Lure of Obsession (The Muse Chronicles Book 1) by Lisa Kessler

okay?”
    “I will.” He sat at his desk and rubbed his shoulder. His equilibrium was off. Why had John’s comment gotten under his skin like that? His partner knew him better than anyone, and Nate didn’t do relationships. Not really.
    But something about hearing him refer to Mel as “some tail” pissed him off.
    So what exactly was she?
    His muse.
    His.
    He groaned and grabbed the DMV list from the partial plate search. This was a problem he could potentially solve. He stuffed the papers into his bag and got in his car.
    But instead of going to his condo, he ended up on Lothlórien Lane. He parked on the street and smacked his steering wheel. Being a Guardian was apparently very similar to being a stalker.
    His cell phone buzzed. He pulled it out and found a text.
    Across the street.
    He looked up and Mel waved from the sidewalk in front of her friend’s place. She jogged over as he lowered his window.
    “Fancy meeting you here.” She rested her elbows on the door.
    “I was going home. Not really sure how I got here.” God, that sounded pathetic. He shook his head. “Are you all right? Maybe that’s why I was drawn over here. I’ve never been much of a stalker.”
    “So your partner told me.”
    He frowned. “What’d he tell you?”
    “That you’re not a commitment kind of guy.” She shrugged. “He really is protective of you.”
    Nate nodded, pressing his lips together. “He damn sure is.” He pointed at the house. “Everything okay in there?”
    She glanced over her shoulder. “Yeah. My sisters are brainstorming plans to keep the theater safe when we’re not there.”
    “Good. Security cameras would be a step in the right direction.” The awkward conversation was killing him. He reached up, slid his fingers into her hair, and pulled her in closer. His lips fused to hers, and she hummed into the kiss, resting her forehead against his.
    “You should invite me into your car.”
    He grinned. “Want to go to my place?”
    She stole another kiss and whispered, “Definitely.”

CHAPTER 8
    T his time they made it inside his condo without any interruptions. Good thing, too. He’d had more than his fair share of booty calls, but he’d never wanted anyone as urgently as he wanted this woman. It wasn’t just that Mel’s body fit perfectly in his arms or that her hungry kisses set him on fire. She fed a part of him he’d sworn had died years ago.
    In spite of her tendency toward worst-case scenarios, she didn’t live her life safe. There was a flame inside her, a rebel—and something more.
    She popped the last two buttons off his shirt. The plastic disks landed on the hardwood floor behind him, and then her top did, too. He kissed his way down her neck as her fingertips glided down his back. Her touch had him aching for more.
    He unfastened her bra, his lips trailing lower until he took her nipple into his mouth, circling the tip with his tongue. She gripped his ass tighter, and he rocked his hips against her, his erection making it plain how much he wanted her. Moving to the other nipple, he teased her with his teeth until she gasped his name. It had never sounded sexier.
    Shit. He needed her. Now.
    He claimed her lips again and scooped her up into his arms. She laughed into the kiss as he carried her to his dark bedroom. He laid her on the bed, whispering, “We have way too many clothes on.”
    She caught his bottom lip in her teeth. “Couldn’t agree more.”
    He needed her naked before he came with his pants still on. His lips trailed down her chest tasting her skin as he popped the button on her jeans and slowly lowered the zipper. Her fingers tightened in his hair, encouraging him lower. He’d never been more eager.
    Desire burned like fire in his veins. He wanted to explore every part of her body, to hear her call out his name, and make her his . Most of all, he wanted to lose himself, to drown in their passion in this moment. No tomorrow. Just now.
    He tugged her pants off and knelt