Too Hot to Handle by Karen Anders

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Chapter 1 

"Are you Paige Dempsey?" The deep, provocative voice sent chills down Paige’s spine.

"Yes," Paige said turning away from her fire- and water-damaged warehouse. Just when she’d thought she was going to get a chance to relax. Maybe go on vacation for the first time in six years. That would teach her to never count her chickens before they hatch.

A man moved toward her. As he stepped into the sphere of light cast by the street lamp, her heart went dead still…and then started to hammer in her chest.

Wide-shouldered and slim-hipped, he moved with athletic grace as if he was often on a surfboard and had an innate sense of his very male body. But if his body was perfect California boy material, his face was enough to make every female salivate from coast to coast. He had a strong jaw, a straight nose and shocking blue eyes with long, thick lashes. His hair was shaggy in that moon doggie surfer dude fashion. His looks were startling, but it was the aura around him that kicked off a flurry of awareness in the pit of her stomach. He exuded a sensuality that drew every female eye. She had no doubt that he knew his way around a bedroom.

When he saw the full view of her, his eyes widened and an appreciative gleam replaced the hard-nosed look in his eyes. His stride faltered, and he stopped a few feet from her.

For a moment they stared at each other. Although he stood at ease, his eyes were watchful and intelligent. Cop’s eyes. His coat was open, revealing a gray T-shirt and the butt of a weapon stowed against his ribs. Faded jeans encased his hips and hugged the muscular power of his long legs.

"Justin Connor, FBI," he said, flipping open an official looking badge. "Are you the owner of this warehouse?"

"What’s left of it." She turned and gave the smoking ruins a melancholy look. Then she turned to him with a puzzled look on her face. "Does the FBI investigate arsons now?"

"No, but we do get irritated about fraud," he said.

She turned to look at him, unable to understand what he meant.

"Fraud? What does that have to do with arson?"

"Not one damn thing."

"Look, Agent Connor, I’ve had a really bad day. Could you get to the point?" She ran both her hands through her hair.

"You committed a federal offense," he said matter-of-factly, pulling out a set of handcuffs.

Her hand flew to her throat. Her mouth opened and he caught a glimpse of white teeth. "What are you talking about?" she said. She kept looking at him in bewilderment, as if she’d momentarily lost her bearings.

Justin Connor had seen some surprised looks, some shocked expressions, and some guilty smirks, but the true bafflement in Paige Dempsey’s dreamy soft blue-gray eyes made him hesitate. Not exactly what Justin was used to — he cuffed and left all explanations to the judge.

Maybe it was the look of confusion in those huge innocent eyes peering out from that arresting face, he didn’t know, but something pulled Justin closer.

The air was thick around him and he was having trouble catching his breath as she stared at him. All his senses were so heightened that he heard her shallow breathing, heard water hissing from the coupling of a nearby high-pressure hose. An invisible link vibrated and buzzed between them, sizzling with potential. He knew he should speak, but he couldn’t seem to put a coherent thought together. He wasn’t a man of few words, and the oddness of the moment sent a thrill down his spine.

Pulled back haphazardly, unruly strands of her hair framed her heart-shaped face with such a rich chocolate color that it was all he could do not to touch the thick and glossy tendrils.

Despite the well-heeled clothes and her shocked stance, she gave him a sense of motion, of being driven by an inner spirit so compelling that it glittered around her like a halo. And from the deep, dark place where he’d stuffed all his needs, a vital and primal desire burst inside him, growling in its wildness.

She had long legs and lush, eye-catching curves. Her flushed skin gleamed. A shining drop of water from the hoses glided down her slender, delicate throat. Pulsing over the erratic beat of her heart, it trembled and beckoned him closer.

Justin’s eyes followed the promise of that glittering drop as the beast snarled loose. It took everything Justin had to keep his hands at his sides. The beast urged him to reach out and drag her against him and lick that drop from her soft-scented skin, using his tongue to finish its delectable path downward.

"We traced the IP address to this location. Can you explain that?" Now why had he said that? He wasn’t supposed to be allowing her to weasel out of a federal charge.

"Paige? Is everything okay?" A female firefighter came up to them.

"My sister, Lana," Paige introduced curtly. "I’m really confused, but I think this federal agent said that I am under suspicion for Internet fraud."

"We have evidence that penis enlargement products were sold to customers through your computer and the customers did not receive the merchandise."

Lana laughed. "You’ve got to be kidding?"

Justin didn’t crack a smile. Bilking people out of their hard earned money wasn’t a laughing matter to him. "The federal government takes fraud very seriously, Ms. Dempsey."

"The only merchandise I offer for sale is condoms and other sex toys."

Lana turned toward him, her eyes narrowing. "You’re wrong, mister."

"What’s the problem here?" a flame-haired woman asked.

He eyed her and the woman pulled out her badge. "SDPD, Detective Sienna Parker."

"He’s accusing my sister of Internet fraud," Lana said piercing him with a hard look.

"What evidence do you have?" Sienna asked, her gaze not any friendlier.

"I have the IP address, the material and a warrant. She owns the property." He turned to her. "That would be correct, Ms. Dempsey?"

Her eyes narrowed. "You know very well that it’s my warehouse. I just told you that I owned it."

"Aren’t you going to conduct some kind of investigation?" Sienna asked.

He turned to her. "The investigation has been concluded. The fraudulent material came from this address and I’ve established that she is the owner."

"But you’re sorely mistaken, and it’ll be Paige’s prerogative to sue for false arrest," chimed in a blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty.

This fire scene was sure filled with gorgeous women, but if Justin had the pick of the lot of them, he’d take his very delectable suspect.

"And you are?" he asked.

"Kate Quinn, SD CSI. We’ve been asked to collect and analyze physical evidence for the SDFD arson investigator."

"Looks like I’m in the midst of the Charlie’s Angels of San Diego." Justin said with a faint smile.

"Cute," Paige said. "So what are you going to do with those cuffs?"

The vision of snapping them around her wrists came to him, but in his vision she was naked and beneath him. Where did that come from?

He simply had no choice. "Paige Dempsey, you are under arrest for Internet fraud. Could you please turn around?"

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Chapter 2

All four women stiffened, and Justin could feel the coldness of their stares on the back of his neck. But when he made contact with Paige’s skin, there was nothing but fire scorching him where he stood, hotter than the building behind him.

He snapped the cuffs on and felt like a big mean coyote preying on a little rabbit. He took her arm and propelled her to his car, wanting to get away from the three watchdogs.

"Lana," Paige called softly to her sister, and Justin felt even worse. He knew he was supposed to remain neutral, but this fear and supplication in her voice twisted something inside him.

"Don’t worry," Lana called out as he put Paige in his car.

* * *

Paige tried not to be scared, and she certainly wasn’t going to cry, not in front of Justin Connor. All through the booking and the pictures, she bit the inside of her mouth and endured.

Justin looked grim as he stood and watched all the humiliation she had to endure. Humiliation he’d caused with his warrant and his handcuffs.

So why was it that every time the man touched her, fireworks went off beneath her skin, her heart suspended in her chest and she felt on fire? He was the cause of her embarrassment.

After the last photo, they made her sit in a chair until it was time to go before the judge.

Justin sat down next to her. She tried to ignore him, but he was so big, so male and smelled so good that it was impossible.

"You’re a tough cookie, huh?"

She turned to look at him and wished she hadn’t. He was sitting on the edge of the table, so close to her that she could have brushed his cheek with her lips.

It was a really nice cheek attached to a very handsome face. His intense blue eyes seemed all the more blue when they softened like that.

"Yes, I’m a hardened criminal," she said, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

"I didn’t say that," he said softly. "I just noticed that you didn’t cry when I expected you to. Not many people surprise me."

"I’m glad I can amuse you, Agent Connor."

"Call me Justin."

"How about I call you —"

The door opened before she could say the nasty name she wanted to call him. He flashed her a smile that said he knew exactly what she’d been about to say.

* * *

It wasn’t long before she was brought before the judge. Paige pleaded not guilty and felt better that her sister and her two friends were in the courtroom. But the warm comfort they brought soon turned to ice in her belly when she heard the amount bail was set at.

Justin felt his gut twist at the amount. It didn’t really surprise him that it was so steep. She’d drawn Judge Watson; the man hated hustlers and threw the book at them with relish.

His gut twisted tighter at the look on Paige’s face. It was dawning on her that she was going to jail. Her sister and friends looked outraged, and their dagger-like looks directed toward him were lethal.

He could clearly hear Lana say, "We don’t have that kind of money, Paige."

"I know," Paige said.

"Paige, I’m sorry," he said, before he could stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

"Can you believe his guy’s gall?" Lana said.

Sienna piped up. "He’s just doing his job, which means that he must have evidence that your business is involved in some way. I hate to say this, but it could be someone who works for you."

Paige turned dazed eyes on Sienna and replied, "I have a hard time believing that one of my employees is involved in this. They’ve all been with me for years."

"That may be so," Kate said, "but someone got greedy and used your business for a front. They must have realized that the FBI was on to you and tried to destroy the evidence."

"Looks that way to me," Sienna said.

"This guy is not going to railroad my sister into prison." Lana turned to look at Justin with narrowed eyes.

"Right now, she’s the main suspect. It’s up to us to come up with a better one," Kate said.

Paige felt numb all over as the uniformed guard approached her. She gave her sister a frantic look and Lana squeezed her forearm.

"I’ll talk to dad. Don’t worry. I’ll be back," Lana said.

Her jailor grabbed her by the arm and hauled her out of the courtroom. Justin trailed not too far behind. Paige started to tremble as they approached the cell area. Ever since she’d gotten caught inside a sewer grate when she was young, she’d hated small, enclosed areas.

Paige wasn’t proud of her claustrophobia, but it was one of the things she couldn’t seem to control. The thought of being jammed up against strangers and not being able to move made her grab the cop’s arm and plead, "Oh, please. Don’t put me in there."

"I’ll keep her in my custody for a couple of days." Again, Justin didn’t know why he couldn’t seem to keep his mouth shut around this woman. Technically, there wasn’t a need for him to take her into his custody, but he couldn’t bear to see that look on her face.

The cop turned to him and released her arm. "Suit yourself. I have some papers you need to fill out."

After the paperwork was complete, Justin took Paige’s arm and led her out of the police station to his car. "I’ll take you to your apartment so you can get some clothes."

She nodded. "So does in your custody mean that I have to stay with you twenty-four hours a day?"

"Yes. Will that be a problem?"

"No. Anything is better than that cell."

"Am I a step above?"

"I didn’t mean it that way." She bit her lip. "Could I call my sister?"

After the brief conversation, she didn’t say another word for the rest of the trip except to give him directions.

Fifteen minutes later he pulled into her driveway and parked. He walked around the car and opened the door. As she got out, the emergence of one long leg made him close his eyes in supplication.

She entered the beautiful house. "Could I get my laptop and my briefcase, too? I have to deal with the warehouse fire and figure out how I’m going to fill my orders."

"We can stay here, if you’d like," he said, not sure why those words came out of his mouth.

She stopped in the foyer and turned around, a stunned look on her face. Without warning, she threw her arms around him, buried her face in his neck and burst into tears.

He held her, the womanly curves pressed so tightly to his chest and groin it made the blood in his veins thicken and burn.

He rubbed her back. His hand went into her hair and he sighed at the silky texture of the warm locks sliding against his fingers. That beast he’d kept at bay for the long hours of his previous assignments broke its bonds. When she raised her tear-streaked face to his, he got lost in her soft blue-gray eyes.

For a moment they stared into each other’s eyes, and something shifted and howled inside him. He wanted her.

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Chapter 3

Justin had been with beautiful women, but none of them had affected him the way Paige did. She looked up at him, tough and proud, tears still gleaming like crystals in her eyes, her fear still bright in her eyes. Fear he was responsible for because he’d had to arrest her. He wanted to take it away.

His gut twisted as he stared down at her, and he suddenly wanted to be the one protecting her from that fear.

Dangerous thinking for sure. He was a sworn FBI agent climbing the rungs of success as fast as he could. Getting involved with a suspect was stupid and potentially career ending.

He couldn’t get this close without wanting to touch her. He couldn’t touch her without wanting her. Guilty or innocent, it made no difference to him.

Dropping his mouth to hers, he pressed his lips against hers. With a soft moan, her lips parted. His tongue swept into the irresistible moist recess without hesitation, need hammering at him. A warning bell clanged somewhere in the back of his mind. Desire swept through him, hot and molten, cutting off the alarm, leaving nothing but incredible sensations in its wake. He tangled his fist in her dark hair and tilted her head back, giving him better access, a better angle.

He took her mouth, his lips feeling sensitive and aching. As though if he didn’t kiss her, touch her, he would disintegrate on the spot.

She made a soft, moaning noise in the back of her throat and she struggled against his hold. He let go, ready to step back, ready to let her go. But Paige moaned deeper, grabbing the back of his head, deepening the kiss. It was all the encouragement that he needed as he pressed his groin against her.

She responded by clutching him tighter, pressing her lips and body harder to his.

In the still of the moment, as their harsh breaths mingled, the shrill ringing of the phone broke them apart. For a moment she stared at him as if she couldn’t figure out how he’d gotten into her house, and then she turned away.

She picked up the receiver and spoke. From her conversation, he gathered that her sister and father couldn’t come up with the bail money.

After she hung up, she stood there for a moment. Then she squared her shoulders, and he couldn’t help the frisson of admiration that sizzled through him. Damn, he liked this woman.

"I’m sorry," she said, turning toward him once again. "I don’t usually throw myself at strangers and cry all over them." She looked away. "It’s been a hard few hours for me. I appreciate you not putting me in that horrid cell." She raised her eyes to his. "Why didn’t you put me in there?"

"I couldn’t," he said, shrugging. "It didn’t seem right. Your bail was set way too high, but that’s Watson for you. The guy hates fraud."

She nodded, accepting him at face value, and, God help him, but it warmed a place inside him. He’d had to fight tooth and nail to get up the FBI ladder, and no one there took anything at face value.

She walked into the spacious living room and from there into a smaller room that he could see right away was her office. It was cluttered with paperwork, and numerous boxes, some open, some not, sat on every available surface.

She settled herself behind the computer and turned it on. When he stood there watching her, she looked up at him. "Are you going to watch me every second?"

"Uh, no."

"There’s a TV in the next room. I promise not to slip out the window and run away," she said.

She had a smile on her face when she said it like it was a joke, but some gut instinct told him that he wouldn’t have to worry whether or not Paige would run away. She didn’t look like the type of woman to run from anything, especially if she wasn’t guilty.

He narrowed his eyes. "That’s a good thing because I’d catch you."

She narrowed her eyes right back at him and smiled sweetly. "Really?"

His attraction heightened. Hell. This was a woman who wasn’t afraid of his most intimidating look. Co-workers would scurry out of his way and suspects would drop their eyes and cower when he looked at them like that, but Paige Dempsey was made of sterner stuff. He really liked that.

Damn.

He was sinking deeper and deeper into hot water. The more he was around his delectable suspect, the closer he wanted to be. Skin-to-skin close.

"Not likely," she said as if she’d read his mind.

"What?" He pulled his attention back to her.

"That you would catch me."

"Don’t try me," he growled.

Instead of jerking back, she laughed, and he found himself even more charmed.

"TV." She jerked her thumb to the next room, and Justin walked through the door. He stopped dead and looked around.

Damn. His palms began to sweat, his heart to beat a rapid tattoo against the wall of his chest.

This was all he needed.

He was in her bedroom.

Paige watched Justin hover between her bedroom and her office. And she smiled with glee. The kiss he’d given her was like nothing she’d ever experienced before and she wanted more. Much more.

Justin backpedaled. When he did, his elbow hit one of the boxes, and it tipped all its contents onto the floor. Paige came around the desk and knelt down.

"Damn," Justin said softly as she curled her hand around a large rubber dildo. She looked up at him and watched him swallow hard. Reaching up toward him, she smiled as he jumped back away from her hand. With another smile, she grabbed the box and brought it down to the floor.

"Can you help me with these gellies, Agent Connor?" she asked innocently.

"Gellies?" he said sounding as if he was strangling.

"That’s what I call them. My distributor is embarrassed to say the word, so I call them gellies to spare her."

Justin mumbled something under his breath that sounded a lot like a plea. Then he bent down and began collecting the gellies arrayed in every color across her oatmeal carpet.

"You can call me Justin."

"I can? That’s a bit informal, isn’t it?"

"Woman, I’m helping you pick up candy-colored dicks off the floor and you’re worried about informality?"

It was all she could do to keep her mirth inside. She studied his face as he dropped each one into the box. She was pretty sure he wasn’t embarrassed. Her mirth faded as his hot eyes kept coming back to her hands. Then it hit her. The sight of her hands wrapped around the gellie turned him on. "There’s nothing wrong with sex toys."

"I didn’t say there was."

All but one had gone into the box. "In fact, this little baby sells extremely well. And why not? It’s the new millennium, and women are quite liberated."

Justin couldn’t keep his eyes on her face as they dropped down to her hands. Gently she caressed the gellie. "You know that if you play with…fire —" his intense eyes came back to her face "— you could get burned."

"Why, Paige? Are you too hot to handle?"

She moved closer and pressed against his body. "Want to find out?"

 

Chapter 4

Justin now knew what real temptation was all about. He fought his own desire for her. Knew he had to because Paige was a suspect and he was her jailor. "We both know that would be too dangerous."

"Doesn’t that excite you, though?"

He closed his eyes to overcome the powerful need to take what she was offering. "Yes," he replied. The word came out in a rush. "It does make me crazy for you. But I’m looking for more in my job than being a field agent. I want to be the director some day, and fooling around with a suspect isn’t the kind of behavior the FBI rewards."

"Fair enough. I can understand that, but you’re forgetting the fact that I’m offering with no strings attached. I know I’m innocent, and when that comes to light, you and I won’t be an issue. I can see that your job is very important to you. No one has to know."

"I’m sorry," he said with genuine regret.

"So am I. I’m beginning to think you don’t have any vices, Justin."

"I have to confess that I leave the toilet seat up."

She laughed, walked back to her desk, dropped the gellie into the box and closed the lid. Settling behind the computer once more, she looked up at him. "If you get hungry, the kitchen is stocked. Help yourself."

"What about you?"

"I’m hungry, Justin, but it’s not food I crave."

With that Justin retreated to the kitchen and safety.

* * *

Paige turned off her computer and rubbed the back of her neck. It was very late, but she could hear the drone of the TV. Pushing back she rose and stretched.

Entering the dim bedroom, she saw that Justin lay on her bed with his back to her. By the lift and fall of his shoulders, it was clear he was fast asleep. She picked up the remote and snapped the TV off, silencing the closing strains of The Tonight Show music.

The thought of going to him was almost overwhelming. Kissing his neck, running her hands over his body, seducing him while he slept. It wouldn’t take much. She took a step toward the bed.

Yet when she was almost there, she stopped. Somehow she thought that Justin wouldn’t normally be this comfortable around a suspect. He trusted her to keep to her word and not run away. But why would she run away? She was innocent and it would be proven that she was. She hadn’t used her business to perpetrate fraud. That was crazy. She was making tons of money as it was. She didn’t need to risk her business. She would see to it that whoever had gotten her into this mess would pay for causing her anxiety and jeopardizing her business.

She couldn’t refute the fact that he slept so peacefully because he trusted her. Therefore, seducing him wouldn’t be very noble of her.

She walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, caressing his handsome, sleeping face with her eyes. Gently she removed his shirt, the holster with the wicked looking gun in it, his socks and his jeans, making him more comfortable. His briefs were black, tight and sexy on him. Her resolve wavered.

Looking away from the temptation of his awesome body, her eyes fell on the pool, glistening in the moonlight. The thought of swimming to release the pent up sexual tension in her body seemed like a good idea.

Grabbing up her short silk robe, she opened one of the French doors and stepped through. The night was calm and warm, the gentle breeze caressing her heated skin.

She stripped down to nothing and jumped into the water. When she surfaced, she slicked her hair back and began to swim.

Losing herself in the motion of her arms, the flex of her muscles, she reveled in the feel of the water sliding along her skin, caressing the tips of her hard, hot nipples and flowing intimately between her legs.

She imagined Justin’s big male hands sliding along the slickness of her skin, his hot mouth engulfing the tingling tips of her nipples, his hardness between her thighs.

Suddenly it was hard for her to breathe and she groped for the edge of the pool. She clung to the lip, trying to control her body and her breathing. She’d never wanted a man more in her life, and it was annoying that he’d said no.

If he were here right now, she’d throw caution to the wind and slake her desire against that hard, muscular body.

With one hand, she wiped the water out of her eyes, and with the other she groped for her towel. Her hand came into contact with hot flesh. Paige gasped and looked up the solid, strong length of Justin’s form.

"You look good," she said, but then bit her lip as if the words had just slipped out of her mouth against her will.

He took a deep breath. This woman had challenged him from the moment he met her, and he liked it way too much. He squatted. Grabbing her upper arms, he pulled her slightly out of the water. When her bare breasts hit the air, they puckered and he had to suppress a groan. Softly he said, "I am good."

She gasped her lips parting, showing her white teeth and a tantalizing view of her tongue. His body went as hard as a rock.

"Do you make a practice of swimming in the middle of the night?" The moonlight was bright enough for him to see the enticing curves of her body beneath the crystal-clear water. He prayed for restraint.

"Yes, often. It helps me to relax."

"Naked," he mused. He couldn’t seem to rein in his wayward hormones. His blood burned in his veins. The best idea was to get her out and get her covered.

"Well, you have me there."

"It’s dangerous."

"This is a safe neighborhood."

"No neighborhood is safe, Paige."

"Well, actually this neighborhood is quite safe. The statistics…"

He hauled her out of the water. Holding her by her upper arms, he rose and said, "Stop arguing with me and get some damn clothes on."

"All right. You don’t have to get so testy." She bent down and picked up her robe and slipped it on. The silk immediately molded to her wet body and hid nothing. With a huff, she stalked to the house.

He followed her, his penis throbbing as he watched her tight bottom disappear through the French doors.

When he got to the bedroom, she wasn’t there. Making a decision born out of a need he felt powerless to control, he stopped by his jeans and pulled out his wallet and retrieved something he was going to need. He followed the noise until he got to the kitchen.

"Now what are you doing?"

He tried not to look at her body in the bright light of the kitchen. But he failed miserably.

"I’m getting something to eat. I’m starving."

She turned toward him with a defiant look on her beautiful face. Her slicked back hair accentuating her wide, almond-shaped eyes, her tempting mouth and the high, sharp cheekbones. The outline of her dark nipples poked at the silky robe.

"So am I," he growled, moving forward.

​

Chapter 5

Paige watched the change in Justin’s eyes. The irises darkened to a richer hue that took her breath away, as blue and as hot as the waters of the Caribbean. Her heart picked up a beat. Anticipation or fear, she wasn’t sure which. Something hot and risky drifted through her body, pooling in the aching area between her legs.

He stopped in front of her, and for one long moment everything caught and held — words, breaths, gazes suspended as the charged air pulsed between them, saturated with anticipation. His mouth moved closer as the air thickened and smoldered hotter, shutting out everything like night shut out day.

And the eagerness expanded inside of her with a sudden obsession to run her hands all over this man.

Paige stared up at him, her gaze still caught on his. She stretched up toward him and grazed his lower lip with the edge of her teeth. Heat flared in his eyes. He brought his mouth down on hers, harder, hungrier than before. He entered her mouth, thrusting his tongue inside with an eager moan.

Paige welcomed him, sucking at him, drawing him deeper, tangling her tongue with his, rubbing, stroking, enticing.

He took her hand and brought it against him, molding her fingers along his erection as he dipped his tongue into the heat of her mouth again and again.

A moan caught at the back of Paige’s throat. Through his jeans she could feel him pulsing with need. His hand grasped hers, leading her to her feminine mound, sliding in between her legs, cupping her, rubbing the fabric of her robe against the heat of her desire.

With his free hand, he opened the robe, his big hand cupping her breast. His mouth left hers, and Paige bowed back against the counter as his mouth closed over her nipple, sucking at her with hard pulls of his mouth. Tremors of excitement rippled along Paige’s nerves. The sense of doing something forbidden only added fuel to the fire inside her. She gave herself over to the sensation of his wet, hot mouth closing over her other erect nipple. His teeth grazed the tender bud, and pleasure sparkled through her like stardust.

He moved lower, kissing her stomach, his tongue flicking over the point of her hip to the crease of her thigh.

He parted the soft, swollen flesh between her legs. Settling his mouth against her, he kissed her deeply, and she gasped and bucked against him. Arching into the intimate kiss, she shamelessly gave herself over to the pleasure he was giving her. He pushed her bottom onto the counter, lifting her hips with his hands, pressing her legs apart to more fully stroke, dragging her deeper into the tide of passion.

He took her over the brink, and Paige thought she might die of ecstasy as wave after wave swamped her, stealing her breath, stealing her sanity.

Paige reared up against him, sliding off the counter, reaching for the waistband of his briefs and tugging them down. She wrapped her hands around his erection, and Justin lost it. He pushed her back, slipped on protection, and thrust into her, dying a sweet little death as her woman’s sheath closed around him, tighter than a glove.

He gave himself over completely to pleasuring her with deep, smooth strokes of his body. Drinking in her wild, fevered kisses that took his breath away. When the end came in an explosion of sensation and desperation, the intensity of it scared him down to his toes.

Justin eased away from her. He didn’t want to leave the warmth of her body, but what he hated doing more was losing the deeper connection between them — the one he had to admit was so strong for the short period of time that he’d known her.

With a soft murmur he took her into his arms and headed toward the bedroom. Gently laying her down, he followed her to the mattress. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close.

Paige wasn’t only dangerous to his job. She was a danger to his heart. He couldn’t stop the feelings that threatened to engulf him as he held her sated body.

* * *

Paige clung to him, breathing in the heady smell of him, realizing that he’d branded her for life with his scent.

Justin shifted, and Paige met his eyes. She traced his lower lip with her thumb. "You were very right."

"About what?" he asked, his eyes half-closed in pleasure.

"You are good."

He smiled his full killer smile and said, "You’re pretty damn good yourself, lady." His grin faded, and he looked away. "I have a dilemma now, thanks to you."

"What’s that?" she asked, running her hand up his hard, muscular torso.

"I hate admitting that I made a mistake, but in your case, I think I missed something."

"Are you saying you think that I’m innocent?" She pressed her lips against his neck and nuzzled. Warmth blossomed inside her.

Justin sighed deeply, his arms tightening around her. "Yes, dammit, and it’s very inconvenient."

At his vehement tone, she raised her head and asked, "Why?"

"Because I want you on the outside." Justin was feeling rattled. He hadn’t intended to get involved with his very delectable suspect, but his body had other ideas. Ideas he hadn’t been able to control.

"You do?"

"Yes and that’s even more of a problem." Wanting like that wasn’t smart. He’d been content with the way his life was — emotionally unfettered, basically uncomplicated, neat and simple. There wasn’t anything neat and simple that was drawing him to Paige.

"Why is that?"

"My job takes up long hours. Climbing the ladder to success takes away from anyone else in my life." And he’d been diligent in climbing it. Eighteen-hour days, times when he didn’t even have time to shave, let alone change his clothes.

She stiffened at his put out tone. "You’re not the only one with a busy life. I run a business, and it takes up all my time, too," she huffed. "What makes you think I have time for you?"

She sat there looking up at him, eyes wide, lips moist and slightly parted. She wasn’t doing a damn thing and still she managed to exude sexuality. "I didn’t say that you don’t work hard. I’m just saying that…hell…you’d be a big distraction."

Mollified by his tortured tone, she took a deep breath. "Oh. Well, that’s different."

"I’d say this was chemistry, animal attraction or just plain sex if it wasn’t for the fact that I care what happens to you, Paige," he said, nuzzling her ear.

"Even better," she said sighing.

He captured her mouth, tipping her head back and kissing her deeply, erotically. Desire twisted through him as his hand found her warm breast. He bent her back over his arm and dragged his mouth down her throat to her collarbone, then to the sweet fruit of her nipple. He closed his lips over that warm, erect bud, and his cell phone rang like some kind of wake-up alarm.

"Whoever thought it was a good idea to be accessible twenty-four hours a damn day…?" he snarled, pulling away.

"Not me," Paige grumbled.

He looked down at the display and swore. This couldn’t be good. Not good at all.

​

Chapter 6

Paige watched Justin’s grim face as he answered the phone. The minute he identified himself, she could hear the voice on the other end of the phone yelling.

"Yes, sir," Justin said, "I did." He listened to some more yelling. "No, sir, but the jail…she’s sleeping now."

Paige was getting the feeling that what Justin had done for her was much more complicated than she’d first believed. Had he put himself on the line to save her the night in jail?

"I understand," Justin said harshly. "I said I did. I will."

He disconnected the call with a scowl on his face. She watched the sleek muscles in his buttocks and thighs as he paced the room. "He wanted me to bring you back to jail tonight."

"You lied for me," she said, and she fell a little deeper. It was like opening a beautiful box to find a treasure inside. This man was as beautiful on the inside as he was on the outside. It only made him more appealing.

"I don’t give a damn what he says. I still think you’re innocent. Can I use your computer?"

"Sure. Why?"

"I need to access my files on your case."

"If I have to go to jail until you prove me innocent, I will. I don’t want you to jeopardize your job."

He turned to her and cupped her face. "And see you behind bars enduring more humiliation? No freaking way."

* * *

Exhaustion pulled on him like a G force, weighing down his arms and legs. He wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep with Paige in his arms. But his mind was in a state of utter chaos. With each replay of the emotions and stresses of the day, it churned and raced, leaving him unsettled.

He’d never in his life felt this way about a woman. Never. For the first time, he’d second-guessed himself and was currently going over every single inch of his investigation. So far, everything was exactly by the book and thorough.

"Find anything yet?" she asked from the doorway to her bedroom.

She’d put on the robe, but it was completely useless at camouflaging her curves. He was really beginning to like it.

"Go back to bed. You’re distracting me."

She walked into the room and gently leaned against his back. "You’ve been in here for an hour. Come back to bed. I’ll make it worth your while."

Her mouth on the back of his neck was soft. When she kissed up into his hairline, goose bumps flashed across his skin like wild fire.

He smiled while he brought up another file. "Stop tempting me. I’m trying to get you off the hook."

"I’m thankful for that, but I can’t seem to keep my hands off you."

"I can’t see you behind bars, Paige. A sleepless night will be worth it."

"If you say so." She ran her hands through his hair. "I thought the FBI had a dress code."

"They do."

She ruffled his hair with her fingers, tugging gently. "Then your hair is not regulation, mister."

"No, it’s not."

"And they let you get away with that because…?"

"Before your case I was under cover, and before that I was on a kidnapping case. I haven’t had the time to get a trim. But if I don’t get it cut soon, my supervisor will have more to chew my ass about. He’s a stickler for rules."

"I gathered by the volume of his voice over the phone. Did you do something wrong by taking me into your custody?"

"Not technically. It’s my prerogative to keep you with me, but McMann can’t see why I did it. And when he sees you, he’s going to know."

"From the description of your previous work, it sounds like you’re more of a field agent. How did you get stuck with my case?"

"I have a computer science background, and the cyber division was short staffed — one on maternity leave and the other sick — so I filled in."

"Let me guess…you thought this was a slam dunk?"

"I did, but you have a way of making the simple into the complicated." He leaned his head back to look up at her. She smiled at him, and even upside down it was beautiful. Kissing his lips, she lingered.

"You’re really distracting me, Paige," he said against her mouth.

"Mmm hmm," she responded, sliding her tongue around his bottom lip.

He twisted and grabbed her around the waist and hauled her onto his lap, his full-blown erection pressed against the fly of his jeans. "You make me crazy," he said as he took her mouth in a hard, demanding kiss.

Pulling away, he scooted her off his lap and turned back to the computer. "Go get some sleep."

Paige’s mouth turned down and she slipped her hand into one of the boxes near the computer. "Justin, have you ever tried a cock ring before? I hear that it really heightens the pleasure of a man’s orgasm."

Paige didn’t know what got into her. He was trying to save her bacon, but she wanted him now.

Justin turned to her, his eyes riveted on the ring she held in her hand. She wagged it at him. "Wanna give it a try? I promise I’ll leave you alone after I see your face dissolve into unspeakable pleasure."

"Damn, woman," he groaned. He got up from the computer and hauled her against him. "I only have two more files to search. How about you give me another half an hour?"

"You are relentless, but I like that about you, especially because you’re trying to get me out of this fraud mess."

He eyed the ring. "So is it really true, or are you making it up?"

"Although I can’t speak from experience because I don’t have a penis, I’ve heard it’s true." She looked at the ring then back at him. "But this one seems to be a bit too small."

"Flattery will not change my mind."

"Okay. I’ll be a good girl and leave you alone."

Paige left Justin and went into the kitchen. She might as well do something constructive. She was still famished, so she got out her baking dish and decided that a batch of caramel sweet rolls would go down really well.

It would also give her time to assimilate the chaotic emotions that were ping-ponging around in her head. She marveled at how the day had started with a fire and ended with a bang.

She couldn’t be falling for a guy she’d just met, could she?

It sure felt that way. Yet, he was very dedicated to his job, and a man climbing the ladder of success wouldn’t have a whole lot of time to spend with her. She’d exaggerated the amount of time she spent on her business. With her employees handling the daily stuff, all she had to do was maintenance and order the supplies.

So did she want a guy who wouldn’t be around most of the time? Did it make sense to continue a relationship with Justin once he proved her innocence? Probably not. He must be thinking the same thing.

So why did it hurt so much to think about never seeing him again?

"Damn that smells good."

Paige looked up to see Justin standing in the doorway. "They’re almost ready. Did you find something?"

"Yes, I did, and you’re not going to like it."

​

Chapter 7

"Who is it?" Paige asked, her heart in her throat. Any name he said would be a shock to her. She trusted all her employees.

"Do you know a Tom Waters?"

Paige closed her eyes, her breath leaving her in a gust. "Yes, he’s one of my warehouse managers." The man had been with her for three years. She felt betrayed and angry.

"Do you have his address?" Justin came closer to her and leaned his hip on the counter.

Paige reined in her temper. "Yes, in my employee files on my computer."

He reached out and brought her against him. Her arms lifted, settling against the smooth skin of his neck. She let herself lean against him. She pressed her face into the hollow of his neck and breathed in his unique scent. Wild, male and delicious. It soothed her.

"I’m sorry, Paige. Did you know he had a criminal record?" He smoothed his hand down her back.

"No. For what?"

"Fraud."

Her voice came out harsh and tight. "How could I have been so stupid?"

"You didn’t know," he soothed. "If he didn’t put it on the application, you can fire him."

That made her laugh, and she knew that what she felt for Justin was more than infatuation and chemistry. It was deeper and more meaningful.

"What now?" she asked.

"We eat something and go to bed. I can get a warrant based on the evidence I found, but not until the morning. Should be an easy bust."

"What do you mean I? I want to go, too, and confront that no-good thieving…framer."

"I don’t think that’s such a good idea, Paige," he said solemnly.

"I don’t care what you think. He implicated me, jeopardized my business. I have a few choice things to say to him, including the words, ’You’re fired.’"

The buzzer for the sweet rolls went off and Paige slipped on some oven mitts and pulled the rolls out of the oven.

She iced them and placed two on each plate. She carried them to her dining room table.

After she’d taken a bite out of the delicious roll, she touched Justin’s hand. "I won’t get in the way, Justin. Please. You owe me at least that."

He sighed. "I guess I do. I can’t seem to deny you anything. But you’ll have to do what I say."

"I promise," she said.

After they were finished eating, she headed toward the bedroom, and he followed.

She smiled wickedly. "So are you too tired to try out the cock ring?"

"Honey, not on your life."

She grabbed the ring out of the box as they passed her office. In her bedroom she snagged the waistband of his jeans, drawing him toward her.

His mouth was hot, moist and tasted like sin. She molded her hand over his erection before slipping the button free and drawing the zipper down.

She ran her hands down his sides, pushing at the jeans and briefs until he could slip out of them.

Sinking onto the bed, she kissed his hard stomach and he gasped when her mouth closed over the head of his erection. After her intimate kiss, she pulled him down to the bed, straddled him, slipping protection and then the ring over his arousal.

"Man that’s tight."

"But does it feel good?"

"Yes," he said breathlessly, "Damn, but it does."

He flicked his thumb across her nipple, and she moaned softly as the shock of sensation cut through her like electricity, pooling in tingling warmth at the core of her desire.

She couldn’t believe how fast he made her hot and ready. She slid down onto him and gasped at the exquisite sensation.

Moving over him, he met her thrusts as she rode his hips as wave after wave of mind-drugging pleasure ripped through her in an orgasm that made her cry out his name.

She bent over him, and he took a nipple in his mouth, pulling hard, groaning as she rode him harder until his hips jackknifed off the bed and he came.

She collapsed against his chest, reveling in the hard, sleek muscle pressed to her. He rolled to the side, gathering her into his arms.

She snuggled there and felt her heart contract. Okay, so she was falling hard for him. That was her problem to deal with. She wouldn’t make it any more complicated when they parted tomorrow. She had been the one to tell him that there were no strings attached.

Although as she drifted into sleep, she couldn’t help but feel the connection to this man who, even in slumber, didn’t let her go.

* * *

When Paige woke, she could hear Justin arguing on the phone. She threw on a robe and made her way into the living room. He was pacing across her hardwood floor in his bare feet and low-riding, unsnapped jeans.

"I’m not arguing with you, McMann. I’m telling you. I’ve got evidence that proves she’s not guilty. I have a warrant. I’m going now." He stopped and ran his hands through his hair in obvious frustration. "I don’t give a damn. I’m not putting her in a cell."

He balled his fist up and looked like he was getting ready to punch something. "It’s my fault in the first place. I missed it. How does that serve justice? That’s a load of crap, and you know it. Fine, you do what you have to do. I’m going to do my job."

He hit the off button on the phone and threw it. Luckily it hit the couch without any damage.

He spun and stopped dead when he saw her. "Oh. Good morning."

"Is it?"

"McMann’s a jerk. He wants me to take you back to jail, put you behind bars and let the system run its course."

"You told him to go to hell?"

"I’m not going to make you pay for my mistake no matter what McMann says."

* * *

Justin and Paige drove to Tom Waters’s loft apartment and got the super to open the door. But Justin couldn’t find anything incriminating.

"Do you have any idea where he could be?" he asked Paige.

"He could be at my other warehouse. I have two. That’s how I fill all my other orders."

"Let’s go over there."

Once they had pulled up to the warehouse, Justin and Paige got out of the car at the same moment that Paige’s sister, Lana, and her friends got out of Lana’s car.

Lana walked over, and Justin asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Justin…" Paige said.

"We’re here to take Tom Waters into custody. We’ve found evidence…" Lana said.

"Justin…" Paige said again, "I’m going into the building. I’ve got to go."

Justin nodded absently at Paige and held up his hand to Lana. "I know. I missed it."

"Hey," Kate yelled at a man who’d just come out of the warehouse at a run. Justin went after him and took him down in a running tackle. When they were both back on their feet, Justin said, "Are you Tom Waters?"

"Yes." He looked up at the warehouse nervously.

Justin pulled out his badge and flashed it. "You’re under arrest for fraud." He handcuffed him.

"Could we get outta here?" Tom asked, starting to perspire.

"Why?"

An explosion rocked the warehouse, knocking them all to the pavement as glass and debris sailed around them.

 

Chapter 8

After the initial blast, Justin’s blood froze in his veins. Paige’s sister turned toward him, a look of horror on her face. Sienna Parker was already on her feet and running toward the building, followed closely by Lana.

Kate said, her voice cracking, "I’ll call the fire department."

A sick, panicked feeling twisted in his gut, and all he could think over and over was, please let her be okay. Justin was up and running in an instant, leaving his suspect lying on the pavement. He stopped and turned back to him. "Don’t move."

The man’s face blanched and he nodded.

He entered the building. Seeing Lana’s bright-red denim jacket disappear up the stairs, he wasted no time in following. Just as he reached the top of the stairs, he heard a crack and looked up. A burning beam began to fall. Lana called out Sienna’s name. With a move that awed Justin, she leapt at Sienna, taking her down and safely away from the burning beam.

"Paige!" he called. "Paige!"

"What!" she yelled from behind him.

He turned to see her totally unhurt. He ran down the stairs and gathered her up in his arms. "Thank God you’re all right. I thought…"

"I told you I had to go. The bathroom is downstairs. I think Tom only meant to destroy the office. He didn’t even hurt any of the merchandise."

He could hear sirens in the distance, getting closer with each second. But all he could do was look down into her eyes and realize that this was the woman for him. Now and forever. He fused his mouth to hers as Lana and Sienna skirted the beam and made their way down the stairs.

Firefighters stormed into the building and ran up the stairs and in a matter of minutes had extinguished the blaze.

He couldn’t seem to let her go. The paramedics insisted on checking them all over. When they were done, they headed toward the police station to book Waters and to get Paige officially released.

When they got to the police station, it was complete and utter chaos. Sienna’s captain immediately reprimanded her for working unofficially on a case. Justin took note of the surprise on both Lana and Sienna’s faces when Kate Quinn started yelling back at the captain. McMann came in and started yelling at Justin.

But Justin’s focus was on Paige while she told Tom Waters exactly what she thought of him. Then she said with relish, "You’re fired!"

A man with a cane bellowed, "Silence," at the top of his lungs and everyone stopped talking. He walked up to Justin and said, "Are you the man who arrested my daughter?"

Justin shifted and said, "Yes, sir."

"Daddy —" Paige said.

Without warning Mr. Dempsey drew his fist back and hit Justin a stunning blow to his left eye and knocked him down to the ground. Chaos ensued again. Two cops grabbed Mr. Dempsey; Paige was yelling at her father. Lana was yelling at him, too.

Justin got up and walked up to Mr. Dempsey, indicating that the cops should let him go. "I’m also the man that intends to marry your daughter."

That shut everyone up, and they all stared at him. Mr. Dempsey laughed and threw his arm around Justin’s shoulder. "Welcome to the family, then."

Paige gasped and gaped at him. Speechless, she threw her hands in the air and turned on her heel and walked out of the police station.

Lana went to go after her, but Justin caught her wrist. "Let her go," he said softly.

* * *

Paige took another lap, swimming hard, trying to work her mind around the chaos of the past day. She swam until her arms hurt, but she couldn’t get around it. She was in love with him.

She swam to the end of the pool and groped for her towel. Instead her hand met with leather. She shook the water out of her eyes and peered at a pair of highly polished shoes.

She looked up the legs of a lightweight blue suit to a starched white shirt to the face of a man who looked like he should be guarding the president. His hair was cut and perfectly combed. He was clean-shaven and meticulously groomed and his eyes were shaded with a pair of cool sunglasses. Her heart lurched in her chest, bringing home to her that she really didn’t know him very well.

He reached down and without any effort at all hauled her right out of the water.

He took off his sunglasses and she looked into his killer blue eyes that matched the killer blue suit. But that was where the similarity ended. In his eyes was a warmth that she’d never found anywhere else, a sincerity and intelligence that reached out to her. Then she looked down at his tie and laughed. It had surfers all over it.

"Justin," she breathed his name. Her eyes caressed his face, wincing at the mottled bruise marring his perfect features. "Look what my father did to you. I’m so sorry." She reached up and caressed his eyes. Cupping his face, she kissed the spot.

"No, that’s nothing. I’m the one who needs to say I’m sorry. Not to mention that I’m also sorry that I blurted out in front of everyone, including your sister and your father, a marriage proposal. But it’s how I feel. I know I should have given you more time, but I —"

She put her fingers over his sexy mouth, cupping his cheek. "Since I’ve met you I’ve had two warehouses destroyed, been arrested, had the book thrown at me by a fraud-hating judge, been almost put in a cell, received a proposal of marriage…and fallen deeply in love."

"Then you’ll marry me?"

"Yes."

His mouth came down on hers and he kissed her as if they’d been apart for months instead of a mere eight hours. She clung to that kiss and gave him her mouth and her heart. She gave him everything.

When they separated, she asked, "What about McMann?"

"He’s still pissed at me, but since I’ve caught the real guy, he doesn’t have anything to say."

"So is it back to eighteen-hour days?"

"Well…"

"Because if it is, I have something to say about that. I have tons of money, and I want to travel and enjoy life. So, you need to decide —"

It was his turn to put his fingers over her mouth. "I’ve already made the decision to cool my jets for a while and work more normal hours. I missed something crucial in your case because I was pushing too hard. I want to slow down with you, Paige." He pulled her closer, heedless of his suit. "I’ve always wanted to go to Fiji. Lay in the sand, swim naked, have a hedonistic vacation."

"Sounds wonderful," she breathed softly.

His face got serious. "My life would be empty without you."

"Well, it won’t be anymore." She gave him a wicked look. "I think I still have some boxes in my office I haven’t explored yet. Interested?" she said over her shoulder.

He slapped her bottom as she walked. When she bolted into the house, he ran after her. Their laughter echoed in the pool area until the French doors cut it off. 

​

​

The End