Deadly Desire (Carrington-Hill Investigations Book 2) by Kate Allenton Page A

danger… and not from the mob of women but from a god damn killer!
    H is hands fell to his sides, and he stepped back and again turned his back on her. “These foundations count on me. I don’t know why people peg me as famous or why they’re willing to pay money to get their pictures taken with me. But if money from just my presence can save one life, then it was worth it.”
    She stepped up behind him and placed her palms on his arms. “I’m sorry, Collin, but you’re going to have to face facts. Some lunatic is willing to kill to get her hands on you.”
    He turned and placed his palm on her face. Acutely aware of his proximity, she noticed the lines around his mouth soften. He slowly leaned down. When he spoke next, it was against her lips. “If you’re my girlfriend, they’re going to expect me to kiss you.”
    He did a complete one-eighty right before her eyes. Nowhere in their conversation had they been discussing whether or not she could pull off acting like his girlfriend. Her eyes searched his, looking for answers to her unspoken question. She wasn’t sure if she leaned in to close the gap between them or if he had. His arms came around her and pulled her close to his body as he pressed his unrelenting lips to hers. It only lasted mere seconds before he pulled back, but it was enough of a taste and a tease for her to realize she wanted more of his touch, more of his mouth. Double damn fire. She stepped back, shaking the crazy thoughts from her head.
    “What was that for?”
    He gave her a lopsided grin, not that of a confident man, but as one testing the boundaries after walking his date to the door and debating on whether to give her a good-night kiss after a first date. “Figured we needed to get that out of the way if your performance tonight is going to be believable.”
    She glanced down at her watch and walked to the door separating their rooms. She flicked the lock and pulled the door open. “ You need a time out, and I need to start getting ready.”
    Stepping into his room, Sara checked every nook and cranny before she deemed it safe for him to enter. She walked to the door and flicked the extra latch on the door to ensure he was secure and safe for the time being. “I’ll feel better if we keep the door open until we leave.”
    Resting his palm on her shoulder , he leaned over and kissed her cheek before disappearing into his room . Rein it in, Sara. Now is not the time . She checked herself against familiar lust brewing inside of her; the heat searing down-to-your-bones kind that only he seemed to have figured out how to trigger from her. Damn, just what the hell had she gotten herself into? She went back to her room, all the while listening to the news he was watching on the television next door. She heard him puttering around even as she went about getting ready.
    She stepped into the floor -length black silk dress, laced her arms through the spaghetti straps, and zipped it as far as she could reach, leaving her back half exposed. She struggled to pull up the damn zipper, struggling for just the right angle, only stopping when the muscle in her arm cramped. She knocked on the open door to Collin’s room before walking in. Seeing him in his tighty-whities was the last thing she needed. She envisioned that picture and amended that he was probably a boxer guy. He was lounging against the headboard, already dressed in his tuxedo pants. His jacket hung off a nearby chair, and his crisp white shirt hung buttoned but un-tucked.
    “Damn, I guess I’ll never know.”
    He quirked a brow. “Know what?”
    “Boxers or briefs.”
    He chuckled as he slid off the bed. “There’s still time for you to find out.”
    She turned , showing him her back. “Do you mind?”
    Over her shoulder , she watched as his eyes seemed to undress her and delivered a nonverbal invitation in the smoldering depths. It would be way too easy to get lost in the way he looked at her. Her breath hitched when his fingers