Free Embrace the Night by Alexandra Kane

longitude, and I think there's a date here.” He jotted a few more things on his pad, then closed it. “Give me tonight, a couple of days tops, to look at this, and I think I can tell you where the drop off point is for the merchandise that's being stolen.”
     
    She snapped her fingertips. “That would be fantastic. This is just the break we need.”
     
    “If we can find out where they are taking these items,” Marcelo added, raking a hand through his dark hair, “we can intercept them, and find out who they are.”
     
    John, looking pleased with himself, nodded his agreement. “I wonder if we have time to stop them from getting the painting.”
     
    Seeing the twinkle in his deep brown eyes, she hated to disagree with him. “That's possible, but in this case, I agree with Marcelo It will be more beneficial overall if we can find out where the stolen items are going.” She saw the twinkle fade a bit, and kept her tone upbeat. “Thanks to you, John, we could even meet their contact. This could expose a much larger operation.”
     
    He smiled, as if he were buoyed by her praise. “Well, thank you, Lieutenant.” With a sparkle of mischief in his gaze, he leaned in and said, “I aim to please.”
     
    A shiver of desire ran from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine. The man was entirely too distracting for his own good. She clasped her hands together and stood. “ Junjie, take forty-eight hours and tell us everything you can about that piece of paper. Marcelo, get that containment spell done. We may need it sooner than we thought.”
Both men nodded their understanding of her instructions.
     
    “You gentlemen are free to go.” She struggled to keep her eyes on them, instead of John. “I'll see you back here in two days.”
     
    After they'd gathered their belongings and left the room, she found herself alone with John for the first time since their...encounter. She drew in a deep breath as he moved closer, coming behind her. As his strong arms encircled her waist, her eyes slid closed. She felt like an inexperienced teenager, a bundle of raging hormones begging to be released. What was he doing to her?
     
    In the silence, he whispered, “What are you doing tonight, Tatiana?”
     
    His warm breath caressing her neck, she tried to fight the trembling that began to overtake her. In a voice just as quiet as his, she answered, “Hopefully, you.”
     
    His deep throaty chuckle filled her ear, and before she knew it he was turning her to face him. Looking down into her eyes, he remarked, “You are awfully forward, Lieutenant.”
     
    “With a man like you, a girl has to be able to hold her own,” she replied, holding his gaze. “Now, what do you say we get out of here before we set off the sprinklers.”
     
    He kissed her then, a fleeting pass of his lips against hers. But it held the promise of pleasure to come. When he pulled back, she sighed.
     
    “I think that would be a smart move.” Pulling her along by the hand, he led her down the hallway, out the door, and into the chilly Carolina night.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER 9
     
     
    John smiled inwardly as he drove his vehicle down Highway 70 toward Brier Creek. Tatiana reclined in the passenger seat next to him, gazing out the window as the city lights whizzed by. They'd taken some time to drop her car off at her house, then he'd convinced her to go out for a bite to eat. He didn't really know why, but before he made love to her again, he had to know more about her.
     
    Entering the shopping center, he parked in front of the Fire Station Subs shop. “Is this okay?”
     
    She nodded. “I love their sandwiches.”
     
    He didn't say it out loud, but he loved that she didn't make demands to be taken to some expensive eatery. He got out, and went around the car to her side to open the door for her. Taking her hand as she stepped out, he guided her toward the door.
     
    As they approached, the door swung open so hard the tail of