Kit (Chicago Blaze 8)

“Thanks,” I finally manage to say. “I will.”

“Go on, get the hell out of my office, Lynch,” he barks, back to his usual demeanor.

I smile as I close the door and walk back to my desk. Lou’s actually a softie. Who knew?

Chapter Eighteen

Kit

* * *

“I guess he must’ve had me followed,” Molly says, shrugging.

I look at her in silence for a second, too shocked to respond. Once I steady myself, though, I’m ready for a fight with Alderman Ted Lamont.

“That fucker took it too far,” I say. “I’m done playing his games.”

“I’m not sure what that means?” Molly gives me a confused look.

“It means I’ll be showing up at his office, house or whatever bar he frequents, and introducing myself.”

Molly’s sitting on a stool at my kitchen island and I’m standing across from her, my arms braced on the counter. She came over for our second date and hit me with the news that her bosses know we’re seeing each other because Ted Lamont told them.

“You can’t do that,” she says, her eyes wide.

“The fuck I can’t. He’s not getting away with this shit.”

The thought of Molly walking home from the Gazette at night in the dark, some shitbag guy following her to get dirt for Lamont, makes me want to put my fist through a wall. If I don’t shut him down now, who knows what he could do to her next?

“My bosses told him to stand down.”

I’ve been so busy thinking about Molly’s safety that I forgot about Lamont’s goal—to get her in trouble at work.

“Are your bosses pissed about it? Since the story hasn’t come out?”

She sighs heavily and shakes her head. “You aren’t a regular source for me. Feature stories are different. I’m not in trouble.”

“Good.”

“But.” Her tone is serious. “It definitely won’t help me land the promotion I’m working toward.”

“It shouldn’t have anything to do with it. It should just be about your job performance.”

“I know, but Lou is…Lou. He doesn’t like it when his bosses have to get involved in anything to do with the newsroom, and Lamont tried to tattle on me to one of Lou’s bosses. So Lou’s been putting out this fire.”

“Molly, that’s his job. You shouldn’t feel bad about him having to do his job.”

She rubs her temple, that little worry wrinkle appearing between her brows. I take a bottle of water from the fridge and pass it to her.

Her shoulders slump as she unscrews the cap and has a sip. I don’t like her defeated expression.

“Are you having regrets?” I ask. “About us?”

“No. I just really want the city hall beat. It doesn’t open up much, and the most senior reporters usually snatch it up when it does.”

“Don’t give up on it.” I sit down on the stool next to hers.

Molly leans on my arm, resting her head on my shoulder. I put my arm around her and pull her close.

“It’s good to see you,” she says.

“You too.” I kiss the top of her head. “Are you gonna let me eat before you take advantage of me tonight?”

“If that’s what you want.”

I laugh and grab a handful of mixed nuts from the bowl my housekeeper put out on the island.

“I’ll just have these for dinner,” I say, dumping them from my hand into my mouth. “Gimme like thirty seconds and I’m all yours.”

I chew as fast as possible, my blood heating as Molly lifts her head and gives me a sexy grin, sliding her hand up my thigh.

Taking her hand, I stand up and slide my free arm around her waist. She tips her chin up and our eyes meet, the heat swirling in hers making my cock hard.

When I kiss her, there’s a faint taste of sweet tea, her drink of choice. Her lips are soft and her mouth is warm, her slight moan making me wish I could take her right here on my kitchen island.

She pulls back slightly, smiling against my lips. “I love the taste of your nuts.”

Oh, hell. She said that. It makes me crazy with desire to hear those words from her prim and proper mouth.

“Do you now?” I slide my hands around her hips and squeeze her ass, eliciting a hot little squeal.

“So good,” she murmurs against my mouth. “I want more.”

I’m thinking of bending her over and fucking her right here when I feel her fingers on the button of my jeans, pulling it open.

“Whoa,” I say, taking her hands and moving them to my shoulders. “I’ve got other plans for you, sexy girl.”

Giggling, she slides her hands back down my chest. “Uh-uh. It’s my turn to taste you. I want you to sit down and just enjoy it.”

I take her hands and put them around my neck, then wrap my arms around her waist.

“We’ll never do anything that’s just for me,” I say, leaning my forehead against hers. “Every time we’re together, it’s either for both of us or just you.”