She took a shuddering breath before speaking. “But you don’t know if it’ll work out.”
I wasn’t sure if she meant us or the pregnancy, but it didn’t matter.
“Yeah, Mia, I do. I can’t control nature, but I can control our relationship, and whatever happens, we’ll get through it together. You and me. I want this…” I touched her stomach, “…filled with my baby, and I want to experience it all with you. I also know you still dream about having a family of your own. I won’t give up and I won’t ever let you go again, so you might as well give in now.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall. She stared so deeply into my eyes I wondered if she saw into my heart.
“But it's only been two days,” she whispered.
"Does it feel like it's only been two days? Because it feels like a lot longer to me, and besides, like I said, you won't get pregnant tomorrow. You'll have time to get used to the idea."
She closed her eyes and they stayed that way. I felt miserable at her dismissal and moved to get up, but was stunned when she pulled me to a stop.
“Adam, if you hurt me, you will never ever see me again. I'm scared, but I'm also strong enough to know that I want this too.”
I kissed her once, and then once more, before I rested my forehead against hers.
“I’m glad you agreed because I want to come inside you so fuckin’ bad... I would have cried if you said no.”
I felt her smile. “Hmmm…well then, you better hurry. I don’t like sissy boys.”
Hurry? Hell no. I was taking my sweet ass time.
And I did.
I stood, turned off the TV and dimmed the lights.
I lifted Mia off the couch and I took my time undressing her. I took my time caressing every inch of her smooth skin. I took my time memorizing every sexy curve, every erotic dip and every sensual swell of her perfectly shaped body.
"Bed?" I asked.
"Right here," she returned.
That was all I needed to hear. I snatched the blanket off the back of the couch and threw it half-ass over the carpet.
We moved to the floor.
I lay at her side and took my time kissing, nipping and teasing every inch of her warm flesh until her body was begging me to take her.
And I did.
I covered her body with mine and took my time entering her. Gently. Slowly. I took my time kissing her sweet mouth and licking her soft lips. I took my time savoring the feel of her insides clenching around me, and I took my time pleasuring her. I took my time swallowing every one of her sweet moans and enticing whimpers.
But as soon as her teeth rasped against my neck, I couldn’t take my time anymore.
I pushed harder and faster until our bodies were hot and slick. I pressed my chest to hers, gripped her thighs, lifted them higher and sank deeper. When her nails bit into my back, I knew she was close.
“Adam,” she breathed in my ear before nipping it.
I groaned, and a moment later, I felt her orgasm rip through her body and she took me along for the ride. I followed her down and came so hard inside her I wasn’t sure if the pleasure would ever stop.
“Next time, I get to do all that to you," she panted against my ear moments later.
I chuckled and moved to roll off her, but to my surprise, she wrapped her arms around my neck to hold me in place.
“I like you where you are,” she whispered and I lifted my head, brushed the hair off her face, and kissed her.
“So do I, Baby, but I don’t want to crush you. Come on.”
“Wait. Where are we going?” she asked as I pulled her to stand.
“Shower.”
I held her hand and pulled her with me until we made it to the bathroom...where I showed her body even more attention.
“Freckles, you went a little crazy looking for your birth control pills, don’t you think?” Her clothes were scattered all over the floor. I had to step on most of them just to get to the dresser.
“Uhhh…yeah, sorry about that. I’ll pick them up in a minute.” I heard her shuffling around as she spoke and I knew she was probably looking through one of the trash bags for something to sleep in.
Then I heard, “Can I borrow one of your shirts until I can sort through my stuff?”
I slipped into my boxer-briefs and replied, “Whatever you want, Baby.” I searched through my dresser, pulled out a white t-shirt and turned just in time to see Mia slipping some panties on underneath her towel.
I wanted her again.
"Unh huh. Not happening, Adam," she said through a smile when she caught my look.
"What?" I asked innocently as I handed over my shirt.
She took it from my hands and let her towel drop to the floor. I sucked in a sharp breath. She was perfect. She was in little black lacy panties with a pink bow on the front. I had to adjust myself as I watched her slip my shirt over her head, even though I'd just finished having her in the shower a second time.
"You can have me again after you help me pick up my clothes."
She raised her eyebrows in expectation and I sighed.
"Why can't I have you before and after?" I might have sounded like a whiny horny teenager, but what man wouldn’t?
Her smile grew and her eyes lit up. "You know, if you have me before, there won’t be an after."
She was right, of course. If I had her before, I'd never let her out of bed. But I didn't have to like it.
She stepped closer, her hands hit my chest and she lifted her face to mine. "You look sexy when you pout," she said sweetly, and I sighed.
"Let's do this so I can get you in bed," I ordered and after a swift kiss, we got down to business sorting her shit.
As we started going through the first few bags, I waited and wondered if she was going to ask about my conversation with Spencer. I didn't want her to worry about it, but she also needed to know what to expect.
"Are you planning on asking me about my conversation with Spencer about Max's messages?"
Her eyes found mine and they looked worried. "I was, but I’m not sure I want to know. I figured if it was something bad you would have told me by now. Why? What happened?"
"Nothing too bad, but remember how I mentioned you should go shopping with Lex tomorrow?" She nodded. "I'm not sure that's a good idea anymore." She visibly stiffened and I continued. "He mentioned following Eric and he mentioned finding you. I don't want anything to happen to you, Mia."
"Oh my God...I didn’t even think…I was so upset. I need to call Eric and warn him," she rushed out and looked around the room, probably for her phone.
"Mia, calm down. I already called him."
She twisted and breathed, "You did?"
"Yeah. I told him to keep an eye out and call in anything suspicious. Spencer's working on tracking where the calls came from, so we'll see. Don't stress about it. I won't let anything happen to you."
She studied me closely and the trust she had for me shone bright in her eyes. Her body relaxed and she responded, "Thank you."
"Always, Baby."
I jerked awake and immediately searched for Mia, though I wasn't sure why since she was on her side with her head on my shoulder, arm around my stomach and leg tangled with mine.
"Baby, what's wrong?" she asked having been awakened by my movement. I laid still a moment. I didn't know what was wrong; I just knew something wasn't right.
And then I practically threw her away from me and jumped out of bed.
"Adam --"
"Get dressed, Baby, and hurry. I smell smoke." She didn't hesitate jumping out of bed after me. I had no idea why the smoke alarm hadn't gone off, but I knew I had to get Mia out of the house.
Fuck!
My heart was beating triple time and I ran to throw on some shorts. I heard Mia running around as well. The bedroom door had been left open and I moved to look down the hall, but as soon as I passed by the bedroom window something caught my attention and stopped me in my tracks.
I saw exa
ctly where the fire was coming from.
"Fuck!" I shouted and everything that happened next moved at warp speed. I turned to Mia, who was already watching me with terror in her eyes, and barked, "Call 911, tell them there's a fire and stay in this room until I come back. Lock the door behind me, and Mia, whatever you do, do not open that door until you hear me."
I walked to the nightstand, pulled out my Glock and ran out of the room without waiting for Mia's response.
I could have run outside, waited for the fire truck and watched Mia’s car burn, but I didn't give a shit about anything but Mia's safety. I checked every room in the house on the top floor before moving downstairs. Regardless if all the windows and doors appeared closed and locked, I checked room after room and closet after closet. I had to make sure Max wasn't in the house. I had no doubt it was him who set the fire.
My instincts told me so.
He had to have followed Eric here. It was too much of a coincidence; the voicemail, Max’s warning, Eric coming over, Mia’s car…all of it. Things always happened for a reason.
When I was sure the house was secured, I walked to the front door and just so happened to step out onto the front porch as the fire truck was pulling up. Luckily, our house sat on a little over three acres so all the neighbors were safe. My truck was also backed up to the front door because I hadn’t moved it since unloading all Mia’s stuff, and my Tahoe was still parked in the garage. Both seemed to be far enough away from Mia’s car.
Fuck! She’s gonna be so upset.
I watched the firefighters get off and they immediately started working to put out the fire. One of them came to me and I introduced myself, gave him a quick rundown, and seconds later, four uniformed officers showed up. One I knew, the others I didn’t. I gave them the rundown as well as fast as I could and then I went back inside, grabbed my cell phone and headed upstairs.
“Mia! Open the door, Baby.” I knocked on the door and waited. A moment later, the lock turned, the door opened and Mia stood in front of me with tears in her eyes. I cupped her cheek, needing to feel her warmth in my hands. She looked devastated, but she wasn’t crying.
“Are you okay?” I asked low.
She took a deep breath, held it, nodded, and then exhaled long and hard.
Then we both turned at the sound of a phone ringing, and it wasn’t mine. Mia ran to the night stand and I followed. Her hands were shaking as she fumbled to pull the phone off the charger.
“Hello,” she answered, but when she heard nothing she continued, “Max, is that you?”
She shook her head at me, pulled the phone away from her ear to look at the screen and then hit the speaker button.
“Max, if you’re there, please say something,” she begged, but nothing came from the other end. She swallowed hard, looked me in the eye and tried again, “Max, please say something.”
“I saw you...” Max hissed before roaring, “I fucking saw you with him!”
Mia’s eyes squeezed tight.
I froze.
I hadn't felt this much dread since the night Mia had the miscarriage. I knew that whatever was about to come next wasn’t going to be good.
“Max--” Mia whispered his name like a painful plea, but Max cut her off.
“I’m gonna kill you,” he vowed, firm, and that was all we heard before the line went dead. Mia dropped the phone to the ground like it shocked her and I pulled her into my arms.
“Oh God!” she breathed, and her whole body shook.
“Don’t, Mia. He’s just trying to scare you.” At least I sure as hell hoped that was all it was.
“He set my car on fire, didn’t he?” she asked so low I could barely hear her, but I knew she'd started crying.
I squeezed her tighter and swore to hurt Max if I ever got my hands on him.
“Yeah, Freckles, but don’t worry about this. He’ll be caught soon.” Or killed, but I didn’t say that out loud. “The only really bad news, other than your car, is that you’re gonna have to come to work with me tomorrow. I don't want you out of my sight.”
Her head snapped up and her eyes hit mine. “You’re kidding?”
I kissed her forehead. “No, Baby, nothing about this is funny.”
And when the alarm sounded at six o’clock in the morning, Mia knew exactly how not funny this was.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Mia Bryant
“Let Max kill me. As long as I get to sleep longer, I don’t care,” I mumbled, because I was still half asleep and waking up this early sucked.
“Mia…” Adam growled, but I ignored him. It was too early to put up with his bossiness and I was exhausted. Between listening in on Adam’s conversation with Spencer, his conversation with his Lieutenant, crying my eyes out over my car, watching a tow truck load up and take off with Cat’s remains, showering again to get the smoke stench off our bodies, and worrying myself to death, I’d only slept three hours, tops.
And I was not a morning person.
I maneuvered my head under my pillow and prayed Adam couldn’t see me. Maybe if Adam couldn’t see me, he’d forget I ever existed. Out of sight, out of mind. But a moment later, the pillow disappeared and I realized the lights had been turned on. I squeezed my eyes tight and whined, “Turn off the lights.”
“Mia, we gotta get going or I’ll be late for work.”
“So go without me,” I muttered, praying he’d say okay and go away. Then I felt the mattress dip at my side and a hand brushed the hair off my face.
He spoke right against my ear. “I hate waking you up, but there’s no way I'm leaving you here alone. Get up, Baby,” he ordered with affection before I felt his heat, and his weight leave me. A moment later, a loud smack echoed in the room when he spanked my ass. I growled and lifted my head to yell at him, but his mouth swooped down and covered mine, before I had the chance.
Bastard.
He pulled away and I scrunched up my nose.
“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet,” I informed him.
His grin lit up the already bright room. “Neither have I. Now get up.”
And I did, grudgingly.
After using the bathroom and brushing my teeth, I stood in the closet for at least ten minutes wondering what in the hell I was supposed to wear to a police station, but just as I was about to give up, I heard Adam walk in.
“You okay in here?” he asked and I turned.
I froze at what I saw.
I knew it was my half unconscious state, because on a normal day, my girly parts would not ache for him at six o’clock in the morning, but I wanted to jump him. His body took up the doorway and he looked oddly bigger than usual. He was dressed in black slacks, a crisp white, button-down shirt with the sleeves already rolled up to his forearms, a black leather belt and black leather shoes. He wore his badge on his belt and his gun on his hip.
Sweet baby Jesus.
“You look really, really good,” I told him and I couldn’t meet his eyes, because I was too busy staring at his body.
“Baby, stop looking at me like that. We don’t have time,” he warned and I nodded as I stalked him. He watched me and I kept going until I stood in front of him, but not close enough to touch.
“Mia, I want to take you for breakfast,” he said, and I knew he in fact meant sitting down somewhere to eat for breakfast, but my mind was already stuck doing the dirty with Adam.
“Well then, take me for breakfast and do me right here, right now, and make it fast,” I decided, before shimmying out of my panties.
And then I was facing the back closet wall, hands over my head and legs spread wide. Adam gripped my waist hard, fingers pressing deep, he shoved his face in my neck and took me from behind.
And to help ensure we both got off and still made it in time for breakfast, I dropped one arm, arched my back more and reached between our legs to cup him and caress him.
"Shit, fuck," he hissed and needless to say, we both came fast, hard, and loud.
I was starving, but reall
y, I needed coffee and lots and lots of sugar. My life depended on it. I could easily go without food, but coffee - no way in hell. I'd wanted to make some for the road, but Adam was adamant that we stop and eat first, so there hadn’t been enough time.
Well, there had been, but Adam was being a douchebag.
During the entire drive downtown, he’d been quiet, silently brooding. A complete one-eighty compared to the mood he'd been in after our quick expedition in the closet earlier. When I asked what was wrong, he squeezed my hand and assured me everything was fine, but his mood told another story.
And his mood was affecting my already dejected mood. I'd been acting fine and pretending everything was okay, because I didn't want to dwell on all of my current problems, but I was far from fine. I mean, Cat was gone, my baby, the car I bought after I'd left Adam and fixed up to look better than brand new.
Then I found out Max was a lunatic.
I'd been forcing myself not to let my devastation show, but Adam was making it hard, and by the time we walked into Terry's Diner, nothing had changed.
All heads turned in our direction when the bell chimed over the door and Adam greeted a few patrons like he knew them personally. And even though Adam held my hand firmly in his, I could tell he was more than a little uncomfortable.
I couldn’t recall ever seeing him so uncertain, which was exactly how he appeared.
“Baby, as much as I want to fuck you in that outfit, you realize I'm gonna catch shit for it at the office,” he said, as soon as we were seated in a booth and left alone to look over our menus.
He didn’t sound angry or annoyed. He just sounded…
Odd. Maybe even a little troubled.
I immediately wondered if it was my outfit that had changed his mood, but I quickly shoved the thought aside.
I remembered his expression as he'd watched me walk down the stairs back at the house. I remember his face as he'd stared at me, so hard I'd thought he might have a heart attack.
Adam, Enough Said (This Can't be Happening) Page 26