His body pressed against hers, and Cooper knew that Gabrielle had to feel the force of his arousal. For her.
Everything was for her.
Her hands flew up and grabbed his shoulders. He tensed, expecting her to push him away.
Then her mouth parted beneath his. Her tongue met his. She kissed him back with the same raw, wild need that he felt.
In that moment, she nearly brought him to his knees.
Everything was going to be all right. Gabrielle understood why he’d kept his true identity secret. They could go back to the way things had been before.
Her taste made him light-headed, desperate for more.
His hands locked around her. He pulled her against him, holding the curve of her hips.
But then she shoved against him. “No.” Her voice was husky but brimming with anger. “Just because I want you, you aren’t going to get away with what you’ve done to me.”
Tears glittered in her gorgeous eyes. Actual tears.
“I trusted you. You broke into my home. You destroyed evidence.”
“I was following orders.” Those words seemed hollow to his ears.
She edged away from him. “That’s what you’re still doing. Let me guess...whoever runs this place told you to come in here and charm me again?”
He wasn’t touching that one.
She laughed, and the sound wasn’t like her at all. Gabrielle wasn’t that bitter. Gabrielle was open, happy.
“This isn’t going to work. We aren’t going to work.” She headed for the door.
He had to stop her. Cooper hated to do it, but he stepped into her path.
Her head tilted back as she stared up at him. “What are you going to do?” Gabrielle asked him as she swiped a hand over her cheek. “Handcuff me again?”
“No.” Stay calm. Stay calm. But it was hard because he felt like his world was unraveling before his eyes. “I’m going to make sure that you’re free to go, but in return, you have to do something for me.”
“I get to just walk out of here?” Doubt was plain on her face.
“We have your flash drive. You don’t know anything else about the EOD, nothing concrete. And if you try to cover the story, you will put lives at risk.” He crossed his arms over his chest and studied her. “That’s not who you are. You bring justice to families. You don’t go out and try to hurt anyone.”
“You actually sound as if you know me.”
“I do.” Better than he’d known any other lover.
“I wish I could say the same about you.”
Hit. The woman was lethal with her words.
“But I don’t know you,” Gabrielle continued on fiercely. “I feel like I’m staring straight at a stranger.”
“You’re staring at your lover.” She wasn’t going to deny that—deny them.
She gave a hard shake of her head. “I’m staring at an EOD agent who’s done nothing but lie to me.”
“I’m the one who got you out of Lockwood’s place so the cops wouldn’t find you there. I’m the one who’s been helping you.” She might not want to see the truth now, but sooner or later, she’d have to look past her rage.
I want sooner.