Page 66 of Tough Justice

Tori stepped aside for him to enter. After closing the door, she knelt beside Thor and wrapped her arms around his wriggling, tail-wagging body.

“Who exactly did you think I was?” Then again, after the other night, maybe she thought he was T-Lo. “Tori?” he asked when she didn’t answer.

Thor twisted his neck to land a lick on her cheek. His dog was a cop, through and through, but he was, first and foremost, a dog with a canine’s inherent sense of knowing when someone needed comfort. Only problem was Deck wanted to be the one to comfort her.

He knelt beside Tori, gently lifting her by her arms and pulling out a chair for her to sit. “Did you think I was T-Lo?”

She nodded. “You were standing in the shadow, and I couldn’t see you and—” Thor rested his head on her lap, and she sifted her fingers through his fur.

Deck clenched his hand so hard his knuckles cracked. When he caught up to T-Lo, he fully planned on ramming his fist down the guy’s throat. “I’m sorry,” he repeated, sounding stupid even to himself, since he was the cause of this whole mess. He and his job. For the last week, he’d been busy tracking down leads, but he also understood the wisdom of giving Tori a little space from the craziness of his job. If she couldn’t take it, they had a problem.

Her fingers stilled on Thor’s head. “Are you okay?”

“Me?” Amazing. Only minutes ago, she’d thought she was about to be attacked, and here she was asking him if he was okay. “I’m fine.”

“I haven’t heard from you in a while, so…”

“We nailed another dealer yesterday.” Totally not the reason he’d swung by her house.

“I saw that in the paper. You didn’t have to come by to tell me that.”

“I know, but I couldn’t stay away.” It was a risk being here, but he was selfish.

“You couldn’t?”

His gaze dipped to her lips. “Nope.” Because she was compassionate and selfless. Intelligent and fun to be with. And sexy as hell. In his book, the total package. “Are you okay with that?”

When she nodded, his relief was overwhelming. He still had a shot with her. If I don’t fuck it up. Kicking off a relationship with so many known problems already out there might not be the smartest move, but he didn’t care. The only thing Deck knew was that he didn’t want to let her go.

He leaned in and kissed her, gliding his lips across hers in a feather-soft kiss, waiting for her to kiss him back. “Do you want me to leave?”

Gentle fingers caressed his cheek, and she sighed into his mouth, parting her lips and gradually kissing him back with a heated fervor he recognized in himself. Without breaking contact, she slid off her chair onto his lap.

Deck hadn’t been to church since the day they laid his sister to rest, but… Thank God.

Tori wriggled closer, straddling his thighs and seating herself firmly on top of him. She angled her head, deepening the kiss until his body zinged with so much need he thought his zipper would bust. “Honey, do you want to take this into your bedroom?” Or up against the wall again?

“Nuh-uh,” she whispered against his mouth. “I want you right here.”

Well, alrighty, then.

“Thor.” He pointed to the living room. “Go lie down.”

With a disappointed huff, Thor slunk into the living room, circled twice, then lay down in the middle of the rug.

Deck reached over to the wall and turned off the lights, bathing them in what little ambient moonlight filtered into the kitchen. No sense giving the neighbors anything else to gossip about. Beneath her shirt, he slid his hands up her back and flicked open the catch on her bra. He tugged the shirt and bra over her head and dropped it on the table.

Her breasts were about at eye level, her nipples calling to him like a beacon. He pulled her closer and sucked one into his mouth. She arched her neck, and a throaty, sexy purring sound came from the back of her throat.

When she grabbed the hem of his shirt, he lifted his arms so she could pull it off. Next, she undid his belt and popped open the button on his jeans. She stood and eased down his zipper. Her hand was hot as she freed him then closed her fingers around his stiff length.

Oh, Jesus. Blood shot to his balls faster than a bullet leaving the chamber. Now it was his turn to throw back his head and groan. With steady motions, she stroked him, up then down. Faster and faster until—

He grabbed her hand. “Baby, stop. We’ve been through this before.” Around her, he had next to no control. His cock did whatever it pleased.

When her tongue darted out to lick her lower lip, his cock jerked to attention. “Please, tell me you have a condom,” she said, repeating his exact words from the last time they’d been together.

“Yes, ma’am.” In record speed, he whipped one from his pocket and began rolling it on. As he did, his attention was torn between the job at hand and watching her shimmy out of her slacks and panties. When she leaned down to take off her shoes, her gorgeous breasts hung low and her pretty ass caught the moonlight streaming through the glass door.