by Tara Nina
Shelley shook her head and shoved that momentary doubt to the side. “I can’t take the credit. I think I saw it in a movie once and prayed it worked. But you,” she paused, trying to keep the flood of emotions racing through her system in check. Her hand trembled as she gathered his hand in hers. It took a great amount of effort not to tug him into a hug and smother him with kisses.
The roar of multiple sirens broke the air and parted the field of officers. A pair of ambulances parked side by side. Paramedics jumped out. Shelley responded by sliding under one of Jack’s arms while Dave held him by the other and together they led him to the closest ambulance. At the rear of the ambulance, the paramedics pulled out the stretcher. With Dave and Shelley’s help, he sat on it. The paramedics helped him lie back and began their assessment. But Jack wouldn’t lie still nor would he release her hand.
“I want to check on the other cop. I need to know how he’s doing.” Jack’s voice seemed weak as he protested and attempted to stand.
“I’ll do it for you, buddy. But you’ve got to let these guys do their job.” Dave turned and rounded the ambulance.
“Lie down, Jack,” Shelley stated as she knelt beside him, squeezing his hand. “They need to look at your wound.”
Shelley couldn’t believe it. Here he was shot himself, bleeding, and instead of letting the paramedics do their job, he wanted to know how the other man was doing. A knot twisted inside her heart. He’d risked his life for hers. With a gentle push, she guided him onto his back. She brushed the hair from his brow and smiled. “Thank you for helping me. That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen anyone do in real life.”
“I couldn’t let him hurt you. His anger was meant for me, not you. No one should ever hurt a lady.” His voice seemed strained and she had to lean close to hear his words. Pure heat slithered down her spine as he added on a whisper near her ear, “I couldn’t let him take the sexiest woman I’ve ever met from me without a fight.”
He tugged his hand free of hers and fumbled with something inside his pants pocket. She noted he glanced from side to side to locate the paramedics before he slipped an object into her hand. The remote control. Shelley almost laughed. In all the excitement, she’d forgotten the balls. She bit the edge of her lower lip, then tucked it in the pocket of her dress. Thank God she’d worn underwear and hadn’t taken a blow to the lower abdomen like she did in the store.
“I’ll keep it safe for you,” she whispered, giving him a smile and a look she hoped let him know she was willing to play with him again.
Shelley stood and stepped back at the request of one of the paramedics. The sight of the bullet wound in his shoulder made her gasp. Blood pumped from the opening before pressure bandages were applied. No wonder he appeared pale. A lot of his blood spilled from that hole. Shelley took a deep breath, closed her eyes and prayed for his recovery. The paramedics wasted no time in getting him stable enough for transport. With an IV in place and the wound temporarily bandaged, they lifted him into the ambulance.
“No,” Jack yelled, pushing into a semi-upright position. “I need to know about the cop.”
“He’s fine,” David replied on a rushed breath as he returned. “He had the good sense to wear a vest today. The close-range shot may have broken a few ribs and he took a blow to the back of his head when he landed that knocked him unconscious. He’s got a possible concussion, but is otherwise healthy.”
As if that was all he needed to relax, Jack fell back onto the stretcher. The tension left his brow and his eyes closed. For a moment, Shelley wasn’t sure he was still alive until she caught the slow rise and fall of his chest. Thank God, she thought with a sigh. One paramedic stayed in the rear of the ambulance with Jack while the other jumped out to close the doors. Before the second door closed, she grabbed it and made a hurried decision. She didn’t care what anyone thought. She wanted and needed to be with him.
“I want to ride with him,” she demanded as she attempted to haul herself up into the ambulance. A pair of strong hands circled her waist and assisted her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Jack’s partner.
“You go. I’ll meet y’all there.”
The ride to the hospital had been quiet. Jack’s eyes closed and remained that way. His breathing shifted to short and shallow, causing the paramedic to administer oxygen. Had he lost too much blood? Would he die?
Every horrible scenario possible flashed through her head. The moment they arrived, they rushed him into the emergency room, then once stabilized, they moved him directly to surgery to remove the bullet.
While they waited, Shelley had been thoroughly questioned by Donald Mosely— the Chief of Police—and Captain James until her head ached. But she never explained her connection with Jack nor did they actually ask. To her relief, they were more concerned over Leon Baldwin’s actions and how he’d gotten into the courthouse in the first place. Silence filled the waiting room after they left until David finally spoke. He stood behind her as she stared aimlessly out the window.
“So, how long have you been seeing Jack?”
Shelley jumped at the unexpected question and spun to face him. He was the first and only one to ask. For a split second, gratitude that she’d removed the balls earlier during one of her bathroom trips filtered through her soul. As tired as she was, she felt certain the balls would have popped right out and somehow managed to escape her underwear and land at her feet. The image dissipated as quickly as it appeared behind her eyes but the damage was done. She stumbled over her words as she attempted to utter a response. “We’re not—”
He cut her off. “You don’t have to tell me. It’s obvious from the way he looked at you something was going on between y’all.” David’s compassionate smile soothed her nerves as he added, “Not sure why you want to keep this secret. If it’s your age difference, then I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about. You’re a beautiful woman any man would be lucky to have on his arm. And Jack’s a great guy with a lot to offer the right woman. Are you that woman?”
Shelley dropped her chin to stare at the floor. Oh God, what was she supposed to say now? Was she the right woman for Jack? Was he the man for her? Chills skirted down her arms at the thought. Damn if she knew, but she truly hoped she’d get the chance to investigate the feelings brewing in her heart for Jack. Were they purely a sexual item or did their relationship equal more? Warm fingertips touched her chin and gently urged her to return her gaze to his. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
She managed to wet her lips enough to issue a heartfelt, “Thank you.”
“Not a problem,” David said with a wink.
For the first time since they’d met, she took a moment to assess the man she’d learned was Jack’s partner. Not only was he nice and well mannered, he wasn’t too bad on the eyes either. David Delaney stood a few inches taller than Jack. From what she could guess, he appeared to outweigh Jack as well, but not in fat. Even his suit jacket didn’t hide the man’s athletic build. Glancing at his face as she took a seat on the couch, she noted the deep brown shade of his eyes and the natural wave of his dark brown hair. The smile he gave her as he plopped on the couch beside her made her notice the boyish charm of his dimples.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head on the back of the couch. Were he and Jack the same age? Should she ask? Shelley shrugged inwardly as she realized she suddenly didn’t care about the age gap. All she wanted was Jack to be well.
Hours ticked away before the surgeon appeared in the waiting room. Shelley and David stood to greet him.
“He will be fine. The bullet damaged the axillary artery, which caused severe blood loss. We managed to repair the artery and reset his shoulder. The bullet lodged in the actual joint space, causing a rotator cuff tear and the shoulder to separate. Lucky for him, there was minimal bony involvement. With proper rehabilitation, he should regain most of its function. But he’s going to need rest. He’s in the recovery room right now and as soon as he’s awake they’ll transport him to his r
oom.”
A sigh of relief exited both at the same time.
“Thank you, doctor,” Shelley replied as David shook his hand. “When can we see him?”
“I’ll have to let you know. Excuse me.” The doctor turned and exited the room.
“I’m suddenly hungry,” David proclaimed, rubbing his belly. “Care to join me in the cafeteria for a bite while we wait?”
Shelley shook her head. “I couldn’t eat. But thank you. You go ahead. If there’s a change I’ll come and get you.”
David nodded. “I’ll bring you back another coffee. Cream and sugar, right?”
A thin smile upturned her lips as she replied. “Yes.”
The silence of the room seemed to drown her when she settled onto one of the couches. Exhaustion took control and her eyes closed. Images of Jack’s smiling face floated on the clouds of her dreams the moment she fell asleep. One last tangible question sparked her thoughts before the dream encapsulated her brain.
How in such a short amount of time had this man, this incredibly strong, sexy man, captured her heart? Shelley snuggled into the crook of the couch’s arm and let the comfort of sleep overcome her system.
The sensation of being watched flooded her system. Shelley pried one eye open. Her cousin, Emma Jean, stood hovering over her.
“Why didn’t you call me?” she scolded and rambled on without taking a breath. “I had to learn about this from a special news report on TV. Your momma saw it at the same time I did. She called me and demanded I find you and make sure you were all right. Of course by the time the phone rang, I had one arm in my coat and a foot out the door aimed your way.”
Shelley sat upright, tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear and glanced at her wristwatch. Forty-five minutes. She sighed. At least she’d gotten a decent catnap before Momma’s cavalry showed.
“I appreciate your concern. I’m sorry I didn’t think to call but I was sort of busy if you didn’t notice from the news report.”
Emma Jean flopped onto the couch beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I’m sorry I spouted off like that. I was so worried about you.”
A piping-hot cup of coffee appeared across her shoulder. Shelley looked up and met David’s smiling face as she reached for it. “Your other cup got cold while you slept so I got you another one. I figured the moment this one arrived, she’d wake you even though I asked her not to.”
“Thanks.” Shelley gave him a weak smile, adding in a sarcastic tone, “Emma Jean never listens. It’s been her downfall since we were kids.”
“Duly noted,” David answered with a nod of his head and a wink at Emma Jean.
Oh boy. Shelley blew into her cup. He didn’t know what he was getting into if he went for that one. Should she warn him? From the “I’m gonna eat you up” look Emma Jean shot him, she decided to let him learn for himself. After all, David was a big boy. He could take care of himself.
“Excuse me,” a female voice interrupted from the doorway. Looking up, they saw a nurse. “Is there a Shelley in here?”
“Yes,” she replied, setting her cup on the table and standing. “I’m Shelley.”
The questioning gaze the tight, young brunette gave her caused Shelley to straighten her spine. Surprise laced her tone as the nurse stared, giving Shelley the head-to-toe once-over. “He’s asking to see you. Could you come with me please?”
Was she imagining the slight hint of a jealous attitude from the nurse? It couldn’t be. Shelley shook it off and followed the petite woman to a room near the end of the hall. A uniformed officer stood guard and greeted her as she entered. For a second, it rattled her until she remembered Captain James told her they planned to place a security detail in the hospital in case any of the other Baldwins initiated a retaliation against Jack.
Jack sat semi-upright in the bed. A weak smile crossed his face as their gazes met. Seeing his eyes open sent a gush of relief to her soul. Jack was awake.
“Hey you,” he said as he tried to touch her. His voice was raspy and she knew it had to be from the tube they’d placed down his throat for surgery. She’d had one once for an appendectomy years prior and still remembered the dry ache when she tried to speak right after.
“Hey you,” she replied, taking his hand in hers and easing in closer so as not to place a greater strain on his vocal cords. “You need to rest.”
“What I need is you,” he rasped, dragging her hand down from his chest to below his waistline.
His erection surprised her. Her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly. The man had been shot, went through a surgical procedure and still wanted sex. In slow motion, he rubbed her hand up and down his sheet-covered cock.
“Ever done it in a hospital bed?”
The sight of his eyebrows wagging made her laugh as she shook her head.
“You’re impossible.”
“No, just horny for you.” He released her hand and brushed his fingertips down her cheek to cup her chin, then leveled a tired but heated gaze on her. “I dreamed of you. You’re the reason I woke up like this. You’re beautiful and amazing. The way you handled Baldwin…”
Jack broke into a coughing fit. Sweat beaded his brow and she read the pain it caused him in his face. She grabbed the cloth from the bedside table and wiped his forehead.
“Shush, Jack. We can talk later. You need to rest.”
When Shelley turned, he grabbed her wrist. “Please, stay with me. I want to see your face when I wake.”
“What, you don’t want that pretty little brunette that’s assigned to you? I think she’s got the hots for you.” She couldn’t help but tease him.
Jack grinned weakly, then replied, “She’s got nothing on you, babe. It’s you I want to fuck just as soon as I can convince you to crawl in this bed with me.”
Shelley laughed and shot a glance at the doorway. She cleared her throat, leaned in close and whispered in his ear. “If you’re a good patient, maybe in a day or two once you’ve regained your strength, I’ll take care of your tasty problem.”
To emphasize her meaning, she rimmed his ear with the tip of her tongue and didn’t miss the heavy intake of air between his teeth.
“Damn, woman,” he growled on a harsh breath. “You’re gonna be the death of me.”
“No, baby,” she replied in a deep sensual tone against his ear. “I’m gonna be the best sex you’ve ever had.”
In a feat of strength she didn’t expect, he cupped the back of her head and guided her face-to-face with him. Right before he captured her mouth in a soft, sensual kiss, he whispered. “You already are.”
* * * * *
Three weeks later…
“Are you sure you’re up to this?”
“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a trip to the sex toy shop, dinner with my lady and an evening experimenting with our purchases. Besides, I’m hoping tonight you and I can enjoy a more adventurous bout of sex.” He wagged his eyebrows. “Don’t get me wrong, babe. I’ve enjoyed our evenings of tender sex because you don’t want to hurt me, but I’ve got to admit I miss the more flavorful experiments. I want the non-vanilla version of sex with you tonight.”
Shelley started to balk, but from the heated gaze he speared her with, she decided vanilla wasn’t her favorite either.
“Okay.” Shelley pulled into the parking lot of Devilish Delights. “But I’ve got to warn you, Emma Jean’s shop is a bit overwhelming for the first-time buyer.”
Jack grinned, unhooked his seat belt and proclaimed in a jesting tone, “Who says I’m a first-timer?”
Shelley laughed at his comical expression and reached to open her door. Jack’s suddenly firm tone stopped her. “Don’t you dare open that door! My arm may be in this sling but I’m still a gentleman. You sit tight.”
He slid from the passenger seat, scooted around the front end and opened her door. The moment she stood, he wrapped his good arm around her waist and planted a brief, tender kiss to her lips. Pure heat met her gaze w
hen she straightened in the crook of his arm and looked at him. “Now that’s a way to open a door,” she stated breathlessly.
“Wait ‘til I show you how gentlemanly I can be in the bedroom.” His smile broadened, increasing the depth of that sexy cleft in his chin. Chills of anticipation skittered down her spine to pool in her pussy. Damn, she had to hand it to him, he knew how to get her hot with a look and precise wording to tickle her intellect.
He escorted her to the storefront, opened the door and did a mock curtsey as he said, “After you, milady.”
The moment the door closed behind them, they both froze. David stood in the center of the store with a shopping basket in hand. When he saw them, a deep shade of crimson seeped up his neck all the way to his ears.
“Aw, ain’t that cute,” Emma Jean teased, pinching his cheek and plopping a pair of fur-covered handcuffs into his basket. “Don’t worry. That’s a trait easily worked out of the system.”
As she pushed past him to greet Jack and Shelley, she slapped David’s ass, which caused him to jump. “Umm, that would’ve really sizzled if’n you’d tried on those bare-bottomed leather chaps I told you to.”
David’s eyes rolled upward as he shook his head. Shelley laughed. Jack leaned into her and whispered, “Did you know they were dating?”
She whispered back, “I don’t think they are, yet.”
Jack kissed her cheek, then strolled over to his partner. He couldn’t help but soak in his surroundings as he closed the distance between them. A relaxing shade of lavender coated the walls. The center of the store was lined with rows of white shelves loaded with sexual products. A glass counter filled with an array of sexual devices ran half the length of one wall and the cash register sat on the end closest to the door. He wove around several rows of scented candles, body lotions, flavored massage oils and assorted “candy”-flavored edible undergarments.
When he reached David, he noted they stood in the aisle containing vibrating paraphernalia, a multitude of floggers and masks, along with a variety of bondage items, including fur-lined handcuffs. A glance over David’s shoulder and he located a wall of sexy outfits and sensual lingerie. One silky-looking, pale blue negligee caught his eye and he imaged it would look divine on and off Shelley. He made a mental note to pick that up later in the week when she wouldn’t be with him for a surprise gift for her. He turned his attention to David.