Название: Exposed
Автор: Samantha Keith
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Короткие любовные романы
Серия: The Dangerous Distractions
isbn: 9781516106752
isbn:
He pressed her back against the wall beside the door, and his body sank against her. If he didn’t take her now, he would embarrass himself. His tongue molded to hers, and her back arched against the wall, pressing her harder against him. His heart pounded and guilt swirled through his brain.
He was a scumbag. This was the last woman in the world he should be with, and yet she was the only one he wanted.
“God, Nate. I need you now,” she panted. Her hips pulsed hungrily against him. He pulled his head away and buried his face in the crook of her neck. The soft, sweet scent of her flowery perfume invaded him. Fuck, he’d never get that scent out of his head. Her hands moved down his back, around his waist and to his zipper. He squeezed his eyes shut until pain surged through his temples.
His hands tightened on her hips, and slowly he lowered her to her feet. With heels on, the top of her head met his nose. Her eyes, wide and wild, flew to his.
“What’s the matter?”
He rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head.
“Nate, what is it?” Her fingers dug into his forearm. Goddammit, he’d never left a woman hanging in his life. He couldn’t look at her. Couldn’t bring himself to see the disappointment in her eyes. She shook his arm impatiently.
“I can’t do this, all right? I can’t. I’m sorry.” He broke out of her hold and unlocked the hotel room door. Her hands slammed into his back, jerking him forward. The shove wasn’t hard, but it was angry.
“Are you fucking kidding me? You’re walking away?”
He swallowed a ball of self-disgust and focused his gaze on the door. “I’m sorry, Maddie.” He opened it and slipped out.
“Nate!” she cried. He pulled the door shut behind him and strode to the elevator. The bright fluorescent lights did nothing to wash away his lust.
But that’s all it was… lust. Wasn’t it? He gritted his teeth and punched the elevator button.
He wasn’t so sure.
Chapter 2
Nine months later.
A shiver of disgust rippled over Maddie’s skin. Her six-inch heels scuffed across the pavement and her feet throbbed. She scooped her hair off the back of her neck and dropped it over her shoulder. His hands had been all over her tonight—serious progress. But the second she got home, she was going to scrub her skin raw. A horn blared from the dark street ahead and a car whizzed past. The smash of a beer bottled sounded behind her. She didn’t turn around.
She dug her hand in her black shoulder bag that matched her skimpy, black dress and pulled out her keys. She enjoyed dressing sexy every once in a while, but prancing around the club with naked dancers on stage and bringing drinks to sleazy punks was not her cup of tea. But she was almost done. She’d spent two months laying bread crumbs, and the stupid oaf was finally showing interest other than wanting to take her in the back room and screw her senseless. She shuddered. One day, she’d have to sleep with Carlos in order to keep up the charade. Her finger pressed the unlock button and the headlights of her sleek, black Mercedes flashed at her.
She opened the driver’s side door and her bare legs slid over the warm leather. Goosebumps raced over the back of her neck and she slammed the door and locked it. She swallowed and closed her eyes. This assignment had her on pins and needles. It wasn’t like her other investigations in the past. This one was more than just work, more than putting a bad guy behind bars. This one struck a nerve. And if Carlos found out what she was up to… he would kill her.
An arm closed around her throat from behind her, crushing her back against the seat. Her heart slammed against her breastbone and her fingers gripped the black sleeve that surrounded her. Her chest screamed for air, but not a sound left her mouth.
She wouldn’t die like this.
She twisted against the arm, hurling herself forward, but he held her tight. Her fingernails dug into her palm and she shot her fist over her shoulder, connecting with his face. It was enough to loosen his hold. She yanked his arm forward, gripped his fingers, and bent his wrist back toward his elbow. He yelped.
“Christ, Maddie. It’s me,” he growled.
Her gaze flew to the rear-view mirror. Fiery hazel eyes met hers. Her chest expanded on an exhale and she whipped around in her seat. Her eyebrows snapped down.
“You stupid—”
“Hey, easy now. I was only trying to help you. What the hell are you thinking getting in your car without checking the back seat? Are you trying to get yourself killed? Because that’s how easily it could have happened.”
Her anger settled to a low simmer. Nate McIver made her blood boil like no one else. He pressed her buttons, teased her, and worst of all, wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole. Oh no. Nate was too noble. Too good of a friend to give in to the attraction that burned between them like a flashfire. And he wasn’t her friend. Barely, anyway. He was a coward and a jerk… but he was here. He’d shown up when she’d needed him. The only one she could trust right now.
His dark blond hair was shorter than usual, giving him a more clean-cut appearance aside from the light shadow that grazed his jawline. He’d always looked the epitome of a surfer-boy. Though the longer hair had been sexy, the shorter hair suited him better. He massaged his arm and a grimace drew his brows together.
“You’re lucky I didn’t kill you,” she breathed. She’d been ready to. Her stomach flipped over at what Nate had said. Had it been someone who had wanted her dead, she could have been sporting a bullet wound in the back of her head right now. Maybe her brother Ethan was right. Maybe she was in over her head after what had happened with her last undercover operation.
She set her teeth. No. This was different. She’d been young then, only twenty-three and fresh out of college. Her youth had landed her a rare, early undercover position in the investigation of a college drug bust. She’d slipped up and the dealers suspected her, which resulted in a school shooting. She should have been the only target, but instead six other innocent lives were lost. She’d been shaken and vulnerable and had taken a few months off. But that was years ago. She had many successful missions under her belt during her time in the Criminal Investigation Unit. Now she—and her lieutenant—knew she was ready for bigger cases.
Her experience with the school had only flamed the burning urge to serve and protect. She’d had to work her ass off to prove herself, and now she was a detective with the Narcotics Unit. Ethan still thought she was investigating insurance fraud—he would flip his lid when he found out she’d been sent undercover to Miami to take down Carlos Santiago. The streets of Miami would be cleaner and safer without Carlos’s pollution of cocaine getting into the hands of adolescents. Putting him behind bars was her sole mission and she’d be damned if anyone would stand in her way. Nate included. She was getting closer and closer to Carlos by the day, and all she needed was to find out when and where his next drug shipment would come in. Once she had that, Nate’s team of FBI agents would ambush him at the hand off—and voilà. Carlos would be put away and she’d be on the fast track to her career as an FBI agent.
Nate massaged his eyebrow. “I’m glad you’re on your toes, but you’re lucky I wasn’t Carlos.” The interior СКАЧАТЬ