Tipsy (Take It Off #5)(20)
Author: Cambria Hebert

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“I’d really rather not say.”

Her lips pursed. I sighed. “It’s for your safety.”

She seemed to accept that, thankfully. “How long were you gone?”

“I got back two weeks before I came in for a haircut.”

I watched the realization come over her features. She looked at me closely. “You were gone all those months?”

“Yes.”

“That’s why your hair was so long when you came into the salon that day,” she said, almost like she was talking to herself.

“Yeah, and now it’s all short and clean-cut looking,” I muttered, wishing I hadn’t cut it.

Her eyes went to the floor where I tossed the hat I was wearing. “You were covering up how short it was?”

I nodded.

“Why would it matter now?”

“Because they put me back undercover. Tonight.”

“Tonight,” she scoffed.

I scooted up onto the bed and leaned against the headboard. Then I patted the mattress beside me, inviting her closer. She hesitated for a second but then crawled over the top blankets and settled beside me.

“I couldn’t call you. I had to turn in my phone and my car. The rules of going undercover are strict. Especially since I’m going undercover in this town.”

“They took your phone and your car?”

“Yes. And I’m not to go to the station or my house, or anywhere else I might normally go for the foreseeable future.”

She rolled her head to the side and stared up at me. “But you’re here.”

“I shouldn’t be,” I said softly, gazing into her face. There was something about her… something that just made it hard to stay away. Like she emitted some kind of secret gravity, the kind of gravity that pulled in only me (it better not be pulling in anyone else).

“Why are you here, Blue?”

“I couldn’t stand the thought of you thinking bad about me.”

“Oh, I was thinking hateful things,” she said, her voice low.

I laughed. “Yeah, I know.”

“So, tonight…” Her voice trailed away.

On impulse I reached over and threaded my fingers through hers resting in her lap. “Tonight I really wanted to go out with you.”

A soft smile played on the corners of her mouth, but then she blinked and looked away. I took it as a good sign that she left her hand in mine. “At the club…”

“The club was a freaking cluster-fuck.” I blew out a breath.

“You were undercover there?”

“Yeah, I was working on my cover.”

“What’s the case about?” she asked tentatively.

“Drugs.”

Her eyes widened. “Is that why you asked me about drugs and my drink?”

I nodded. “That guy you were dancing with, he’s a dealer. He’s dangerous, Julie. Stay away from him. From that club.”

She shuddered. “I have no intention of ever going near either again.”

“Hey,” I said softly, pulling her chin around so she could look into my face. “Did he hurt you?”

“No.” Her voice was breathless and it made desire spark through my veins.

Without thought, I dropped a kiss to her forehead. She froze, like she didn’t know what to do. I smiled against her skin and then dropped my forehead down to lean against hers. “I’m sorry I stood you up tonight.”

“Duty calls,” she replied.

“Yeah. Sometimes I really hate my job.”

“How long are you going to be undercover?”

I released her chin and leaned my head back against the headboard. “I don’t know. ‘Til the case is over.”

“This is the same case you were on before?”

I nodded. “It’s the same case. Different location. It turns out things are happening closer to home than we realized.”

“Those things are drugs?”

“Yeah. Dealing has become a big problem farther south, and apparently the supplier lives here.”

“Wow,” she intoned, leaning her head against the headboard. Then she jerked suddenly, like there was a sudden explosion of sound. Except the only sound was that of our breathing. My body tensed instinctively and my eyes scanned the room.

“What’s wrong?” I swear just being near her kicked my testosterone into high gear and had me thinking all these caveman thoughts. Mine. Protect. Claim.

“Is this dangerous?” she asked, her stormy eyes wide.

I shrugged. It was dangerous. Drug dealers were no joke. They were territorial, they were mean, and they only thought about the job. But the look on her face had me keeping my mouth shut. Clearly this idea scared her. She was likely wondering what kind of danger she was in now.

Julie yanked her fingers out of mine and wrapped her hand around my wrist, squeezing a little. “Could you get hurt?”

I paused. “What?”

“Blue,” she said, exasperated, giving my arm a jerk. “Could you get hurt?”

“You’re worried about me?” I asked, astonishment flowing through me like a river in a rainstorm. I hadn’t expected such stark concern on her face. I hadn’t expected her to completely bowl me over.

“Well, yeah,” she said, like it was a no-brainer.

I couldn’t take it.

Not another single second.

I slipped my hands along her ribcage and lifted her off the mattress, depositing her on my lap. Her bare legs straddled my thighs as I settled her a little bit closer. Slowly, I drew my fingers down the sides of her ribs so I could grip that soft spot around her waist, just above her hip bones.

Julie stared at me curiously, her hands falling between us. It took a minute of convincing, but I got my hands to leave her waist and cupped her face, brushing my thumbs along the creamy satin of her cheeks.

I pulled her in, keeping my eyes locked on hers, feeling the slight trembling of my insides. I never anticipated anyone or anything so much. I never before wanted to prolong the torture of waiting for the first touch of a woman’s lips on mine.

Her eyes fluttered closed and the softest sigh escaped her slightly parted lips.

I crushed our mouths together, mingling our breath, taking claim on exactly what I wanted. Her lips were moist and soft. Her kiss was giving, like she was offering up every single piece of herself, like she was laying herself bare and trusting me to keep her safe.

Holy hell, I would die to kiss her like this every day for the rest of my life.