Don't Go There (Awkward Love 5)

He shrugs and carefully measures out a teaspoon of rum and drinks it down. Then he raises his eyebrows at me.

“Are you forgetting you were in that car with me?”

Fuck.

I reluctantly drink, wincing as the whiskey burns my throat.

“I should’ve suggested basketball,” he grins. “Just to see if you’d shoot the ball through my hoop. My turn again, right?”

I wish I could wipe that smirk off his face.

“I’ve never … kissed Adam Jenkins.”

I glare at him, but he shrugs.

“Hey, I’m just following the rules. Blame the game, not me.”

“Oh, you’re playing the game all right,” I grumble.

“Have you ever wanted to kiss me?”

Yes.

But I can’t admit that to him, even though I realize he knows.

I look him in the eyes, only wavering when he shifts closer to me. My heart races when he takes my hand, entwining his fingers in mine. He reaches up, his fingers caressing my chin as his eyes burn through me.

“Then maybe we should do something about that?”

Fuck.

I swallow, my heart racing as he leans closer, until his lips are almost touching mine. I jump as his lips find mine, his fingers tilting my face up as the kiss intensifies. I lose sight of everything other than him, his touch and the way his kiss leaves my lips tingling. He pulls back and gently strokes my cheek, that cheeky look still hiding in his eyes. He glances down at my bottle and laughs.

“I’d say about a teaspoon left? I guess that means you’re sleeping on the floor,” he teases, his eyes sparkling.

“What?” My mouth drops open. “No way! You kissed me after asking that question.”

“Did you answer?”

Well fuck.

I narrow my eyes at him. I can’t believe he just played me.

“You kissed me just to win that,” I accuse him.

He raises his eyebrows.

“Or maybe that whole game was just an excuse to kiss you.”

I stare at him. Does he mean that? He leans closer again, sweeping his hand beneath my hair, his fingers touching my neck. I tense as he presses his mouth onto mine, his warm breath against my lips making me shiver. I look into his eyes and try to figure out what he’s thinking. Am I the only one noticing the spark, or does he feel it too? His hand creeps underneath the bottom of the towel. When his fingers touch my thigh, I gasp, placing my hand on his, riding it higher up my thigh, until—

I freeze, chuckling when his phone pings.

He sighs, resting his head against mine as he gazes into my eyes.

“You better check it,” I say.

He nods and glances at it, then he sighs.

“I’d better take this.”

Maybe I can seduce him into letting me—

“Don’t even think about it.”

“What?” I ask innocently.

“Don’t play games with me,” he says. “You were going to sneak your way into my bed.”

“You don’t want me in your bed?”

He narrows his eyes at me and steps closer, kissing me roughly on the lips. Then he stands up and stalks over to the door. Before he walks out, he looks back at me, his eyes burning into mine.

“If you’re in that bed when I get back, you won’t be sleeping for very long.”

Is he saying he’ll kick me out, or …

I shiver. I guess I’m about to find out.Chapter TwelveAdamIt’s not just any phone call that I need to return.

It’s my contact, Max, which means it must be important. In three years, he’s contacted me once, because it’s not worth the risk, unless what needs to be shared is potentially lifesaving.

“They’re pulling you out.”

“What?” I laugh. Just the idea of that is ridiculous. “When?”

“Next week.”

“Do you know why?” I ask. My jaw twitches.

They can’t do this, can they? Only I know they can, because they’ve done it before.

“No. You know how it is. Cut backs. Change of focus.”

I snort. Change of focus? I shake my head.

“This is not a reflection on your ability. You’ll get a new assignment—”

“I know that,” I snap.

I take a deep breath, because this isn’t Max’s fault, so he doesn’t deserve me taking it out on him. I just hate that I can’t do anything about. If they say I’m done, then I’m done.

“I have to go.”

I end the call and walk back over to the motel room, but I don’t go in. Instead, I sit down, my back pressed against the freezing cold bricks.

The feds had been watching Alberto for a long time. They knew of his involvements and that he was the key player in a major drug trafficking ring, but they didn’t have enough on him to land him a jail sentence. Going after him without enough evidence to put him away for life was not a good idea. That’s where I came in.

How do I turn that off and walk away? And what about Alberto?

He just gets to go on doing whatever the fuck he wants, knowing that nobody can touch him. I’ve been playing a role for so long that I’ve forgotten who I am. I’m not the same guy I was three years ago. I’ve changed and I’m not sure if it’s for the better or worse. I thought becoming a cop was a magical solution to everything, but it didn’t change how I felt about myself.