Cutter's Law

by Judith Rochelle

  He held the phone to Allison's head. “He wishes to speak to you."

  "Allison?"

  She nearly wept at the sound of his voice, but she forced a steadiness she didn't feel. Whatever they'd used to knock her out was still in her system, making her sick, and she wanted to be safe in Morgan's arms more than anything in the world. But she knew if she broke down on the phone he'd lose it, and she needed him to be able to do whatever he had planned. “Hi, Morgan."

  "Allie, are you all right?"

  She nodded, then thought, how stupid. He can't see me. “I'm fine.” Luis was already pulling the phone away from her. “Morgan?” she shouted. “I love you."

  "I love you, too, Allie."

  "How sweet,” Luis said into the phone. “That should give you additional inspiration to make this go off like clockwork."

  "It shouldn't take you more than thirty minutes to get there. Start now."

  "Adios, Senor Cutter.” Luis turned to Allison. “Well, my sweet, we are about to take a little trip. If all goes well, you will be safe in the arms of your lover. If not?” He shrugged.

  Allison did her best to keep from throwing up.

  * * * *

  "Steve?” Morgan was parked at the end of Anderson Road, leaning against his SUV and speaking into a walkie talkie. Denis Starrett, in Amber's clothes, was sitting inside.

  "All set, Morgan. Everyone's in place. We haven't seen anyone scoping it out."

  "Okay. They should be here any minute."

  "We're all set."

  Morgan stuffed the small unit in his pocket and stared at the road, willing Obradors’ car to appear. And then it did, turning onto the asphalt and easing toward the police truck.

  "Come on,” Morgan muttered. “A little bit more. Come to papa."

  Finally the vehicle stopped about fifty yards away. Nothing happened for the space of a minute, and Morgan was conscious of the sun shining on the car, reflecting off its windshield. Was Allison in there? Had Obradors pulled a double cross?

  Then the front passenger door opened, and the man himself emerged and walked to the front of the vehicle?

  "You have my package for me?” he called.

  Morgan nodded. “We should make a simultaneous exchange. Take Allison out of the car and I'll do the same with Amber."

  Luis twisted his lips in a caricature of a smile. “You first, Senor Chief."

  Morgan shook his head. “Together."

  The two men stared at each other while seconds ticked by. Then Luis shrugged, turned and motioned toward the car. A man climbed out of the back seat and dragged Allison with him. Morgan's eyes took in every detail. Her hands were bound and she looked disheveled, but other than that she seemed to be all right.

  "Your move,” Luis called.

  Morgan backed up, not taking his eyes off the tableau, opened his passenger door and helped Denise out.

  "Walk very slow,” he reminded her. “When you and Allison meet in the middle, grab her and hit the ground."

  "Will do."

  He took her arm and led her forward. “Time for them to start walking, Obradors."

  For a moment he thought the man would refuse, but then the man with him released his hold on Allison and gave her a little shove. Amber began to move down the road.

  Morgan thought his heart had stopped beating as he watched the two women walk toward each other, hoping to God Steve Michaels was right and his men were set and ready.

  Almost there.

  Two more steps. One more step.

  Then they were together, and Denise grabbed Allison and dragged her to the ground. At the same moment Morgan yanked his revolver form the small of his back and snapped off a shot that whizzed past Obradors’ head. As the man reached for his own gun, Morgan heard Steve's voice holler, “FBI. Don't move a muscle."

  Four men emerged from where they were concealed in the thick underbrush and surrounded the car. One of them yanked open the driver's door and pulled out the man behind the wheel. Obradors was cursing steadily in Spanish, and the two men with him looked ready to cry.

  Morgan raced to where Allison lay, lifted her up and cradled her in his arms. He ran his eyes over her as if reassuring himself she was, indeed, all right, then pressed his mouth to hers in a hot, possessive kiss.

  "God,” he said when he raised his head. “I thought I'd lost you."

  "Not a chance.” She gave him a shaky smile. “But do you think you could untie me? My hands are getting numb."

  "Oh, my God, I'm sorry. Of course.” He set her down and yanked at the ropes until they came loose, then he pulled her back into his arms.

  "I take it this is the young lady who's got you tied in knots?"

  Neither of them had noticed Steve Michaels come up to them. Morgan made the introductions and the agent smiled.

  "It's a real pleasure to meet you, Miss Moore."

  "Allison. Please."

  "Steve, I can't ever thank you enough for this."

  "Glad to help a friend. We'll just go by and collect Amber on our way out of town."

  "But...” Allison wrinkled her brow. “I thought that was Amber. And why did she knock me down?"

  Steve laughed, and reached out to motion Denise toward them. “Meet Special Agent Denise Starrett."

  "I hope I didn't hurt you, Miss Moore. My sole objective was to get you out of the line of fire."

  Allison looked at her, dazed. “Without those huge sunglasses, you're almost a dead ringer for Amber."

  "That was the idea.” Denise grinned. “Glad it worked."

  "Me, too."

  Morgan looked at Steve. “It's your ball game now. Marcy's got the release forms ready for you when you pick Amber up. If I never lay eyes on that bitch again it will be too soon."

  Steve chuckled. “I have a hunch it will be a long time before Miss Amber lays eyes on anyone in the outside world again."

  He and Denise climbed into one of the cars and the caravan, with Obradors and the Osuna brothers safely manacled and each in a separate vehicle, headed out toward the highway.

  Allison leaned against Morgan, reveling in his strength. His arms wrapped around her, and all the tension of the past few days bubbled up and burst forth in a torrent of tears. Morgan held her, rubbing her back, while she sobbed against his chest. His own emotions were none too steady.

  When the storm subsided, Allison raised her face to his. “Can we go home now?"

  "You bet.” He lifted her up and carried her to the waiting SUV.

  * * * *

  Morgan barely closed the door behind them before they were in each other's arms again. He took her mouth in a scorching kiss, his tongue sweeping across her lips then sliding into her silken mouth to capture the familiar taste of her. He crushed her body to his, feeling the softness of her breasts pressing against his chest. When she slid her arms up under his, trying to draw him closer, he reached down and pulled her tight against him. He was so hard he hurt, and he pressed his throbbing erection against the softness of her belly.

  "I have to have you,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “I have to..."

  "I know, I know."

  They tore at each other's clothes as they headed for the stairs, dropping articles of clothing in their wake. They barely made it to the bedroom, tumbling onto the bed in an explosion of passion.

  Allison ran her hands over his chest, feeling the familiar solid muscle, running her fingers through the thick mat of hair. When her fingertips grazed his nipples they hardened and he sucked in his breath. She pressed her face against his skin, inhaling the spicy fragrance mixed with the incredible maleness of him, and lightly ran her tongue across his salty tasting skin. She wanted to lick every inch of him, fill her nostrils with scent of him.

  His thick erection pressed against her abdomen and she thrust herself against him.

  His hands caressed her back, her shoulders, slid down her rib cage and swept around to her breasts. When he took a nipple between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed, an arrow of lu
st shot straight to her womb and she felt liquid seeping in her hot, throbbing canal.

  "Allie, Allie, Allie,” he breathed into her ear, then his tongue traced the line of the pink shell.

  She shivered and pressed her lips to one rigid male nipple. He groaned as she flicked a tongue against the hardened tip, and bent his own mouth to a similar task. He bit her nipple gently, then licked it with his tongue, soothing it, before pulling her breast into his mouth.

  "More,” she whispered. “I want more."

  Working one hand between them, she found his hot erection and circled it with her fingers. She felt him jerk at her touch, and the pace of his breathing increased. A shudder ripped through him as her thumb caressed the tip, spreading the tiny drop of moisture over the satin-soft skin. But when she began to slide her hand up and down he grabbed her wrists.

  "Next time,” he rasped. “I want to be inside you when I come."

  He moved her hand away and slid down her body, his warm hands covering her thighs as he moved them apart. His breath was soft on her overheated skin as he blew light puffs of air on the insides of her thighs, up, up, until he reach her quivering cleft. With hands taut from the strain of control. He separated her swollen lips and licked the length of her wetness, She nearly arched off the bed, every nerve firing, her skin on fire, her nipples aching.

  When he placed his mouth on her and sucked she pressed hard against him, little moans escaping her mouth.

  "More,” she whimpered, but even the fingers he slid easily inside her weren't enough. She wanted his rock-hard shaft filling her, stretching her, pushing into her. “Please. Please, please.” Her voice was pleading, begging.

  He moved over her pressing her thighs back against her body to open her completely to him, and thrust slowly inside her. She felt the tip of him touch her womb and she felt the familiar fireworks begin to explode in her veins.

  Morgan out his face close to hers. “Open your eyes, Allie. Let me look at you."

  She dragged them open, lost in a fog of passion.

  His blue eyes, now darkened to navy, blazed at her. “I love you. I am so crazy about you, Allie.” He held her with his electric gaze as he began the rhythmic thrust in and out of her body, her tight walls clenching at him like wet gloves. He clenched his jaw as he strained to retain control.

  The room was silent now except for the sounds of their breathing and little cries of passion punctuating the stillness. They moved in perfect rhythm together, Morgan's hands clutching her bottom to pull her up tight, Allison locking her ankles around his back to hold him deep inside her. She felt the coolness of the sheets against her burning skin, the friction of his hair-roughened chest against her aching, sore breasts, the firm grasp of his hands holding her.

  Each time he withdrew she protested, each time he thrust back sparks shot through her. His eyes darkened almost to black and the pace of the rhythm quickened. She felt that hot spiral of need coiling inside her, tightening, tightening. She clamped herself around his hot shaft and rocked her pelvis against him as heat consumed her. Completion danced tantalizingly just out of her reach, Now, she thought, oh, please, now, and didn't realized she had shouted it.

  "Yes,” he hissed. “Now."

  He reached his hand between them to find her aching clitoris, pinched it lightly as he thrust again and she came, screaming his name, spinning through space, free-falling, clutching him as she fell off the mountaintop. And he was right there with her, big body shaking as his spasms overtook him.

  "Allie, Allie, Allie,” he shouted, and in a last convulsion, filled her with every ounce of his heart and soul.

  Afterwards they lay entwined for a long time, not moving, dragging air into their lungs, awed by the intensity of their climax. Finally Morgan rolled to the side, taking her with him and cradling her in his arms.

  She relaxed against his big body, letting the feeling of total satisfaction wrap around them like a comforter. Allie was sure she'd been to heaven and she didn't want to leave.

  Morgan tightened his arm around her. “I almost lost you today. You don't know how scared I was."

  She snuggled into him. “But you saved me. That's the important part, right?"

  "When Obradors called and wanted to set up the exchange, I cursed myself seven ways from Sunday for ever getting involved with Amber in the first place."

  "What's going to happen to her, anyway?"

  "She'll be a guest of the federal government until long after she's able to con anyone again. Steve Michaels is digging into her past and filing a charge against her for every con she pulled that he can identify."

  "Good.” Allison splayed her hand on his chest and rubbed the soft mat of hair. “I only wish they had a dungeon they could throw her into."

  "Allison, I am so sorry I brought this on you."

  She traced his navel with the tip of her finger. “I think there's enough blame for enough things to go around here, Morgan. I'm sorry I didn't trust you to begin with. Including about the fiasco in San Antonio."

  "Listen. About that..."

  "Uh uh uh. Over and done with. Besides...” She grinned. “How many women have someone defending their honor?"

  She moved her hand further down his body, but just as she reached his shaft, which was taking on a life of its own again, he grabbed her wrist.

  "I have something else to say first.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out. “I don't know what I have to offer you. White Tail is a small town, I'm a small town police chief. That's all I ever want to be. But I love you beyond belief, and if you marry me I'll do my best to make you happy every day for the rest of your life."

  When she didn't answer, his body stiffened. “Allison?"

  She burst out into joyous laughter. “I thought you'd never get around to asking me.” She threw herself on him and rained kisses all over his face. “The answer is yes, yes, yes!"

  "And you won't get bored here?"

  "Are you kidding? With the terrific job Marc Hanson offered me?"

  So then she told him all about that, and how it happened. “I have two weeks to give him an answer."

  "But you have to tell him you can't start until after we get back from our honeymoon."

  "I love you, Morgan Cutter. And I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you."

  He leaned over her, capturing her mouth in a kiss that curled her toes, and there was no more talking for a very long time.

  Epilogue

  "I can't imagine what your brother wanted to see us about."

  Paige Cavanaugh Cutter placed the huge pitcher of sweet tea and a tray of glasses on the patio table. The sun was just setting, her favorite time of day at the Circle C. She and Ryan had been home from their honeymoon less than twenty-four hours and were really looking forward to some time to decompress before jumping back into things again.

  "Maybe he's murdered Allison and wants my help to hide the body.” Ryan grinned.

  "Not funny.” Paige frowned. “I'd really hoped that they'd buried the hatchet by this time. They seemed to get along okay at the wedding. My folks said Allison disappeared with him and still hadn't come back to the ranch by the time they left the next day."

  Ryan shrugged. “You know my brother. He still thinks all women were created by the devil."

  "And Allison thinks if a guy doesn't live in San Antonio he isn't worth thinking about."

  "Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough.” Ryan craned his neck toward the driveway. “I heard a car door slam."

  But it was Donna and Derek Young who came around the side of the house, not Morgan. The two men shook hands, the women hugged, and Derek kissed Paige on the cheek.

  "Sorry we're late but Tate Donovan waylaid us as we were leaving the D&D,” Donna apologized.

  "How's his Dad doing?” Ryan asked. “I need to go and see him. He was one of my first clients when I opened the law office."

  "Not too well,” Derek told him. “And Tate's madder than shit because Abby Culhane came to visit him
when he was in the hospital for a few days."

  Ryan frowned. “I didn't know she still kept in touch with him since he divorced her mother."

  "Oh, yeah.” Donna grinned. “She was always the old man's favorite. Tate used to make sure everyone knew he and Abby were not blood relatives, he was so jealous of the attention King gave her."

  Ryan shook his head. ‘There's one spitfire I wouldn't want to tangle with."

  "Listen, can someone tell me what we're all doing here?” Donna asked.

  Ryan shook his head. “All I know is Morgan called and woke us up this morning, told me he had to go to Austin and when he came back this afternoon he had to see me. Have either of you talked to him?"

  Derek frowned. “Not since ... Ow!” He rubbed his ribs where Donna had poked him. “Um, not since day before yesterday."

  Paige looked from Derek to Donna and back again. “Okay. What's going on here? What aren't you telling me?"

  The Youngs looked at each other, but before either of them could speak another car door slammed and the sound of laughter floated out to them.

  Ryan raised his eyebrows. “Is that my brother I hear laughing? Is he sick?"

  And then they all stared at Allison and Morgan, walking around to the patio with their arms around each other, laughing at some private joke.

  "I think we're going to need something stronger to drink than tea,” Paige said weakly.

  "Hi, everyone,” Allison called, and hugged first Paige, then Ryan and then the Youngs.

  Morgan shook hands with both men, his mouth crooked in a foolish grin.

  "Okay, enough.” Paige slammed her hand down on the table. “Someone tell me what's going on."

  Morgan and Allison looked at each other, then sat down at the patio table.

  "We want to..."

  "Could we..."

  They both spoke at the same time, then laughed again.

  "You first,” Morgan told her.

  Allison looked at Paige. “We want to ask you a favor.” Her voice was breathless.

  "Anything, if you'll tell me how you two have survived without killing each other."

  Allison put her left hand on the table and everyone's eyes popped at the diamond and emerald ring sparkling on her finger. “We want to be married at the ranch, if you'll let us.” She turned to the Youngs. “And we want you to cater it, like you did for Paige and Ryan."