LineofDuty

by Sidney Bristol

  Nicole blew out a breath. The words were water to her parched soul. “I need to hear that.”

  “I promise to not let a day go by without telling you. Or. Better yet…” He rolled her to her back and this time his face creased in a smile. “I can show you. Would you let me?”

  “Careful what you promise. I might hold you to it.” Her heart still fluttered when he gazed at her with heat.

  Jake’s smile spread into a grin and he pushed the towel open. He kissed his way down her body, laving her nipples with his tongue before continuing his trek.

  He parted her folds and licked her clit with the flat of his tongue. Anticipation had her more sensitive and she gasped, grasping the sheets and arching her back. He slid his fingers into her pussy.

  “I can’t wait until I have the toy box back.” Jake brushed his thumb over her anus. “Remember how you came when I put that one back here?”

  Heat and arousal flooded her body.

  “I think you do remember.”

  “Mmm, dresser drawer.” She reached toward it, biting her lip as he curled his fingers in her channel.

  Jake kissed her hip and slithered across the bed. He yanked the drawer open and pulled out the large, rabbit-style vibrator. It was her go-to for self-pleasure. There were better ones for Jake to use on her, but she hadn’t exactly packed for a couple’s trip when she left.

  He grinned and pressed the button. The purple cyberskin started to shake slightly and her channel spasmed.

  Jake brought the toy to her entrance and slowly eased it in. She was so wet it slid in with not even a gasp from her. He pushed her knees open wider with his and leaned over her. With one hand he pumped in and out, agonizingly slow. He bent his head and sucked her breast, swirling his tongue around the areola, nipping the peak just a little.

  Nicole lifted her hips, urging him faster, but the damn man wasn’t pushing her toward release.

  “Jake,” she moaned.

  He froze, turning the vibrator off.

  “Don’t use your feet,” he said.

  “Then fuck me.” She let her legs flop to the bed and glared at him.

  He turned the vibe back on, his gaze daring her to move. In and out, in and out he stroked her, even applying pressure to the clit-stimulating rabbit.

  “Oh, fuck me already.”

  “Shit.”

  Jake pulled the vibe out and stood. He stripped out of his clothing in a flurry, tossing his shirt one way and his jeans another. She would have laughed if she weren’t so turned-on. There wasn’t an inch of him that wasn’t rock hard from use or necessity. He was her hero made flesh.

  He climbed between her legs and hooked her knees over his arms, spreading her wide and conveniently making her feet useless.

  The ass. Good thing she loved him.

  “Put me in you,” he said.

  Well, don’t mind if I do.

  Nicole grasped his cock and pumped it, taking joy in the way his face grew tense and he clenched his jaw. Two could tease.

  “Nicole,” he growled.

  “You want this?” She slid her fingers along either side of her clit.

  “Nicole.”

  She grinned and positioned his cock at her entrance. His hips flexed, joining their bodies as he slid deep within her, completing the circle that had been broken. They froze, gasping for breath, gazes locked. This was more than sex or fucking. Even making love. She didn’t have words for what he did to her, but it healed the fractured bits of her heart and soul.

  Nicole pulled him down, not that he resisted. She kissed him, holding his face in both hands, relishing the rough feel of his stubble across her palm, the way he teased her with his tongue.

  He withdrew and she tilted her head back, savoring the sensation of their most intimate joining. He kissed her neck and gently bit the juncture at her shoulder. She chuckled and relaxed, knowing he would care for all her needs.

  Nicole flattened her hands on the bed, fingers slightly under her bottom, and when he thrust, she did too. One side of Jake’s mouth hitched up. She’d missed that boyish grin. The one that said she was about to get it. He withdrew and thrust harder, her breath hitching as sparks sizzled through her body.

  “Oh yeah,” she muttered.

  He thrust again, harder. Her hands slipped over the bed but she met him thrust for thrust. Each time little quakes shook her insides.

  Jake pushed her knees open wider and brought them up, his hands planted on the bed close enough to hers their fingers could curl around each other. This close she could see the ring of color around his eyes, the depths of richer color and the tints of almost gold in them.

  He pistoned in and out of her body, hard and fast. She did what she could to meet him each time, but her movements were hindered. He held her prisoner, not that she minded one bit.

  The sounds of their mingled breathing, moans and the slap of flesh on flesh filled the room. She grabbed one of his hands and clenched his shoulder with the other.

  “Say you love me,” Jake said, his voice low and rough.

  Nicole gasped as he hit the perfect spot. Her vision went fuzzy and her body arched. “Oh I love you. I fucking do.”

  Not just him, but everything about him. He was her hero. Her country boy. The man who didn’t try to understand her, just accepted all her quirks. He was the man she would grow old with. Because she loved him, and a life without that love wasn’t the life she wanted.

  He dropped his head, sweat beading his brow.

  “Oh Jake.” Her voice hitched on the last syllable, turning it into a moan as her release spiraled up through her body. Her toes curled and she hugged his body with her calves, dug her nails into his shoulder and clenched his fingers.

  His motions became jerky, uneven. His head tossed back and all she could see was the pupils of his eyes. She watched as his body shuddered, rippled with his climax.

  Little tremors snaked their way through her as his motions gentled and stilled. He dropped his head to her shoulder and she squeezed what parts of him she could reach.

  She loved him with everything she had.

  Jake eased from her, gingerly guiding her body back to the mattress. He bent and kissed her sweetly, such a contradiction to the rough fucking they liked. She watched him disappear into the bathroom and listened to his movements, the sounds of the sink and running the tap.

  By all accounts she shouldn’t feel safe here anymore, but it was impossible for her to feel anything but content and cared for. Especially with Jake there. He’d break into hell for her if that was what it took.

  Jake returned with a washcloth and cleaned her once more, even bandaging her feet to his standards.

  The day was still hours from being done, but Nicole was more than ready to sleep in her own bed with her husband.

  “You missed a call.” Jake handed her cell phone to her.

  She glanced at the screen.

  Tanya.

  “Did you tell them we weren’t coming over?” she asked.

  Jake paused. “No.”

  “Such a guy.” She sighed and dialed Tanya.

  The phone didn’t make it through one ring before Tanya’s voice answered, “Hey.”

  “Hey, sorry for being a no-show. Jake didn’t tell me the plan was to go to your place until we pulled up, and I really just wanted to go home.” Nicole scooted under the comforter.

  “That’s totally okay. I was getting worried about not hearing from you.” Tanya’s kindness echoed over the phone and Nicole knew she was lucky. She’d done everything wrong and somehow wound up with the best pieces in her life.

  “Thanks, for everything.”

  “No problem. I’m just glad you’re okay. You know, we never got to catch up the other night.”

  “No, I’m sorry.”

  “So you’re staying with Jake?”

  Nicole glanced at Jake, who from what she could overhear was ordering a pizza. She hoped he at least thought to put on pants before answering the door. It wouldn’t do to
make a delivery boy self-conscious.

  “Yeah. We just had a disconnect. I think we’ll be going back for round two.”

  “I’m really glad to hear that.” There was an odd note to Tanya’s voice.

  “What’s going on with you?” Nicole asked. They’d focused on her so much recently that she felt like a rotten new friend.

  “Well, we can talk about it later.”

  “No, spill.”

  “Okay, look, I know we just really got to be friends but I wanted you to be one of the first people I told…”

  “Okay…”

  “I’m pregnant.” Tanya’s voice rose into a shrill yelp.

  Nicole sat up, her jaw hanging open. “Congratulations,” she blurted.

  “I didn’t want to tell you yet, but I don’t want to not tell you,” Tanya babbled.

  “No, I’m really happy for you. That’s great.” And Nicole was happy for her. Tanya and Cole had something solid between them, and their home begged for children. Lots of them.

  “Are you sure? I don’t want to rub this in your face or anything.”

  “Tanya, I’m happy for you. Jealous? Sure. But really, I’m happy for you. Thank you for telling me.”

  Jake came to sit next to her as if sensing she needed his shoulder. She took his hand in hers and squeezed.

  Tanya babbled for a few minutes longer before hanging up. Nicole listened to her the whole time without a single drop of bitterness or resentment tainting her happiness.

  “What was that about?” Jake asked when she hung up.

  “Tanya is pregnant.” Nicole rested her cheek against her knees.

  Jake frowned. “And you’re okay with it?”

  “No, no one can have babies ever again.”

  “That’s not what I mean.”

  “I know, but I really am happy for her.”

  “What about us?”

  “What about us?” she parroted back.

  “Do we still want kids?”

  “Someday. For now I just want you.”

  “You’ve got me, babe, as much as you want.”

  “Oh, I want it all, and I want it right after that pizza.”

  Jake kissed her deeply and she knew this wasn’t the end of their unusual story.

  Epilogue

  Two months later…

  Jake grabbed the end of the sofa. “On three. One, two—”

  “On three or after three?” Cole asked.

  “Ass, just pick up the damn couch,” Jake said.

  Together they hauled the bulky piece of furniture off the truck and managed to get it into the front door of the house without scratching the new paint.

  The house was stacked with boxes, bits of furniture here and there, a complete hodgepodge of things from the brick house, this one and new additions. It would be weeks before they were settled, but they were making the right decision.

  Nicole and Tanya had their heads bent together in the kitchen, supposedly unpacking dishes, pots and pans, but from the looks of it they were too busy gossiping. No doubt about Aaron, who had dropped by to carry boxes. He’d sported a hickey the size of a baseball.

  Let them gossip.

  There’d been weeks of smiles and more happiness than he’d had in a long time. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up.

  He and Cole escaped outside before Nicole could get picky about the placement of the furniture.

  Jake peered inside the box truck they’d rented to do the bulk of moving. There was really only one room of furniture left.

  “Say, Nicole and I were talking. If you guys want the crib and stuff, you’re welcome to it. You saw it, it’s all white furniture, pretty nice, never used.” He shrugged. “I don’t know when we’ll need it. Seems a shame someone won’t use it.”

  Cole stared at him for a second. “That’s real nice of you. Let me talk to Tanya. You know how she is about reusing stuff. She’ll probably love the idea.”

  “Okay—”

  “Jake!”

  He whirled to face the house, his heart leaping into his throat.

  Nicole stood on the porch, phone pressed to her ear, and a grin spread across her face.

  She was not in danger. She was happy and safe.

  In the last three weeks Jake had suffered more sleepless nights than Nicole, which he would take. As long as she wasn’t in danger.

  “What?”

  Nicole sprinted across the lawn. He had a split second to prepare himself before she leapt on him, wrapping her legs around his hips and clinging to his neck as she squealed. Tanya ambled after her, grinning ear to ear.

  “What is it?” he asked again.

  Nicole grasped his face in both hands and planted a kiss on his lips.

  “I’m pregnant. We’re pregnant!”

  “What?” He gaped at her, the words not quite registering.

  “Dr. Hunsaker, here.” She held the phone to his ear.

  “Hello?” Jake said.

  “Hi, Jake.” The doctor’s voice shook with laughter.

  “Is it true?” he asked, not daring to believe.

  “It is. We did blood work again this last week to be sure, but you are expecting. Congratulations.”

  Jake clutched her to his chest.

  Cole slapped him on the shoulder “Looks like you’ll be needing that furniture after all.”

  Jake buried his face in her hair. A month ago his world had fallen to pieces and now it was held together by hope, dreams and love. Just the kind of world he wanted to bring a child into.

  About Sidney Bristol

  It can never be said that Sidney Bristol has had a “normal” life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor home on the U.S. highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas, where she divides her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.

  Sidney welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

  Tell Us What You Think

  We appreciate hearing reader opinions about our books. You can email the author directly or you can email us at Service@ellorascave.com (when contacting Customer Service, be sure to state the book title and author).

  Also by Sidney Bristol

  Bound With Pearls

  Collar Me in Paris

  Flirting with Rescue

  Hot Tango

  Personal Adventures

  So Inked 1: Under His Skin

  So Inked 2: The Harder He Falls

  So Inked 3: His Marriage Bargain

  Print books by Sidney Bristol

  Bound with Pearls

  Under His Skin

  Ellora’s Cave Publishing

  www.ellorascave.com

  Line of Duty

  ISBN 9781419991608

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  Line of Duty Copyright © 2014 Sidney Bristol

  Edited by Jillian Bell

  Cover design by Fiona Jayde Media

  Cover photography by Yen Hung Lin, Fiona Jayde Media

  Electronic book publication September 2014

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