12. Cal #3
He knew he should pull away. Not even a week ago, Griff had been nothing to him except the inspector sworn to apprehend Blackjack. What they were doing flirted with disaster on so many different levels.
And yet…he made no move to retreat. He couldn’t.
Neither did Griff. Cal studied the inspector’s face, his expression as composed and unreadable as ever.
Cal’s skin prickled beneath his steadfast gaze.
For the first time, he wished he had Griff’s power instead of his own.
What he wouldn’t have given to be able to read Griff’s aura in that moment and know what he was thinking.
Was he struggling to decide what to do next?
Sudden shame welled up within him. He didn’t want to force Griff into anything. A bit of light-hearted flirting was one thing—making him genuinely uncomfortable quite another.
Faking a yawn, he raised his hands above his head. “On second thought, I’m pretty beat. Perhaps I’ll call it an early night and…”
All words and rational thought fled him when Griff reached out to cradle his cheek. His coarse fingers stroked over Cal’s stubble.
Cal found himself leaning into the touch. “This is a bad idea,” he murmured. “It won’t end well. For either of us.”
Griff snorted. His fingers didn’t falter in their gentle caress. “Trust me, I know. It doesn’t take much sleuthing to deduce that.”
Tentatively, Cal draped his arms around Griff’s muscled back. His leather coat was slick to the touch. “Then, why aren’t you walking away?”
Griff’s finger’s stilled, but he didn’t lower his hand. His brown eyes were liquid pools drawing Cal in. “Because no matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to stay away from you.”
Cal managed a wavering smile even as his heart beat a staccato rhythm against his rib cage.
“I told you. It’s this Dark-cursed face of mine.
Gets me into trouble every time. Or maybe it’s my winning sense of humor?
” Shifting, he twisted his backside around toward Griff.
“Or is it my bottom that has you so riled up?”
“No,” Griff said, staring intently right at Cal. “It’s the color of your soul.”
The words stole Cal’s breath, along with what little remained of his resolve. To the Void with caution.
Surging forward, he slammed their lips together.
Griff’s fingers tightened on his jaw, and a light moan escaped him as he tasted Griff for the first time.
He felt aflame, desire pulsing in his veins like liquid heat.
His fingers mapped the muscled ridges of Griff’s back while their fronts ground together with desperate need.
Griff pulled away only long enough to toss his coat aside in a heap on the floor. Their lips still locked, they stumbled toward the couch. Griff shivered when Cal’s fingers found their way beneath his shirt to his bare skin.
Cal smirked at Griff, raising an eyebrow. “I think you’re still overdressed for this particular celebration.”
Griff gave a startled snort. His own fingers began working at Cal’s tunic. “In that case, so are you. But not to worry—I’m on the case.”
Cal rolled his eyes at the cheesy line but couldn’t hold back his grin.
“My hero,” he said, raising his arms to make it easier for Griff to tug off his shirt.
Goosebumps pimpled his exposed skin. He smirked when he caught Griff’s gaze riveted on his chest and made a point of flexing his lean muscles.
“What’s the matter, Inspector? Have you found something suspicious? ”
Griff’s answer was little more than a hungry growl as he surged forward, entwining their bodies while pressing rough kisses along Cal’s neck that made him groan and arch with pleasure. With a light shove, Griff sent him sprawling shirtless onto the couch.
“I’m not sure,” Griff said, his voice husky with desire. “I think I may need to expand my search.”
Practically ripping off his own tunic, Griff let it drop to the floor, revealing his well-muscled physique.
Cal licked his lips, staring up at Griff’s hard nipples and the coarse black hair that ran down his sculpted chest, vanishing into his trousers.
If that was the sort of body being a detective got you, then Cal certainly wouldn’t complain.
Griff leaned down, devouring Cal’s mouth. Cal eagerly let him, their tongues battling for dominance as Griff settled atop him. Cal could feel every bit of Griff’s hardness pressed against him. If he’d thought himself on fire before, now he was a scorched husk.
He reached up and ran his fingers through the coarse hair on Griff’s chest, pausing long enough to tweak his nipple.
Griff groaned, bucking atop him. The naked lust in Griff’s dark gaze made Cal’s skin thrum with raw need, and he bit his bottom lip when he felt Griff’s fingers quest beneath the waistband of his trousers, gripping tight.
Griff started to lower his head down toward Cal’s legs. Cal stopped him with a hand on his cheek. Griff gave him a questioning look, and Cal smiled softly.
“You know, I’m curious. Just what does someone’s soul look like while in the throes of pleasure?”
A pleasurable shiver coursed over him as Griff gave him a gentle stroke. Griff leaned in and kissed him, murmuring against his lips, “Let me show you.”