She pulled away, swiping at her wet cheeks and then at her nose as she stared up at him. “I’m not crying for him, you idiot. I was worried for you.”
“Me? But I wasn’t in danger. You were.”
“He had a gun, Jake. Didn’t you see it?” She pointed and he finally spotted the pistol glinting in the darkness.
“No,” he admitted. “I saw him going after you. I had to stop him.”
Delilah threw her hands up. “You didn’t even stop to think. Do you realize that’s Tim, one of the men from Mack’s? You could have been hurt.”
She hugged him again and he had to smile as he held her. She wasn’t scared of him after all. Or even disturbed by the fact that he’d killed a man tonight. She’d been worried for him. For his safety.
But fuck if she wasn’t right, he realized as he snuck a look at the body. Tim. That beanpole from earlier lay at a crooked angle on the pavement, loose gravel coating one blood-soaked cheek. A shame he hadn’t brought Lyle and the others out with him. Jake wouldn’t have minded it and despite Delilah’s obvious worry, he could’ve handled them all easily.
Delilah trembled against him and his bear growled at him. Determined to protect, he drew her face up, cradling her cheeks in his palms. “Delilah, I have to call Xavier and then the Sherriff. They’ll need to come out and ask some questions. Collect and identify this man. Do you think you can handle all of that?” he asked.
She let out a shaky breath. “I can if you’re with me. And I already called them,” she admitted, holding up her phone.
He couldn’t help but feel a rush of pride at how well she was handling it all. Thinking on her feet, making that call. Good girl. “I’m not going anywhere,” he promised.
Which was the absolute truth. He’d saved her tonight. He’d proven to himself that he wasn’t a danger to her but a protector. She needed him and the more time spent with her, the more he wanted her.
Screw staying away and screw this “no clients” rule of hers. Tonight, Delilah wasn’t getting away. He took her face in his hands, drawing her gaze up to his. He searched her eyes for resistance, but this time, he found none. No argument. Only invitation and trust. He’d gotten to know her well enough to understand trust didn’t come easy for her but he saw it in her eyes now and something inside his chest unfurled.
Achingly slow, Jake drew his mouth down to hers and closed the distance. He kissed her slowly, sipping at her like a glass of water. Delilah responded instantly, pressing her hands against his torso before winding up and around his neck. He nudged her along until her mouth parted for him and he licked at her bottom lip, then her tongue. Sweet as candy, just like he’d suspected.
His cock hardened and he pressed it against her, rocking into her. She whimpered and the sound of it alone threatened to overtake him. He wanted her right here and now. His fingers moved toward the waistline of her jeans.
In the distance, a siren sounded, snapping him out of the moment. God, what the hell was he thinking? He couldn’t do this to her here, next to a bloody body on the street. He drew away, carefully gentle, his arms still around her.
“Well finish that later,” he said and she smiled sheepishly.
Her insecurity was endearing but it wasn’t necessary. He’d show her later that he meant it. He planned to kiss her again. Actually, he planned to do a hell of a lot more than kissing with Delilah Henry.