Free Double the Heat by Deirdre Martin, Lori Foster, Elizabeth Bevarly, Christie Ridgway

thinking?”
    “I’m thinking that I believe you, that you do feel differently about me.”
    Relief loosened his knotted muscles. “Good.”
    “So then, since we do have something different going on, could you tell me why you failed to mention that Caroline kissed you?”
    “Uh . . .” How did she know that?
    Lisa shook her head. “Give it up, Hart. You have lipstick all over your mouth. If it didn’t mean anything, if you didn’t enjoy it, why didn’t you just ’fess up right away?”

Five
     
    Hart Winston not only found her desirable, but he also enjoyed her company. Lisa couldn’t help but be thrilled, seeing as how she’d been secretly enamored of him forever. But she wouldn’t put too much stock in anything a man said while his hormones were in charge.
    If Hart had been celibate as long as he’d claimed—which had to be a record for him—then he’d likely see things in a skewed way until he’d appeased his lust.
    She was ready to help him with that. Oh, boy, was she ready.
    She watched as Hart pulled into the parking lot, put the car in Park, turned on an interior light, and checked his face in the rearview mirror.
    “Shit.” Using a sleeve, he scrubbed his mouth. “I’m sorry, Lisa. The woman grabbed me,” he explained while scrubbing, “and I wasn’t sure what to do, being she’s probably the one I’m supposed to meet so the idiots can carry out their plot. I mean, if I’d shoved her away, or turned my face, or maybe gagged on her, the jig would be up, right?”
    “Uh-huh.” Lisa opened her door and got out. Like Hart would ever gag on a woman. He was so ridiculous, such a hedonist, how could she ever take him seriously when he spoke about his feelings?
    Hart left the car, locking it with a click of the remote, and jogged to catch up with her. “What does ‘uh-huh’ mean?”
    “It means I don’t understand why you didn’t just tell me about it right off.” While walking along the path beneath a security light, she dug her keys out of her purse.
    “I wasn’t sure you’d understand.”
    They entered the building and headed for her apartment door. “Of course I understand. This is a delicate situation. You have to play along to expose the men who want to harm you. I wouldn’t expect you to risk that just because a woman was too forward.”
    “So . . . it’s okay? You really don’t mind?”
    He looked and sounded disgruntled, as if he’d wanted her to blast him with jealousy. Lisa shook her head as she unlocked her door. “I have no claim on you, Hart.”
    He followed her in, closed the door, and crowded close to her. Only one small light shone in her kitchen, barely breaching the shadows. His expression looked harsh, too serious, his eyes glittering and his mouth tight.
    With one hand, he smoothed her cheek. “I want you to.”
    His look alone left her breathless, never mind the press of his hard body or the touch of his warm breath coming too fast. “What?”
    “Have a claim.” He cupped the other side of her face. “On me.”
    Lisa looked at his mouth, ready to agree to almost anything. Then she firmed her resolve. No, she would not commit herself. If, after they’d made love again, he still felt the same, then she’d discuss it with him. “Let’s go to bed.”
    His eyes flared—and he moved away from her.
    “Hart?”
    A lamp came on, almost blinding her, and then the overhead kitchen light, and the hall light.
    Was he racing to the bedroom without her? “What are you doing?”
    “I’m going to make sure that lipstick is washed away.” Before he went into the bathroom, he looked back over his shoulder. “I’m not kissing you with another woman’s mark on me.”
    “Oh.” So considerate . Well . . . sort of. “I appreciate that.” Truthfully, she hadn’t thought of it. But now that he’d mentioned it, yes, she did prefer that he remove all signs of that woman’s pursuit.
    Water ran, and she heard Hart splashing, and then gargling. She smiled,