Harlequin Romantic Suspense April 2021 by Karen Whiddon (good e books to read txt) 📗

and reached up and fumbled with the French barrette that was holding up her hair. Once she removed it, her long curls fell in layers around her shoulders.

“Because I’m starting to question what I thought I saw at the bank. The only thing I’m a hundred percent sure of is that the robber had the most unusual gray eyes I have ever seen. Like the guy tonight.”

Trace studied her for a long minute, then cupped her cheek and brushed the pad of his thumb over her skin. His tenderness with her, and his ability to awaken her senses, always caught her off guard. In a good way.

She leaned into his touch, and her eyes drifted closed as she finally began to relax.

“There is no doubt in my mind that you saw a tattoo on the neck of the robber.” Connie opened her eyes and met Trace’s gaze. “I just want to know where on his neck.”

“Here.” She pointed to the left side of her throat, below her ear and above her shoulder.

“So right here?” Trace asked, placing a feathery kiss on the spot she had just pointed to. “And down a little lower, right?”

Connie gulped, and her pulse climbed as he slowly peppered sweet kisses along the column of her neck. “Oh, yes. That’s it. Right there,” she breathed and fisted the front of his shirt to keep herself from puddling to the floor.

That was just how good Trace’s lips felt on her heated skin. The passion he stirred inside her was quickly growing, and all thoughts of the fashion show, gray eyes and everything else slid to the back of her mind.

This was what she wanted. Trace was who she needed.

A low growl that sounded as if it was coming from deep inside his chest reached Connie’s ears. She opened her eyes just as he lifted his head.

“I want you so bad, but if this is not what you want, you need to stop me now.”

“I want whatever you’re willing to give me,” she said. “I’m all yours.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.”

Eyes filled with lust, Trace bent slightly, gripped the backs of her thighs and lifted her as if she weighed nothing. Connie wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She loved the feel of him against her as he carried her down the hall toward her bedroom.

Once there, Trace set her on her feet next to the bed and turned on one of the lamps. It cast just enough light to illuminate that part of the room.

“I’ve been wanting to get you out of this dress all night,” he said, his voice thick with need. Connie was glad she wasn’t the only one affected by what they were getting ready to do.

He slid the straps off her shoulders, and the dress glided down her body like a feather in the wind and pooled around her feet. She stood before him in nothing but a white thong and high-heeled sandals.

Trace’s heated gaze slowly traveled down the length of her partially naked body before working its way back up to her bare breasts. Desire sparked in his eyes, and Connie had to squeeze her legs together to control the throbbing pulse beating at the apex of her thighs.

“You’re even more beautiful than I remember.” His voice, just above a whisper, was deeper than usual and filled with unadulterated desire. That made her that much more excited. “I can’t wait to explore every inch of your sexy body.”

He backed her to the bed. Once she was lying down, he took his time undressing. Connie wasn’t shy about letting her gaze rake over his muscular body and the tribal tattoo that graced his chest and torso. It was as impressive as the first time she’d seen it on his beautiful dark skin.

The man was a work of art, perfectly sculpted with precise attention to detail. Thick biceps. Check. Six-pack abs. Check. A long, thick shaft that he knew how to use. Check and check. More importantly, tonight he belonged to her.

* * *

Connie’s eyes followed his every move, even when he tossed a condom onto the nightstand. There were moments in the last few days that she couldn’t believe that they were an item. That they were building a relationship that exceeded just having a good friendship.

Trace reached for her foot and planted soft kisses up her leg as he unbuckled her sandal. She squirmed with every touch of his lips to her skin and then started giggling.

“Tra-a-ce. That tickles.” She twisted and wiggled, trying to get him to let go of her leg, but he held tight.

Flashing a wicked grin, he proceeded to give her other leg the same treatment. When both shoes were removed, her thong was all that was left. He sprinkled kisses over her stomach and along the waistband of her thong, then slid the silky material down her legs. He dropped it to the floor and climbed onto the bed next to her.

Connie shivered when Trace’s cold fingertip touched her chest, and he slowly glided it downward, only stopping when he reached her belly button.

“I’m going to have fun with you tonight, and I’m starting right here.” He lowered his head, and when his mouth touched hers, spirals of ecstasy charged through her body.

She wound her arms around Trace’s neck and savored the sweet caress of his lips. With every lap of his tongue, the intensity of their lip-lock grew. He kissed her with a passion that rivaled every other kiss between them.

As his tongue explored the interior recesses of her mouth, Trace slid his hand down her body, and her skin tingled everywhere he touched. A moan crawled up Connie’s throat when he cupped one of her breasts. Squeezing her gently, he ran the pad of his thumb over her hardened nipple.

She hadn’t been with a man since the last time they’d slept together, and she already knew it wasn’t going to take much for her to lose control.

“Man, you