Price took another breath in but didn’t walk away this time.
Instead, he shook his head.
“I realized just now that I think I know what you’re going to do once we find your brother, and I’m hoping I’m wrong. So I’m asking again. What about us? What about me? What do you feel like you need to do if everything works out with Lawson and your brother? And, what about if it doesn’t? Because, I’ll be honest. I’m not like you, JJ. There’s no space between I’m getting lost in. I know what I want, and I know what I need and it’s one and the same.”
His gaze dropped to her lips.
He watched her ask the only response she could manage in the moment.
“And what’s that?”
He put his hand against her cheek. His eyes didn’t leave her lips.
“You.”
They hadn’t talked about their first kiss even once after it happened in the department bathroom. A part of JJ had wanted to. A part hadn’t. It had been an intense day and emotions were running high and he had comforted her. That was it, right?
She had needed that answer.
She hadn’t wanted it.
Price was right. There was that space in between the two lives she had been living.
Price was also warm.
His lips connected for another kiss. There was no denying this time everything was different.
Price pressed his body flush against hers. He tilted her head back slightly and paused. JJ realized he was waiting for her to accept him or reject him.
There was no getting lost in between for her anymore.
JJ applied her own pressure against his lips, against his body. That was all the man needed. His tongue parted her lips, and their kiss went from a solitary instance to an all-consuming constant. JJ’s hands wound their way up his neck and tangled in his hair. Price’s hands cradled and roamed until they were no longer standing.
The bed in the main room was firm. It didn’t give as Price laid her down its middle, it didn’t cave as he started to take off their clothes and it didn’t buckle as she arched against his fingers sliding between her underwear and skin. He maneuvered inside of her with one hand and adjusted her against him with the other.
JJ moved against his mouth.
He held her close, working until she couldn’t take it anymore.
Then he adjusted again.
This time JJ helped.
She returned in kind and stripped him until there was nothing between their bodies but heat and sweat.
Price had already made it clear that he was a fan but feeling him against her was an experience that excited her to no end. When they were done with the appetizers, he devoured the main course. She used the last of her willpower to not call out as he pushed deep inside of her.
There was no space between them at all after that.
* * *
Price woke upfeeling good.
Well, not all good. He was sore in spots from his fight the day before and from the party, but who cared about some bruises and pulled muscles? He felt good on good, and he knew exactly why.
He rolled over, ready to cuddle up to a Miss JJ Shaw. Instead, he grabbed at a whole bunch of empty space.
Price popped up like a daisy in spring.
