Read Online Midnight Heat by Donna Kauffman - Free Book Online Page A

go of his arm. But he was quicker. He flipped his hand over and captured her wrist, his grip not painful, but inescapable.
    “What do you want, Adria?”
    What do I want?
“Ask me something easy,” she said shakily.
    Without letting her go, he set his briefcase down and walked around the table toward her. Adria was trying hard not to let her sudden inability to breathe be too obvious. He stepped closer. She swallowed hard.
    He raised his free hand and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. At the same time his thumb made slow circles on the inside of the wrist. She felt terribly unnerved. And unbelievably aroused.
    “Why are you shaking?” When she didn’t answer, he said, “Not an easy question either?” He reached for another strand of hair, but this time he let it slide through his fingers. “It can’t be that I’m frightening you. I don’t think anything frightens you. Not truly.”
    That’s where you’re wrong, she wanted to say. But the words were stuck deep in her throat. That he might continue this slow, intoxicating interrogation frightened her. But far more frightening, was the thought that he might stop at any second and walk away.
    He ran a fingertip across the tender skin beneath her eyes. “You’re not sleeping enough.”
    Right now she would settle for breathing. She wanted him to let her go. And yet she was the one who’d asked him not to go.
    What
did
she want from him? His help? Yes. His expertise as an investigator? Yes.
    To touch his face as he was touching hers? Oh, yes.
    “Adria.” This time her name was half warning, half groan.
    Her gaze had become instantly riveted to his lips when he spoke. To feel that mouth on her? Is that what she wanted?
    God, yes
.
    “This isn’t smart,” he said, moving closer still. “I should be in my car, heading home.” She gasped when his knees brushed her legs. “Right now.”
    “Yes,” she said. “Right now.”
    He let his hand drift to her chin, tilting it up slightly. “It wouldn’t help. I don’t sleep either.” He broke off, then went on, his voice nothing more than a rough whisper. “You torture me in my dreams, did you know that?”
    She gasped, then a tiny moan escaped her lips. She pressed her knees tightly together as a curling knot of sweet pain clutched hard between her thighs.
    “And then I lie awake all night wondering things.” He looked at her mouth with hunger so clear. “What does your mouth taste like, Adria?”
    She shook her head slightly.
    “Is that, ‘No, you don’t know’? Or, ‘No, don’t find out’?” He rubbed his thumb overher lip. “I’m an investigator, Adria. That’s what I do.” He leaned down, his breath warmed her lips. “Investigate.”
    Just when she thought he’d end her agony and kiss her, he lifted his head slightly.
    The tiniest of twinkles flickered in his eyes. “May I?”
    “You’d better,” she answered hoarsely.
    He slid one hand to cup the side of her face as he pulled her wrist up and placed her palm on his chest. He held it there, letting his heartbeat pulse heavily against her fingertips.
    He dropped a torturously light kiss on her lips. “Remember,” he warned. “I’m very thorough.”
    “God, I hope so,” she breathed. Then slid her hand up into his hair and pulled his head down to meet hers.
    Dane let her take his mouth. The sweet pressure of her lips as she took control almost robbed him of what little was left of his. She angled his head to one side and entered his mouth with her tongue, the action so slow and sinuous he had to make a concentrated effort not to lower her to the table right then and there.
    He settled for tugging her closer, sliding his hands around to her backside and cupping her tight up between his legs. She was sweet and so hot and he …
    He was losing his mind, that’s what he was doing.
    Instincts honed over too many years of keeping his emotions locked away took over. He held her hips and pushed her away gently.
    She looked up