"I want...wild." She forced the words out. "Hot." That had been what he said, right? If that was what he wanted, then she- "We'll get to that," Dane promised. "But first, I think we need to focus on you."

And he was pushing between her legs. Putting those slightly callused fingertips on her thighs and easing them farther apart. She expected him to thrust a finger into her s.e.x. She'd already tensed but...but Dane bent his head.

"I like focusing on you," he whispered, and then his mouth was on her.

She wasn't prepared for the sensual slide of his lips and tongue, and her whole body tightened. She arched her hips, not to get away from him, but to get so much closer to that wicked mouth.

Because he was giving her pleasure. Not reminding her of the past. Just making her feel- Alive.

When her first o.r.g.a.s.m hit, she choked out Dane's name. Her body bowed off the bed as the pleasure throbbed through her blood.

"And I f.u.c.king love the way you taste," he said, the words dark and deep.

Her heart slammed in her chest. The drumming filled her ears. She hadn't expected...that. Not so fast. Now all she wanted was- Again, please.

"Ready for the wild part?" Dane asked, voice rough with l.u.s.t. "'Cause I can't hold on much longer." A sensual warning.

The she saw that he was easing a condom over his erect length, and the guy was very aroused. She wondered if he always carried a condom around with him, or had he been planning on this?

Then his hands were reaching for her. His fingers curled around hers. Not holding her down. She hated to be held down, but...his fingers were twining with hers, not pinning her.

"Ready?" Dane asked.

She nodded, her hair sliding over the pillows.

"Then wrap your legs around me."

She did.

He'd promised her wild, but would he deliver on that promise?

Dane thrust into her. She gasped as her body tried to adjust. Three years. Not since- "Only. Me," Dane ordered. His fingers tightened around hers. Then he withdrew. Drove deep. Harder.

The bed began to rock beneath them. Her box springs squeaked. She wrapped her legs around him, tried to arch her hips, seeking a position that would let him slide in easier but...

The guy was big.

And it had been a long time.

Then his right hand pulled away from her. His fingers slid between their bodies. Pushed over the center of her desire.

He withdrew, then thrust into her.

Yes.

She stared up at him. Her eyes had adjusted a bit to the darkness, and she could almost make out his features in the dark.

Her cop.

Dane.

He hooked her legs up higher. Pushed harder. Deeper. Her breath heaved out and she arched against him, meeting him thrust for thrust. Again and again.

She came, her body tightening on a wave of pleasure as her o.r.g.a.s.m shuddered through her.

Dane kept thrusting. The pleasure intensified, stealing her breath. She couldn't even call out to him.

"Want...more," he growled. Then he was kissing her. She was frantic for him. The pleasure was all she knew. He was all she knew.

They rolled across the bed. No, they were wrecking her bed, and she loved it. Loved it.

She was on top of him. Rising up and down, and her knees were sinking into the mattress. His hands were tight around her hips as he pulled her into his pounding thrusts. She wanted him to come.

Wanted the pleasure to last forever.

"Not...enough..." Then he had her under him again. Her legs were over his shoulders, and he seemed to be inside her even deeper than before.

Another thrust. Withdrawal. Thrust.

He'd promised her wild. He was giving her wild.

Dane stiffened against her. Shuddered. She almost wished the lights were on then, because she would have loved to see his eyes go blind with pleasure. Would the blue darken? Lighten?

Her breath rasped out. Her heart kept racing.

Pleasure still whispered through her body. So much pleasure. She licked her dry lips.

He eased her legs down. Stayed inside of her.

She wrapped her arms around him. Held him close.

Just s.e.x. Just s.e.x. The mantra repeated in her head again and again. They would part in a few minutes. The l.u.s.t had been satisfied. The desire fulfilled.

But she didn't want him to leave her.

Only Dane. He'd made her feel normal again. Given her the pleasure that other women took with their lovers.

She hadn't trusted a man enough to get this close.

Why him?

But then he was pulling away, as she'd known he would. Heading into the bathroom without speaking to her. Katherine fumbled for the covers, suddenly feeling far too exposed even in the dark. Then she heard his footsteps coming back toward her.

He'd leave now. Go to the room across the hall. They'd have some awkward conversation in the morning and- And he was climbing into bed with her.

She stiffened when his arms wrapped around her. She could have sworn...had he just pressed a kiss to her head?

"It's okay, Katherine," he told her quietly. "You're safe tonight."

Tears wanted to fill her eyes. Stupid tears. She hadn't let herself cry in so long. She wouldn't cry now. "Of course I am," she mumbled, hoping her voice didn't sound weak. "I've got a gun three feet away in my nightstand drawer."

He laughed at that. The same husky, deep laugh as before, and the sound seemed to warm her once more.

Yes, she had Ross's gun close by. And she had warm, strong arms around her. Someone to hold her in the dark.

Don't cry. Don't break.

She could still feel him inside her. Aftershocks of pleasure seemed to slip through her s.e.x. But even better than that, she liked the way he held her.

Dane curved his body around hers.

Her lashes started to fall. She wouldn't be able to sleep with him there, of course. She'd wait a few minutes, then she'd tell him to head across the hall to the other room. She didn't want him there when dawn came. Didn't want him to see her in the light.

She'd tell him to leave soon.

Soon...

Katherine was sleeping with the cop.

d.a.m.n her. She was s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g the man. She'd just met him. So much for her ice queen routine.

The binoculars had given a perfect view into Katherine's house. She should have shut the f.u.c.king blinds in her kitchen. But, no, her kitchen lights had been blazing, and she'd let the cop put his hands all over her.

She'd twisted and pushed against him, looking desperate for his touch.

She was supposed to be the one who was special? She was just a wh.o.r.e. Katherine had shown her true colors.

She'd rushed from the kitchen with the cop. Gone upstairs but finally had the sense to turn off her light.

The binoculars were in the car now. No good anymore. Cops were at Katherine's door. A cop was in her bed.

She'll pay.

The fools thought Katherine was the target tonight.

No, Katherine wouldn't be getting this package.

A few moments later, the car's engine cranked up. The car slid slowly into the darkness. The cops didn't even give the vehicle more than a cursory glance as it drove down the street.

It should have been harder. The thought came instantly. But killing wasn't hard.

Especially when the world was full of such easy prey.

9

He woke to find Katherine curled around him. Her body was soft and sensual, she smelled lightly of strawberries, and her head was tucked onto his shoulder.

His hand was wrapped around her hip. Her leg rested on his thigh.

And it felt like he was in d.a.m.n heaven.

Dane hadn't intended to have s.e.x with her the night before. h.e.l.l yes, he'd wanted her. Most sane men would want a walking wet dream like Katherine Cole, but...

He'd brought the condom along just in case the relentless fantasy in his head actually came true. A guy could hope, right? He hadn't thought the lady would actually give him the green light. But then she'd looked at him with those big, deep eyes of hers.

And his self-control had been lost.

Pulling away from her would have taken more strength than he possessed. So it was a real d.a.m.n good thing that the lady had been pulling him toward her. Not pushing him away.

He shifted his head on the pillow so he could look at her. She looked younger when she slept. Vulnerable. Her long lashes cast shadows on her cheeks.

He could see the smooth skin of her shoulders. Creamy and- His eyes narrowed even as his hand lifted, and carefully his fingers skated over the tip of her right shoulder. The skin was slightly raised. Not in just one spot, but four. Four rough circles. Old scars that looked like- "They're burns." She didn't open her eyes, but Katherine's body was suddenly tense beside him. "Cigarette burns, to be exact."

He'd seen a few burns like those before. Judging by the way they'd faded..."You were just a kid."

"I guess Agent Wayne was right about my shared history with Valentine. We both had really screwed-up childhoods." Her lashes were still covering her eyes, and he had the feeling that she was hiding from him. Or maybe it was just easier for her to talk without looking into his eyes.

"My mother was on drugs too-like his. And when she got high, she burned me."

His jaw locked. "How long?"

"When I was nine, I went into the foster care system."

Nine years. Had they all been h.e.l.l? The scars said they had.

"The scars don't matter, okay? They're just marks on my body, nothing more." Her lashes lifted. The gold in her gaze seemed to shine even brighter.

"Are there more?" Because these marks p.i.s.sed him off. He didn't want anyone or anything hurting her, ever.

"Not where you can see."

She tried to pull away from him, but Dane wasn't ready to let her go.

"You should have gone to the other room last night. After-" Katherine broke off and cleared her throat.

"After the f.u.c.king fantastic s.e.x?" Because it had been incredible. The best he'd had, and Dane hadn't exactly lived a pure life.

Her cheeks reddened.

d.a.m.n, the blushing was cute. "You sure as h.e.l.l aren't what I imagined."