With her cl**ax coming so close, her inner muscles began to convulse, and she—

Pleasure. It hit her. Slamming into her and stealing her breath. She saw his eyes and saw the flare of his pupils and the flush on his cheeks as he shuddered beneath her. His c*ck swelled even more inside her, and Kenton growled her name.

She came, then he erupted with passion, lust, and sweet, hot release.

She’d needed this for so long.

Kent. He’d given her exactly what she needed.

And more.

Her mouth locked on his. She kissed him, but lighter and softer now. A press of her lips, open-mouthed, against his. A lick of her tongue. A moan that trembled in her throat, only to be swallowed by his lips.

Then she gazed at him. Her fingers smoothed over his chest. She stared at Kenton and didn’t know what to say.

So she put her head down, leaning over his chest. Her ear pressed against his heart and she just stayed there.

Just for a moment.

The steady beat filled her ears. Fast at first, then deeper, steadier.

His arms came around her, and he held her close. “You can f**k me,” he told her, his voice deep and gruff. “I’ll give you all the pleasure you need, but I won’t be a stand-in for the lover you lost.”

Her eyes squeezed shut. It hadn’t been like that. She hadn’t wanted a body in the dark so she could pretend Carter was touching her. If she’d wanted that, hell, she could have gotten it months ago. Finding a new lover wasn’t hard with all the eager cops and smoke eaters around.

But she knew that he’d sensed her hesitation when he’d first pressed his lips against her sex. She took a deep breath. It would be easier to be honest in the dark. Maybe that’s why she kept her eyes closed. “I wasn’t trying to screw a ghost. I just wanted you.” But it had been hard, dammit, harder than she thought, to shove away the past.

Some memories didn’t fade so easily.

His hands slid down her back. Warm hands, strong and solid. A man’s hands. It felt good to have him hold her.

Not alone. Not now. It wouldn’t last, nothing ever lasted, but—

His hands froze. “What the hell?”

Ah, how had she forgotten? This always came up, sooner or later.

Her eyes opened, and she pushed up, the better to stare down at him. “Scars, Kent. They’re just scars.” A line criss-crossed the base of her back. Old scars. Not like they hurt anymore. They were just a reminder.

Like she would have ever forgotten.

“What happened? Damn, it must have hurt like a bitch.”

“Yeah, the kiss from fire can be a real bitch.” He had that right. She forced a smile. She didn’t want to talk about the past right then. “It was a long time ago. It doesn’t matter now.” Lying in the dark would have been much easier.

The thick ridges would always be there. Sure, she could probably do some kind of surgery to get them reduced. But why bother? What would be the point?

So she wasn’t perfect. She never had been.

Lora gazed down at Kenton. No, she’d never been perfect.

“I see you,” she told him. “Not Carter.” She wanted to be completely clear. Not an old lover. Not memories. It was just them, and they had the rest of the night.

“But who do you see?” she asked him. Just because she’d been hurt once, that didn’t make her a victim, no matter what some of her former lovers thought. She didn’t want pity. Not a victim. Not just a woman chased by the flames.

His fingers were still on the base of her back, lightly tracing the scars. “I see the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.”

Ah, now that sounded promising.

She lowered her head to hide her smile. “Good answer.”

They were screwing. Through the binoculars, he stared at the light glowing in Lora Spade’s bedroom and knew that the agent was f**king her.

Barely in town a few days, and Lora was already spreading her legs. What a f**king whore.

She’d played the fire widow, crying and shaking. But she’d given it up fast enough to the Bureau bastard.

Should have known. She was just like so many of the others on the inside.

Twisted. Wicked.

She’d learn. They’d all learn. And when he was done lighting up this town, no one would ever forget him.

Sweat beaded his brow as he stared at the window. He didn’t make the mistake of getting too close to a scene, not when he was scouting. It never paid to have witnesses see you before a fire. Hell, he’d learned that with the Skofield kill. One slip. Now he always cased from a distance—the better to observe his target.

And Lora’s lovely house, the house she was so damn proud of… he wanted to set that place on fire, to let the flames run loose.

Not yet.

The rage ate at him, but he pushed it back, knowing that he had to be careful. He had to plan his moves, wait for his attack.

He had to be sure that his prey would suffer. When he struck, that bastard Lake would die screaming.

And Lora—she’d watch. Just like before.

Because Lora liked to watch the flames.

Dance and burn.

CHAPTER Six

He awoke to the feel of silken hands on his cock. Teasing. Stroking. Working his length with a grip that was pure pleasure.

Either this was the best wet dream of his life or…

Kenton opened his eyes and found Lora beside him, her br**sts bare in the morning light, the pink ni**les tight. Her hands were on him, squeezing his c*ck and pumping the flesh.

Better than a dream.

Her lips spread in a slow, sexy smile. “Thought that might get you up.”

The bark of laughter came before he even thought about it. Oh, yeah, he was definitely up.

Her smile widened, even as her fingers tightened around the base of his shaft.

Sweet damn.

“Last night… seemed like you got to do the exploring.” She crawled over him. Aw… f**k. Lora settled between his legs, arching her back a bit, showing those gorgeous lick-me br**sts.

Please, let her be talking about…

Her head lowered, and her breath blew over his cock. “You don’t mind if I have my turn, do you?”

Was he an idiot? “Go…” Okay, that sounded like a rumble. Kenton cleared his throat and tried again. “Go right ahead.”

Her tongue came out, small and pink, and she swiped over the tip of his erection. His h*ps rose off the bed.

“Easy.” A taunt. “Trust me, you’ll like this.”

Oh, he bet he would.

That mouth—he’d wanted it on him from the first glance.

Made for sin.

Those lips—wide and soft and—

Her mouth closed around him. Kenton choked out her name. Then she started moving her head, taking him in deeper, sucking, and stroking.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. His heels dug into the mattress as his fingers fisted in the sheets. He wouldn’t be able to take this. Not too long. His c*ck was close to bursting now, and her mouth—that tongue—

She swallowed.

He jerked. “Lora!” More a roar this time.

But she kept working him. Her fingers curled around the base of his shaft, and she pumped in time with his thrusts in her mouth. Faster.

He glanced down and saw her mouth around him. Saw those eyes on his.

And nearly came right then.

No.

He grabbed her arms. “In… you.” Speech was getting harder. Another minute or two, and he’d be lost.

She let him go with one last lick. Her br**sts bounced—damn they were fine—as she straddled him.

The wet heat of her sex licked against his shaft, and he wanted to thrust in, deep, and feel that hot flesh gripping him, as she convulsed with her release.

But he gritted his teeth and felt sweat bead his brow. “Condom.” They’d used two last night. The only two that he’d brought with him. Kenton hadn’t exactly been planning for three rounds. He’d just been hoping for the one.

What the hell was he gonna do? He needed to thrust more than he needed his next breath—

“Got it, stud.” She lifted her hand. A condom nestled between her thumb and forefinger. “Went out while you were getting all that beauty sleep.”

If he hadn’t been so close to coming, he would have laughed. Instead, he snatched the condom from her.

Can’t let her put it on. Not this time. I’ll come in her hands if she does.

He tore open the packet with his teeth and heard her soft laughter.

Her eyes were on him. The light surrounded her and made her blond hair appear even lighter.

No shadows lurked today. No ghosts from the past put an icy wall between them.

He sheathed his cock. Gripped the length in his fist and guided his erection between her thighs.

She rose and then pushed down, nice and easy, and took him in, one slow inch at a time.

Hot. Tight. Squeezing…

He lifted up and licked her breast. He f**kin’ loved her br**sts. Round and high with dark pink ni**les, and they tasted sweeter than candy.

Her knees pressed into the mattress as she rose again. Her rhythm came faster now. Harder.

He was learning that was the way Lora liked her sex. Since he was about five thrusts away from coming, the hard pace more than suited him.

But she’d come with him.

He pushed his hand between their bodies and found her clit. Working that nub with his thumb and fingers, he thrust, shoving deep because he liked it when she moaned in the back of her throat. Liked it when her mouth parted and her breath panted.

Lora shifted, lifting her body and keeping just the head of his c*ck in her sex. Because she liked to torture him.

He pressed his thumb against her clit.

“Kent!”

Lora thrust down, hard, and when her eyes went wild, it was his turn to rise. He pushed her flat on her back and took the lead. Time to pound hard and fast and find that wild rush of pleasure.

Her legs clamped around him, and her heels dug into his back. The mattress squeaked. Her scent filled his nostrils. Raspberries.

Her sex spasmed, and he stopped thinking.

Just thrust. Deeper. Harder.

Soft skin. Sweet woman.

She bucked beneath him, her sex clenching around his cock, the contractions sending ripples along his length as she came.

He kissed her, stealing her breath and the whisper of his name.

As he thrust, the base of his spine tingled and his thighs shook.

Her hot flesh, trembling around him, sent Kenton over the edge. His tongue took hers as he came, pumping into her core, and pleasure lashed through him.

Hot. Wild. Lora.

The pleasure was so intense that his blood seemed to heat. His body shuddered as he came, and he could feel her. Everywhere.

Fucking incredible. His eyes wanted to roll back into his head, and he wanted to roar his release. He wanted to keep thrusting into her until neither of them could walk.

Sounded like one damn fine idea. But first, he had to be able to draw air into his starved lungs.

The waves of release began to ease. Slowly. So slowly. When he could breathe again, he put his forehead against hers. She wiggled beneath him, probably because he was crushing her, and he’d move—soon, really.

Her hand lifted to stroke his jaw, and her fingertips whispered over the stubble. Hell, he should have shaved. He’d probably marked her all over.

His c*ck stirred inside her.

He forced his head to lift. Her cheeks were flushed a soft pink, her eyes glowing, that mouth smiling.

And he wanted her again.

Still in her, rising, swelling already. He’d come until he couldn’t breathe, and he wanted her again.

He’d known the woman would be trouble from that first punch.

“Oh, no.” Her hands came down against his shoulders and pushed.

Hell. He wanted another round. As many rounds as he could get.

But her hands pushed harder.

He drew in a breath, caught the scent of sex and Lora as he eased out of her body. Kenton missed her snug heat instantly.

“As much as I wish I could…” She leaned up and pressed her mouth over his lips.

Because she wanted him to beg, obviously. His hands clenched when her mouth lifted.

Lora shook her head. “I’ve got to go.” She sounded regretful. “I’m on duty today. Twenty-four-hour shift at the station.”

Right. Work. “Be careful.” With that freak out there, anything could go down in the next twenty-four hours. Especially since Kenton knew the guy would be jonesing for some vengeance.

But not against her.

“I’m a big girl. I know how to take care of myself.”

The scent of sex in the air just made the lust drumming in his veins all the harder to control. “I want more.” More than the night they’d had.

Her smile dimmed, just a bit.

What the hell? A one-night stand? Is that really all she’d wanted from him—

“Okay.” Soft, hesitant. Lora sure hadn’t struck him as the hesitant type. “After my rotation ends, if you’re done…”

Done chasing a killer. Done examining bodies and seeing hell.

“Come to me.”

Like he had to be asked twice.

He kissed her.

Addictive.

Damn, he hadn’t counted on her. Sure hadn’t expected her to be in the middle of his case. But now that he had her, he wouldn’t give her up.

Not yet.

“You’re not going to like this,” Monica told Kenton the minute he walked into their temporary office at the police station. Located next to the bullpen, the office was small, kind of cramped, but it gave them a bit of privacy away from eavesdropping cops.

He raised his brows. “What, about this case, have I liked so far?” He figured that there wasn’t going to be a big change coming. The case was shit, no matter how you looked at it. Kenton glanced to the right. “Have fun tailing me last night?” he asked Ramirez.