Fallen Angels 01 - Covet Read Online Free Page B

sensibilities.
    Jim chose a path that kept him far away from Blue Dress, and once he was outside, he took a deep breath like he'd passed some kind of test.
    The cold air didn't bring quite the relief he wanted, though, and as he walked around to the back parking lot, his hand went to the pocket of his shirt.
    He'd quit smoking, and yet a year later, he was still reaching for the Marlboro Reds. His frickin' habit was like having an amputated limb with phantom pain.
    As he made the corner and walked into the lot, he went past a row of cars that were parked grilles-in to the building. All of them were dirty, their flanks spackled with salt from the road treatments and months-old white-snow grime. His truck, which was way down at the end of the third row in, was exactly the same.
    He looked left and right as he went. This was a bad part of town, and if he were going to get jumped, he wanted to see what was coming at him. Not that he minded a good fight. He'd gotten into a lot of them in his younger years, and then been trained properly in the military—
    plus, thanks to his day job, he was in rock-hard shape. But it was always better to—
    He stopped as a flash of gold winked at him from the ground.
    Crouching down, he picked up a thin gold ring—no, it was a hoop earring, one of those guys that plugged into itself. He cleaned the grunge off and glanced over at the cars. Could have been dropped by anyone, and it wasn't very expensive.
    “Why did you leave without me?”
    Jim froze.
    Shit, her voice was as sexy as the rest of her.

    Straightening to his full height, he pivoted on his work boot and stared across the trunks of the cars. Blue Dress was about ten yards away, standing under a security light—which made him wonder if she always chose spots that illuminated her.
    “It's cold,” he said. “You should go back inside.”
    “I'm not cold.”
    True enough. Hot as fuck would cover it. “Well... I'm leaving.”
    “Alone?” She came forward, her high heels tracking across the pitted asphalt.
    The closer she got, the better-looking she became. Shit, her lips were made for sex, deep red and slightly parted, and that hair of hers...All he could think about was it falling over his bare chest and thighs.
    Jim shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He was much taller than she was, but the way she walked was a sucker punch to the solar plexus, immobilizing him with hot thoughts and vivid plans: Staring at her fine pale skin, he wondered if it was as soft as it seemed.
    Wondered a whole hell of a lot about what was under that dress.
    Wondered what she would feel like beneath his naked body.
    As she stopped in front of him, he had to take a deep breath.
    “Where's your car?” she said.
    “Truck.”
    “Where is it?”
    At that moment a cold breeze rolled in from the alley and she shivered a little, raising thin, lovely arms to wrap herself in a hug. Her dark eyes, which had been seductive in the club, abruptly became pleading...and made her nearly impossible to turn away from.
    Was he going to do this? Was he going to fall into this warm pool of a woman, if only for a short time?

    Another gust came barreling in, and she stamped one stiletto, then the other. Jim took off his leather jacket and closed the distance between them. With their eyes locked, he encircled her with what had warmed himself. “I'm over here.” She reached for his hand and took it. He led the way.
    Ford F-150s were not exactly great for hooking up, but there was enough room if you needed it— and more to the point, the truck was all he had to offer. Jim helped her inside and then went around and got behind the wheel. The engine started quick and he turned the fan off, halting the blast of frigid air until things heated up.
    She moved across the seat to him, her breasts rising above the tight bands of her dress as she got closer. “You're very kind.”
    Kind was not he way he saw himself. Especially not now, given what was on his mind.