“Undress for me.”

“You want me to…?”

“You heard me.”

I smiled. “Just checking.”

He’d backed up to a spot a few feet away, and sat there, eyes on me, waiting.

I stood and started with my sandals, taking a moment to get past that first blast of embarrassment and recapture the chaos vibes still circling around us.

“If you don’t want to…” he said.

I met his gaze. “No, I want to.”

I did want to. I wanted Jaz and everything he promised to be—a giddy, passionate affair that would remind me what such a thing could be, and help me move past Karl.

I reached for my skirt next, then stopped and, instead, pulled off my panties, tugging them down my thighs, aware of Jaz’s gaze following every move. I pulled them off one leg, then kicked them off the other. Not the most graceful kick, but Jaz didn’t seem to notice.

My halter top tied in the back, and my fumbling with that was also less graceful than I would have liked.

Once untied, I let the shirt fall and Jaz let out a hiss, seeing I wasn’t wearing anything under it. He shifted, inching closer.

“Just one piece left,” I said, tugging at the skirt. “Sure you don’t want to do the honors?”

“Go ahead. Please.”

This time I did drag it out, slowly writhing out of the skirt until I stood there, naked. And he didn’t move.

Just stared, which was better than any compliment he could have paid me. After a moment, though, as if realizing he should say something he said, “You’re gorgeous.” A blush darkened his cheeks. “I mean, you were gorgeous already, but now you’re…damn.”

I laid down, arms beneath my head, stretching languorously, his admiration making me bold.

“So now what do you want me to do?” I said.

A deep chuckle. “Oh, I could think of a few things, but if you do, this is going to end very quickly.” He slid his hand down to his crotch and stroked himself through his jeans, no hesitation, no embarrassment. His brazenness—and the sight—made a fresh wave of heat course through me.

“Your turn, then,” I said. “Take it off for me.”

He grinned. “An order I would love to obey, but…” He slid over to me. “I think I’d better leave them on awhile, to slow me down.”

He moved over me, clothes brushing my bare skin, light enough to send shivers through me. Then he lowered himself, mouth coming down to mine in a kiss so hard I gasped, as I wrapped my arms and legs around him, his clothes rough against my bare skin. I could feel him hard against me, his jeans chafing me in places I probably wouldn’t want to be chafed tomorrow, but right now, it felt amazing.

“Still want me undressed?” he whispered against my ear.

“Not necessary,” I said, and reached for his fly.

I was still getting the button undone when his cell phone rang. He grabbed it from his pocket and threw it across the room, where it gave one strangled ring before dying.

“What if it’s Guy?” I said.

“It is. Fuck him. I’ll deal with it.”

I undid his button. Then my cell phone started and Jaz let out a string of curses venomous enough to make me jump. He lifted off me and hovered there, then backed away.

“Better get it.”

In other words, he’d take his punishment from Guy, but wasn’t going to let me.

It was indeed Guy, and in a foul mood, demanding to know if Jaz was with me. Jaz must have overheard, and took the phone. After a minute, he hung up, scowling.

“Some Cabal bullshit. Wants us there in twenty minutes.”

Even the promise of more Cabal information wasn’t enough to keep me from thinking It’s a ten-minute cab ride, fifteen tops, so that leaves us five minutes… But it was too late. The mood was broken.

When I asked Jaz what he wanted to do, he gave a humorless laugh. “What I want to do obviously isn’t what I’m going to do. And I’m not rushing this.” He leaned over, lips brushing mine. “It’s too important to rush.

We’ll have time afterward. Maybe I can manage a bed for you, like a gentleman.”

“I don’t want a gentleman.”

A grin. “Let’s get this damned meeting over with, then.”

EVERYONE WAS ALREADY in Guy’s office when we arrived. Jaz led me over to where Sonny was leaning against the wall.

“Glad you could join us,” Guy said.

Jaz’s silence—when he’d usually make a good-natured comeback—had Guy eyeing him, then glancing at me.

“Everything okay?” Guy asked.

“Peachy, boss. So what’s up?”

“What’s up” was indeed a Cabal problem, though not urgent enough to warrant such a sudden meeting…but that may have been sexual frustration talking.

Guy had received information that identified one of the men who’d robbed and beaten Jaz and Sonny. From his contact, Guy knew the target spent most evenings out, and kept a home office. Where there’s an office, there’s paperwork, or at least the electronic version. A break-in might tell us why the Cabal suddenly felt the need to smack down Guy’s gang. If that failed, then they could wait until the man returned and get the information direct from the source.

As Guy talked, Jaz’s annoyance with the meeting fell away, until he was fairly squirming in his seat, shooting grins my way.

“Sounds like we’re going to have another exciting night,” he whispered to me, then called to Guy, “I’m out for interrogation duty, boss. Not my style. But I’m there for the break-in. Faith should come along—she can scout for trouble and she’s a damned good thief, so—”

“I appreciate your enthusiasm, Jasper, but that’s not the plan.”

Jaz glanced at me. “But that power of hers—”

“—is invaluable in a sensitive break-in. I agree. Of course she’s in.”

“He means you’re out,” Bianca said.

“You and Sonny will stand down tonight,” Guy said. “For cat burglary, you can’t be beat, but tonight we’re looking for information, not valuables.”

“But—”

“No buts. I need Rodriguez for the computer and Faith for trouble detection and Bianca for searching. I’ll be hunting too, and that’s a full house. You other four will patrol the perimeter, with Tony and Max coming in later if we need muscle for questioning.”