Tonight. The holidays weren’t over. Not yet. He still had time with her. Time to make her want and need just as badly as he did.
“I’ll come to your place after my shift tonight,” he said against her lips. He loved that fireplace she had. Loved the feel of the flames behind him and her soft body beneath his.
Her hand pushed against his chest. “I…ah, that’s why I’m here.”
He couldn’t help the tension that tightened his shoulders.
“Actually”—she took a deep breath, one that made her breasts rise nicely—“I’m here because I was Christmas shopping in the area, and I realized I wanted to see you.”
No lies. The tension slipped away.
“I could have called.” She gave a little shrug. “But I—I just came to see you. I hope…I hope that was okay.”
The uncertainty was plain, not hidden behind a too-bright smile, but obvious in the small, sexy stutter that had slipped free. He liked the confidence, but he liked the vulnerability more. When it came to her, was there a damn thing he didn’t like?
Trouble.
“I’m having dinner at my parents’ tonight. A family Christmas get-together.” The words came out in a rush. “You’re welcome to come with me.”
To the Tate house? He’d been there with Daniel before, but never for the big holiday party. He’d avoided the annual family party like it was the plague. To him, it was.
Christie’s gaze searched his. “Not part of the agreement, is it?”
Just sex.
Not families. Not dates to celebrate.
“Forget it.” She gave a laugh. One far too strained and fake for Christie. “It was just an idea. You don’t have to come.” She raised onto her toes and kissed his jaw. “We can meet tomorrow. We still have plenty of time.”
But time could pass too quickly. Life could. “I’ll be there.”
Her breath blew against his neck as she looked up at him. “You will?”
He managed a jerky nod. What am I doing? “We’ll probably give your dad and brother a heart attack, but what the hell?”
Her laugh was real this time. “Right, what the hell?”
“I’ll meet you there,” he offered, thinking fast. “My shift ends at eight. I’ll come by then.” I’ll drink enough to make it through the glares Daniel will give me. Glares and maybe a punch. Or two. Because he knew how his buddy would react.
“Then we can go back to my place.” Her voice became huskier. “Or yours.”
He thought about his place for two seconds. “Yours.” He smiled. “I like the way your skin looks when the tree lights shine on you.” On her breasts, on the curve of her stomach. On that pink flesh between her thighs. Oh, yeah, he liked that.
A rap shook the door. “Captain wants us!” Scotty called, his voice way too happy for that announcement. No one was ever happy to talk to the captain.
Jonas pressed a quick kiss to her lips. “I’ll see you tonight.” He opened the door and found Scotty standing too close.
Scotty grinned. “See you soon, Christie.”
Christie murmured something nice and polite back to him. Jonas turned his head and caught sight of his desk, and the package still on top of it.
He hurried forward and scooped it up. When he turned back around, Christie was already under the garland, heading for the exit. “Christie!”
She glanced back. Same welcoming smile. Same bright eyes.
And the same punch hit him in the gut. Dammit. He hurried forward and offered her the gift.
As soon as she saw the package, her skin flushed. “Jonas?”
“I was gonna give it to you tonight.”
“Ain’t that sweet!” a detective’s voice rang out. Bronte, a guy he would pound later.
Her hands tightened around the box. “Thank you.” She lifted the box to her ear and give it a quick little shake.
He kissed her, fast but deep. “You can thank me after the party.” She could do anything she wanted tonight.
He sure planned to do just that.
Christie waited until she was back in her car and then she ripped open the package. When the green silk panties tumbled out—thong underwear—she wasn’t surprised.
She was turned on.
She knew just what she’d be wearing tonight for her cop.
Maybe she’d let him rip this pair off, too.
“So you’re going to meet the family, huh?” Scotty asked as they grabbed their coats at eight and got ready to head out the door.
Another day from hell. Holidays could bring out the best in people, but they could bring out the worst, too. He and Scotty had spent hours at another crime scene. A robbery gone bad. The shop owner hadn’t been the one to wind up in the body bag, though. The robber must not have expected the guy in his eighties to fight back.
He had.
Jonas yanked on his gloves. “I already know the family.” Too well, so he knew what kind of welcome he’d get when he showed up with Christie.
Because they also know me too well. Well enough to understand that he shouldn’t be with Christie. He’d always known it, too.
“Take my advice with this one,” Scotty said, his grin sliding away. “Don’t screw up.”
Jonas raised a brow.
“Seriously. This one isn’t like the others.”
Christie wasn’t like anyone else.
“We’re both gettin’ too old to spend our holidays alone.” Scotty looked out the front doors of the station. “There’s got to be more than crime scenes waiting on us. If you’re smart, you’ll take that ‘more’ that’s standing so close to you.” He inclined his head. “’Night, partner.”
A cold blast of air swept inside when Scotty left.
Jonas lifted his collar and got ready to follow his partner.
“Yo, Kirk!”
His hand hesitated in front of the doors. He glanced to the left and saw the desk sergeant waving him over. He and Carl had known each other for years.
“Hey, aren’t you friends with Daniel Tate?”
A fast nod.
“My boy Jamie is working as a security guard there.”
“I saw him the other night.” Jonas turned away from the door. There was something in Carl’s voice. “There a problem?”
“I know it’s not your beat, but, since you know the family and all”—Carl leaned over the desk—“Jamie called about an hour ago. Said there was some trouble in one of the offices.”
“What kind of trouble?” Jonas’s phone vibrated in his pocket. “Hold on, Carl.” He stepped to the side as he put the phone to his ear. “Kirk.”
“Jonas! Shit, man, I need you.” Daniel’s voice was way more tense than normal—and normal usually was tense for Daniel. “Can you come down to the company? Someone…someone broke into Christie’s office and trashed the place.”
What? Fuck. “I’m on my way.” He spun around.
“Wait!” Carl called out. “Don’t you want to know—”
“On