Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

Maggie VanDorn. I’m also an old family friend.’
    Daphne’s eyes closed. ‘I’m sorry, Maggie. It was the damn tree. I swear.’
    Maggie patted her cheek, then turned to Joseph. ‘I was Daphne’s nanny.’
    He met Maggie’s eyes, found them filled with worry. ‘Good to meet you, ma’am.’
    ‘Stay as long as you like,’ she said to Joseph. ‘Come along, Simone. I’ll fix us a hot toddy. It’ll help us sleep.’
    The ladies went to the kitchen, leaving Daphne and Joseph alone. Joseph ran his hand down her back. ‘Before I leave, is there a place we can talk privately? I have some questions about your friend Hal.’
    ‘Sure,’ she said. ‘This way.’ She led him to the solarium where a hundred-pound Giant Schnauzer waited. ‘Follow my lead. She might look cute, but she’s fierce.’
    Great , he thought sourly. Another protection dog to dislike me . Paige’s dog still barely tolerated him. Nevertheless, he followed her in.
    The dog immediately began to bark frantically.
    ‘Tasha,’ Daphne said sharply. ‘Down.’ The dog dropped to her belly, eyeing Joseph like he was a giant pork chop. ‘Now come. He’s okay.’
    Unbelievably the dog came, warily, but she came.
    ‘Crouch down with me,’ Daphne said, and together, they did. Daphne laid her head on Joseph’s shoulder and patted his knee. ‘It’s okay, Tasha. He’s okay.’ When the dog came closer, Daphne took Joseph’s hand and held it out to the dog. Within a few seconds, she’d licked him and gone back to her corner and curled up to sleep.
    Daphne straightened, pulling Joseph up with her. ‘There. Now if you need to come in the house when I’m not here, she’ll most likely leave you alone.’
    She hadn’t let go of his hand. That was very good. He needed to ask his question and leave her alone to sleep. He wanted to kiss her senseless.
    He wanted too many other things that he couldn’t have right now. ‘I need to go.’
    She held tight to his hand. ‘Not yet. What was your question?’
    With difficulty, he brought his body into check. ‘Why didn’t you tell your friend about the blood in the basement?’
    ‘Hal? I didn’t want to upset my mother and Maggie. They hate Travis, but hearing about all that would terrify them more than they already are.’
    ‘That’s it? I thought maybe you didn’t trust him.’
    ‘I do trust him. He would never hurt me. But Joseph, he’s a friend, no more.’ She met his eyes. ‘You have nothing to fear from him.’
    The need to have her hit him like a brick, and before he knew what he was doing he’d started to reach for her. He backed away. ‘I have to go.’
    ‘Wait.’
    He stopped, hanging on to his control, but barely.
    ‘I did tell Hal something that wasn’t true. I told him that I’d been scared every minute of this horrible day. But there were a few seconds when I wasn’t scared. When I believed everything could be all right.’
    ‘When?’ he whispered.
    ‘When you kissed me. That moment with you in the conference room was the only time all day that I didn’t feel afraid.’ She swallowed hard. ‘I know you have to go, but . . .’ She looked up then. ‘Please?’
    The air left his lungs in a slow steady exhale and he let her see how very, very hungry he was. Her breath hitched when he lifted his hands to her face, cupping her face the way he’d wanted to all day. The way he’d wanted to for nine fucking months.
    ‘My hands are shaking,’ he whispered.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘I’ve wanted this for so long . . . I’m afraid I can’t go slow.’
    ‘Then don’t. Don’t go slow. I don’t want to be able to think.’
    God . With a groan he snapped, taking her mouth with no finesse, no control. Just . . . need. Raw need. He devoured her in a big greedy surge. He couldn’t get enough. Never enough . And then she was kissing him back. Her arms were around his neck and she was lifting herself higher. Closer .
    More . His hands slid down her body, down that beautiful body that he’d watched so many times. Mine . His hands closed over the roundness of her butt and he kneaded hard and fast. She was on her toes, her arms straining, her hips lifting. Seeking.
    He spun them, pressing her against the door, pressing himself against her. Rocking up into her. Good. She felt so good.
    And it still wasn’t enough. Need boiled over and he ripped his mouth away, forced his hips to freeze. But his cock failed to get the memo, throbbing against the softest part of her. He