STORY EXCERPT

A small, subtle difference in the set of Drake’s shoulders drew her attention to him first.

“Deputy Palmer.” She purposely called him by his rank and last name, determined to hold onto her composure despite the instant burn that ignited in her pussy.

Holy hormones, how could she have forgotten how incredibly sexy he was? She liked the new length to his ash-brown hair, so much so that she curled her fingers into fists on the table in an attempt to stop the tingling need to touch the satiny strands. The longer hair gave him an even more dangerous edge than he’d had five years ago. And Drake Palmer was dangerous wrapped in a six-foot-three package of drool-worthy sex appeal. Green eyes the color of leaves on a summer day looked back at her, but rather than the warmth she’d always seen in them, she saw a coldness that brought goose pimples to the surface of her flesh.

A muscle ticked in the strong line of his jaw and his lips parted long enough to return her purely professional greeting before thinning again. “Agent Sykes.”

Though he kept his expression carefully blank, she sensed his anger at her and knew he had every right to feel it. She’d walked out without saying good-bye. She’d led him and Rhett to believe she would be in town for another week before leaving for Virginia and had ignored their attempts to reach her. Running from them the way she’d done had been the most cowardly act she’d ever done. She still hated herself for running the way she had even though she was as convinced now as she had been then that it was the only way.

She held Drake’s gaze for a long, meaningful moment, hoping he would see the apology in her eyes. They would have to deal with his anger before they could work together. She’d expected that, though she wished they didn’t have to start off that way.

Steeling herself to absorb more fury, she shifted her attention to Rhett. The boyish smile that stretched his lips had a startling effect on her system. The instant burn in her pussy morphed to a raging inferno as she stared into his eyes. Where Drake’s eyes had always reminded her of a summer day, she’d thought of cooler temperatures when she’d looked into Rhett’s. They were light brown with darker hues that resembled fallen leaves on a cold, winter day. She didn’t see any ice in his eyes now. She saw only warmth.

“It’s good to see you again, Alex.”

His sexy, roughened voice stroked her flesh like a physical caress. Her nipples beaded and juices leaked from between her folds to wet her panties.

Taken off guard by his demeanor, she managed a small smile. “You, too, Rhett.”

“Palmer and Letson have been heading the investigation on the island,” John Cabelly said and stood once more. “I have other matters to see to, so I will leave you in their capable hands.”

Alex watched the sheriff as he moved toward the door, wondering if was her imagination that had put that odd inflection in his tone when he said “capable hands.” Years of training and doing her job had honed her observation skills to sharpened points. No, that hadn’t been her imagination. John Cabelly obviously knew more about her past with Rhett and Drake than that they had merely worked together at the New Orleans PD.

Marcus Winters bid her good-bye and followed the sheriff out of the room. Alex waited until she heard the door click before she started to speak. Before she could open her mouth, Drake got up and walked to her end of the table.

Her heart skipped with each step he took that brought him closer. She fought the urge to squirm, knowing she couldn’t afford to make even the most basic blunder in his presence. He stopped at the corner of the table and her skipping heart found a new, accelerated rhythm.

“Cabelly said the FBI believes Lynette Cross’s murder is connected to a series of others in the southern states.” Though it was the most words he’d said yet, every one of them landed like golf-ball-sized hail in the silence of the room. “Do you have files or something in that briefcase we can compare with what we’ve gathered here?”

Alex looked up at him, but didn’t make a move to open her briefcase. Not only had she forgotten how incredibly handsome Drake Palmer was, she hadn’t remembered the powerful presence he could be. Standing over her now, she felt that power attempting to overtake every synapse in her body. “I do.”

One cocky brow kicked up on his handsome face. “I don’t suppose you care to share it with us?”

Gathering every bit of the poise and competence she’d perfected over the years, she flattened her hands on the table and stood, tipping her head back as she gazed up at him. Damn if she was going to let him and Rhett play this sweet deputy, angry deputy game with her this entire investigation. “I have every intention to after we clear the air.”

He jerked his head once and his eyes hardened. “There’s not any air to clear. The three of us are here to do a job. I would’ve thought you, of all people, would have your priorities in order.”

Alex felt her temper spark at those stinging words. “I have my priorities in order,” she said tightly, and poked a finger into his chest. It was like stabbing a steel plate. “However, I cannot do my job to the best of my abilities when I have a partner who would rather string me up by my toes than say a kind word to me.”

A starkly sexual expression washed over his face before he quickly masked it. “Baby, if I was going to string you up by anything, it damn sure wouldn’t be your toes.”

ADULT EXCERPT

“Damn.” The whispered word rang with sheer female appreciation. Her head turned, her gaze landing on Drake in the doorway, and she gave him the same fiery, scrutinizing look. “I knew both of you were hot as hell in clothes, but naked…” She released a long, slow, audible breath. “Words are failing me.”

Rhett sat on the bed beside her, hooked a finger beneath her chin, and turned her face to his. “You don’t need words when you look at us like that, sweetheart.” He brushed a kiss to her lips. “I haven’t been able to find the right words to tell you how incredibly beautiful you are since the day I met you.”

Emotions darkened her hazel eyes and she visibly swallowed. “Just so you know, I’m not even close to being sleepy now.”

Rhett grinned despite the rapidly growing suspicion that something was going wrong with tonight. Maybe he was giving her too much time to think. Drake hadn’t done that. He’d all but attacked her the moment she’d opened the front door and hadn’t let up until he’d blown his wad inside her. If that were the case, whatever she was thinking wasn’t making her back away.

She reached for him and he folded himself over her, taking her mouth in a tender, chaste kiss before licking his way down to her breast. He outlined her taut nipple with his tongue, flicked the tip, and then took as much of her ample breasts in his mouth as he could. Her fingers buried in his hair as he licked his way to her other breast, gave it the same gentle treatment, and started the process again.

“Rhett.” She said his name on a breathless whisper. “You’re killing me.”

Rhett skimmed a hand down her abdomen, danced his fingers over her stomach, and followed that imaginary path with his mouth. “No, I’m having fun with the anticipation.”

Torturing himself to an all new level was more like it, but damn if he was going to stop. Self-inflicted torment had never felt so good. He slid off the bed as his mouth neared her pussy and her legs fell open for him in an invitation he would’ve had to have been out of his mind to refuse. Situating his shoulders between her thighs, he covered her cunt with his mouth and lost himself in the spectacular, hot flavor of the woman he loved.

Her pussy was primed and ready, soaked from her recent orgasm and more delicious than anything he’d ever tasted. It didn’t bother him that Drake had fucked her not more than ten minutes ago, though he was glad the man had used the condom he’d given him. It left him dining only on her cream, a stupendous substance that left him feeling drunk and even needier.

He parted her pussy lips with his fingers, stretching them to give his mouth more room to work, and danced the tip of his tongue back and forth over her clit. Her hips came off the mattress, her pussy pressing more firmly to his face, as unintelligible sounds left her lips.

He inched his tongue inside her opening and licked the walls of her channel. Her inner muscles contracted, sucking his tongue deeper, and her fingers fisted tightly in her hair.

“Rhett, please.”

Her hand alternated tugs and pushes on his head as if she couldn’t make up her mind if she wanted him to keep going or to stop. He made up her mind for her, taking one last lick of her cunt from the thin bit of skin between her pussy and her anus to her clit before slowly pulling back. Her hand fell from his hair, slapping the bed near her thigh as he pushed to his feet between her legs and gazed down at her. Her strawberry-blonde hair fanned the mattress, her eyes were closed, and her breasts rose and fell in rapid, ragged breaths.

“Your anticipation is going to drive me insane.”

Nothing moved except her lips on that declaration and Rhett heard Drake’s failed attempt to stifle a chuckle.

Alexandria’s eyes fluttered open and she held his gaze for a moment before looking at Drake. She gave a low whistle and licked her lips. “And watching that is going to send me straight to the nuthouse.”

Rhett followed her line of sight and lifted a brow when he saw Drake’s fist curled around his cock.

“Do you want me to leave the room?” Drake asked, watching her.

“I don’t have a problem with you staying. As a matter of fact, I could do that for you if you would come here.”

Drake shook his head. “This is Rhett’s time with you. I’ll let you get your hands on me later.”

Rhett caught the flash of disappointment that moved through her angelic face as she looked back at him. The frustration vanished as she flattened her hands on the front of her shoulders and dragged them down her body.

A smile toyed with her lips and challenge sparked in her eyes. “What are you waiting for?”

Rhett growled, rolled the condom over his throbbing shaft, and climbed between her wide-spread thighs. He flattened his hands on either side of her head as he held the weight of his upper body off of her and gazed down. “Do you want Drake to join us?”

She made an apologetic face. “Is it wrong of me to want to enjoy both of you as much as I can tonight?”

Rhett smiled down at her. “No, sweetheart. It’s not wrong.” It was wrong of her to think tonight was the only night she would have with them, but they would discuss that later. He glanced at Drake and found the man looking at him questioningly. If they were going to share her the way they’d agreed, Rhett figured they might as well start it out from the get-go. “Are you coming?”

“Not yet.” Drake pushed away from the doorframe and crawled onto the bed on his knees. “But I’ve got a feeling I’m about to be.”