Free Smoke and Mirrors by Jenna Mills Page A

seconds later, replaced by a burning hunger that drowned out all sanity. His assault on her senses happened so fast, so thoroughly, without warning or thought, she was left with nothing but instinct.
    A dark need tore through her, prompting her to push up and grant Derek better access to her seeking mouth. All that restless heat and energy she'd sensed about him combusted into a passion like she'd never known. His lips ground against hers, thoroughly, almost desperately, like he could never get enough.
    God knew she couldn't.
    All she could do was plaster herself against him, reveling in the hardness of his body. Easy to lose herself there, in his arms, his heat, his kiss, and simply feel.
    Feel. Oh, she was feeling, all right. Every male inch of him. And he was right. It was definitely more than an inch. Far more. His erection pressed against her belly made that abundantly clear.
    Desire. It was a heady drug, one she had no idea how to combat, one Derek Mansfield knew how to use. His talented hands were everywhere. Against her back. Sliding under her scarlet suit jacket. Squeezing between their bodies. Cupping her aching breast. Teasing. Taunting—
    A knock sounded on the door. "Uncle Dare? You in there?"
    She stilled in his arms. She heard Mansfield 's labored breathing, followed by a frustrated rumble. "Ryan, that you?"
    Cass's heart gave a betraying little lurch.
    Uncle—not father. The scene in the lobby came back to her, and she realized Brent had been standing there, too. Mansfield had only intercepted the child, occupying him until Brent got off the phone. She'd heard about Brent's messy divorce, the custody battle, but she hadn't realized Ryan was his child.
    "Sorry, Uncle Dare," the boy said. He opened the door and peered in. "Just wanted to show you my new trick."
    Cass sucked in a jagged breath, but it did nothing to stop the burning inside.
    "I'll be out in a second, son, you can show me then." Derek held her tightly against him, hiding the fact that his hand rested against her breast. "You'll have to make it quick, though," he told the boy, "I've got a meeting."
    "But it's after dark," Ryan protested. "Meetings only happen during the day."
    Above-the-board meetings, Cass silently amended. Other meetings, the kind Cass was trying to uncover, were best conducted under the cloak of darkness.
    Mansfield mumbled something to the boy, then waited until Ryan scampered away and closed the door behind him. He returned his attention to her, eyes dark and intoxicating.
    "Now, where were we?"
    On the way to heaven, Cass thought grimly. Via hell. What in God's name had she just let happen? "I was just leaving."
    To prove her point, she attempted to pull away. "Not so fast, honey." With his hips still pressed against her abdomen, he tilted her chin toward his face. "You know what happens when things keep simmering, don't you?"
    She did. "They lose their flavor?" she offered glibly.
    Delight danced into his eyes. "Only if you aren't careful." He pulled her braid toward his mouth and pressed it against his lips. "And believe me, fearless, I'm a very careful man."
    How well she knew that. "Oh?"
    He dropped her braid, letting it fall between them. Then he leaned closer. "We can play your game a while longer, but remember, the more we simmer, the more we burn."
    * * *
    Somehow Cass kept herself together as she left the coat closet. She tried not to stare at Mansfield 's tall, dark form as he went in search of Ryan, but her eyes had a mind of their own. So did her traitorous body.
    Gray came up beside her. "Everything okay?"
    "Just rosy." She was a cop, damn it. A cop. But she was also a woman. Only once before had the two collided so violently. The consequences had been deadly.
    She couldn't let that happen again.
    "I'm going home, just like you suggested."
    Gray opened his mouth, but he clamped it back shut and watched her stride away.
    Thirty minutes later she eased a nondescript gray sedan onto the street and blended in with