Free Looking for You by Kate Perry Page A

interested in her or in ferreting out her secrets.
    So she said
the logical thing: "What are you doing here?"
    He stuffed
his hands in his pockets, his expression souring. "I'm asking myself that
too."
    Lola
cleared her throat—loudly.
    Gwen rolled
her eyes. "This is my friend, Lola. She lives upstairs and was just
leaving."
    Smiling
brilliantly, Lola extended her hand. "Pleased to meet you, even though I
don't know who you are."
    "Rick
Clancy." He flashed that devilish grin of his.
    Gwen had no
idea how Lola managed to stay standing. If he'd looked at her that way, she'd
be a puddle on the floor.
    Her friend
obviously didn't have that problem though, because she gave Rick a cheeky grin
before turning to give Gwen a pointed look. "Let me know if you need to
change our plans."
    "I
won't," Gwen promised.
    "Right,"
her friend said, though her tone screamed Liar .
She headed to the door, turning to wink at Gwen and give her a thumbs up.
    Channeling
Laurel, Gwen rolled her eyes. She waited until the door clicked shut before
facing Rick. "Why are you here?"
    He frowned.
"It's cold out."
    She nodded.
"This is San Francisco. It's always like this in August."
    "I
didn't want you rollerblading home in the fog," he explained, picking up a
gourd and studying it.
    She barely
resisted the urge to snatch her artwork out of his hands. "What does a
little fog matter?"
    "It's
dangerous. I'll take you home."
    " No ." She shook her head vehemently.
She'd been treated like she was some sort of fragile crystal when she was a
kid, and she wasn't about to revert to that. "You aren't my keeper.
Besides, I have plans."
    He set the
gourd back in its exact spot and faced her. "What plans?"
    "None
of your business. You're the one who's been absent, so don't act like I'm at
fault for living my life." She turned to walk away.
    He grabbed
her hand as she walked by and pulled her into his body. She contemplated
pushing away, but he felt good. Why spite herself?
    "I've
been working a lot, and I miss you," he told her, clutching the back of
her shirt in his fist and holding her flush against him. "So I'll wait and
take you home after whatever you have planned. Not because I don't think you
can take care of yourself but because maybe I want to spend time with
you."
    She melted
with happiness. "Do you have a fever?"
    "Early
dementia." He brushed back her hair, tipping her head back.
    She eased
more into him. Kiss me, she wanted to whisper. "I hear they have drugs to
help with that these days. Or maybe you can try electroshock therapy."
    "The
only therapy I need is this." He lowered his mouth to hers.
    At last .
    Moaning,
Gwen wrapped herself around him. He hummed, backing her up until she felt the
counter behind her. Picking her up, he set her on the counter and stepped
between her legs, kissing her as though he didn't want it to ever end. Wrapping
her legs around him, she held him close. She didn't want it to end either.
    "That's
what I needed," he murmured against her lips.
    "Why
didn't you just say so?" she asked, sighing as he slipped his hands under
her shirt.
    "Actions
work better than words with you." He ran his hands up and down her spine,
kneading gently. "Cancel your plans and take me home."
    Normally,
she wouldn't have, but this thing with Rick wasn't normal. Frankly, Lola would
nag her all night if Gwen didn't go with him. So she nodded. "But only
this time."
    He stepped
back from her. "What can I help with?"
    She hopped
off the counter. "Nothing. I need to call Lola and then lock up. Sit down.
It'll only take a second."
    She called
Lola, who replied "Duh" when Gwen told her she was going home with
Rick. Then she quickly put away the cash and receipts, aware that he watched
her the entire time. She couldn't read anything other than need in his
expression.
    He wanted her .
    She
shivered, delicious goose bumps of anticipation. She could almost forgive him
for not calling her all week.
    Maybe after
she made him grovel a little.
    She left
her