She could feel his heart beating beneath the palm of her hand as she explored the exquisite musculature that had been teasing her for days, calling to the primitive side of her. That part of herself she thought had gone dormant forever. She could feel his need, intense and barely leashed, but he held himself rigidly in check, allowing her delicate exploration. Giving her time to feel him, to know him. But as each second ticked by, she felt as though her time was running out in tandem with the rising tension in his body. It reached out and enveloped her like a tidal wave of carnal heat.He groaned as her fingers passed over his nipple, pebbling it, while exploring the massive slab of a pectoral muscle unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Her mouth watered to taste him, but she wasn't quite brave enough. He was just so big and male. He knew exactly what he wanted in life and he just reached out and took it. And she, well she was timid and shy, sitting in her little apartment, watching

He slept on his back with an arm flung over his eyes as though trying to stop the light from streaming in the window. She always kept her blinds open, feeling more secure when her room was filled with light. She'd noticed that he always kept the curtains firmly closed in the spare room and that he liked sleeping in. Definitely a trait they didn't share. Veronica was unapologetically a morning person. It used to drive Allie nuts when Veronica was in her room at the crack of dawn on the weekends, demanding she wake up and accompany her down to the beach or someplace else. She wondered how Robert, a former soldier of fortune or mercenary or whatever he used to be, slept so deeply. Weren't these guys supposed to sleep with one eye open and a giant serrated knife under their pillows, ready to cut the throat of the bad guy sneaking up on them? Not that she was complaining. The knife she envisioned didn't go with the frilly purple pillow he was resting against. But seriously, how was this g

It took her a moment to realize that Robert was on his knees next to her, urging her to breath slowly. She looked him in the eyes and followed his instructions, even though she couldn't hear them through the rushing in her ears. She watched his lips form words. Such beautiful lips. She wanted to trace them with her fingers and her tongue. Would he still want her after watching her have a meltdown?He flashed her a grin and said, "Fuck yeah, I'll always want you, sweetheart."She groaned. Had she said that out loud?He carefully gathered her into his arms and pulled her onto his lap. She went without protest, feeling a little weak and shaky from her freak out. She stared up at him and finally indulged herself by reaching up to touch his full lips. She let her fingers drift to his unshaven cheek and chin, touching the rough, masculine face that fascinated her so much.He squeezed her against his chest. "I would never treat you like something that could be bought," he said in a voice

Was it theft if you're screwing the brains out of the owner of the car? Veronica asked herself, as she stomped on the brakes of Robert's car and ground the gears. She glared at the gearshift and decided it definitely wasn't stealing when it was a stupid standard transmission, something she hadn't driven in years. She was in a damn hurry and she had to re-teach herself how to drive stick shift. She sighed and put the Porsche in first gear before attempting to floor it off the line again. Some guy in a sports car next to her was grinning in amusement.Veronica grumbled and made her way angrily down to the dockyard, hoping that Jay would be there. If he was with Allison last night he might be either at his apartment or still out of the province. Still, she had to try. If he wasn't at the dockyard, she'd try his home next. She hadn't bothered calling him. He'd know that daughter would've called mother by now and mama bear would be on the warpath."You better duck and cover, asshole," she

She was with another man.He could see the pair easily through the diner window. They sat in a booth next to the glass, oblivious to the stream of people passing on the sidewalk, oblivious to the pair of dangerous men observing them. The guy was big and mean looking. Every bit as rugged and confident as Rob. He was tall and muscular with a full head of hair and a dark beard. Every visible inch of the guy's skin was tattooed. He looked like a biker. Someone Rob might hang out with if he didn't intend to kill the guy first chance he got. Veronica's small hand was sitting casually on top of the stranger's hand, as though touching was the norm for these two. The guy looked enthralled with whatever she was saying. Not that Rob blamed him, Veronica would be enchanting while reciting a cookbook.Every muscle in Rob's body vibrated with the need to crash into the diner, tear them apart and then make the man bleed. For a long time. Then murder him, slowly and painfully. Jay chuckled and smack