit, your tastes are improving.”
Her words created a gutted feeling in my stomach even as I laughed. “You may think you know me far too well, but as I told you, I don’t need a man.”
“Need and want are entirely two different things,” she half whispered. “Just go with it. You’re the most responsible woman I know. You deserve a night of passion. You’ve been working yourself to death, Kathleen.”
Passion. I hadn’t allowed that kind of experience in months. Oh, why lie? A solid two years. My work was my life, something I was very proud of. Yet this man had not only unnerved me. He’d basically shattered my resolve. “I don’t have the time for a relationship. You know that.”
“Who’s talking about a relationship? I’m talking about a hot night between the sheets,” she purred, laughing.
I rolled my eyes, even though the thought was delicious enough. Still, my head ached from the images that would forever be captured in my mind. “I don’t know.”
“Well, don’t look now, Miss Prim and Proper, but dark and dangerous man is merely ten feet away. I think I’ll go freshen up. If you’re not here when I return, I’ll salute your courage. And your prowess.” Amber eased her drink onto the bar, grabbing her purse and winking.
