He was enjoying this-she could tell by the glint in his eye-and he leaned closer to her and whispered, "Say 'Ahhhh.'"

Audie was trembling, but she opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue and the honey was cool and sweet and sticky inside her mouth. Then Quinn was there-hot and slippery and sharing it with her-and she released herself to the heat and the taste and the licking and sucking and swallowing and she realized she'd never see a jar of honey quite the same way ever again.

"You taste like sex and candy," Quinn said, pulling back. "And I'm going to take bites out of you everywhere if that's all right with you."

Audie nodded, running her tongue over the sticky outside of her lips, trying not to shake too much.

"Are you cold?" Quinn put down the honey and Audie realized he was about to lower her legs-which was something she definitely did not want him to do-so she locked her ankles behind his neck and pulled him closer.

"I'm not cold, Quinn. I'm very, very hot, and I want to be your dessert."

Quinn's eyes fastened on hers and his shoulders started to shake. "You really are depraved."

"So arrest me." She loosened her grip on him and leaned back on her elbows.

Quinn picked up the honey again, still laughing, and began drizzling little golden puddles on her deep rose nipples. "Where have you been all my life, woman?" He low ered his head and brought his lips to her sticky, puckered flesh.

"I think I've been waiting for you to find me, Quinn," she breathed. "To find me and pour honey on me until I come all over your countertop."

The vibration of his deep chuckle sent little buzzing streaks of heat through her breasts right down to the hot spot between her legs. She watched Quinn's mouth on her, his honeyed tongue gliding out from his smile to lick at her, and she trembled again.

"You're yummy," he murmured, pulling one nipple into his mouth and biting her softly. When she moaned, he did the same to the other nipple, then drew wide circles around her breasts with his tongue, eventually coming back to her mouth, hot and wet and sweet.

His hands suddenly reached under her bottom to pull her closer to the edge of the counter. He put his lips to her ear.

"Audie, baby, come here to me," he whispered, and it was his voice again, his voice and the simple things he said, that was pure sex to her, that made her take the leap from sensible woman to anything Quinn wanted her to be.

As the honey dribbled down into the curls between her legs and trickled deep into the lips of her vulva, she wondered if she'd ever feel safe enough to tell Quinn how much power he had over her. How much she wanted him.

Then she stopped wondering anything at all, because what he was doing was so good, so good, and his tongue was hot and firm, then barely a whisper, then long and slow and all over her.

"Oh, God, this is nice," Quinn thought he heard her say, but the blood thundered in his head so loud that he was nearly deaf. That was fine, because he didn't need his ears for what he was doing right now-all he needed was his tongue and his lips and his teeth and the searing hot place at the center of Audie, pressed up to him.

Hepulled her up higher and angled her to his mouth, gripping her around the waist. She was sweet, so sweet, and he used his fingers to spread her wide and put one finger deep inside her, then two, and felt how slick and swollen this woman was and knew he would do anything for her, anything she wanted.

She suddenly clutched and hardened around his fingers and against his mouth. She let out a piercing cry that gave him goosebumps and she was calling his name and he licked into her, pushed his fingers into her deeper, faster, and her arms flailed out to her sides and the spice rack crashed to the stove in an explosion of broken glass and a pungent blast of rosemary, curry powder, and cream of tartar all spewed out in an unalphabetized mess.

"I'm so sorry!" Audie tried to sit up, tried to breathe, but Quinn lifted her off the counter and spun around.

"Is there glass on you?"

Audie could barely focus on his words. Her body was still spinning and clutching, and for a second she couldn't remember why she was naked.

Then she was being carried to the living room against Quinn's bright green apron and she wanted his clothes off, wanted to touch his skin, wanted to feel him against her all hot and smooth and strong.

He put her down in front of one of the big overstuffed chairs and brushed his hands over her skin, and Audie finally came out of her fog.

"Quinn." She grabbed him by the shoulders. "I'm fine and there isn't any glass on me. I'm so sorry I did that."

He stopped and stared at her, tasting her in his mouth and realizing he was hard as steel and wanted her to sit on him-and he didn't give a shit about his spice rack or the dirty dishes.

He ripped off his clothes and made himself comfortable in the chair, his feet on the floor and his erection pointed toward the ceiling.

"I just had a great idea," he said, grinning.

Audie walked toward him slowly, scanning all of his long, lean muscle, his blatant arousal, and the startlingly beautiful face.

"I bet it's the same idea I have," she whispered.

She climbed up on his lap, straddled his thighs, and positioned herself right above him. She leaned down to kiss him softly, then nibbled on his jawline and bit the side of his neck.

"Will you tell me your idea first, Quinn?" she breathed into his ear.

She got what she wanted-the low rumble of his laugh moved through her blood and bone, and she knew she was right where she was supposed to be.

"My idea was I fuck you blind," he said.

She pulled back in mock disappointment. "But I wanted to do that to you," she pouted.

"I'm flexible."

Audie watched the change in his expression as she slid onto him just enough to capture the big head of his penis. She waited, feeling him throb inside her, feeling her body kiss and squeeze him, seeing how he fought the urge to thrust all the way into her.

He was gorgeous. He was sweet to her. And it was magic to watch the surprise and joy on his face when she eased down very slow and took him in very deep.

"I'm so happy when I'm with you, Quinn," she sighed, seeing his grin spread.

Then she wiped the grin right off his face.

Finding out which soundstage would host the Chicago Garda Pipe and Drum Band was the easy part. Getting there on time was proving to be a real challenge.

Human beings of every description were packed into Grant Park in a loud, hot, and airless press of bodies, slithering under a cloud of cooking smoke. Griffin held tight to Audie's hand as they made their way down what was supposed to be the center thoroughfare at CityFest.

"It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic," Griffin said to her. "Because I'd be flipping out right about now."

"This is nuts!" Audie yelled, pushing her way eastward. "I don't want to be late! Let's try to go faster."

Audie got slammed into Griffin again. "Ack! Hurry! Come on!"

Somewhere past the Vietnamese food tent and the chili booth, Audie spied the bandstand where a few men in kilts milled around while recorded Irish music blasted.

She didn't see Quinn anywhere, but as they pressed closer, all the musicians began to file onstage and she heard the unmistakable voice of Jamie Quinn booming over the sound system.

"Welcome to the sixth annual CityFest performance of the Chicago Police Department's own Garda Pipe and Drum Band!"

A cheer went up from the mob and Audie pulled Griffin into the thick of it, worming her way to the front.

"I'm supposed to meet Quinn's family here, but I'm never going to find them in this mess!" she cried.