“I’m not crying.” But, of course, she was. He could feel the tears fall even as she ran kisses over his face and throat. “Just tell me you love me. Please tell me you love me.”

“I love you. Shh.” He covered her mouth tenderly with his. “You know I love you.”

“I love you.” She pressed those wet, shaky kisses to his cheeks, to his jaw. “You have to believe that I love you.”

A hot fist clenched in his gut, but he kept his hands gentle. “Just let me hold you.”

Tearing up again, she pressed her face to his shoulder. “Even now you don’t believe me. Alexi, what more can I do?”

“I believe you.” But they both knew he said it only to comfort. “You belong to me. I believe that.”

“You’re everything I want.” She relaxed against him, satisfied that he would take that much.

“No more tears?”

“No.”

He tilted her chin up to search her face. “How badly did I hurt you?”

“I don’t think the results will be in for days.” She smiled a little. “How badly did I hurt you?”

His eyes narrowed, and her smile widened. “You’re not…upset?”

“About what?”

“I was an animal.” With a hand that had yet to steady, he brushed her tumbled hair out of her face. “I took you on a table like a lunatic.”

“I know.” After one long, satisfied sigh, she slid her body lazily over his. “It was wonderful.”

“Yes?” Guilt began to turn to pride. “You liked it?”

After being so thoroughly ravished, it wasn’t difficult to stroke his ego. “It was like being dragged off by some barbarian. I couldn’t even understand what you were saying. It was exciting.” She kissed his cheek. “Frightening.” And the other. “It was also the most erotic experience of my life.”

“You were crying.”

“Alexi.” She touched a hand to his face. “You didn’t just overpower me. You overwhelmed me. No one’s ever made me feel more wanted. More irresistible.”

“I can’t resist you, but I’m sorry I put bruises on you.”

“I don’t mind—under the circumstances.” After another luxurious sigh, she glanced around the room. “I don’t know how I’ll ever work in here again, though.”

Now he grinned, wickedly. “Maybe it’ll inspire you.”

“There is that.” She shifted to straddle him and watched his sleepy eyes skim down to her breasts and back. Possibilities, she thought. There were definite possibilities in that look. “Being a cop, I imagine you’ve been through arduous physical training.”

The possibilities had occurred to him, as well. “Absolutely.”

“And you’d probably have amazing recuperative powers.”

His brow lifted. “Under the right conditions.”

“Good.” To be certain she created them, she ran her hands over his still-gleaming chest.

With a half laugh, he caught her wrists. “McNee, wouldn’t you rather pick this up in bed?”

For an answer, she leaned over, letting her lips hover a breath away from his. The tip of her tongue darted out to trace the shape of his mouth, to dip teasingly inside, then retreat. Slowly, she tilted her head. Softly, she tasted his lips. Achingly, achingly, she deepened the kiss.