Chapter Seventeen

Five minutes later, Rory had enough. He was about to go after her but was waylaid by the arrival of their food. The waitress threw him a coy smile. “Did your girlfriend leave you all by yourself, honey?” she asked.

Lena suddenly appeared and answered before he could. “Nah, she didn’t. Just went to powder her nose. We’ll give a shout if we need anything.”

Giving the woman a hard look, she flopped extravagantly onto his lap. Her lips puffy and her hair mussed, she looked sexy as hell.

He tensed but didn’t guess her intent until she’d clawed her hands through the tangle of his hair, yanked his head back, and kissed him.

Kissed him like he’d never been kissed before.

Holy shit.

If she’d clocked him one, he couldn’t have been more surprised. She wasn’t subtle or shy about it, either. Pressing close, her breasts flush against his chest, she nipped at his lip. Her tongue, aggressive and agile, slipped into his mouth while his body was still processing the fact that there was a warm-bodied woman sitting on…him. His brain cleared of coherent thought, his blood heading south with the speed of a radar-guided missile.

She made a low sound deep in her throat, undulated against him and his instant, rock-hard erection. Without conscious thought, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tighter. His thoughts centered on her, only her, the busy establishment becoming little more than a blur in the background.

Sanity returned—or a semblance of it—when she bit his lip a little too hard. He pulled himself together, grabbed hold of her shoulders, and tore his lips free.

Her cheeks flushed, she regarded him silently, passion and anger a fiery combination in her gaze. Intent on taking charge once more, she fought his hold, but he wouldn’t let her play her game of dominance any longer. She tried to speak, something outrageous, no doubt, but he wouldn’t let her do that, either. Couldn’t.

Lena needed a lesson.

He took her mouth, slowly, strongly, commanding her as effectively as she had him, but with gentleness rather than barely controlled aggression. Infinitely thorough in his seduction, he suckled her full lower lip, bit down, and got his reward in her soft whimper.

Much better.

For one exquisite moment she softened against him, melted into him, but then she stiffened and shoved herself off his lap.

“No,” she said, clearly not liking having the tables turned on her.

Even as he struggled with his raging hormones, he was pleased to see an involuntary shiver go through her. Neither of them had come out of this power play untouched.

At a later time he was bound to worry about how easily she had slipped past his defenses. For now, he took some pleasure in seeing that she was as disconcerted as he was. What had just happened? No one got past his professional cool, especially not on the job.

Well, no one except Alice, who had somehow always managed to break through the boundaries of control he applied so ruthlessly in his day-to-day life. He couldn’t help but wonder how this woman, who was so unlike sweet and balanced Alice, could get to him so easily.

With effort, she regained enough of her equilibrium to spin away and return to her own seat. By the time she faced him again, her cocky smirk was back, although a bit brittle. Doggedly she started cutting her steak.

It took him a moment to realize that her top was inside out—something that he clearly wasn’t responsible for. Whatever had happened before she returned to the table, it didn’t bode well if it had put her in this mood.

He compressed his lips and fought to dismiss the tantalizing taste she had left behind, struggled to analyze the effect she had on him.

“Mind telling me what that was all about?” he asked, his voice sounding gravelly to his own ears.

She acted as if her sensual assault on him hadn’t happened. “Hmm?” she said around a large piece of meat. “Oh, you mean warning off the vamp? I don’t like complications. She looked like an all-nighter.”

“Right. I meant the stud, Lena.” he said, his jaw tight.

“Ah. Jack,” she breathed, a smug smile on her face. Languidly, she drank half of her second glass of Scotch. “I needed some action. Wouldn’t want to get out of practice, now, would I?”

She lit up a cigarette. “He didn’t last very long. Is it my imagination,” she asked conversationally, “or did the stamina of the male population drop dramatically during my stay at the nuthouse?” She blew cigarette smoke from her lips with the question.

Damn, he didn’t need this. Really, he didn’t. She was clearly trying to get a rise out of him…and succeeding in more ways than one, he admitted grudgingly.

But hell, no.

Leo had warned him about that. He would not get distracted by her bullshit.

“I wouldn’t know,” he replied blandly.

The corners of her lips curled up in a knowing sneer. “I’ll bet you wouldn’t. A shame, really.” She sighed dramatically. “It was worth my while, though. I got what I wanted. It was just so big, I couldn’t resist.”

A cigarette between her lips, she reached behind her back and withdrew a stainless Smith & Wesson semiautomatic. “Isn’t it a beauty?” she purred. Her fingers caressed the weapon before putting it out of sight again. “Got a nice spare mag to go with it, too. Lucky me.”

“You stole his gun?” Rory barely held back his shout and cast a quick glance in the direction of the restrooms. As he realized that she hadn’t had sex with the guy, relief rushed through him. She’d just been messing with him by making him think she had. Why he gave a damn, he would have to contemplate later. Right now he was more worried about the evening turning into a full-blown disaster. He wasn’t particularly thrilled with the concept of getting the local law on their asses.

“Borrowed it, if you prefer.” She took another bite of steak. Chewing with gusto, she added, “Don’t worry about Jack. I wore him out. You’re not hungry?” Her gaze was locked onto his untouched food.

“I lost my appetite. Have at it,” he muttered. First the wallet, and now this. Things had gone far enough. “That was a stupid risk to take, Lena. We’ve got to keep a low profile.”

“I don’t think Jack is going to go running to the cops if that’s what you’re worried about. He had a nice little stash of ecstasy in his pocket…and his system. He won’t be thrilled, but he’ll get over it.”

Rory scowled at her careless attitude. “That’s beside the point. What you did was just plain reckless and unnecessary.”

“I disagree.” Taking a drag from her cigarette, she eyed him speculatively. “Let me guess. You thought I fucked his brains out?” With a throaty chuckle, she resumed her meal. “Tempting as that may seem…I like my men a little more challenging, thank you very much.” She swallowed, tilted her head to the side curiously. “Why? You interested?”

After that kiss, a part of him gave a cheery hell, yes. But he knew better. Letting her know that would be a big mistake. An unexpected, somewhat helpless laugh escaped him at the offhand invitation. “I think you’d be a bit much for me,” he told her, only half kidding. “Thanks for the compliment, though.”

“What makes you think it was a compliment?” came her tart comeback. “I’m not that picky. I was at the funny farm for a whole freakin’ year, remember?”

He shook his head tiredly. She was fucking impossible, he thought, digging in his pocket for money.

Downing the last of her drink, she held up a hand. “That’s okay. This one’s on Jack,” she declared generously, tossing a large wad of bills on the table.

“Shit. You took his money, too?” Exasperation slammed into Rory.

“Hey. What can I say? I’m expensive. Let’s get out of here.”

Arguing was pointless. He had a bad feeling about this whole situation.