Framed Shadows: Shadows Landing #6 by Kathleen Brooks (well read books TXT) 📗

He carried her up the stairs as her fingers tightened in the hair at the nape of his neck. She gave him a little tug and he gently bit her lip as he climbed the stairs. The door to her room was open and Paxton didn’t let go of her as he made his way through the room. He lowered them both to the bed, still interlocked, and kissed her for all he was worth.

He broke away from the kiss to move his lips to her neck as he undressed her. Her hands were sure and steady as they yanked his shirt from his pants. Gone was any hesitancy or self-consciousness as they let all their walls come tumbling down.

“I’ve wanted you from the first time you put your hands on your hips and looked up at me,” Paxton whispered against her skin as he moved his lips from her breast and traveled downward. Tinsley’s fingers raked through his hair and held him to her as he made her scream for the first time that night, but definitely not the last.

Paxton felt like a man possessed with the way Tinsley’s skin felt against his. Her sighs, moans, and screams were addictive. He wanted more of everything. Now that he’d had her in his life, he didn’t know if he could ever leave. Not her bed or her life.

He grabbed a condom and then looked into her face as he braced his arms by her head. Her arms wrapped around his back and Paxton felt her run her fingertips down his spine. The world slowed until there were only the two of them. When he slid inside her, the world as he knew it changed forever.

12

Tinsley woke slowly with a smile on her face as the morning sun began to fill the room. Paxton was on his back with one arm thrown over his head while she was snuggled up to his other arm. Last night had been the best night of her life. It might have gone unspoken, but something had changed between her and Paxton. She’d made the decision to open herself up to him. She did it in ways she never had before. And not just in bed.

They talked over dinner and she opened her heart and shared her feelings, her fears, and her dreams. Even the ones she’s never been able to admit to herself. Paxton hadn’t laughed at her. He supported her, encouraged her, and then he confided in her. There was so much both of them had hidden from the world, but that wasn’t the case any longer. She had someone to share these things with now.

Paxton had warned her about the possibility of him transferring to another FBI office. They talked about it—why he wanted to transfer back to the Violent Gangs Task Force and why he was now thinking about not transferring. “I’ll support you no matter what you choose,” she had told him. His shoulders had slumped as if a weight had been lifted. Then he’d shoved the empty plates to the floor and made her scream again.

“Are you awake?” Paxton whispered.

Tinsley opened her eyes and nodded. “I am. It’s time to go to work.”

Tinsley tried not to pace the gallery as she waited for Maurice and Tibbie, or rather Bunny, to arrive. She’d cranked the air conditioning up but she was still sweating.

Paxton was in the back of the gallery pretending to fix the air conditioning when the doorbell jingled. Tinsley pasted on a smile as she stepped forward. Maurice and Murray were early. She’d hoped to talk to Miss Tibbie first.

“Maurice, Murray, are you both excited for the sale?” Tinsley asked as she joined them in the middle of the gallery and shook their hands.

“We are,” Maurice said, his eyes going straight to Paxton. “Who’s that?”

“I told you about him. He’s my employee and right now he’s trying to fix my runaway air conditioning.” Tinsley shivered and moved toward the desk closest to Paxton. “Come have a seat. Can I get you something to drink while we wait?”

“No, thank you,” Maurice said as he eyed Paxton.

Paxton looked to the side and gave them a brief smile before getting back to work on the air conditioning wall unit.

The doorbell chimed again and Tinsley smiled with genuine happiness at Miss Tibbie who sailed into the gallery like she hadn’t a care in the world. She looked every inch the epitome of a society matron, but nothing like herself. The wig she had was brown and cut into a short, shaggy bob. Her makeup was flawless, but not colors Miss Tibbie had ever worn. No, these were blues and silvers and Tibbie usually wore warm colors. However, they did match the ice blue suit she wore with tasteful yet gigantic diamonds. She carried herself into the gallery as if she owned it.

“Tinsley, darling,” Miss Tibbie glided forward and lifted her cheek for Tinsley to kiss.

“Miss Bunny, thank you for coming today.”

The doorbell chimed a third time and Peter strode in. Tinsley almost choked when she saw him. He had on fitted salmon-colored pants that hit at his ankles, showing off brown loafers with no socks. He wore a button-down shirt in thin blue and white stripes with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up. He also wore dark black sunglasses and his hair must have taken thirty minutes to style into the perfect “rolled from bed” look.

Tibbie sighed. “Graham, come meet Tinsley. She’s the one I told you about.”

Peter pulled his glasses off and sauntered forward. He smiled like someone who’s always had everything in the world handed to him and Tinsley was just another tasty morsel to add to his collection. “Ah, the girl my grandmother wants to set me up with. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Peter lifted Tinsley’s hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles.

Maurice cleared his throat and Tinsley yanked her hand from Peter. “Miss Bunny, these are the men selling