Hotter After Midnight. Cynthia Eden

forward, peered through the peephole, and saw—Detective Colin Gyth. He was standing just on the other side of her door, illuminated by the porch light.

      Her breath expelled in a nervous rush. Okay. She should probably be glad that a cop—instead of a robber or some kind of crazed killer—had come to see her in the middle of the night. But Detective Gyth…

      He just wasn’t your average cop.

      And the guy made her very, very uneasy.

      She opened the bottom lock but kept her security chain in place as she opened the door two inches. Enough room for them to talk, but nothing else. “Detective Gyth?”

      He stepped closer. The light dipped across his face, making him look somewhat sinister.

      Oh yeah, like she needed that visual right then.

      “I need to talk to you.”

      She’d figured that out, considering the guy had driven all the way to her place—and really, just how had he known where I lived? He must’ve had her checked out, she realized. Probably when Danny had first told him to contact her.

      “Dr. Drake?” He lifted his hand, touched his palm to the door. “Let me in.”

      She didn’t want to. Every instinct she had screamed at her. Letting Gyth inside would be a very serious mistake.

      “I don’t want to cause a scene”—his dark voice was pitched low—“but if I have to wake your neighbors to get inside, I’ll do it.”

      Her chin lifted. “I don’t like being threatened, Detective.” She started to push the door closed. She had only two immediate neighbors. One was out of town—the family had gone on a vacation to Disney World. The other, well, there was no way Shirley was home yet.

      “Wait!” His palm shoved against the door, effectively halting her movement. His eyes met hers. “Would you please let me come inside?”

      Umm, now that sounded like it must’ve hurt. But she still wasn’t budging. “What do you want?”

      “I told you, I need to talk to you.”

      Yeah, and so did all of her patients, but she wasn’t inviting them inside her house in the middle of the night.

      “It’s about the case.”

      He had her attention.

      “All right.” Her fingers fumbled with the chain. “You can come in for five minutes. Got that? It’s late, I want to sleep, and you can just come in for—”

      He pushed open the door, stepped inside, his big body forcing hers back. His thumb lifted, rubbed against her bottom lip. Then he brought his hand to his mouth and licked the tip of his thumb. “Mmmm…”

      She stared at him, eyes wide, mouth agape. He hadn’t just—

      His lips tilted into a smile. “I love chocolate.” His gaze dropped down to her lips. “Mind if I have another taste?”

      Emily stepped back, ramming into the wall. Her heart was suddenly beating too fast. Her palms were damp, and that tight, hot feeling was back in her stomach again. And all he’d done was touch her lips.

      Oh no, she could not want this man.

      Getting involved with a shifter would be pure idiocy.

      She swiped her hand over her lips, trying to rub away any ice cream that might be left. Didn’t want to leave any temptation for him.

      “Hmmm. Guess that’s a no, huh?” Colin sighed, glancing back toward her living room.

      “It’s a definite no.” Despite the little voice in her head that wondered, just for a moment, what it would be like if he kissed her.

      Emily inhaled sharply. It was late, she was getting loopy, and she was most definitely not finding the shifter attractive.

      “Is it because of what I am?” He asked the question as he turned his back on her and sauntered into her living room.

      “What?” She shook her head, hurriedly slammed and locked the front door, and followed on his heels. “I thought you came by to discuss the case.”

      “Umm.” Not really an answer. He made himself comfortable on her sofa, put his boots on her coffee table. “Nice. Real comfortable place you’ve got.” His stare swept around the room, noting the bookcases, the light yellow walls, the big-screen TV. “I like it.”

      Well, that was just great.

      Damn. She should have never let him in.

      “You and I have a problem, Doc.” He turned that bright blue stare back on her as she stood at the edge of the couch, glowering down at him.

      Emily stared at him silently, waiting.

      “You know what I am.” His voice roughened slightly as he made this announcement.

      She didn’t deny it. What would be the point?

      His eyes narrowed fractionally as he studied her expression. “That’s not good for me. Not good at all.”

      A flicker of nervousness shot through her. She wasn’t sensing any sort of physical threat from the cop, but maybe she just wasn’t looking deep enough into him.

      His hand snagged her wrist.

      And her pulse skyrocketed beneath his grip.

      “How much do you know?”

      Emily swallowed, tried to figure out just how much she should reveal.

      His hold tightened around her.

      He was the one sitting down, the one forced to look up at her, but Emily had the feeling she was the one in the vulnerable position. “I-I know you aren’t human.” Her voice came out softer, huskier than she’d intended.

      She hoped Colin would leave it at that. Hoped he wouldn’t probe any deeper.

      “Ah, baby, I already knew that.”

      She tried to tug her hand free, but his grip was unbreakable.

      “You’re the Monster Doctor, the one all the local ghouls go to see.” A faint trace of amusement underscored his words. But his eyes were watchful, intense, showing no echo of humor.

      Her jaw clenched. “Let go of my hand.”

      He smiled at her, and his fingers fell away from her wrist.

      Emily immediately sprang across the room, putting several feet between them. Nice, protective space. “Look, if you aren’t here to discuss the case, then I want you to leave.” She turned her back on him, heading toward the front door.

      “How do you do it?”

      His words stopped her.

      “How do you tell who’s human and who isn’t?”

      She heard the soft rustle of the sofa cushions as he rose.

      “That’s a pretty interesting talent you’ve got there. And I’m just dying to know exactly how you do it.”

      Emily cast a longing glance toward the front door. “I’m afraid you’re just going to have to live with your curiosity, Detective.” Because she sure as hell wasn’t going to reveal her innermost secrets to a stranger. Yep, letting the guy inside had been a definite mistake.

      “Hmmm.” His breath blew against the nape of her neck. Emily jumped, startled to find him so close to her. The guy hadn’t made a sound when he’d crossed the room.

      “I’d like to see your hair down,” he muttered, and his fingers brushed against the bun she’d yet to unwind.

      She jerked away from him. “And I’d like to see you leave. Guess which one of us is about to get her wish?”

      His hard lips curved into a smile, a smile with a hint of