Trust by Design (Colorado Trust 2)

“You ever notice him do anything strange money-wise? Or help him with any of his business dealings? Meet people who didn’t quite seem to fit?”

She frowned. “No…why?”

“It’s been bugging me that he threatened you to keep your mouth shut over the computer stuff when he knows you have no leg to stand on.”

“He’s worried about his reputation.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged, then canted his head in her direction. “Or maybe you heard or saw something you shouldn’t have, and now he’s worried you’ll make the connection. Or that you already have.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know really, but ju

st give it some thought. Think about things you may have seen while working on his computer. People he talked to while you were out. If you come up with anything the next couple days, let me know.”

A chill ran down her spine. What in the world could Jackson think she knew that would hurt him?

Dean had finished eating, and with his empty bowl resting in his lap, he leaned his head back and shut his eyes. The throw draped about his shoulders hung on either side of his muscled arms. She took advantage of the opportunity to run her gaze over his bare chest and the defined ridges on his torso. A narrow trail of hair led down into the waistband of his pants and the urge to retrace the same path with her hands made her fingers tighten on her dish.

“You know,” he drawled, “if the power doesn’t come on in a few hours, we’ll have to share body heat to stay warm.”

A quick glance up saw his eyes were still closed. For someone who’d been frozen less than an hour ago, he didn’t appear the least bit cold anymore. Stubble covered his jaw, giving him a rugged look that was positively dangerous. Add the images his comment conjured, and she was sure she could heat all seven thousand square feet on her own.

Gina reached over and lifted his dish from his slack fingers to stack inside hers. As she stood and leaned over to set them on the tray, something else occurred to her. “If Jackson ran you off the road, why do you think he—Oh!”

Large hands grasped her hips and pulled her back onto a firm pair of thighs. He’d rotated her body so she landed sideways, her butt in the cradle of his hips, and her back supported by his unyielding right arm.

His rich chocolate gaze met hers in the combined candle and firelight. “I don’t want to talk about Jack anymore.”

Acutely aware of his body beneath her, against her, hell, all around her, she had a hard time catching her breath. And when she did, his musky male scent had her fighting to catch it again. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Payback.”

It sounded like he had gravel in his throat, and his reference to their earlier phone call shot her temperature up another notch. She’d forgotten about that, but clearly, he hadn’t.

His face was half in shadow, but it made no difference because his eyes were…alive. She wouldn’t have said they glowed, yet there was something about them as they held her captive from behind those crazy-thick frames of dark lashes.

Her mouth went dry, as if suddenly stuffed full of cotton. She tried to moisten her lips with her tongue, only to have his attention zero in on the movement. His eyes darkened. His head closed in, and her lashes fluttered shut for the kiss she knew was a breath away.

Warm lips brushed hers softly, then drew away. Not too far—she could still feel the light caress of his breath, smell the hazelnut from his liberally laced hot chocolate. Without opening her eyes, she leaned into him, palm braced on his chest where his heart beat fast and steady beneath her touch. She slid her hand up to his shoulder, relishing the hard, sinewy muscles beneath the smooth heat of his skin. When she threaded her fingers through his hair, a groan rumbled up from deep in his chest, and his arms closed tight as his lips claimed hers once more.

There was nothing soft about him now. Not his mouth, not his chest, and most definitely not the lap upon which she sat. She eagerly opened to the press of his tongue against her lips, welcoming his deep, greedy exploration. He took everything she offered and demanded more.

One hand rose to cup her cheek, and then he tunneled his fingers through her hair. Her scalp tingled as he lightly fisted the strands, angling her head until his mouth trailed from her lips to her ear. A nip to her earlobe sent a spear of sensation straight to her core. He sucked the lobe into his mouth while sliding his palm down from her hair, along her neck.

She felt him pause at the base of her throat, his thumb pressed against the wild pulse that throbbed with her excitement. His mouth replaced his thumb, his tongue swirling in a circle before his teeth raked against her skin.

At her sharp inhale and low whimper of pleasure, his smile curved against her throat. “Do that again.”

This time, his love bite made her gasp. He kept up the assault until the combination of his lips, tongue, and teeth wrung a moan from her parted lips. Wow. And he hadn’t even touched her below the neck yet.

“That’s what I was looking for.” Satisfaction dripped from his words.

Drowning in sensation, a distant part of her thought this was the last place she’d expected to be tonight. In his arms, on his lap, aching for his mouth on every inch of her body. His skin against hers. Earlier, she’d cursed the weather, now if only he’d slide that wickedly wonderful tongue lower, she’d bow down in worship of Mother Nature.

Unexpectedly, that thought made her pause. Made her think of the past couple hours. She drew in a breath and managed to speak. “Dean…?”

“What?” His warm breath fanned her ear again, then the tip of his tongue traced the shell. Hot shivers of need cascaded up and down her spine.