License to Thrill

his need for her growing hard against her belly. Reason fled, and all that mattered was his hands on her body.
    He slid his hands under her shirt and explored her like a lost traveler looking for home, his fingers searching, finding, revering. Her breasts bloomed as he caressed them through her satiny bra, teasing the peaks until her arms weakened and dropped to his waist. She kneaded his back muscles through the thin fabric of his shirt, pressing herself into his hands, opening her mouth to his plundering tongue. His groans resonated in her throat, sending a hum through her limbs.
    As he slipped the strap of her bra down one shoulder, he rained kisses along her jaw, triggering waves of shuddering desire. She rolled her shoulders, arching to meet him as his mouth traveled to her neck. He gently nipped at her lobe and flicked his tongue over the shell of her ear, sending liquid heat through her midsection and arrowing to her thighs.
    "Ms. McKray," he whispered between ragged breaths, "I should very much like to inspect the condition of your bedroom."

Chapter Seven

    TEN HEART-POUNDING, flesh-grinding, bone-melting seconds passed before his words sank in and sanity returned. Kat froze and her eyes popped open.
    James increased the urgency of his caresses, and crooned into her ear, "On the other hand, the sofa would serve us just as well." He urged her to follow him, but at her resistance, he lifted his head.
    Kat disentangled herself and righted her clothes, her mind spinning. Ignoring the disappointment and longing surging through her body, she took a deep breath. "James, having sex is not going to help anything."
    James glanced down at the bulge straining the front of his slacks and grinned wryly. "I'm afraid I don't concur."
    She averted her gaze and backed away from him, trying to rid herself of the lingering burn of his hands on her skin. Gesturing around the room, she laughed wildly. "Look at this place—this represents the state of my life right now, and you want us to get naked!"
    His eyebrows rose. "You seemed to be enjoying it as much as I, Pussy-Kat."
    A hot flush spread over her face. "I... I lost my head. I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. It's been a crazy day, and I'm not myself."
    He slowly dragged his fingers through his hair, exhaling. "Forgive me—I don't make a habit of taking advantage of damsels in distress."
    Part of her felt flattered that he seemed so disappointed, but a larger part felt annoyed at his inference that she needed to be rescued. Her chin came up. "And I don't make a habit of being a damsel in distress."
    James sighed. "Once again I offend you," he said, splaying his hands. "Perhaps we should both get some rest and resume work on the case tomorrow. I'll drop the coffee cups off to the detective before I return to my hotel." He walked over to the counter and carefully wrapped the mugs in paper towels.
    Barbs of remorse pricked Kat—she didn't want him to leave, and that in itself scared her almost as much as the prospect of going to jail for something she didn't do. She found a plastic grocery bag and held it open in silence as he lowered the cups into it. Her mind raced for healing words, but as she opened her mouth, a knock sounded at her door. She jumped at the noise, her nerves a jangled mess.
    "Are you expecting anyone?"
    Kat shook her head and walked to the door, wondering what else could happen today. "Who is it?"
    "It's Valmer, Katherine."
    Her shoulders eased forward in relief and she swung open the door. "Come in, Val."
    "How are you doing, my dear?" The rotund man stopped when he noticed James, then addressed him, his voice tinged with suspicion. "I thought you were simply driving Katherine home, Mr. Donovan."
    James nodded, then indicated her apartment. "When we discovered this mess, I helped her straighten up a bit and we ordered dinner in."
    Feeling guilty and exposed without her glasses and with her hair hanging loose around her shoulders, Kat was too aware of the hot flush climbing her neck. Valmer glanced back and forth between them—he obviously suspected hanky-panky.
    "Has there been a new development?" James stepped in smoothly to bridge the awkward moment.
    Val turned back to Kat. "I thought you'd want to know the grand jury will hear your case in one week."
    Her knees felt rubbery, so she sat down hard on the denim couch. "As of now, what are the chances I'll be indicted?"
    Val's grunt was not comforting. "Well, it's all circumstantial evidence,