Read Online Beyond the Call of Duty by Wendy Stone - Free Book Online

toward her. “You’ll have my best marshals and the best safe houses. You know I’ll take care of you.”
    Lexi sighed heavily. She obviously didn’t want him to be right. She shrugged her shoulders, trying to not seem petty, and left the room. Stopping in the living room, she spun in a circle and headed toward the stairs.
    Only Gabe’s hand on her arm stopped her from running back up the steps and hiding upstairs. “Don’t even say it, Gabe. I know.”
    “You know what, Lexi?”
    “That I’m being an ass. I know I am, but it’s damn hard to just shut up and let them ride roughshod over my life. I don’t think I can handle letting someone else make those decisions for me.” She patted his hand and tried to pull away, turning to glance into his eyes when he wouldn’t let her go. “What?”
    He smiled down at her, tangling her hand in his. “I understand how hard it is for you, Lexi. I’ve never let anyone tell me where or how to live, but I have a goal. I’m going to drag those bastards who killed off the Blandons through court. I’m not going to let them go without punishment.” He cocked his head to the side to gaze down at her. “While I’m not thrilled I can’t deal out my own form of punishment, I’m willing to use anyway I can. They were way too important to me to just let it go.”
    “We are all determined to get you to that point, Gabe. I don’t know of too many of us who have had to deal with crime and want to let them get away with so little recompense.” He reached up, running the backs of his fingers down the side of her face.
    “I think you’re going to be the only thing that gets me through this, Lexi. You’re going to keep me sane, and I already feel like I should thank you.” He dipped his head and held up her chin with his fingers so he could find her lips. He kissed her gently, caressing her chin and neck with his fingers. “Mmm,” he moaned. “What is that scent?”
    “It’s the lotion I use on my skin.”
    “It’s mesmerizing,” he growled, dipping his head to sink his face in her throat. “It’s driving me nuts.”
    Lexi inhaled sharply, feeling his lips so incredibly warm against her skin. “If you’re trying to make me forget, you’re doing a damn fine job of it, Gabe.”
    “I like how you say my name” He followed the line of her neck with his fingers and slid to her ear, teasing the lobe with his tongue. She held her head to the side to give him more flesh to kiss and touch. “Gabe?”
    “Hmm?”
    She closed her eyes in pleasure and gave out a low moan. “You’re going to drive me crazy,” she said heavily, reaching out her hands to hang on to his arms, to hold herself up. She wanted to fall at his feet and con him into making love to her the way she couldn’t stop thinking about.
    However, she stayed on her feet, staring up at him. “We shouldn’t do this,” she whispered, not really wanting him to stop. “It isn’t right.”
    “What isn’t right about this, Lexi? Is it the fact I want you, is that what you consider wrong?”
    She shook her head. “No,” she managed to spit out. “No, that’s not the problem. We are in danger. We shouldn’t be enjoying this, or each other.” She pushed away from him and dropped her head into her hands. “It just isn’t right.”
    “So these feelings, these emotions, what you make me feel, makes me a bad person? I don’t think so, Lexi. You are a very beautiful woman. I don’t know how any man could just back away from you. I know I can’t.” His voice grew even huskier. “I like you, Alexandra Hunter. I like you, and I like kissing you. I’m not going to apologize for that, or try to stop feeling this way. You make me feel like this is some kind of adventure, and I’m not giving it up.” He lifted her chin and dropped his head, finding her lips with his.
    There was a lot of pleasure building up inside her, and she wrapped her arm tightly around his neck. He pushed her back in the small alcove