Cold Snap by Allison Brennan

body cured her pain and fear, at least at this moment. And that was enough for her.
    Patrick was shocked when the deep desire for Elle hit him all at once, and then he was kissing her back, hard against the wall, his hands on her face, as he recognized that their mutual attraction was mutual lust.
    He pulled back, but Elle held tight.
    “Don’t go,” she said. “I’ve had a crush on you since I was fourteen. I never thought—” She kissed him again, hard. Then she pulled back, her eyes melted chocolate, her face flushed, her chest rising and falling as her breathing sped up. She was the sexiest woman he’d ever seen.
    “Elle—”
    “I never thought it would be as good as my fantasy, but if that kiss is any indication, sex with you will be better than anything I’ve imagined.”
    He shouldn’t be doing this, not here, not when Elle was emotionally on edge. Her dark eyes drew him in, the energy that vibrated in her body breathed a love for living, a passion for life that he hadn’t seen in a long, long time. He wanted her.
    “You had a crush on me?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood because he was quickly reaching the point of no return.
    “Had, have, will have.” She leaned forward but her lips didn’t touch his. She whispered. “I want you. Do you want me?”
    Yes.
    Patrick grabbed her wrists and held them on either side of her head, pinned against the wall, while his mouth devoured hers. Though he had her hands restrained, her body didn’t stop moving against him, stirring him up. He kissed her neck, the back of her ear, used his teeth to pull back her shirt so he could taste her shoulder.
    His teeth skimmed her breasts through the thin T-shirt she wore and her breath hitched as she said his name.
    “Don’t. Stop.”
    He pulled back and smiled down at her. “You want me to stop?”
    “No.”
    “No, you don’t want me to do this?” He kissed her. She grabbed at him, but he pulled back. “Or this?” He put his hands up her shirt, underneath her bra, and held her breasts. Teasing her was driving him as crazy as it was her.
    She didn’t answer him, but curled her fingers around the top of his pants and pulled him close. Her hands went down his pants, rubbing his penis until all thought of teasing and game-playing went out the window. He groaned and pulled off her T-shirt, tossing it behind him, putting his hand down the front of her jeans. “Two can play that game,” he whispered in her ear as he slipped his fingers inside her panties and found her sweet spot.
    Elle’s knees buckled as Patrick rubbed her, and there was no more waiting. She’d screw him up against this wall if she had to. She pulled at his shirt and he used his free hand to help her pull it over his head. She unclasped her bra and pressed her breasts against his hot chest. She was about to take off her pants when he pulled his hand out and picked her up.
    “You can’t carry me,” she said.
    “Watch me.”
    Patrick had muscles that she hadn’t seen under his conservative clothes. Muscles sharp and well defined and perfectly capable of carrying her. He took her up the stairs with an ease that surprised and thrilled her.
    He dropped her to her bed and she grinned. “Well, Patrick, it’s all or nothing.” She reached into her nightstand and pulled out a condom, mentally thanking herself that she had them. She tossed it at him.
    He caught it and dropped his pants. “All,” he said.
    Elle was happily lost for the rest of the night.

 
    CHAPTER 9
     
    The door buzzed and woke Patrick up before Elle. He blinked, but it didn’t take him long to remember he was in Elle’s apartment—in her bed—and Elle was sprawled naked next to him. She sighed as the buzzing continued, stretched, but didn’t wake up.
    Patrick grabbed his gun but he, too, was naked. He found his pants in a corner and slipped them on, sans boxers that he didn’t take the time to locate. It was nearly seven in the morning, but the last time he looked at