Page 84 of Reckoning (FBI Thriller 26)

His lips on hers, Kirra felt him smile against her mouth. He touched his fingers to her hair. “Your hair’s nearly dry.”

Kirra said, “After what we’ve been doing, I’m not surprised. Fact is, you nearly loved the hair right off my head.”

Griffin couldn’t help himself, he laughed, kissed her again. He didn’t want to stop. He loved her mouth. He looked into her eyes, not quite as vague now as they were a minute ago. He said, “You’re beautiful, Kirra, and you’re stupidly brave and smart. When I saw you were alive and okay, I wanted to kill you and kiss you silly and make love to you right on the lobby floor.”

“You really think I’m beautiful?”

“That’s all you got from what I said?”

“I got the stupid part. Brave all by itself would have been perfect. Smart was good, too.” She whispered against his mouth, “If you think I’m beautiful, then I’ll admit you’re not an eyesore. I have wondered, though, why women stare at you in that wig like they want to gobble you right up. I guess the wig does dash you up a bit, you know, covers your boring blond hair.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know I’m homely,” and he gave her a huge smile.

“I never said homely, not exactly.”

He kissed her mouth. “I can’t keep my hands off you. I love the feel of you. You’re like silk with muscles.” At her laugh, he stopped, said slowly, “I hadn’t intended this to happen, Kirra.”

“Well, no, who did? I mean, I hadn’t really intended to fall all over you, either.”

“You mean you thought about it?”

“Well, no. Everything just happened, and it was perfect, Griffin.”

He had his brain back together enough to say, “I’m an FBI agent, and you’re in danger. I’m supposed to be protecting you, not making love to you.” He paused, frowned. “I’d apologize but the fact is I don’t like to lie.” He pulled her in even tighter and buried his face in her hair. “What’s important is you’re alive, Kirra. The world simply stopped when I saw you jump into that pool. But you’re here with me, smart mouth and all.”

Kirra ran her hand up and down his back, and thought silk with muscles, just like him. She kissed his shoulder, his chin. “It sort of stopped for me, too, but it didn’t, Griffin, and yes, now I’m here with you and like I said, it’s all perfect.” She fully realized he was no longer just an FBI agent to keep her alive, he’d become much more. And she owed him honesty. No matter the cost.

Griffin’s cell phone buzzed a message. Griffin didn’t want to, but he pulled away from her, read the message, and thumbed his reply. “That was Savich, checking in. I haven’t told him about the bugs yet.” He stared at her, shook his head, and laughed. “I guess we forgot all about Jared Talix and Melissa Kay.”

She blinked at him. It was a reprieve. “Let’s see what they’ve been saying. I really do wonder if Talix heard me jump from his balcony and land in the water.”