“You’ve never told me what you do.” I change the subject, and her body relaxes.

“I’m a social worker. I work for Giving Hearts. I’ve been there for the last five years.”

“That’s not an easy job.” It’s an understatement. Being a cop, I understand better than most how dedicated social workers need to be, how much time they spend protecting kids and working to bring families back together. A lot of love goes into the job, and they don’t always get the credit they deserve for the time and energy they put into their work.

“No it’s not, but I love what I do. It’s rewarding in its own ways, and knowing I’m helping kids is what really matters to me.”

“What you do is important.”

“Yeah,” she agrees with a slight shrug, like she’s not comfortable with my praise, and then her eyes go to the TV. “Nothing is on. Are you okay with watching the Hallmark Channel?”

“Do I get a choice?” My response is sarcastic, and her giggle is instant.

“You don’t like the Hallmark Channel?” She turns to look at me.

“Lovey-dovey shows aren’t really my thing,” I mutter, listening to her laugh again.

“It’s a mystery.” I look at her once more when I feel her eyes on me. “I think even you might like it.”

Fuck, I like her. She’s a mystery to me. A mystery I want to spend the rest of my life trying to solve. I have never met another woman like her. I’ve never met a woman who leaves me questioning everything. A woman who leaves me wanting more of whatever she’s willing to give me.

“We’ll see,” I mumble, and she smiles before looking away. I focus—or try to focus—on the show, but with her so close, just out of arm’s reach, it’s hard to do. After I’ve eaten the pizza off my plate and finished my beer, I set my plate on her coffee table and lean back. When she sets her plate down, I don’t think; I hook her around her shoulders and pull her into my side without asking her for permission. She tenses, but after a few minutes, her body relaxes, her head comes to rest against my chest, and her hand slides over my stomach.

I watch the television, not really seeing it at all. My mind and body are hyperaware of every inch of her pressed against me. I never thought I’d be sitting with a woman like this, thinking the things I’m thinking. I know it’s too soon, but I also know without a doubt that I could spend every evening for the rest of my life with her curled against me, with her scent of peaches bringing me peace, with us doing nothing but just this.

When the movie comes to an end, she tips her head back toward me. I study her small smile, gorgeous face, and beautiful eyes, and then without thinking, I touch my lips to hers. I hear her sharp intake of breath and feel her fingers wrap tightly around my side. I don’t move away; I swipe my tongue across the seam of her lips then groan in approval when her tongue comes out to touch my own.

“Cobi,” she breathes my name against my mouth, making my cock jerk in response.

Fuck. I have never heard anything hotter than my name on her lips. Without thought, I move my hand into her hair to hold her in place then I kiss her again, deeper than before, thrusting my tongue between her lips. She doesn’t hesitate. She doesn’t pull away. She kisses me back. Her fingers curl into my tee and her nails dig into my skin, making me rock-hard. I move her, lifting her up to straddle my lap, and nip her bottom lip when she rolls her hips against mine. My cock jerks, and my hands on her hips tighten.

I should probably stop this. I know I should at the very least slow this down, but with every whimper, every moan, every flick of her tongue against mine, I’m fighting a losing battle. Since the moment she looked into my eyes, I knew who she was to me, knew exactly what she meant for my future. Knew she was mine.

Sliding my hand around her hip, I slip it down between her jeans and stomach then watch her back arch, and growl, “You’re so fucking soft everywhere.” When my fingers find her clit, my cock jumps against my zipper.

I roll my fingers and listen to her moan. “Please don’t stop,” she begs as her hips jerk, and I bite back a curse. She’s silky smooth and wet, so fucking wet that I can smell it, so fucking wet that I know if I got my face between her legs, my mouth would fill with her juices and her taste would be with me for days. “God, don’t stop.” Her nails dig into my skin.

“Ride it out, beautiful. Show me what you look like when you come,” I urge, using my hand on her hip to rock her hard against my fingers.

Her lips part, and her eyes open to half-mast and meet mine, the heat in them searing me to my core. Fuck, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life. “I….”

“Don’t fucking stop.” I rock her harder against me as I slip one finger then another into her hot, tight, wet heat. “Fuck, you’re so damn hot, so damn wet. I can’t wait to taste this.” I roll my thumb over her clit, causing her hips to buck and a whimper to escape her lips. “Can’t fucking wait to feel this cunt squeezing my cock. Do you know how good it’s going to feel when I slide inside you? Know how good it’s going to feel when I fill you full with me?” Her pussy spasms around my fingers at my words, and I tighten my hold on her. “Jesus, baby, this pussy was made for me.”

She clutches my shoulders tighter and rides my hand, moaning my name.

“Christ, baby, you’re going to make me come in my jeans just from watching you.” Her eyes flare and her mouth opens, but before she can speak, I lean forward and bite her nipple through her tank, causing her to gasp.

“Oh, God.” Her head falls back to her shoulders as her pussy tightens around my fingers.

“Look at me, Hadley.” Her head drops forward and her eyes meet mine. “Christ, I want to have you naked over me in this exact position. I want to watch your tits bouncing in my face, your hair wild and flowing over your shoulders. I want your legs spread so that I can watch you take me. Then I want to watch myself disappear into your pussy over and over until your juices are coating my cock.” I lean forward until my mouth is almost against hers. “Then I want to watch as you find your release using me, before I use your body to find my own.”

“Cobi!” she cries out with her hips moving in sync with my fingers.

“Give me your mouth then give me your orgasm, Hadley.” Her pupils dilate, her lips part slightly, and her chest heaves. When she doesn’t give me what I want, I stop thrusting my fingers and rolling her clit. “Give me what I want.” Her eyes darken then her mouth drops down to mine as she slides her soft hand around the back of my neck then up into my hair, touching her tongue to mine.

I force her to ride my fingers hard as I kiss her, thrusting my tongue back into her mouth. When her pussy starts to spasm, I pull my mouth from hers so I can watch her expression as she comes.

“Yes.” She gasps for breath, looking into my eyes before she drops her forehead to mine. When her breathing evens out, I slowly pull my fingers from her then wrap my arms around her waist and hold her against my chest, running my hand up and down her back. I expect her to freak, to tell me that what happened was a mistake and I need to leave, but soon I realize she’s fallen asleep. I close my eyes for a moment then carefully stand with her in my arms and head toward her bedroom. I lay her down in her bed, and she doesn’t even twitch as I pull her blanket over her and turn on her sound machine, casting the room with a blue glow. I leave her in her bedroom, shutting the door and ignoring my still hard cock and the urge to get into bed with her. Over the years, my gut has never led me wrong, and right now, it’s telling me I’m moving too quickly and that if I move any faster or push her any harder, she will run and I will have to spend a whole lot of fucking time trying to catch her again.

When I’m cleaning up the kitchen and our plates, my cell phone beeps in my pocket. I pull it out and read the text, scrubbing one hand through my hair in frustration. Frank and I have been investigating a string of break-ins across town for the last couple of weeks, and tonight a suspect was apprehended by a homeowner who was not okay with a man breaking into his house. After I call Frank to let him know I’m on my way, I shove my phone back into my pocket. I debate just leaving Hadley a note to let her know I’m gone, but worry she will wake up and freak when I’m not here like I have been the last two nights. I open the door to her bedroom and walk to the bed, taking a seat in the crook of her lap and pushing the hair away from her face. When her eyes flutter open, I lean in close to her.