Vash growled. “Fuckin’ A.”
“Yeah...” He glanced at the clock. “I have to go.”
“Why? Clue me in. Do you need backup?”
“It wouldn’t hurt. We’ve definitely got some cleaning up to do in this city. But that’s not why I’ve got to run. I have to get ready for a date.”
Her brows rose. “Is that what you’re caling your suck-and-fucks nowadays? Dates?”
“Shut up. The last I heard, dinner and movies constituted a date.”
“Jesus.” She slumped back into her chair. “Maybe whatever Grimm’s crew has got is contagious and you caught it when you bit Puddle.”
“Lake. I’m signing off now, Vash. ‘Night.”
Raze was out of his chair and moving into the bedroom a heartbeat later. He was dying to get to Kim and he’d have to wander al over Chicago first to be sure he didn’t drag a tail with him. If he’d been thinking straight that morning, he would’ve had her come to him again. Nice and anonymous. If someone was watching the hotel, she’d just look like a guest herself with her bag and direct beeline to a room as if she was a registered guest.
But she wanted him at her place and he wasn’t going to disappoint her or make her think he just wanted to get laid by changing the plans now. Last night, she’d made sure to have her own transportation and to meet at a public place when she hooked up with a stranger. To go from that level of wariness to the trust of inviting him over to her private space was important, and he didn’t want to fuck it up. He’d just have to be real careful. No problem.
For the first time in a very long time, Raze was looking forward to a beginning rather than an ending, which was the inevitable result of hunting.
As he headed into the shower, he was whistling, anticipation a heady warmth in his veins.
CHAPTER 7
When the doorbel rang, Kim felt her stomach flip. Putting a hand to her bely, she took a deep breath, then ran to the door. She looked through the peephole and even through the distortion from the rounded magnifying glass, she felt that same punch of need that had hit when he’d first walked into the jazz club and her life.
She puled the door open. “Hi.”
He crowded her in and kicked the door closed, his mouth on hers before the latch clicked shut. She’d never seen a person move so fast, it stole her breath. Then his passion kept her from regaining it. His lips slanted across hers, his tongue sliding deep and making her shiver. As he bent her backwards, she clung to his broad shoulders, feeling the warmth and strength of him through the cotton of his black T-shirt. Behind her back, the white roses he’d brought her tangled with her hair, but she didn’t care.
“Hi back,” he growled, nuzzling his nose against hers. “Christ, I missed you al day.”
Kim grinned, her dazed eyes noting the way his irises seemed to glow from within. “It’s crazy, I know, but it was the same for me.”
He released her and thrust the flowers at her. “Here.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to hold back a laugh. He looked so sheepishly embarrassed as he awkwardly held out the bouquet. Hoping to put him at ease, she teased, “Roses! How lovely. You totaly earned a blow job for these. Thank you.”
“Seriously?” Raze’s brows shot up. “Wel, that explains a lot.”
“Such as why so many men make the gesture?”
“Yeah.” He scowled. “But it doesn’t explain why no one told me the trade-off until now.”
She headed into the kitchen to grab a vase. “Probably because you don’t need any props to get women; they fal al over you without them. Of course, now that you know, you can check out it for yourself and see what happens.”
She jumped as his arms came around her from behind and he nibbled the side of her neck. “You may need to stock up on vases,” he purred.
Laying the bouquet on the countertop, Kim turned in his arms and caught him around the waist. “No bribes necessary. I like getting you off that way. I suspect I’m acquiring an oral fixation on you.”
His hands pushed into her hair, massaging her scalp. He looked down into her face. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Excuse me?”
“There’s got to be something. No one’s this perfect. Throw me a bone, wil you.”
The reminder of her conversation with Delia tickled her and her smile deepened.
“I had a nose job.” She touched the bridge. “There was a bump here and I had it shaved down. I can’t dance. I have no rhythm whatsoever. Can’t sing either. Roz says I sound like cats fucking.”
Raze erupted into laughter.
She grinned back at him.
He leaned his cheek against the top of her head. “I’m a guy with issues. You could do so much better.”
“Maybe I wil, when you try the flower thing with someone else.”
“Fair enough.” Gripping her ass, he hauled her up against him. “How was your day?”
“I went shopping. And bought you a surprise.”
“Oh? Lemme see.”
“Not yet. And you? Work go al right?”
He nodded and visibly clammed up. “Yeah.”
Running her hand over his head, she smiled. “Don’t worry. I won’t ask.”
“Why not?”
“Both my dad and brother are cops. I know the dril. When you can talk about it—when you want to talk about it—I’m here. And... I knew something about your job was eating at you yesterday. I understand not wanting to talk about it.”
“You peg me for law enforcement?”
“Am I wrong?” she chalenged.
Cupping her face, he kissed her. “No. Not realy.”
She let him back away and resumed putting the flowers in a vase. “Make yourself at home.”
“That’s easy to do. Your place is as beautiful as you are.” His voice faded as he moved into the living room.
Kim leaned heavily into the counter, breathing carefuly in and out. He was such a force of nature and her hunger for him was outside the scope of her experience.
She’d never had relationship issues, never had any problem with commitment or affection or sexual attraction. But this... It was like being hit with a Mack truck every time. “Did you forget to bring a movie?”
“No.” He looked across the open floor plan at her and puled a DVD case out of where he’d tucked it in the waistband of his jeans at the smal of his back. “I’l show you mine, if you show me yours.”