It dawned on me that the bag of stuff she took with her from the hospital didn’t have much in it. “Did Desi take it all back to your apartment?”
Her shoulders relaxed. “She did. I remember her saying she was going to this morning. I think she said she was leaving my phone and wallet, though.”
“Be right back.” I rushed into the room where I’d set the bag and carried it out to her. “Might be in here.”
She rummaged through it and set both items on the counter. “That’s a relief,” she mumbled.
I noticed the bottle of pills sat unopened. “You better take one of those.”
“I don’t like feeling so out of it.”
I opened the bottle and handed her one. “If you don’t take it, you’ll feel way more than out of it.” I started taking food out of the bags, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ali stick her tongue out at me. If her ribs weren’t bruised and her arm wasn’t broken, she’d pay for that. I should start keeping track. I had to turn my back when the ideas I had for punishing her went straight from my brain to my cock.
I’d lied when I said I got all her favorites from the café; I’d gotten mine. But based on how much she ate, Ali must’ve liked what I chose.
“What do you say we take a quick trip over to your apartment before you crash for the night?”
She raised a brow, but was smiling.
“Sorry, poor choice of words.”
By the time I wheeled her across the street, I realized what a bad idea this was. No matter how small the bump, Ali felt it. She didn’t complain, but I saw every wince. Even the elevator doors closing and then opening jarred her.
I wheeled her to the apartment door, used the key card to open it, and wondered if it might be better if she stayed here tonight.
“Hey, I was thinking…” She went ghost-white again. “What is it? Pain?”
She shook her head. “Someone’s been in here.”
We’d only gotten as far as the kitchen, but nothing appeared amiss. “Your friend was, right?”
“Someone else.”
Given the look on her face, I knelt down beside her and put my hand on the arm of the wheelchair. “What makes you say that?”
“Take a deep breath.”
I did and then shook my head.
“Cologne.”
“Could it be—”
“If you’re going to ask if it could be Desi’s, the answer is no. She’s worn the same perfume all the years I’ve known her. If she’d switched, I would’ve noticed. Besides, what I smell is men’s cologne, not perfume.”
I took another whiff, but I couldn’t smell anything. I wasn’t taking any chances, though. “I think it’s your imagination,” I said, louder than I needed to, shaking my head and putting my finger in front of my mouth so she didn’t respond. As quietly as I could, I wheeled her back out and into the elevator.
“Where are we going?” she asked once the door closed behind us.
“I’m taking you back to my place until I can confirm that whomever’s cologne you smelled isn’t still in there.”
“It was familiar.”
“And you’re sure it couldn’t be from Desi?”
Ali shot me a glare, but by the time I wheeled her into my apartment, she looked like she couldn’t keep her eyes open a minute longer. I took her straight into the bedroom, lowered the side of the wheelchair, and lifted her onto the bed.
“Before you nod off, tell me what all you want me to get.”
“It’ll be easier if you just grab my bag and my suitcase. I didn’t unpack.”
I’d ask why later. First, I wanted to get over there and make sure there wasn’t anyone still in the apartment. “Is your phone on?”
Ali nodded.
“Make sure the ringer’s on and turn the volume up, in case I have questions.”
She nodded again, as though that was all she had energy for. I brushed her hair from her forehead. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Before I realized what I was doing, my lips touched hers. Kissing her before I left, especially with her stretched out on my bed, seemed like such a natural thing to do.
“I’m sorry, Ali,” I whispered, resting my forehead against hers. “There’s just something—”
“Do it again.”
I pulled back and looked into her eyes. “What did you say?”
“Kiss me again, Cope.”
Once the invitation was out there, I had to RSVP. I brought my hand to her cheek and stroked her lower lip with my thumb until her mouth opened enough for me to see the tip of her tongue. I leaned forward and touched it with the tip of mine. Ali’s right hand moved to my leg, and her fingers dug into my muscle when I went in deeper. I held myself back, so afraid I’d hurt her if I kissed her the way I’d been longing to.
I knew I had to leave, but my body wasn’t going anywhere, especially when she angled her head and I heard her moan softly. Wait. She moaned.
I wrenched my mouth from hers and looked into her eyes. “Did I hurt you?”
She shook her head and bit her lower lip. Her eyes were hooded, her cheeks were flushed, and her pebbled nipples were like little beacons, begging for my tongue to lick them. I closed my eyes and looked up at the ceiling. The woman in my bed was recovering from a car accident, I reminded myself more than once. Which meant the body I longed to have naked beneath mine was off-limits. I moaned like she had, kissed her once more, and then pulled away and stood.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can,” I repeated, this time without the kiss.
“Cope?” she said when I was about to walk out the bedroom door.
I turned around. “Yeah?”
“Be careful.”
“Always. Keep your phone close by.” I raced out and into the elevator, and out of my building.
“What’s up, Cope?” asked Buck. While Ali hadn’t seen him or Rock, I knew they’d been nearby when I took her across the street and again when I brought her back.
“Ali thinks someone was in the apartment.”
“Was or is?”
“Both. Let’s go.”
Rock was there, waiting for us when we got back across the street.
“Cope,” he said quietly.
I nodded, put the key card in the slot, and opened the door. What I saw when I walked in, confirmed that there had, in fact, been someone in here earlier when Ali and I were.
“Holy shit,” whispered Buck as the three of us went in different directions, clearing each room.
Eleven
Ali
As hard as it was for me to keep my eyes open, I couldn’t sleep until I heard something from Cope. The fact that he’d been gone for more than thirty minutes was beginning to worry me.
I picked up my phone for the countless time, stupidly wondering if I’d missed a call from him. I eased myself off the bed and slowly walked out into the main living area. Even from the hallway, I could tell lights were on in the apartment I’d only spent two nights in.
“You can do this,” I whispered to myself as I crept closer to the windows. I rested my hand on the back of Cope’s sofa and took as deep a breath as I could without it hurting and then took two more steps forward.
I gasped when I saw the activity taking place in the loft, but nearly screamed when I heard the lock on the door behind me click.
“What are you doing out of bed?” Cope asked, rushing over to me.
“I was worried.”
He smiled and brushed my chin with his fingertip. “I guess so. Look at where you are.”
I didn’t have to look. I already knew I’d gotten closer to the windows than I was willing to before. “What’s going on over there?” I asked, motioning with my head.
“You were right. Someone was in there.”
“Who are all those people?”
“They’re from the agency. Let’s get you back in bed.”
Cope went off to get the wheelchair while I kept watching the shadows of the people in the apartment across the street.
“Where are my bags?” I asked when he came back and helped me into the chair.
“Someone will bring them over shortly.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“The guys are still gathering evidence.”
He wheeled me into the bedroom and helped me get back into bed.
“There’s a lot you aren’t telling me.”
He scrubbed his face with his hand. “There’s a lot I don’t know.” He walked to the door but hesitated and leaned his back against the jamb. “We’ll talk more tomorrow. Do you need anything?”
I nodded slowly and he smiled. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”
“Stay with me.”
The smile left his face, and I held my breath. He closed the door, walked around the bed, and stretched out beside me.
“What did you think I was going to say?”
“That you wanted the last two pieces of baklava.”
“That you ate?”
He nodded and smiled sheepishly.
“I’d rather you kiss me again.”
He raised a brow, and I had to admit, I wasn’t normally quite so…forward. Or stupid. I had no business starting a physical relationship with this man, but I couldn’t help myself. Maybe it was the pain meds, or maybe it was just Cope. I wanted to feel his lips on mine more than I wanted dessert—or in the heat of this moment—to do my job.
“Pretty demanding,” he murmured, with his head above mine. “I like that.” He leaned forward and kissed me, tentatively at first, like he had earlier, but it quickly deepened. His tongue snaked its way into my mouth, exploring in the same way I wished I could explore his body with my hands. I raised my left arm; I didn’t feel any pain, so I lifted the hem of my shirt.
When he noticed what I was doing, he stopped kissing me and watched. He gasped when he saw I didn’t have a bra on and my breasts were exposed. Without putting any weight on my body, he leaned forward and swirled his tongue around my nipple. He scooted his body back and moved my blouse away from my side, kissing the skin beneath. “You’re bruised,” he murmured, running his fingertips over the part of my body that hurt the worst.
“Ali,” he whispered, gently kissing the places where his fingertips had just been. “I’m so afraid I’m going to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” I whispered back.
His hand came back to my breast, as did his mouth. Knowing that if I moved, pain would shoot through my body, I stayed as still as I could. It was almost as though he’d restrained me. The idea alone drenched my panties.
“What was that thought, Ali?” He raised his head just slightly, so he could look into my eyes. “Tell me,” he demanded with a grin.
“I can’t move.”
His pupils flared. “I see. So the idea of being forced to take all the pleasure I give you, gets you wet?” Without hesitation, he reached between my legs, cupping my mound through my yoga pants.
“You’re soaked,” he muttered, increasing the pressure at the base of his palm. “Do you know how hard that makes me?” I wanted to find out for myself, but I knew if I reached for him, it would hurt, and then he’d stop. “Where else are you bruised? I need to know where I can touch you, Ali.”
“Help me get my pants off,” I murmured, hoping I wasn’t pushing too hard too fast.
He shifted his body down the bed, sat up, and put his hands on my waistband. “I’m going to do this slowly.”
I nodded and rested my hand on his. He worked his fingers between my pants and my skin, and as promised, he slowly pulled the fabric over my ass. They were as far down as my bikini line when he stopped.
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes,” I breathed, wondering if the pain medicine had an aphrodisiac in it. I’d never wanted to feel a man’s touch more than Cope’s.
He gently pulled the stretchy fabric farther down until he could easily slip my pants off my legs.
“What about my panties?”
With heated eyes, he looked up at me. “I’m human, Ali. You can only tempt me so much before I lose my restraint.”
He ran his hands over my legs, gently pushing my thighs apart and kissing the inside of my knee. It was all I could do not to arch my back and push my pussy toward his face. I was a quick learner, though, and knew the pleasure would not be worth the pain.
“Tell me where else it hurts,” he murmured.
“Right now? Nowhere.”
“Feeling no pain, eh? I hope you don’t regret this tomorrow.” He leaned forward again, kissed my kneecap, and then straightened out next to me.
“Sleep, Ali. The quicker you heal, the sooner I can explore the rest of your body.”
I clenched my fist in frustration, not knowing how in the hell he could turn his desire off that quickly.
“Just in case you’re wondering, there are parts of my body that hurt worse than any parts of yours do right now.”
“Why did you stop?”
It took him so long to answer that I thought maybe he’d fallen asleep, but his eyes were open.
He took a deep breath and turned on his side. “I want you, Ali. All of you. I think I have since you called me a muscle-bound asshole, which seems like weeks ago, but in reality, it’s only been a couple of days. The point is, I want all of you. I don’t want to hold back when we’re together—and just in case you’re questioning whether we will be—I promise you that, as soon as I know I won’t hurt you, I’ll have as much of my body touching yours as is physically possible.”
When I woke the next morning, I was alone in bed, but I could hear Cope’s voice from the other room. I tried not to listen to what I assumed was a private conversation, but when he raised his voice in anger, there was no way not to hear him.
“Not good enough. Get a subpoena if you have to, but I want to see the security footage no later than nine.” He paused. “Yes, I do realize that is less than an hour from now. Do your fucking job and get it.”
I heard his footsteps coming in my direction, and then the door opened. “You’re awake.”
“You’re angry.”
He sat next to me on the bed. “Frustrated.”
“I know the feeling.” I was teasing and hoped he took it that way. He smiled.
“Your bag arrived earlier, but I have to warn you, your laptop didn’t.”
I bit my bottom lip. “Why not?”
“We couldn’t find it in the apartment.” He studied me. “You don’t seem very upset by that news.”
“Apart from needing to get a replacement, it doesn’t matter much.” There was nothing on it that would give away who I really was to Cope or anyone else.
“What about your…work?”
“I don’t keep anything on my laptop. I would think a CIA agent would understand why not.” I winked, and that seemed to finally disarm him.
“I do. It’s just that most people aren’t as practical…or smart.”
“I’d, um, really like to shower. If that’s okay.”
He stood. “Of course it is. Do you need help?”
I would like it, but wasn’t sure I’d need it. “I’ll be okay. I just have to wrap this.” I raised my left arm just slightly, which hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.
Cope nodded. “I’ll get your bag and…a bag.”
By the time I finished showering, the pain pill I took when I woke up had kicked in full force. I wasn’t sure how I’d managed to get undressed, but the reverse seemed impossible. I could probably get my panties on and maybe my pants, but it wouldn’t be easy. I sat down on the toilet seat and thought about my predicament.
“Everything okay in there?” Cope asked from the other side of the door a few minutes later.
“Um…” Gawd, this was so embarrassing.
“Ali?”
“I’m having trouble getting dressed.” As soon as the words left my mouth, I could feel the heat flush my cheeks.
“Can I help?”
It wasn’t as though the man hadn’t seen my boobs. In fact, last night, I’d wante
d him to see a hell of a lot more than that. “If you wouldn’t mind.”
The door creaked open slowly, and he peeked around it. I remembered thinking he looked like he could be a politician when I first saw him at the courthouse. This morning, he was all Boy Scout with his closely-cropped, slicked-back hair and eager-to-please look in his eyes.
He picked up the black lace panties sitting near the sink. “Should we start with these?”
“Sure.” He knelt in front of me and untucked the towel covering most of my body.
“Lift for me.” With his help, I shimmied into my panties. His gaze rested on my puckered nipples, and when he leaned forward, I thought he might take one into his mouth. I hissed in a breath when, instead, he trapped one between the tips of two fingers. My head dropped back, and his mouth landed on my neck, the hard tip of his tongue swirling small circles up to the place right below my ear.
“Is this okay?” he murmured.
I answered by bringing his hand to my other breast. He leaned back, looked into my eyes, and dangled my bra from the tip of his finger that was no longer toying with my nipple.
“I’m not sure wearing this would be a good idea.”
“Okay,” I mumbled, wishing he’d put his hands and lips back on my body.
“I’ll be right back.” He stood and walked out of the bathroom. I’d stand too and follow him, but my legs were shaking. When he came back, he had a sweatshirt in his hand. “This will swim on you, but it’ll be easier to get over your cast.”
He put it over my head and stretched the arm out until my broken one was covered.
“Just one more…” he said, and I held my right arm out to him. Instead of putting the sweatshirt on it, he captured my nipple between his teeth. His tongue swirled around and around it until I cried out. Cope released it with a pop. “I needed another taste.” He put the sweatshirt over my head and pulled it down so it covered my body. “Anything else I can help with?” he asked, standing. He walked out without waiting for my answer.
“Look at you,” he said when I walked into the kitchen and he looked up from his computer. “Feel better?”
Handled: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World) Page 7