Smoke and Sin (The Perfect Gentlemen 4)

She wasn’t making this choice because she wanted him. Or because she loved how he aroused her whole body with a mere glance. It wasn’t at all because he could make her feel the press of her nipples against her bra without touching her even once. That had absolutely nothing to do with it.

“What if they can’t break him?” she challenged. “What if he manages to kill himself before you take him in?”

“I know what you’re doing,” he objected even as his hands dropped to her hips and his mouth hovered, his nose brushing against hers in a sweet touch. “And I know what I should do, but you have a point. All right. We’ll follow him. We’ll find out where he’s going, who he’s meeting—and why.”

She nodded, but her gaze was caught up with Roman’s. She couldn’t look away, didn’t want to think about the fact her heart rate had tripled. “You and me. We can’t trust anyone else. We can watch each other’s backs.”

It wouldn’t be bad to have a partner, especially one who could call the CIA if they got into real trouble.

“Gus.” He moaned her name long and low. “There’s so much you don’t know.”

“Then tell me. You can trust me.”

He fisted a hand in her hair, tugging lightly. “It’s not about trust. I have to protect you.”

She bit back a groan because she loved the sensation that lit up her scalp every time he gently pulled. “If you leave me out, I’ll find a way to do this. I won’t sit around and wait. And don’t think the Secret Service can keep me here indefinitely, Roman. I will quit my job and walk out the door if you make me.”

His hand tightened, making her shiver. “You’re such a bitch.”

Gus knew he meant that as a compliment. Roman got off on being challenged. She sent him a saucy smile.

“That’s why I’ll be an excellent partner.” She let him yank her hair softly again, drawing her head slightly back and exposing the line of her neck.

“So it doesn’t matter if I promise I’ll handle everything?” He kissed her throat from her clavicle up to the lobe of her ear. “If I take care of everything so you’ll be safe?”

“I owe Maddox Crawford. He was my friend when I didn’t have one.”

He gritted his teeth, leaning his forehead against hers with a sigh. “Did he take care of you that night?”

Tears threatened. They trembled on her lashes suddenly, waiting to be shed. The words were there, too, but she shoved them back. “Yes. He took care of me. Not sexually.”

He shook his head against hers. “I wasn’t asking that. Please don’t always make me the bad guy, Gus. I don’t want to be that man in your eyes. I have no idea what I can give you, but I also know I can’t walk away. I don’t have it in me right now.”

“Then promise you’ll take me with you or I’m gone.”

He dipped his head, his mouth covering hers, peppering her lips with shallow kisses that made her long for more. “I shouldn’t. I know I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t do this at all. Damn it, I’m not good for you. I can’t give you what you need.”

Maybe this was exactly what she needed. Maybe she needed to be with him again so she could prove that he wasn’t good for her, that her head was playing tricks on her. If she spent a handful of days in his bed, knowing they had an expiration date, she could work him out of her system. Then she would be sure that whatever they’d shared years ago was definitely over. And she would finally be able to move on.

“I just need for you to let me come with you when you track Kemp. I’ll stay with you for however long it takes to sort his intentions out. And we can be together. We’ll both know this isn’t going anywhere this time. No expectations. No unrealistic hopes. Nothing but pleasure and comfort and some closure we both need to move on.”

He hesitated, his eyes going hard. “You’ll stay with me until my investigation is over.”

She had no idea how long that could take since she didn’t know the entire scope of his probe. “But you won’t let me in on it?”

He groaned. “I will as much as I possibly can. But don’t push me. I told you I was choosing you when I didn’t spill all of this to Zack immediately. I’m not betraying your confidence. Don’t make me betray his.”

It was the best she was going to get. And the closer she stayed, the better chance she had to figure out what was going on.

“Keep your secrets, Calder. Just don’t leave me behind. I’m going to solve this with you or without you.” She lifted her arms around his shoulders, giving over to the need he roused inside her. She couldn’t turn him away anymore. Not when she ached for him so badly, not when he’d bent for her in a way she’d never expected him to.

“You always put me in a goddamn corner, but this time I swear I’m keeping you there with me.”

He didn’t give her a chance to reply. His mouth simply swooped over hers, crashing down until she forgot about everything. He crumbled her barriers, and for the first time in forever, Gus simply let herself feel. Tomorrow would be soon enough to deal with the inevitable and terrible fallout.

CHAPTER NINE

Roman felt the instant she surrendered. It wouldn’t last long. Tomorrow, her defenses would be up and she’d fight him again. But tonight she was his, and he didn’t have to think any further than their next touch, their next kiss, the next slow slide of his tongue against hers.

His body pinged electric, as though being with Gus had flipped some switch. He felt more alive than he had in a decade.

Touching her was like running his hands over the finest silk, smooth and perfect. Soft and yet so damn strong. She was wearing far too many clothes, but he couldn’t get her naked here. Any minute now Sandra would walk into the outer rooms of the suite, hauling Gus’s things.

He’d moved quickly to consolidate his victory—before Gus found some way to maneuver around him. After she’d turned haughtily and strode away from him, he’d used the time to call a staffer and explain that Augustine needed a quick move for security purposes. Of course, no one believed the White House chief of staff needed to personally see to the safety of the second in command in the press office, but that didn’t matter. Gus would be moved to his room officially, and no one would ever publicly question why they were together.

And they would remain together until the danger had passed. Until he said otherwise.

He leaned over and slid an arm under Gus’s knees, hauling her high against his chest. No more dancing around their incendiary chemistry. He needed her in his bed, naked and laid out for him like a gorgeous feminine feast he could see and smell and taste over and over again.

He hadn’t gotten his mouth on her pussy the night before. He’d been thinking about that lapse in judgment all day. Merely touching her hadn’t been enough. Yes, he’d slid his fingers through her slick arousal and given her pleasure. But damn it, he wanted his tongue there. Years and years had gone by. He’d had countless women since then. Yet he remembered her—and her alone—this sharply, as if he’d last had his mouth on her just yesterday, not over a decade ago.

He strode through the door that led to the bedroom, kicking it closed behind them. Then he set her on her feet and immediately started unfastening the buttons of his shirt. “Take your clothes off.”

She stood there, hands on hips, like a goddess, staring him down. “You’re bossy, but then you always were. Why don’t you undress me?”

He could do that. He tossed his shirt aside before yanking the sides of her blouse apart. The buttons pinged every which way. The scrap of stylish gray silk joined his shirt somewhere on the floor. He had the front clasp of her bra undone in a heartbeat. Her breasts sprang free into his waiting hands. She gasped. Yeah, she hadn’t been expecting him to act quite so decisively.

He was just getting started.

Roman whirled her around, flattening her back to his chest. He palmed her breasts, planted his face in her neck, and inhaled. Now that he’d decided he would damn well have her, he refused to wait another moment to start staking a claim on what was his

.

At least for now.