The Girl Next Door (Shadow Agents #6)(19)
Author: Cynthia Eden

He faced her once more. “The rush. You still have adrenaline spiking through you.”

Her hands fisted. “The shower didn’t exactly stop that. It didn’t do anything to calm me down.”

No. He took a step toward her. “I told you before, I can help with that.” Adrenaline still coursed through his own blood—adrenaline and fury. The rogue had gone after her.

Gabrielle shook her head. “I don’t want a drink. The whiskey didn’t work for me last time.”

Her lips were red and full, and that little quiver of her bottom lip made him want to kiss her, to feel that quiver beneath his own mouth. “Forget the drink,” he said, voice rumbling, “I’ve got something else in mind.”

Something that he’d needed, wanted…

He took another step toward her. She didn’t back away.

But her gaze did drop to his mouth.

“Cooper…”

He loved the way she said his name. Not with fear or hesitation but with need, a yearning to match his own.

His fingers slid under her chin. He tipped her head back. “Once wasn’t enough.” One kiss had done nothing but stir his appetite for her.

They were alone. Safe. Adrenaline could be turned into passion so easily.

His head lowered.

She rose onto her toes and her hands—now unclenched—pressed to his chest.

The first touch of his lips against hers was tentative. Easy. A hard task when the desire pumping through him was dark and demanding.

He wanted her on the bed. He wanted her naked. He wanted to hear her scream his name.

One step at a time.

Because before he got what he wanted, Cooper needed to seduce her.

Her mouth parted beneath his.

He took the kiss deeper. Swept his tongue past her lips and tasted her. Sweet. So sweet. She could easily become an addiction to him.

The kiss grew harder as the desire beat in his blood. His hand slipped from her chin and sank into the rich fullness of her hair.

The bed is so close.

He found himself backing her toward the bed. Still kissing her, only now the kiss was deep and hard and it still wasn’t enough.

He wasn’t sure he could get enough from her.

His mouth pulled from hers, and he began to kiss her neck. Her scent filled his nostrils. Lilacs. His aroused flesh pressed hard against the front of his jeans.

“I don’t…do this…” Her voice was husky. Her nails bit through the fabric of his shirt. “I don’t…I don’t just jump into bed with men I don’t know.”

He stilled at that and looked at her. “You know me.”

“I’ve lived upstairs from you for months.” She licked her lips.

Need sharpened within him.

“But I don’t know you. Who were you before you came here? You have secrets, Cooper. Sometimes, I can all but feel them between us.”

He kissed her again, helpless to do anything else. He kissed her, took her mouth and wanted to take her.

The desire he felt for her was stronger than anything he’d experienced before. Cooper had enjoyed more than his share of lovers. He should be able to hold on to his control easily.

Instead, he could feel it shredding.

Because of her.

“There’s nothing between us,” he said, whispering the words against her mouth. “Right now, there’s me and there’s you, and nothing else matters.”

Not the killer hunting them.

Not his secrets.

“Trust me,” he told her. “I won’t hurt you. You can count on me.”

Her lashes lifted. Her eyes were so beautiful and deep. There were flecks of gold in the darkness of her eyes. As he looked into her eyes, he had the odd feeling that she was seeing into him. Seeing past the mask he wore for others and straight into his soul.

His chest ached.

She’s not like the others.

Cooper kissed her once more, because he had to do it. Kissed her deep and savored her.

Then he stepped back. “When you do trust me enough, you let me know.” The words were low, growling from him. “Because you will reach that point. You’ll see that you can count on me, and I’ll be here. When you’re ready, I’ll be here,” he said again.

She stared back at him. Her lips were flushed, slightly swollen from his kiss. Her cheeks were stained red.

So. Beautiful.

He forced himself to offer her a smile. “And by here,” he said quietly, “I mean the couch. Because I think you need some time.” Before you become mine.

Once they crossed that line, there would be no going back.

She’d changed the rules for him. He didn’t think Gabrielle realized just how intense things could become.

Before his control broke, Cooper headed for the door. His fingers curled around the knob.

“I’ve had one lover.”

That stopped him.

“When I said that I didn’t jump into bed, I meant it.” Her words tumbled out. “I’m not looking to be a flavor of the week with you. I—”

“Sweetheart,” he said this without glancing back at her. His control was barely hanging on. “You’d never be that.” She was in a class all her own. “When we are together…” Hell, yes, they would be. “It’s not going to be about anyone else. No one from your past, no one from mine. It’s only going to be about us. About pleasure.” He opened the door. “You’ll trust me soon enough.”

He left her, because if he stayed even a few moments more, they would be on the bed.

* * *

WHEN THE DOOR shut behind Cooper, Gabrielle’s breath wheezed out.

Wow. She was…

Her eyes closed. She didn’t think she was ready to handle Cooper Marshall.

She had the feeling that he was the kind of guy who just might be able to ruin her for all others.

When he’d been kissing her, when his big, strong hands had been on her, she’d wanted him to ruin her. She’d wanted him to do all kinds of things to her.

It hadn’t been about the adrenaline. It had been about good, old-fashioned lust.

The only thing that had held her back? Fear.

She wasn’t physically afraid of Cooper. Actually, she was sure he wouldn’t hurt her like that at all.

Gabrielle was afraid of the way he made her feel. Out of control. Edgy. Wild.

Those feelings were dangerous.

Cooper Marshall was dangerous.

* * *

THE KILLER WATCHED as the light in Cooper’s bedroom finally shut off. For a while there, those two shadows had gotten close.

Intimately close.

But then one form had left. Cooper.