Then,hewas the one grinning againstmymouth. Clearly, he liked that he could affect me, too. His hands took their time as they skimmed over my body, a torturous exploration that left me panting and squirming beneath him. I wanted more — more skin, morehim.More than anything, I wanted to touch him like he was touching me. To trace every inch of his body with my fingertips, carve the feel of him into my mind so I’d never forget a second of this, even when I was long gone from here and he was nothing but a memory.
But that was crazy.
I kept my hands to myself, using my lips to explore him instead. I tasted the side of his neck, the delicious hollow of his throat, the hinge of his jaw. He pulled back — not far, just enough to stare down at me. His hands left my body and moved up to cup my face.
“Shit, Goldie.” His forehead hit mine. He was breathing hard, like he’d run a marathon. “This isn’t what I came here for.”
“Oh?” My lips tipped up at the corners. “Then why did you come here?”
“To yell at you.”
He probably meant to piss me off, but I snorted instead. “How’s that plan working out for you?”
His whole body shook as he laughed. “Not very well.”
“Funny… I think it’s working outverywell for me.” The teasing note faded from my voice as I stared up at him. I knew I shouldn’t say it, but the words came out anyway. “I like it when you touch me, Cade.”
Long fingers threaded into the thick curls at the side of my head. I leaned into his touch like a cat, practically purring as his hand sifted through my hair.
“The feeling is mutual,” he said. And then, he was kissing me again. Kissing me like he was trying to memorize me, too. Kissing me like if he didn’t, he’d regret it for the rest of his life.
Without ever breaking his lips from mine, he rolled us on the bed, taking me with him so I was top. His hands slid back under my sweatshirt, skimming up my spine. And then,whoosh, like magic, the sweatshirt was gone and I was very nearly naked astride him, only a pair of thin cotton panties preventing me from being in my birthday suit. Meanwhile, he was still fully clothed.
I wasn’t self-conscious by nature, but the way Cade was looking at me in that moment, even if I had been, I would’ve felt like a freaking supermodel. He liked what he saw. His eyes were half-lidded as they scanned slowly up my frame. His cock was hard as a rock beneath his jeans, pressing against his zipper.
He didn’t move to free it. His hands were splayed out on my hips, holding me against him.
“Christ, you’re beautiful,” he rasped. “Could stay like this all night, just staring at you, and that would be enough.”
My stomach somersaulted as those words slid through me, warm and unexpected. My hair fell down around both our faces in a thick curtain as I bent down to bring our mouths together again. There was a new urgency building inside me, and I poured all of it into the kiss. Cade returned it with an urgency of his own. His hands slid from my hips up my sides, tightening to pull me as close as he could get me.
I was so lost in his touch, it took a minute for the pain to register in my pleasure-dazed brain. He had no way of knowing about the bruises — not until he felt me flinch against him. Not until I gasped — this time not with pleasure.
He stilled instantly. “Imogen?”
“I’m fine,” I muttered against his mouth. “Don’t stop.”
But it was too late. He gently moved me off him, settling me onto the bed at his side. With a quick curl of his abs, he sat up. His stare was locked on my body but his hands were unbearably gentle as he turned my torso so he could examine my back. I hadn’t seen it, but I knew the impact of the bookshelf had left its mark. The florid signs of Donny’s violence were blooming in black and blue across my pale skin, undeniable. I pressed my eyes closed as embarrassment cut through me.
This wassonot how I wanted things to go the first time Cade saw me naked.
A finger traced, featherlight, over my spine. But there was nothing light about Cade’s low vow. “I’m going to tear that motherfucker to pieces.”
My eyes popped open. “Cade?—”
“I’ll fuckingkill him.”
I took a breath, then turned in his arms so we were face to face again. “Cade, honey, you’re a detective. You can’t go around killing people.”
“Don’t joke about this,” he clipped. His eyes flashed up to mine. The look on his face was dark with fury, but he seemed to be holding it — mostly — in check for my sake. “First thing tomorrow, you come down to the station with me and press charges against him.”
I shook my head. “I’m not pressing charges.”
Cade went deadly still. “Pardon?”
“I’m not pressing charges.”
“I said no jokes.”