Linda Castillo - Cops and…Lovers?

"You've never…"

Embarrassment washed over her, but the need to tell him, to confess that she'd never before experienced her full sexuality, was stronger. She wanted him to know he'd just taken her to a beautiful, elusive place she'd never ventured. "I've… never… I mean, I've never…"

His eyes darkened with sudden understanding and he smiled. "Well, I'm honored to be the first."

Even through her embarrassment, she felt a smile emerge. "Don't let it go to your head."

"Ah, I already have."

"Why did you… I mean, why did you… make it happen for me that way?"

"It's been a long time for me. I think this is probably going to end… quickly. I didn't want it to be… one-sided."

His openness and his willingness to share something so very personal with her touched her deeply. "It hasn't been one-sided."

She could feel his rock-hard erection against her hip, and her own body clenched with anticipation. She knew getting involved with him was a mistake. She knew what it would cost her both personally and professionally. Her job. Possibly her career. She tried to convince herself those were the only things nagging at the back of her mind. But Erin knew her heart was at risk as well.

Nick Ryan was the kind of man she could fall in love with.

The thought terrified her. Thrilled her. Sent slow fingers of panic climbing up her spine.

So what if she admired and respected him? So what if she was attracted to him beyond reason? None of those things constituted love, did it? Toss in his inability to accept her being a cop, and she had a disaster on her hands.

As long as she didn't fall in love with him, she would be just fine. As long as she could walk away when this was over, she'd survive.

So why didn't that make her feel any better?

Her thoughts scattered when he kissed her. Shutting her eyes against the emotion closing in on her, she kissed him back with everything she was worth. She didn't want their relationship to get any more complicated than it already was. She'd already compromised a staunch personal rule by getting this close to him. She couldn't afford to let her feelings get tangled up, too.

"I've got to get inside you," he whispered. "Now."

Erin barely heard him for the pounding of blood in her ears. Her heart fluttered when he moved over her. Her entire body quaked when she opened to him.

"You're shaking," he said.

"This-what's happening-scares me, Nick."

"And to think I had you pegged as a risk taker." A tentative smile softened the hard lines of his mouth.

"Maybe this is a bigger risk than either of us bargained for."

"I'll never hurt you, Erin."

"I know." She knew he meant it. Just as she knew he couldn't keep that promise.

"Look at me," he said. "I want to see you when we become one."

His gaze burned into her. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't look away. His eyes were dark with passion and shockingly beautiful.

He protected them both, and then every pleasure center in her body exploded when he entered her. There was an instant of discomfort as she adjusted to his size, then blistering heat, blinding sensation. She accepted him, rising to meet him. Slowly, he began to move within her. Pleasure screamed through her. She cried out his name. Once. Twice. Then her mind simply went blank. The powers of speech left her. She couldn't think for the sensations streaming through her. The waves built endlessly, crashing over her, through her, until she was tumbling out of control.

She had never imagined it could be like this between a man and a woman. Two human beings, joined together as one, sharing intimacies, trading hearts, maybe even their souls.

Nick moved her as no other man ever had. As no other man ever would again, she knew. He took her senses to the limit. Shattered all the barriers she'd so carefully erected. Broke her self-control. Claimed her heart.

And as she tumbled into another earth-shattering free fall, she knew her life had been changed forever.

Nick assured himself this was just sex. Mind-blowing, brain-numbing, body-jarring sex. The clenching in his chest every time he looked into the green depths of her gaze was nothing more than affection. Dammit, he didn't want it to be anything more.

He figured they both knew it was more than either of them had bargained for.

How on earth was he going to handle this?

Gritting his teeth against the pleasure building inside him, clenching his jaw against the crushing emotion in his chest, he took her to another climax. Erin cried out and shuddered beneath him. Sweat slicked their bodies, sealing him to her. She gazed up at him, pleasure glazing her eyes. She was incredibly responsive, so exquisite he didn't want it to end. But he couldn't stave off the inevitable.

Closing his eyes, he crushed his mouth to hers. She accepted him, and he went deeper, kissing her, filling her, touching the deepest, most intimate part of her. And he knew nothing would ever be the same.

Physically spent, emotionally shaken by the sheer power of their lovemaking, he eased onto his side and pulled her into his arms. She felt so good against him, he thought he might just stay like this forever. He fully intended to make love to her again-as soon as he could move. But he wasn't sure when that would be, considering every muscle in his body had turned to mush.

The wetness of tears on his shoulder sent a spike of concern through him. "McNeal?"

She tried to turn away, but Nick put his hand beneath her chin, forcing her gaze to his. Alarm quivered through him when he saw her team. "Hey, honey, what's wrong? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"I'm fine." She blinked, and another tear rolled down her cheek. "I never cry like this…"

"Honey, if I hurt you-"

"No, it's just…"

"Something I said?"

She shook her head.

Nick suppressed the swirl of panic in his gut. "Why are you crying?"

"I don't know. I just… am."

Like that made any sense. "All right." It seemed like the right thing to say, but he didn't have a clue what was going on. "Look, Erin, if I said something, or hurt you in any-"

She choked out a laugh and raised her eyes to his. "You didn't hurt me, Nick."

He stared at her, not understanding.

"You made me feel . I mean, you really made me feel… incredible. What we just shared… it was like magic. Not just the physical part, but… all of it. It moved me. That's never happened to me before."

A more powerful wave of panic surged through him. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to have. Not when his own emotions were so close to the surface he could feel them tightening around his throat like a noose. Not when she looked so fragile and sexy snuggled up against him, her cheeks flushed, her eyes teary.

She wiped at her tears. "I can't believe I'm… losing it like this just because we-"

"Had sex," he finished quickly.

"Right." She nodded vigorously. "We did. Have sex, I mean."

Silence reigned for a moment, then Nick felt the laugh in his chest break free. When Erin looked up at him and smiled, he laughed harder. Then she was laughing with him, a soft, musical sound that made him feel more alive than he'd felt in years. He laughed until tears streamed from his own eyes, and he felt giddy and weak.

When their laughter had dwindled to an occasional giggle, he cradled her against him and brushed his lips across her temple. "It blew my mind, too, McNeal," he said.

"I'm really glad I'm not the only one who noticed." She dazzled him with another smile. "I'd forgotten how powerful… sex can be."

"Maybe we're just out of practice."

"You know, Nick, we could probably spend the next couple of hours… you know… getting back into the swing of things."