He needed to get them someplace where they could cool off and talk. “Have you eaten?” he asked, considering her with an intent stare.

Her eyes narrowed, a frown filling her face. “No, but—”

“Then let’s get some food. Spago’s is right around the corner. We can talk there. It’s quiet.”

She stared at him, her expression showing her confusion. Her look said food was the last thing on her mind. “No,” she said stubbornly. “Let’s go upstairs.”

Mark raised an eyebrow in amusement. That she was so quick to admit her desire was an accomplishment. Brushing a strand of loose hair from her eyes, he said, “I want that very much Lindsey, but we need to talk.” He nuzzled her ear. “We both know we won’t do that in the room.”

She leaned back to look at him, her eyes wide. “We’ll talk,” she said quietly. “I promise. Just not now.” She grabbed his shirt in her fist and leaned against the wall, tugging until he flattened against her. “At this moment I just really need you to hold me.”

Mark was only human and damn if he could resist a request from Lindsey that was seductively laced with need. Not to mention the fact that he was so damn hard his zipper was about to bust. A low growl escaped his throat as his hands settled on her waist. He could feel her soft curves pressing into his body.

Unbidden, a thought came to mind. Greg. He needed to know exactly where she stood with him before this went any further. “What about Greg, Lindsey?”

She frowned as she met his gaze. Reaching up with one hand, she palmed his cheek. “Greg is nothing to me. Not now, not in the past, not ever.”

He wanted to believe her, but he had to be certain he could. “Then why did you go with him the other night?”

A fretful look crossed her face. “He promised to tell me the inside scoop on Williams. I didn’t think I could pass on a chance to help the case just because of my own selfish desire to avoid him.”

Mark digested and accepted her words as truth. He knew Greg well enough to know he was a manipulator. For him to use the case to get to Lindsey was easy to believe. “What are we waiting for?” he whispered. “Let’s go to the room.”

Chapter Ten

Standing in the back of the elevator, Mark pulled Lindsey in front of him, wrapping his arms around her stomach. People flooded into the compartment until they were crammed together in a tight shuffle of bodies.

Lindsey leaned back into him, not shy about molding her backside to his hips. It was a tease of a moment. “Stop,” he murmured, near her ear.

She glanced up at him over her shoulder and touched his cheek with her fingers as she ground her hips a little firmer. “What?” she asked in feigned innocence.

Then she let her head fall back against his chest, giving him a view of her creamy white neck, making him envision her dropping her head just like that in a moment of passion. Unable to resist, he moved his hand to her neck and watched as her eyes fluttered shut, her full lips parting.

Glancing at the elevator lights, he felt the impatience of his desire to get her alone. Payback was coming Lindsey’s way and she could bet on it. When the elevator reached their floor, Mark was forced to follow her out of the car, but he grabbed her hand in the process. Surveying the hallway, he found them alone and took advantage of the moment. In a quick movement, he had her in his arms, his mouth claiming hers in a possessive kiss, deep and passion-filled.

He wanted her to taste just how aroused he was.

His hand slid to the side of her breast and squeezed it gently, rubbing his thumb over her nipple. She shivered, and moaned into his mouth. Knowing he had pressed them both too far for the hallway, he forced himself to draw back. “Come,” he said, taking her hand again and pulling her with him.

As he struggled with the key, for the first time in his life, Mark felt unsteady. Burning up with pure animal need, he couldn’t seem to get the key in the door. Success came far too slow, and when they were finally in the room, he shoved the door shut. Before he knew what hit him, Lindsey became the aggressor. She pushed his back against the wall, her palms flat against his chest. He knew his surprise was in his face, but he couldn’t help it. Her unexpected aggressiveness was not only a shock—it was a downright turn-on.

He reached for her, but she braced her knees around his, pushing his hands to his sides. “No, not yet.” There was a forceful order to her voice.

Her hips pressed into his, soft curves framing his aroused, more than ready body. They rested thigh to thigh, hip to hip, perfectly molded together as one. He was so hot, it felt like he might explode. Harder, and hotter by the minute, he wanted to act, to touch her, and taste her, and yes, find his way inside her.

But he could see the intent in her eyes. She was in control. Palms on his chest again, she moved so that her eyes met his. “I can’t believe you are here.” It was a husky whisper.

Everything about her, about the moment, was so damn sexy, he could hardly keep from ripping off her clothes and burying himself inside her. He was glad the curtains were open, so he had the night light to see her by. He’d have hated to miss the gorgeous sight she made. Her hair was a wild, blonde mass of silk flowing over her shoulders, her eyes glossy with passion and emotion, her lips swollen from his kisses.

“How could you think I wouldn’t come for you?” he asked, his voice alive with his desire, low and a bit rough.

“Why’d you come?”

He had the feeling this was a test. Mark wasn’t sure she was ready to hear the real truth about his feelings for her . . . but deep down he thought she knew. He reached up and wrapped a silky strand of her hair around his finger. “Are you sure you want an answer to that question?”

Her lips trembled, confusion flashing in her eyes. “What I want,” she said softly, “is to forget everything but you tonight. I want you, Mark.” She traced his jaw with her fingers and then flattened the softness of her open palm on his cheek.

Mark absorbed her words, her touch, and her every move like liquid fire in his veins. To hear Lindsey openly admit she wanted him felt more than right. Maybe because he felt it as an admission beyond physical need. “I want you too, baby. You have no idea how completely crazy you make me.” His hands went to her hips, and then her perfect, round ass, caressing, and molding her even tighter against his hips.

She began unbuttoning his shirt, her hands moving impatiently to the bare skin. He wanted to kiss her, but she seemed intent on her task. Taking control from Lindsey was not something he wanted to do. Okay, so maybe he did, but he wouldn’t.

“God, I love your body,” she told him as her hands and mouth moved across the taut, rippling muscles now exposed.

Shoving aside the shirt, her tongue flicked his nipple. The impact was white lightning in his blood. He sucked in a breath, struggling to remain still and allow her to lead. “You like?” she asked, her fingernails lightly scraping both of his nipples at once.

His eyes fixed on hers. “Your hands and mouth on my body?” he asked. “The only thing better is my hands and mouth on yours.”

And that was the end of his restraint. He had to kiss her. His fingers entwined in her hair, as he pulled her mouth to his, hungrily kissing her, tasting her as if she was sweet nectar, perfect and addictive. He couldn’t get enough of her flavor, her mouth, her smell. Ah, her smell . . . soft, floral, and something more primal. There was something addictive about her, something that set him on fire, and made him burn with a need so intense, so potent, it consumed.

“Ah, Lindsey, you are amazing. I can’t get enough of you. I don’t think I can ever get enough of you.” He murmured the words against her lips even as his hands moved to cup her breast.