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UP IN FLAMES 29
A sensual thrill sent chill bumps across her skin. He looked at her like he wanted to devour her. She tried not to like the feeling that brought forth in her—the crazy rush of excitement and anticipation—but it pooled low in her belly nonetheless.“You should wear your hair down more often,” he said.Vanessa blinked slowly. “What?”“Your hair,” he repeated as he leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms as he spread his legs. With his eyes all hot and the small grin full of lazy arrogance, he really was quite stunning. The picture of masculine beauty. “You’re an attractive woman, but with your hair down and those glasses off, you really are quite beautiful.”As his words sank in, she snorted. She knew she didn’t look like she face-planted an ugly branch, but beautiful? Yeah, that was not the case. If anything, Vanessa was exceptionally plain with her dark hair and eyes. “Beautiful? Removing my glasses and letting my hair down isn’t a drastic makeover.”“If I say you’re beautiful
UP IN FLAMES 30
His lips swept over hers once more as she placed her hands on his chest, prepared to push him away, but then he nipped at her lower lip. A tiny bite that brought forth a wave of tight lust that seemed to come out of nowhere. He nibbled at the corner of her lip as he pulled her against him, trapping her hands between them.Good Lord, he kissed like a man starving for a taste. Working at the tight seam of her lips, he pressed forward, demanding that she open up to him.She couldn’t help her reaction to the kiss, no matter how badly she wished she wasn’t affected by it. She wanted to remain aloof to the sensual assault, to remain in complete control of herself, but a longing rose deep inside her, spreading like wildfire.Her lips parted on a sigh, and Alaric delved inside, slowly probing the recesses of her mouth. He tasted of whiskey and something richer, deeper. The kiss deepened, and instead of pushing him away, her hands fisted in the shirt he wore, holding him in place. He kissed he
UP IN FLAMES 31
“Though I hate to admit it, you never know. Christopher must have kept a lot of secrets. That’s probably the reason he had his own bank accounts and why I was surprised that he emptied our joint one. Clearly, he needed money for something. But what specifically, I have no idea.”“Even more reason to find out.”Since Alaric might be the only person she could trust right now, she decided to ask for his help. “I’d like to go through his papers in his home office. Once we’re finished doing that here, I’d like to check out his office downtown.”“I think that’s a great idea,” Alaric replied. “I wouldn’t mention this to Chloe Davis just yet. It might be better if you surprised her.”Since she hadn’t yet reached a decision about whether or not to trust Christopher's campaign manager and assistant, she nodded. “Agreed. Do you mind coming with me and helping me look? You might see something I miss.”“Of course not. When do you want to start?”“We can go now. I need something to keep me busy and
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Alaric handed Vanessa the document, watching as she read it. She didn’t react, at least not in any outward fashion. She simply flipped to the second page and then the third, before starting over and reading the entire thing again.“It’s dated before I married him,” she finally said, as if the date explained everything. “Though I have no idea who Chris might be.”“You don’t know a Christine or maybe a Crystal?” he asked, figuring he might as well probe a bit deeper. “Did you know Christopher was seriously involved with someone right before your marriage?”Meeting his gaze, she slowly shook her head. “No. Christopher never mentioned anything about a Chris. At all. But then again, he and I never really discussed our previous relationships.” “Is it possible Christopher and Chris might have been married previously?”Vanessa appeared shell-shocked. “It’s possible, I guess. Anything is possible at this point.” She shook her head.“I’ll need to ask Chloe,” Vanessa continued. “She’s been with
UP IN FLAMES 33
She made a sound, a low moan like an animal in pain. Her gaze locked with his and held. Her lips parted and then she reached up and cupped both hands along-side his face. She pulled him to her, crushing her mouth to his. Instead of tenderness, she kissed him with raw need, her hunger for him electrifying.Fire ignited, zinging in his veins, short-circuiting everything but the seductive feel of this woman in his arms.Her mouth warm, her tongue mating with his. She pushed herself into him, moving them backward, until he stumbled and fell back into the overstuffed chair, pulling her down, almost on top of him. This didn’t faze her at all. Instead, her eyes gleaming, she straddled him. She gave a soft, sexy laugh, and his body responded instantly. She kissed him again, her mouth continuing to move over his in deep, drugging kisses full of passion, full of soul. He slipped his hands up her arms, her skin so silky soft, not sure if he meant to hold her in place or bring her closer. She dec
UP IN FLAMES 34
Paul opened his mouth and then his eyes narrowed. Several seconds passed. “Where’s she staying?”“Here.”Silence. It stretched so long that Alaric wondered if the man had lost the ability to speak, but finally Paul spoke. “Are you fucking serious?”The burn on the back of his neck increased. “Are you?”“She’s staying here?” Paul's voice dropped low. “In your home?”“Unless there’s a different meaning for ‘here’ that I’m unaware of, then yes.” Alaric replied. Paul stared at him like he’d whipped out his cock and started swinging it around. “Why not a hotel or somewhere less personal? Like we’d normally do in this situation? Or, I don’t know, have her go to family and we run detail outside?”“She doesn’t have anyone else,” he said, acting on the urge to defend what he was doing and her. But the moment those words left his mouth, he regretted them.“Does she have you?” Paul shot back.Alaric's eyes narrowed dangerously, but his voice remained level. “That’s really none of your business.
UP IN FLAMES 35
She was bare between the thighs, with the exception of a neatly trim thatch of dark curls.His once dry mouth watered. He wanted—no, needed—to touch her, to taste her. Every glorious inch of her. He needed to be on her, inside her. Especially between her thighs. He wanted to dive in with his tongue and then his cock.Surprisingly, there was a small tattoo beside her hip to the right of her navel. It was a red rose, slight bent at the top. Three petals lay at the base of the green stem. He dragged his eyes up, and there was no mistaking the lust in her gaze. The flush racing across her cheeks and down her throat told him that she saw his hunger. Her nipples tightened even more, and he groaned.“You’re the most fucking magnificent thing I’ve ever seen,” he ground out.Then those wonderful seconds came to an end. She reached over, snatched up a towel, and hastily wrapped it around her body. Her mouth opened and he knew she was about to give him an ass-chewing for the ages, but he wasn’t
UP IN FLAMES 36
Alaric kissed her again, and panic clawed at her chest. From everything she knew about him, he wasn’t the type of man to settle down, and from what she knew about his needs, she wasn’t sure she could ever fulfill them. And she was also sure that every moment she allowed this to continue, the further she slipped under Alaric's sensual control. But she was no coward.She wanted to feel this—whatever this was. As long as she kept her head on straight and above water, she could handle him and her own conflicting feelings. Couldn’t she? The flutter moved from her stomach to her chest. Maybe she wasn’t even thinking straight, but who could blame her? This man was walking, breathing sin.“Vanessa,” he murmured, brushing his lips over hers. His breath was enticingly hot. “Tell me.”Blinking her eyes open, she barely contained a sigh when her eyes met his. “You are really impatient.”He grinned, and her chest spasmed at the almost boyish quality to it. “You have no idea.”Her hands smoothed ou
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