If You Know Her: A Novel of Romantic Suspense

he answered it. She took a little bit of pleasure in hearing the harsh, unsteady rasp of his voice as he said, “Yeah?”
    Listening to the one-sided conversation, it didn’t take her long to figure out that she wouldn’t be getting any relief after all. Apparently Law had someplace to be.
    “Yeah … yeah, no. It’s okay, sweetheart. I can be there in about a half hour. Uh-huh. It’s okay.” He disconnected a few seconds after that and proceeded to swear a blue streak.
    She waited until he stopped and then asked, “So. I take it you don’t have time to run to the drugstore and buy a box of rubbers real fast, do you?”
    “Afraid not.” He laughed, rubbing the heel of his hand over his chest. “That was Lena Ri—uh, King. Ezra’s wife. She needs a ride into town and Ezra’s stuck in court for the next little while. She’s not feeling too good—has to go see the doc and …”
    Nia climbed off the bed and slid her arms around his neck. “It’s okay.” Pressing a kiss to his chin, she murmured, “Well, not exactly. I’m dying here. But you wouldn’t be worth much if you left a sick friend hanging just so you could get laid, now would you?”
    He eased his chin down, slanting his mouth over hers. “Maybe we can take a rain check?”
    “Bet your ass,” she said. At least that’s what she tried to say. The words were lost in a hungry, voracious kiss that stole the breath right out of her.
    Law skimmed a hand down her side, along her ribs, the indentation at her waist, over her hip. She gasped as he slid it between her legs and cupped her. “Just how close are you to dying? Because I wouldn’t be worthmuch if I left you in a dire situation either … Just how dire is it?”
    “Pretty dire,” she said, her voice hitching in the middle.
    He pushed one finger inside her, rotated his wrist. She bucked against his hand and started to rock. Law wrapped his free arm around her waist, supporting her. Lifting his head, he stared down at her—he wanted to keep on kissing her, tasting her, feeling her moan and sigh against his lips, but more, he needed to see her, watch as he made her come. Because damn it, he was going to have that, at least.
    “Pretty dire, huh,” he teased. Her eyes darkened, shielded by the fringe of her lashes as she rode his hand, her hips pumping back and forth. “Then I have to take care of you … always have to help a woman out.”
    He dipped his head and raked his teeth along her neck.
    Her head fell back on a gasp.
    He pressed his thumb against her clit, circled it, teased it.
    Nia cried out, a harsh, high sound. The walls of her sex tightened around him, snug and slick. He added a second finger and gritted his teeth as she squeezed tight and whimpered his name. Another slow stroke, another teasing circle around her clit.
    The diamond-hard points of her nipples taunted him and he wanted, so bad, to stretch her back out on the bed and learn every inch of her body, first with his eyes, then with his hands, then with his mouth. But first he’d have to make love to her, hard and fast, easing this vicious ache before it killed him.
    No time, though, no fucking time. All he could do was continue to pump his fingers, in … out. He nuzzled her neck again and felt a shudder run through her. He bit her lightly and felt her stiffen. With a twist of his wrist, he brought her to climax—the sound of her harsh,ragged moan was almost enough to have him coming in his jeans. He groaned, burying his face against her neck as she rocked against his hand, whimpering, her nails biting into his shoulders.
    Hot … sweet, and so damned perfect. Erotic as hell.
    Nia sagged against him, stunned, dazed. She … what … hell.
    Tipping her head back, she stared at him. “I … wow.”
    Law grinned at her. Then he dipped his head and rubbed his mouth gently against hers. “I have to go.”
    “Go?” she repeated dumbly. Fifteen seconds later, she remembered. Shit. His friend. That, more effectively than anything else, served to cool the fire in her blood.
    His friend. The one who looked eerily like Joely.
    “Yeah,” she said, forcing the words through her tight throat. “You go.”
    She swallowed and eased back, tried not to let anything show on her face.
    But those eyes of his, they seemed to see everything—far below the surface. He brushed his knuckles down her cheek. “You okay?”
    “Yeah.” She gave him a tight smile and moved across the room on shaky legs. Need