“We’re not here to talk about the van.” He pushes off his truck and stalks toward me.
“Um—” I’d back up but I’m already against my vehicle. Besides, I don’t want to scurry off like a scared bunny. “Yeah, we are.”
He smiles as he approaches slowly. “You know that’s not the part of last night you’ve been thinking about all day.”
Swallowing thickly, I hold my ground until he’s standing right in front of me, so close his chest brushes mine, making my nipples whimper with want.
His big hand takes my chin, angling my head up. “Is it?”
“I—” I look at his mouth and can’t remember how to say anything.
“Regrets about last night?” he asks, searching my face.
I open my mouth to say yes, but I look into his eyes and I can’t say it. Usually Luke’s so cavalier, but there’s something there right now—something raw, like he’s waiting for me to break his heart and trying to pretend he doesn’t care if I do.
I blink. Luke’s not like that.
Is he?
“You’re thinking so hard I can see the smoke.” His words are light and joking but his expression remains probing. He rubs my chin with his thumb. “This is easy, sunshine.”
“Don’t call me that,” I order. Then I frown. “How is this easy?”
“Because what’s got you tied in knots right now isn’t me.” He lowers his head and nuzzles my temple, inhaling audibly like he wants to fill his senses with me.
“What is it, then?” I’m breathless, and he’s barely even touched me.
“It’s the fact that you liked it.” He lifts his head and smiles. “See? Easy?”
I want to hit him. I want to kiss him. I want to shove him in his truck, climb on top of him, and ride him till next month.
But I hold on to what little sanity I have. “What are we doing, Luke?”
His expression shifts, something flickering in his eyes. “Whatdo you want to do, Harper?”
His sudden seriousness catches me off guard. I’m so used to him being charming and flirty that I forget about that serious, focused special ops side he must have somewhere underneath the charm.
“I don’t know what I want to do,” I admit. The honesty feels like peeling off a layer of skin.
His lifts my chin higher. “Don’t you?”
With him looking at me like this, I can’t give him anything but the truth. “Okay, I want to do you. A lot. But I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I’m in law enforcement and you’re prone to doing stupid things.”
His eyes narrow. “Define stupid.”
“Going rogue.” I throw my hands in the air. “Chasing people. Flying over railings. Blowing things up.”
His expression lightens, and a smile teases his lips. “You worried about me, sunshine?”
“Yes,” I snap, and the word comes out sharper than I intended. “I’m worried about your sanity, and I’m worried that we’re about to cross a line we can’t come back from.”
“Like what?”
“Like blowing up a van,” I say pointedly.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” He shakes his head. “I admit I do plenty of stupid things on my own, but don’t pin things on me that I had nothing to do with. I didn’t blow up that van.”
“Uh-huh. That van’s gas tank suddenly just exploded, because that happens.” Does he think I was born yesterday?