by Mia Dymond
Had it been any other place, Annessa would’ve been extremely turned on while they stood behind the fire engine and he unbuttoned her blouse and slid it from her shoulders. Now was not that time or place.
“Casey, I trust you with my life but I refuse to let you bail me out this time.”
“You don’t have a choice.” He buckled the straps on her vest and yanked them tight. “No way in hell are you going in alone.”
“And what if we don’t come out?” she spat while she pushed his hands from her body and replaced her top.
“You will.”
Terror be damned. Her mouth watered as he unbuttoned his uniform shirt, shucked it off, then slipped his arms through his own vest. As if he’d done this a hundred times before, he redressed in record time, pausing only to cup her chin in his palm.
“If I don’t, I will die a happy man, Annessa. I spent one helluva night with you and now I know where my heart belongs.” Her lips tingled when he pressed his against them. “Dead or alive.”
Her heart plummeted. “No. If something happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Annessa, stop! You’re not going inside alone. End of discussion. If Ramano is half the cop I think, we should be able to pull this off without a hitch.” He turned her and nudged her to climb the ladder. “Up.”
“You would make me climb first,” she mumbled.
“Amazing view.”
Despite incredible fear, she released a short laugh and negotiated each rung until she stood eye-level with the window. Sweat coated the back of her neck as she contemplated her next step.
“Mav’s at the bottom, baby. He can help you down.” Casey’s voice never lost its tenderness while he offered her one last chance to change her mind.
She squeezed her eyes closed and then opened them as she looked over one shoulder. “I love you.”
“Guess this means we’re going in.”
“Yeah.”
She gripped both sides of the ladder just in case he might try to pry her loose, throw her over his shoulder and run down the ladder. Instead, he cupped her chin with one hand and pressed his lips to hers. “I love you too.”
Annessa turned away and eased through the open window until she stood inside the second floor room.
“Holy hell!”
She frowned at Casey’s outburst until she glanced around the room and her gaze focused on a display in the corner.
She cleared her throat. “This is a private viewing area.”
“I’m not quite sure what happens up here.”
Obviously he focused on the novelties arranged on a table in the corner. And if his earlier confession was any indication, the long, pink vibrator in the middle held his undivided attention.
“I’ll buy one as soon as you save my sister.”
“Deal.” He grabbed her hand and led her out the doorway to the staircase. “Kick off your shoes.”
She glanced down at her heels. No doubt they would click against the oak on the way down. She quickly bent to release the ankle straps and slip them off her feet.
Casey’s voice issued a no-arguments tone as she stood. “I’m going first this time.”
She followed him down with her heart in her throat and hoped to hell Agent Ramano put those snipers in place. Finally, they left the bottom step.
Casey turned and pressed her against him. “In thirty seconds you could climb the stairs and leave the building,” he whispered in her ear.
She stepped back and shook her head. No way in hell would she let Van go through this alone.
“Sonuvabitch.”
She barely heard the expletive leave his mouth before he squeezed her hand and they stepped into view. She gasped and held on for dear life when her gaze met her sister’s.
Valero tightened his hold on Vanessa and poked a gun under her chin. “Fuck me!” His weapon shook as he gave Lucetti a glare. “There’s two of them!”
The other man took a step back. “I thought you said this would be an easy snatch and grab? Idiot!.”
“Shut your pie hole!” Valero squeezed Vanessa tighter.
Casey inched closer. “You snatched the wrong woman, Valero. Your hostage has nothing to do with it.”
“She does now,” Valero growled. “Give us the bracelet.”
Vanessa whimpered when he cocked the trigger on the gun.
“As soon as you release your hostage.”
“Don’t be a hero, Sheriff.”
“Just asking for an even trade. Let Vanessa go and the bracelet is yours.”
Annessa reached into her pocket for the jewelry. Her heart skipped a beat when her fingers brushed another familiar object. As she rolled the notorious tube between her fingers, her vision reddened and suddenly all good sense escaped her. With one more sorry-about-this glance at Casey, she thrust the vial from its hiding place, aimed it into Valero’s eyes and sprayed.
“Listen here, you Neanderthal.” Her finger never wavered as Vanessa covered her face and bolted from his grasp. “Don’t mess with my sister.”
The big baby screamed and dropped the gun. “Crazy bitch,” he sputtered as he stumbled to the floor.
Casey charged Valero and took him to the ground.
Lucetti raised both hands in defeat as agents stormed the area and handcuffed him. Annessa kept spraying Valero until Casey pried the vial from her grip. “You got him, Ness.”
Satisfied the nightmare was not truly over, she threw herself into his arms and welcomed the heat of his body into hers. Never again would she keep secrets from him – even if the truth threatened to kill her.
Over his shoulder, she saw Vanessa enveloped in Dane’s arms, his hands caressing every body part as if trying to reassure himself she was unharmed.
“You are one stubborn woman,” Casey murmured against the top of her head. “But damn, I love you so much it hurts.”
A smile separated her lips as she squeezed him against her. “I love you too.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
One week later, after Annessa was absolutely sure Casey had chased the evil from Seaside Point, she allowed herself to relax and enjoy being home. Mr. Marcelli had flown to Seaside Point to personally apologize for the trouble and demanded to make amends by compensating Vanessa’s wedding planner handsomely. He simply would not accept Annessa’s denial and quite frankly, she wasn’t about to cross him.
Instead, she accepted Mr. Marcelli’s contribution and poured every penny of it into her sister’s wedding. Vanessa claimed it was a fairytale come true.
From the corner of the reception hall, Annessa watched Maverick twirl his latest conquest around before crushing her almost-exposed breasts against his chest and swaying around the dance floor. The poor girl probably had no clue the sexy fireman had already been around the room several times.
She sighed when Vanessa and Dane moved past her, both only with eyes for each other. Love for her sister flowed through her veins. Dane was truly a lucky man.
Travis caught her attention when he shuffled by with Verity plastered to him and a definite twinkle in his eye. She raised an eyebrow. This was a new development. Since when did her brother ever dance? And just exactly how well did he know Dr. Thomas? Guilt poked her. Teenage twin sisters tended to put a damper on his personal time. But they had been grown and independent for a few years now and she worried that her brother carried some of the same abandonment issues as she.
God, she would miss all of them.
“Hey, beautiful.”
She smiled when she recognized Casey’s voice as he slipped behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Do you think my brother’s happy?” she asked him.
“I think he’s about to be very happy.”
“I’m serious. I don’t think he dates much.”
“He dates.” He nuzzled the crook of her neck with his lips. “He’s just cautious.”
“Cautious?”
“Yeah. Just like someone else I know.”
She ign
ored his jab and tried in vain to ignore the tingling between her legs caused by the motion his very talented lips made on her neck. “They’re hiding something.”
“Who?”
“Travis and Verity.”
He exhaled hard and then lifted his head. “What are you talking about?”
“I think they know each other better than they let on.”
“How did you come to that conclusion?”
“Travis is smiling.”
“He smiles all the time.”
“No, he smirks.” She glanced back at her brother. “That smile looks like he wants to get her naked.”
“Baby, we always want to get you naked.”
“Seriously Casey, I think he’s happy.”
He pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. “I’m happy.”
“Me too.” Deliriously happy. She just had a hard time convincing herself she could trust the feeling.
“Think we could sneak away for a few minutes?”
She turned in his arms and gave him a grin. “Sheriff McIntyre, you of all people should know if we managed to sneak away, it would be for much longer than a few minutes. Besides, I think you just want out of that tie.”
“That too.” He tugged on the tie at his throat. “Damn thing’s about to choke me.”
“Not much longer. I’m willing to bet Vanessa is ready to call it a day.”
“Dane was ready an hour ago.”
She released a light giggle. “He looks like he’s ready to undress her.”
“Oh, he’s ready,” Casey mumbled.
“I’ll go see if I can speed the process.” With a light kiss to his cheek, she left to find Vanessa.
Casey appreciated the gentle sway of Annessa’s hips as she moved across the room and pried Dane and Vanessa apart. As soon as she handed Vanessa a bouquet of flowers, Dane made a beeline toward him.
“She might as well hand them to Annessa,” Dane said as he propped himself up against the wall next to Casey.
Casey lifted an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Because, my friend, you are next.”
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
Dane frowned. “What the hell are you talking about? You’ve loved her forever.”
“And I always will.”
Dane shook his head. “I thought you had this all figured out.”
“It’s not me. Annessa still needs to make the decision to stay.”
“You gonna let her go?”
“I may not have a choice. She’s not seventeen anymore; I can’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to.”
Dane rubbed a hand across his brow. “Just do me a favor.”
“Anything.”
“Please wait until Vanessa and I get the hell out of dodge before you and Annessa knock heads.”
Casey released a hearty laugh and shook the other man’s hand. “You’re a lucky man, Dane. Trust me, I won’t let anything get in the way of your happiness.”
“Thanks, man. Have you seen Travis?”
Casey glanced around the room and attempted to spot his best friend in the sea of tuxedos. “No, not since Annessa spotted him dancing with Verity.”
Dane’s eyes widened. “Do you see Verity?”
He took another look around the area. “No, do you?”
“No. I think old Trav may have slipped out on us.”
“Annessa swore he has something going with Dr. Thomas.”
Dane shrugged. “About time.”
Casey agreed. Now that the Dupree twins were settled, he was free and clear to sow his own wild oats. Except, it remained to be seen that both twins were settled. One of them was too damn stubborn for her own good.
He released a heavy sigh. He loved Annessa Dupree more than life itself – even if he had to let her go to prove it.
A swarm of feminine shrieks and giggles drew his attention to where Vanessa had just tossed her bouquet. Annessa straightened her sister’s veil then leaned close to place a kiss on her cheek. Tears glistened on Vanessa’s cheeks and sparkled in the room’s bright lights as Annessa led her from the party.
“Looks like you’re almost home free,” he told Dane.
“Yeah.” The other man smiled like a mischievous two year old. “I’ll see you in a week.”
Hours later, locked away from the world in her bedroom, Annessa took one look at Casey and knew this night would be the death of her. No matter what happened tomorrow, she would always treasure this night. Tonight she would love him for the last time, physically, anyway. She wouldn’t let herself be so naive as to believe she’d ever stop loving him. The thought alone stopped her heartbeat.
She moved her gaze to his eyes, hoping to find reassurance in the depths. Reassurance she was doing the right thing by leaving him. Reassurance that he understood. Reassurance that he loved her.
“Don’t think it to death, Ness.” Casey slipped the spaghetti straps of her gown from her shoulders then spun her around to lift the garment over her head.
A wave of heat came over her when he pressed a gentle kiss between her shoulder blades. “We have tonight. Just enjoy.”
Annessa squeezed her eyes closed and forced everything but the exquisite satisfaction of Casey’s touch from her mind. Her dress slid the length of her body until it lay in a pool of silk on the floor. He loosened the clasp of her bra and then stripped it from her body until it lay with the dress. Her nipples pebbled when he took her breasts into his hands, squeezing and massaging with his heated touch.
She leaned her head back onto his shoulder and moaned. “You’re so good at this.”
His low chuckle tickled the top of her head. “Only with you.”
Annessa moaned again and thrust her breasts further into his hands. His fingers found each nipple and squeezed. Sensation shot straight to her clit and it began to throb.
“Rub harder,” she whispered.
She heard his breath hitch at her request and he rolled each nipple between each set of fingers, alternately rubbing and squeezing. Heat now burnt the insides of her legs, not even remotely cooled by the moisture seeping from between. Muscles tensed and her breathing hardened. She groaned and pushed harder into Casey’s touch, her backside now squeezing his wonderfully hard erection.
“Casey,” she whimpered. “I think I’m going to—”
Her orgasm slammed her before she could finish. And then all she could do was lean against him and gasp for air.
He eased her away from his body and lowered her to sit on the bed. It was then she noticed his shaking hands as he tore at the button of his tuxedo pants and the rapid rise and fall of his chest exposed by his unbuttoned shirt.
“Panties off now,” he demanded as he shoved his pants and boxers from his body. The shirt followed, slung over the chair.
She pulled her panties off just as he covered her body with his.
“That was so fucking hot.” His lips claimed hers in a hard, pressing kiss. One that told them both exactly who she belonged to.
She reached between them and took him in hand. He raised his lips and opened his mouth.
She crossed her index finger over his lips. “I want to be on top.”
He gave her a grin and rolled them over. Still holding him hostage, she returned his grin and then moved down his body until she rested on her knees between his legs.
“Annessa,” he growled, “not now.”
She ignored him and lowered her mouth until she gripped the slippery tip of his head between her lips.
“Ah, hell,” he murmured, “just don’t kill me.”
Annessa swirled her tongue around the tip of him, tickling the underside with firm strokes. He raised his hips, thrusting further into her mouth. She pulled him in deeper until he bumped the back of her throat and then she gave a hard suck.
“Oh baby,” he groaned while he buried her fingers in her hair.
She fisted his erection and stroked while she continued her assault with her mouth.
His fingers tightened and he pulled b
ack. “Wait, honey.” He reached down to loosen her grip and braid her fingers through his. “Give me a second.”
Enjoying her power, she allowed him to remove her hand but refused to release him from her mouth. His stomach tightened with the force of his breathing.
She resumed the up-and-down motion with her mouth.
“Ness.” He panted. “Damn. Don’t stop.” A tortured growl left his throat. “I mean, stop.”
She released him with a pop of her lips and then giggled.
He pulled her back over the top of him. “You don’t play nice.”
Staring into his eyes, Annessa lifted her hips to position herself over him. She braced her hands on his broad shoulders as he guided their bodies together. When the thick head of his penis entered her, she gasped in pleasure.
His hands tightened on her hips. “Okay?”
“Mmmm.”
He gently eased himself further inside, quick shallow breaths escaping her with each inch until she moaned and lowered herself to fully seat him. He moved his hips in an easy pace as he filled her completely, his hot, hard length making her insides scream with want.
The same way he filled her heart.
His hands found her breasts, squeezing and pulling her nipples once again.
“Faster,” she told him.
“No.”
She lifted her hips until she was poised over him, then slid back down his length. Once he was buried deep in side of her, she pumped in a vigorous rhythm.
“Yes.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard and guided her hips in a rotating motion. “You are spoiled.”
“Your fault,” she said between breaths.
He tightened his hold on her hips with one hand and moved his free fingers to her clit. She gasped as he stroked the slippery nub, her movement somewhat off kilter.
He continued to guide her. “Hold on babe, we’re almost there.”
He took one more stroke and then rolled them back over and thrust in her, the friction fast and hot between them. She slipped a hand between them and cupped his balls.
He buried his lips in the crook of her neck. “Oh yeah, baby,” he groaned.
His declaration sent her over the top. Her inner walls tightened and her head grew light as her orgasm took root. He stroked one last time and followed.