Page 76 of Lawbreaker

She smiled. “See you.”

He went out and she locked the door behind him, almost floating in the aftermath of such joy that she felt weightless. She wanted to call him back, to prolong this. But they had all the time in the world. There was no reason to rush it. She wanted to savor the newness of Tony in her arms, like an expensive, delicious wine.

Early in the morning, in the wee hours, she thought she heard something outside her window. She knew Tony had men watching her, though, so she didn’t panic. That was probably what it was.

That was what she thought until the doorknob rattled on the back door. It had a dead bolt and a thick chain latch. No way was somebody going to get inside. But it spooked her.

She picked up her cell phone and punched in Tony’s number. It wasn’t even daylight.

“What is it?” he asked abruptly.

“Somebody rattled the doorknob. Do you have anybody here...?”

“Hold on.” He cut her off. A minute later he came back on. “That’s not any of my people. Is he still there?” His voice was curt, urgent.

She listened. “I don’t hear anything right now.”

“I’m on my way.”

He hung up.

Not five minutes later, he and Ben and another man pulled up at the curb. She heard running footsteps, followed by more running footsteps.

“Odalie, are you all right?” he asked, banging on the front door.

She opened it. “Tony, I...”

He backed her into the apartment, closed the door and bent to her mouth, lifting her against him. “Oh, baby, I’ve never been so scared,” he breathed into her mouth. His voice was just faintly unsteady as he kissed her hungrily.

He wrapped her up against him, only vaguely aware of some soft, silky fabric under his hands. After a minute, he realized that what he was feeling was silk, and that there was nothing under it...

He groaned out loud as he lifted his head and looked down at her in the pink silk gown with its low-cut lacy bodice that revealed more than it concealed, and spaghetti straps that did nothing to hide soft tanned shoulders under long silky blond hair.

She felt the impact of his eyes like a hot brand and almost shivered with delight. She felt her body tauten and swell. He was staring at her bodice, his breath coming in soft, rough expulsions.

She had no defense at all. She was so hungry for him.

He reached down to her knees and slid his hands under the gown. They were warm and strong and rough on her bare skin as they moved slowly, tenderly, up to her rib cage.

“This is where we start getting in over our heads,” he said in a husky, velvety soft tone.

Her lips parted on a tiny gasp as his thumbs teased at the underside of her firm breasts.

“Your skin is like velvet,” he whispered.

She arched her back almost imperceptibly, trying to tempt his hands to move up.Just a little more, she thought, twisting slowly.Just...a...little!

He knew what she was doing, and why. He loved that innocence that was all his, open and warm and welcoming. He couldn’t see the obstacles anymore. He was already drowning in her.

“This what you want?” he whispered, watching her eyes half close, and his fingers moved up and touched her, traced the hard nipples pushing against the lace.

She made a sound, a high-pitched little moan, that drove him over the edge.

“Baby...” he breathed into her mouth as his own settled slowly, tenderly, over it. His hands possessed her, slow and warm and insistent. She arched her body to urge them closer and moaned again, shivering.

He picked her up, his mouth still on hers, and laid her down on the sofa. His big body settled on hers in the silence of the room and he groaned, too, as her long legs parted to admit his, her mouth open and hungry for his.

She could smell the spicy, sexy cologne he wore, with its faint whiff of cigar smoke. She could taste coffee on his hard mouth. Her hands went up into his thick, cool wavy hair and tangled there, holding his face down to hers. One of her legs rubbed slowly against his. He shifted, and she felt the contours of his body changing.