Chapter 4

4

CARSON

M y goal had been to give Nikki a little kiss and leave her wanting more. To open her mind and show her how much I already care for her. Now liquid fire is surging through my system as she flings herself into this kiss – heart, body and soul.

Holding her on top of me, it takes everything in my power to not grip her hips and grind at the spot where I need her so desperately. I can't. Not yet. I still don't know what she's afraid of. If it's sex, I'll wait as long as she needs. And until then, I will show her what she means to me, through every movement of my hands down her spine, my fingers in the back of her silky hair, my thumb along the delicate column of her throat.

Our lips meld together as if we were born for this moment. Every tiny, throaty noise she makes sends my heart galloping. I can tell that she has craved this moment for a long time, and now that it's finally here I try to give her every last bit of sensation I can while still keeping things relatively innocent.

Even though her breasts press against my chest, as if aching for my touch. Even though I imagine I can feel the warmth of her soft little pussy right through her jeans as she innocently spreads herself across me.

I feel her stiffen. "Wait."

We sit up, both cross legged, face to face. She heaves a long, deep sigh, then looks straight into my eyes. "I don't want to lead you on."

"Nikki, I'm not expecting anything in particular." My hand lands gently on her knee, wanting us still to have some physical connection. "You're here for how long?"

"Another three weeks. Maybe a little longer."

"And after that, you go back to Kingsville?"

Her narrow shoulders shrug. "I might. I'm supposed to go back to live with my mother, but… ugh ." Her face scrunches up as if she had just sucked on a sour candy. "I'd rather not. I was thinking of moving east."

"Hey, compared to Kingsville, this is east." I chuckle, hoping she doesn't notice how serious I feel already. "How about for the next three weeks – or however long you're here – we just hang out, and see what happens?"

Her lovely eyes go wide. "You're okay with…whatever?"

"Of course. No huge expectations at this stage in the mission. We'll see what happens."

Her shoulders sag with her sigh of relief. "Good. Thank you."

"So, tomorrow night, may I take you to dinner in West Stoneburg? I assume you've been to every restaurant in Old Hemlock Valley already."

"Sure. How far is it?"

I snort. "It takes me half an hour. It takes most people around forty to fifty minutes. When Walker is driving someone to the hospital in our fastest car, sometimes he can do it in under twenty." Once I think I did it in twenty-three."

Her eyes flare in alarm. "Is that safe?"

My head tips back and forth. "We know that route like the back of our hands. Better than having someone not make it in time."

Nikki smiles softly. "It's good to know the Dirty boys have big hearts."

My thumb drags slowly across her bottom lip. "This entire town is one big beating heart. And we've been part of it forever."

Her mouth falls open, then she scrambles for her phone, her thumbs flying over the keyboard. "Sorry – I have to jot that down. That's a great line."

I pack away the picnic gear, help Nikki down from the truck, then throw the tarp over the back again. Once we're driving slowly out of the clearing, I ask, "So, you ladies are doing research on the town?"

"I didn't say?—"

"Nikki, whatever it is, I won't tell a living soul. I swear."

After a long pause, she murmurs, "It's genuinely weird how completely I trust you already. Let me decide if I can tell you about our work," she says softly. "Maybe over that dinner tomorrow."

I squeeze her hand. "So you're coming! Good."

When we get to her house, I help her down from the truck but keep my arms around her. "People have great conversations over formal dinners. Not formal as in dressing up. As in an actual table and chairs."

Her light laugh sounds like sunshine dancing. "I really did enjoy the truck picnic. That was fun."

"Amazing. I'm glad." Leaning in, I string a trail of kisses from her temple to the bottom of her ear, then nibble it slightly. "I've already stolen one good night kiss. But you're gorgeous. And apparently I'm an evil, rotten man, who has no impulse control."

Her lovely eyes glow in the amber light from the porch lamp. "It seems like all my impulse control is gone as well. Maybe I've got too much oxygen pumping through my veins from all of this." She waves her hand toward the trees. "This much nature is completely unnatural to me."

"But you love it, don't you, Special Agent City Girl?"

She grins, showing off perfect white teeth and a sparkle in her eye. "You know what? I really do."

A thrill runs straight up my spine as she leans in, initiating the kiss this time. Her fingers grip the back of my neck, pulling my mouth exactly where she wants it. I love that she wants to kiss me hard and deep like this. That she's giving in to this strange force between us. It feels…predestined.

My hands squeeze her hips gently, and she makes another breathy, maybe unconscious sigh against my mouth. My God, her lips are so soft. She feels so warm and delicate against me.

Every protective instinct I've ever had kicks into high gear. Nikki is mine. We belong together. She's the woman I've been searching for. I know this as certainly as I know how to rebuild an engine that's been shaken apart by mountain roads for twenty years.

I just have to get to know Nikki better. Then I can truly be the man she needs.

She pulls away cautiously. "I should get inside."

I pull her close in a quick, gentle hug. "When you dream about me tonight, picture me in my navy button-down shirt. It's the one I get the most compliments on."

She sputters a laugh, and I steal one last quick kiss. Then I take her by the shoulders, spin her around, and march her firmly toward the front door. "Back to your real life, kitten. I'll text you tomorrow."

Nikki tosses her hair and throws a wink back at me before going in.

For "not a first date", that could not have gone better.