A hot, possessive fire lit in him and it took all that he was not to drag her against him, declare she was his woman, and kiss her. He’d known standing in that shower with her this morning that he wanted her to be his. They stared at each other and he sensed she wanted him to say something, to put meaning to their relationship. He just wasn’t ready. It wasn’t fair to her. He didn’t deserve her yet. He had to get the past behind him and see this mission through. For Whitney. For closure. To be a better man for Kara.

“Let’s go get this over with,” Kara said, cutting her gaze sharply and reaching for her door.

Blake fought the urge to reach for her again, feeling her hurt, knowing she expected something he hadn’t given her. But he would, damn it, and soon. He caught up with her at the front of the truck and when she wouldn’t look at him, he couldn’t take the idea of causing her more pain than she’d already felt this morning. He grabbed her and pulled her close, planting a kiss on her mouth. “One day not so long from now, I’m going to make you my woman, Kara, even if I have to tie you up again until you agree.”

A slow smile slid onto her lips and warmed his heart. “I love this soft, romantic side of you,” she teased.

He laughed and set her away from him when he really just wanted to hold her for the rest of his life. “There’s plenty more where that came from, I promise.” He motioned to the door and they fell into step together, their laughter fading, tension crackling in the air as they headed into what could be a trap.

A few minutes later, they exited the elevator into the lobby of Mendez’s offices. Kara greeted the receptionist with a wave and they headed straight past her desk and down the hall towards Mendez’s office. “Wait!” the woman said. “I’m supposed to buzz Mr. Mendez when you arrive.”

Blake curled his fingers on Kara’s elbow. “Just keep walking.”

“I planned on it,” she assured him.

Once they cleared the hall and found Kara’s desk, there was yet another roadblock. A twenty-something brunette was sitting behind Kara’s desk, her spine stiff, her expression puckered and high and mighty. “Hello, Kara,” she said, a snide bite to her voice.

“Hello, Evelyn,” Kara replied. “I guess they pulled you from payroll to cover my desk?”

“Something like that,” she said, and the inference was that she’d replaced Kara. “I’ll let Mr. Mendez know you’re here.” She picked up the phone and dialed.

Blake didn’t like the feel of this, and a shared look with Kara told him she didn’t either.