The Spy Who Loves Me by Julie Kenner

pressed insistently against her thigh. Her body warmed, her veins filling with a liquid heat that seemed to pool between her legs, instigating a persistent throbbing that she itched to satisfy.
    The man worked on her like a chemical reaction. Apart, she could remain inert, pretending he didn’t affect her. But once they touched, she sizzled and sparked and there was no going back.
    In her line of work, that was a dangerous reaction to have to a man. Especially a man she needed to bed.
    Where Finn was concerned, Amber was going to have to be very, very careful.
    He pulled away, his lips brushing her cheek. “Your kiss opened a door, babe. And I’ll tell you just once, because I’m a gentleman—if you want to close that door, do it fast and do it now. Otherwise, we’re going all the way inside.”
    She met his gaze. “The door stays open,” she said. That was her mission, after all. And all she could do was hope that when they walked over the threshold, she’d be able to handle whatever lay on the far side of Finn’s door.

Six
    F inn’s body tightened, the press of Amber’s curves against him intoxicating. He barely knew this woman. Knew only, in fact, that in the space of twenty-four hours she’d done a complete one-eighty in looks and personality. Whereas yesterday she’d seemed quiet and shy, today she was aggressive and flirty. Yesterday she’d practically cleaved to her wardrobe of T-shirts and sweatpants, but today, she looked like she’d be perfectly comfortable in the middle of a fashion shoot for Vogue.
    He had no idea what had brought about the change, but he did know that he was at the center of it—that she was deliberately trying to catch his attention.
    And caught it she had. So much so that his whole body was standing at attention.
    In a thoroughly dull week where most of his excitement had been manufactured in his head, this was about the most interesting thing that had happened to him.
    Right now, he intended to just go with the flow. He could worry about her motivations later.
    Now he moved them backward, until her shoulders were pressed against the chilled cartons of beer in the open refrigerated case. She shivered slightly in his arms, pulling herself closer.
    â€œCold?” he asked.
    â€œHot,” she said. “Very, very hot.”
    Footsteps sounded behind them, pausing slightly, and then Finn heard someone subtly clearing his throat. He had to smile; the last time he’d been caught in such a compromising position he’d been under the bleachers with Melissa Jane Hutchinson during halftime.
    Drawing on every ounce of strength in his body, he managed to pull away, to put enough space between them for, as his grandma used to say, his guardian angel.
    Amber’s faint murmur of protest suggested that she wasn’t too thrilled he’d invited the angel to the party. She pressed closer, brushing her lips against his. “No fair,” she said. “Don’t stop.”
    â€œGot to,” he said. “People are starting to stare.”
    â€œI don’t care,” she said. She pulled back, her head tilted just enough to look him in the eyes. “Do you?” He saw amusement there, and a touch of defiance. And for an instant, Finn was absolutely positive that the woman would have no qualms about dropping down to the vinyl-tiled floor and making love next to the Chilean reds.
    There was definitely more to Amber Robinson than he’d seen before. And he intended to explore every single facet.
    â€œIf we keep this up, people will think we’re advertising one of the wines. And then the vintner will come in and sign us for some big ad campaign. Suddenly we’ll be on the road all the time, personal appearances, talk shows.” He shook his head. “Too much, too soon. The stress. We couldn’t handle it. And our relationship would crumble before it even got started.”
    He kept his