“The prosecutors royally fucked up that case,”shesaid.
“They shouldn’t have asked him to put on theglove.”
“Yep. Rule number one—never ask a question you don’t know the answer to. I didn’t make that mistake in the trial. I never asked anything that I wasn’t sure about. But it didn’t matter. They stillacquittedhim.”
“If you did everything you were supposed to do then it wasn’t your fault,”hesaid.
“I wish I couldbelievethat.”
She leaned back and stared up at the night sky. A million stars twinkled overhead. If she believed in magic, she’d wish for a different verdict. But no amount of sorcery could take away the pit of despair in herstomach.
During their conversation, Cody had moved close enough that she could see the expression on his face. His eyes were closed, giving her an opportunity to study the wash of stubble along his chin. Her fingers twitched with the urge totouchhim.
She’d never been an impulsive person, but right now, a piece of her wanted to throw caution to the wind. The stress and tension of the trial had worn away her emotional defenses, leaving her raw and exposed. Maybe it was the aura of isolation, or the romantic mood of sharing a hot tub with a sexy stranger in the middle of a snow-enchanted forest. Whatever it was, she didn’t stop to question her sudden need to be closertohim.
* * *
Cody sensedher movement the way his bear sensed a predator’s stealth. But when he opened his eyes to find Abby sliding across the bench, the look in her eyes was anything but predatory. Longing radiated off of her with such intensity that it stole his breath. He’d never been able to resist a woman in need, especially someone soincrediblysexy.
The swell of her perfect breasts rose a few inches above the waterline. Bubbles lapped at her luscious curves, revealing and then hiding her soft, round figure. He loved a woman with wide hips and a bubble butt. Shehadboth.
He’d only caught a quick look before she’d slipped into the hot tub, but he’d seen enough. Her large white panties and utterly boring bra did nothing to detract from her appeal. In fact, they implied an innocence he wasn’t used to seeing in women. Not that he didn’t appreciate frilly bras and lacy thongs—what hot blooded male didn’t—but he liked her conservative look. So many women liked to put everything on display these days that it left nothing to the imagination. In a way, it took away some of their mystery and made them lessinteresting.
Moonlight glinted off strands of her golden hair, giving it an ethereal glow. Bright splotches colored her cheeks. Her blue eyes flashed as he moved close enough that their kneestouched.
“If you keep looking at me like that,” he said in a husky tone. “I’m going to have to come overthere.”
“Then come over here,” shechallenged.
He tilted his head to one side and studied the slight tremble in her lips. She was vulnerable right now, obviously upset about the case she’d lost. Did that give him the right to take advantage of her? No, notreally.
Who cares?His bearhuffed.
Of course the feral little beast would want to plunge forward before considering anything other than his animalisticinstincts.
“Abby?” her name came out breathier than he’dintended.
“Yes?” sheasked.
“I think you’reupset…”
“Iam.”
“And you might not be thinkinglogically…”
“That would be a first for me,”shesaid.
“So maybe we should call it anight.”
“Do you really want to do that?” she asked in aseductivetone.
He groaned and wet his lips with histongue.
Go for it, his bearhollered.
“Oh hell,” he cursedsoftly.
As he reached to cup her face, she turned and brushed her lips across the palm of his hand. A shock of pure lust arced from his fingertips to his cock. Every inch of his body went on high alert as she slid a knee between his thighs. His hands tangled in her silky hair. He searched her eyes for any sign that she wanted him to stop, but he only found uncheckeddesire.
