Want Me (Dark Obsession 2)

The voice was commanding, vibrating with power, and very close. A tingle of awareness shot through Sophie at the deep rumble and she looked back to see Lex closing in on her.

Was just the sight of a man supposed to make her heart race? Supposed to make her sex clench? Because that happened. Just the sight of him…and that dangerous smile of his.

A smile that held no dimples.

Only deadly promise.

“Sophie will be with me tonight, Eastbridge,” Lex continued. He was now close enough for her to inhale his rich, masculine scent. “But still send your cops by. Maybe they can catch the SOB who tried to hurt my lady.”

His lady? She lifted her right eyebrow at him.

Bullshit.

But then he leaned toward her. His fingers brushed her cheek, just the back of his knuckles in a careless kind of touch.

Heat flooded her. Her nipples tightened.

No! She was in a courtroom, for goodness sake! The ADA was frowning at her and—

Lex kissed her. A hot, deep, I-don’t-care-who-is-watching kiss. Totally unprofessional. Totally awesome. Totally make-me-want-to-strip-him.

When he pulled back, her breath was coming in pants. So was his. Maybe that kiss had been fake. For show. Maybe he’d kissed her to live up to his part of the bargain because she’d told him that she didn’t want others to know she’d hired VJS and—

“I missed you,” he told her simply.

He sounded sincere. Her stupid heart raced even faster. When had any guy ever said that he missed her? Said it and meant it? She forced her lips to curl a bit. Forced herself to say, “I missed you, too.” Only, as soon as she said those words, Sophie realized they were true. She had missed him. She’d caught herself thinking about him again and again during her court session. She’d wanted him near not because he was her hired protection, but because—

She wanted him.

Clark coughed. “I, um, think you have me at a disadvantage.”

He was at a definite disadvantage when compared to Lex.

Lex eased back. He kept a grip on Sophie’s wrist, lightly circling her with his fingers.

“You know me,” Clark continued. “But I have no idea who you are.”

Lex just laughed, but the sound was cold. “Of course, you do. Your boss hired me to run some protection work a few months back. When he started getting those death threats, and he didn’t think in-house security would cut it.”

She saw Clark widen his eyes. “VJS Protection. You—” He looked back at Sophie. “You hired him to protect you?”

Lex brought Sophie’s fingers to his lips. “Does it look like she hired me, Ace? You should be faster on the uptake, being an ADA and all.”

She felt the edge of his tongue slide over her knuckles. Her breath whooshed out.

She was pretty sure he was making her wet. She’d obviously gone way too long since having a lover. Her body was in an overdrive reaction.

“Sophie and I have been involved for a while,” Lex continued smoothly. “The fact that some jerk tried to scare her last night? That shit pissed me off. A lot. So until I catch him, Sophie will be staying with me.”

Wait, he sounded as if he meant that last part. Staying with him had not been part of the deal. She had her swank hotel room already booked. She’d thought about splurging for an in-room massage because the day truly had been a bitch.

There had been no plans to spend the night with Lex, tempting though the idea was.

“Then I guess Sophie and I won’t be having that drink tonight,” Clark muttered as he jerked at his tie.

“Not tonight,” Lex agreed easily. “Not any night that I’m around.” His dangerous smile was still in place. “I think you missed your window, Ace. She’s taken.”

“She’s right here,” Sophie said, pushed too far. Right. It had been her idea for Lex to pretend to be her lover. But no one had said the guy needed to go all caveman. Especially in front of the ADA! Jeez, something new for her to live down. Awesome. “And she’s ready to go.” She nodded briskly to Clark. “I appreciate your offer of the extra patrol cars, and I’d love for them to go around the brownstone. I also think…” She had to say it. “I also think that Daniel Duvato needs extra security. The man at my house threatened him. He said he was going to kill Daniel for what he’d done to me.”

A furrow appeared between Clark’s perfect brows. “And you believe him? I mean, he could have just been some nut job—”

“He could have,” she agreed. “But—”

“Duvato is already in maximum security. No one will be getting to him.” He hesitated. “But I’ll go by tomorrow, okay? I’ll personally check things out for you.”

Her breath expelled in a quick rush. “Thank you.”

Clark shook his head. “The guy tried to kill you, and now you’re working to save his hide? Careful there, Sophie, or your icy reputation will start to crack. People will see you for the woman you really are.”

No one ever saw her for the woman she really was—that was a good thing.

Clark took his bag and left, but she stood there a moment longer. A guard was near the door, but, otherwise, it was just her and Lex in the courtroom. The guard was too far away to overhear her. “What the hell…” Sophie demanded in a lethal whisper. “Was that about?”

He shrugged. “The guy wants you.”

“He’s the ADA! Half the time, I think he hates me, he—”

“I know the signs. I saw the way he was looking at you.”

Insane. “What way?”

“Like he wanted you naked.”

She rolled her eyes. Grabbed her briefcase. And marched past him. Men. She needed to be saved from men and their idiocy. When she passed the guard, Quincy gave her a slow nod. She inclined her head toward him. “Night, Quincy.” She liked him. The guy was a serious fixture at the courthouse—and whenever she could, she snuck him some gourmet chocolates.

And in return, he paid her back with gossip.

She kept up her fast march toward the elevator. She jabbed the button, every muscle in her body feeling taut as she waited and waited and—

The doors opened. She shot inside. Lex followed—more slowly—behind her. As soon as those doors closed—

“You don’t have to worry about the ADA wanting me. You don’t have to worry about any man wanting me,” she snapped at him. “I’m a grown woman. I am perfectly capable of—”

“Your stalker wants you. He’s clearly obsessed. He took your negligee, for shit’s sake.” Real anger quaked in his words. “You’re a sexy woman. Beautiful. A fucking walking dream.”

Wait, she was? Since when? Usually, she just felt like a nightmare.

“It was your idea for me to pretend I was your lover, remember?” He glared at her. “I could have just told Eastbridge the truth.”

She stood toe to toe with him. Her head tipped back as she glared just as hard—and tried not to feel the desire that kept pulsing through her. Anger was not supposed to be some kind of aphrodisiac, not even in her twisted world. “It wasn’t my idea to say I was staying with you tonight. That I was practically living with you!”

His eyes narrowed. “A psycho with a knife broke into your place last night.”

Like she needed that reminder.

“And you thought you’d just sleep there alone?”

“I got new security installed today.” Security that wasn’t completely done, unfortunately. “But no, I’d planned to stay in a hotel tonight.”

He swore. “Wonderful. A place with total access for the general public. Super secure.”

He was making her insane. “I was going to stay on a secure level.” Because I’m not an idiot.

He locked his fingers around her upper arms. She almost forgot to breathe. That electric connection she felt when he touched her was just so not normal. Her whole body was overheating now. And she was actually inching closer to him. Wrong, wrong. Wrong.

But he sure felt right.

The bad boys alwa

ys did.

“You’ll be plenty secure with me.”

Her breath came a little faster. And his right hand rose to curl under her chin. She almost flinched away from him because his touch seared her too much.

“Are you afraid of me?” Lex asked her.

“No.” She was a very good liar.

“Then why are you scared to stay with me?”

The elevator doors opened. A quick glance showed Sophie that they were on the main street level. He’d dropped her off at the courthouse earlier, and she’d just assumed he’d found a garage nearby to park his car.

He didn’t move to leave that elevator. “Sophie?”

“I’m not afraid of you. Okay?” Ready to leave, she stepped to the right.

So did he. The guy was blocking her escape path. Annoying. She looked up at him and saw that determined glint in his eyes.

Sexy. Damn it.

Fine. If he wanted some sort of confession, she’d give him one. “I’m afraid of what might happen between us.”

He finally got out of her way. Good. She marched through the lobby and headed for the street.

He grabbed her briefcase.

“What are you—”

Lex held up his hand. “Easy. I’m just being a gentleman. Carrying your briefcase. That’s all.”

“I don’t trust gentlemen.” Her words were out before she could pull them back. But, hell, since she’d already said them… “I prefer men who face danger without flinching. Men who don’t mind getting dirty.” In more ways than one.

She strode forward. The sun had started to sink and the evening air definitely held bite. “Where are you parked?” Sophie asked him. They’d get to his car and get out of there.

Would they go back to his place?

Um, no.