Power of Love

by Barabara Elsborg

  He supposed everyone had their price but Joe’s was a damn sight higher than a man’s life. He hoped forgiving Keith wasn’t his way to white wings because the bastard didn’t deserve it and wasn’t going to get it. Joe was incandescent that his partner, a man he considered a mate, had not only got him killed but fucked up Poppy’s life as well. How ever many years in jail he got, it would never be enough.

  Joe was desperate to give Poppy a hug, but he didn’t distract her while she was giving her statement, tempted as he was. When she was sent home in a squad car, Joe went with her.

  “Where’s your bike?” Poppy whispered.

  Joe shrugged. He wouldn’t need it anymore. This would be their last night.

  The second they walked into her building, Joe pulled her into his arms and held her. Those moments when he’d thought she was going to die had been the worst in his life. Joe had a taste of what Poppy had gone through when he’d slipped from her grasp. Even if her dying meant they could be together, he couldn’t and wouldn’t wish that for her. He cupped her face and gave her the sweetest, gentlest kiss. Every chance to touch her was a precious gift. He saw now how much he’d taken her for granted, but he was pissed off he’d had to die in order to realize that.

  Joe traced her features with his fingers and lips. “My beautiful Poppy,” he whispered.

  “My gorgeous Joe.”

  “When you jumped off that roof, I couldn’t breathe.”

  “Sorry.”

  He pressed his forehead against hers. “I’m the one who’s sorry.”

  She tugged him to the stairs.

  “I was a crap boyfriend. I never brought you flowers, never did anything romantic.”

  “You aren’t crap. You’re funny and kind. You don’t mind when I do stupid things and you always eat my cooking. You let me watch Strictly Ballroom that time when Chelsea were playing Manchester United on the other channel and you always stand up for me.”

  Joe glared. “You didn’t tell me Chelsea was on the other side.”

  “Ha ha.” Poppy stuck out her tongue.

  Joe raised his eyebrows. “If I’d been a good boyfriend I’d have done nice things for you. The best I managed was a day at the races and you hated it.”

  “Those whips. The poor horses.” Poppy shuddered.

  “I wouldn’t even take you shopping. I made you sit through hours of sports on TV and I ate your chocolates. I don’t know why you put up with me.”

  Poppy opened the door of her apartment and pushed him inside. She put her mouth to his ear. “Because you’re hung like a cobra.”

  Joe laughed, pulled her through to the bedroom and down onto the bed. He wrapped Poppy in his arms. He wanted to find the perfect moment to tell her what he should have said a long time ago. Only had a sneaking suspicion that when he got the words out, he might disappear. Joe pressed his face into her hair. He could say it when he made her come or when she made him come. Maybe say it afterward while they lay in each other’s arms. It had to be special, just the right moment.

  Poppy nestled closer. “You flew, Joe! When I wasn’t petrified out of my skull, I was seriously impressed. Was it hard? Do you think you could flutter a bit in here?”

  “Maybe if we empty the room of everything breakable.”

  Poppy grinned. “It would be an interesting insurance claim. Room wrecked by an angel.”

  He looked at her and Joe realized he didn’t need to wait, because when he told Poppy he loved her—that would be the perfect moment. He trailed his fingers down her arm, took hold of her hand and let the words form in his head.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  Joe’s throat tightened. She’d beaten him to it. Now he didn’t want to say it because it would look as though he’d parroted it back. To make matters worse, he saw in her face she had no expectation of hearing him say it to her. She stared at him with her heart in her eyes and Joe wondered how he could have been so blind.

  “I should have cherished the fact that you love me, been honored that you thought I was worth it.” He gave a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’ve always loved you, Joe. I know it makes you uncomfortable. You thought you didn’t want to be loved. It was easier to do without it because then you couldn’t be hurt if it was taken away. It only made me love you more. My poor damaged Joe.”

  Was it that simple? Joe wondered. “It would be easy to blame my parents. I tried hard to make them love me. I did everything they asked but it made no difference to the way they treated me, although greater success brought more praise. Everything was conditional.”

  “So you stopped looking for love.”

  “I decided I didn’t need it. Whatever it was. I was scared of letting love in and the longer I kept it out, the more scared I became. It meant releasing control and you know what I’m like about letting go. I have to be in charge of everything. My parents should have showed me how to love and they didn’t. But it’s not all their fault. The crazy thing is I had the best teacher in the world right in front of me and didn’t see it.”

  Poppy smiled.

  “I suppose I was looking for an explosion,” Joe said. “I thought when I fell in love, my world would rock—and it did, but I didn’t see it. When my hands slipped off the roof, in those seconds before I died, then my world rocked because I’d lost you. I fell and thought—I’ve lost Poppy. Even then I didn’t see it, not the thing I’d really lost. Not just you but your love for me.”

  Joe gripped her fingers.

  “I don’t know why I was given a chance to put things right. God knows I probably didn’t deserve it, but it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me. There are three words I should have said a long time ago, three words that would have made us both happy. I wasted too much time waiting to fall in love. I realized that this afternoon when I saw you clinging to the fire escape. There was no moment I was going to look back on and say—that was the point I fell in love with Poppy, because I’ve always loved you. And I’m a fool because I should have seen it the instant I saw you mumbling that question you wanted to ask at the training session. Though when I heard it, I did wonder why it had taken you the whole session to work it out.”

  She frowned. “I had two questions.”

  “So what was the other?”

  “Why are such a large proportion of sex-trafficking victims found in massage parlors in South Wales?”

  Joe chuckled. “Ah, a question that required more than yes or no. I love you, Poppy.”

  He held his breath and her eyes widened.

  “Say it again,” she whispered.

  “I love you. I love you. I love you. I should have told you a long time ago.”

  Poppy tapped her finger on her jaw. “It’s such a pity. I’ve gone right off you.”

  “Fibber.”

  Poppy narrowed her eyes. “Show me how much you love me.” She gasped as Joe pinned her down on the bed. “Now I think about it, if you love me you’d do the washing up, clean the bathroom, tackle the ironing, cook dinner, take the rubbish down to the bin, wash the kitchen floor—”

  Joe silenced her with a kiss. He traced her lips with his tongue and she sighed into his mouth. The feel of her warm breath made his cock twitch in blissful anticipation. Joe’s pulse pounded in his head and his body thrummed with need. He wanted this to be the best night of their lives because it was all he could give her. His fingers unbuttoned her pants, pulled down the zipper and slipped inside her underwear to stroke the slick wetness of her cleft. One finger, then two and Poppy arched her hips into his hand.

  “I want to make love to you all night,” he whispered. “I want you on your bed with your legs spread and I’m going to suck your clit until you scream. I’m going to drive my cock inside you over and over and fill you with my cum. No one will ever love you like I do, Poppy.”

  She gulped. “I know.”

  “I want you to remember me and this night forever.”

  She clutched him. “Joe—”

  “
There’s something you have to do for me.”

  “Don’t.”

  He put his finger over her lips. “You have to go on without me.”

  Poppy whimpered.

  “You understand what I’m telling you?”

  She shook her head from side to side.

  Joe sighed. “I know, babe, but there’s no choice in this. No other way. Tonight we’re going to pretend this is the beginning, not the end. No pleading with me to stay. No talk of joining me. We’re going to fuck ourselves stupid and then let each other go.”

  He kissed the tear from her cheek. “Stop it. I don’t want to put you in the shower yet. Not on the schedule for another hour.”

  “Is there time in the schedule for me to do things to you?” Poppy asked.

  Joe raised his eyebrows. “I’ll make time.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “My turn first,” Joe said and pressed into her carefully with the length of his fingers.

  Poppy moaned. “I’m not going to argue.”

  He laughed and planted a soft kiss on her lips. She was so cute, releasing breathy groans as he petted and massaged her wet folds. Poppy gripped his shirt, then his head, then his back and finally jerked up to slam her mouth against his as he felt her muscles contract around his fingers.

  “You’re such a live wire,” he whispered. Joe could feel the current running straight to his cock, leaving it quivering in his pants. He blew on her face. “Miss Speedy.”

  Poppy chortled. “Let me touch you and I’ll show you speedy.”

  He pulled back as she reached for him. “Hands off. I’ve only just started playing with you. Don’t distract me.”

  Joe dropped to the foot of the bed, tugged on the legs of her pants and Poppy slid down with them. He yanked her legs in the air and wrestled her out of her black chinos, then kept her legs up as he knelt on the bed. Joe leaned against her, pushed her knees toward her chest and stroked her soaking panties.

  “Oh you feel good,” Joe whispered.

  Poppy unfastened her blouse, slipped one hand inside and fondled her breast. “Um, yes I do.”

  Joe chuckled. “I want to do that.”

  “Help yourself.”

  Joe released her legs and crawled to her side. Poppy slithered out of her shirt and lay back in her white cotton underwear. Joe was so turned-on, he was steaming. Forget lace and silk, Poppy looked good enough to eat in anything. Right now, she reminded him of a school girl and those years of horny teenage fumbling behind the school cricket pavilion.

  He tried to suppress the thought that this was the last time he would do this and reached to unclip her bra. Joe used his teeth to pull down the straps and Poppy ran her fingers through his hair. Bra discarded, Joe’s gaze fell on the creamy mounds under Poppy’s hands. He forgot to blink as she fondled herself, teasing those darker circles and the hard nipples, until he had to cough to hide the whimper coming from his lips. Joe stared and kept staring.

  “Stop looking and start touching.” Poppy’s fingers began to work at the buttons of his shirt.

  Joe let her pull it from his shoulders before he lowered his head to her breasts. For a moment, he lay there, content to hear her heart hammering under his ear, knowing she wanted him as much as he wanted her. His fingers reached for hers and he squeezed her hand. Joe’s chest hurt, ached enough to worry him if he hadn’t known what was wrong. It was the knowledge that just as he’d found Poppy, he’d lost her.

  “Don’t fall asleep. I’m ready for more.” Poppy twisted his hair in her fingers and rubbed his scalp.

  Joe let Poppy push him onto his back and straddle him, her breasts hanging tantalizingly close to his mouth. One flick with his tongue and he caught a nipple. When she tried to pull away, Joe held her tight and sucked. He swore he lost brain cells when he did this. The taste of her, the sensation of suckling flipped a switch in his head. He swapped from one breast to the other, not wanting one to feel left out. Her nipples tightened into little pebbles and Joe let himself think about how great it would have been to see their baby feeding here, before he banished the thought.

  Poppy slithered down his chest, over his legs until her face rested on his crotch. His cock was raring to go, a hard bulge in his pants, pushing against his zipper, begging to be let out. Poppy trailed a finger down the ridge of his erection and Joe knew she was going to torture him.

  She mouthed his cock through the material and his fists clenched at his sides. When she rubbed him with her cheek, his dick purred like a cat being stroked. He could hear her deep inhalations as she breathed against him and every warm blast of air tightened his quivering balls. Joe’s cock made a desperate attempt for freedom. It felt hard enough to break steel. The zipper stood no chance. Joe groaned. Maybe he did need a little help.

  “If you don’t let him out, the button’s going to pop off and you know how much you hate…”

  Joe stopped. Poppy wasn’t going to mumble and grumble about sewing his buttons back on. Not anymore.

  She unbuttoned and unzipped him and Joe released a long sigh of relief. He laid his fingers on her shoulder blades and with the lightest touch, stroked her silky skin, tracing the angles of her bones. When Poppy took the head of his dick in her mouth and sucked him through his boxers, Joe gritted his teeth. The feeling of the wet material rubbing against him, combined with the pressure of her lips, had him accelerating when he needed to slow down. Poppy tugged at the waistband of his boxers and licked his cock like a melting ice pop, swift fast swipes with her tongue before she dragged off his clothes and dumped them on the floor.

  Poppy leaned on his lower legs and sighed. “You’re so beautiful.”

  Joe pushed himself up on his elbows and looked down.

  “Rosy red.” She ran her finger in a circle over a large bead of pre-cum, smearing it around his flared crest before standing up at the end of the bed and giving her finger a long, slow lick.

  Oh Christ. Joe clamped down on the tremors building in his spine. His cock looked ready to explode with fury at having been kept waiting so long with no warm nest to settle in.

  Poppy shimmied out of her pants and stretched like a cat, all long limbs and supple grace and Joe’s breath hitched. He pushed himself up higher so he could see better.

  She grinned. “I wish I had a pole to twirl around.”

  “How about a lap instead.” Damn, had he croaked that out?

  Poppy climbed onto the bed and turned so she faced Joe’s feet. One evil look over her shoulder and she lowered her body to his. As she wrapped her lips around the tip of his cock, Joe bent his head and flicked her clit with his tongue. His hands slid between their bodies to cup her breasts. One touch of her nipples and his cock jerked in her mouth. She twisted, turned, pressed with her lips and tongue until Joe could hardly stand it. Impossible to concentrate on what he was doing when she was intent on driving him insane.

  Still, he made the effort. Joe swirled his tongue over her clit, drinking the cream that poured out of her and then, in an alternating rhythm, he speared his tongue into her cunt as she sucked his cock. Joe was desperate to come, desperate not to come. Poppy came anyway, bursting on his lips, her mouth clenching around his dick as the orgasm seized her and dragged her mind on a one way path to bliss.

  Joe was only an instant behind. Poppy did something weird with her tongue, massaged his sac, and the sensation dragged the cum from his balls. He gasped against her pussy and buried his face in her folds as he spurted into her. His hips rocked and twitched to conclusion and Joe pulled her up to lie at his side. He wiped his fingers over Poppy’s lips, still sticky with his juice. She took his hand and pulled on each of his fingers one by one as if she were sucking the slenderest of cocks and Joe’s heart started to spin in his chest.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  Poppy let his pinky slip free and smiled. “And I love you.”

  Joe brushed a curl of damp hair from her eyes. “You’ll be careful, won’t you, Pop? Don’t go jumping off any buildings,
no climbing trees—particularly in a skirt when firemen are standing underneath, and no getting in the way of knife-wielding idiots. I worried about you all the time.”

  “I know, but I’m a copper, danger is my middle name.”

  “No it isn’t.” His brow furrowed. “Do you have a middle name? Your parents didn’t call you Plowed or Corn?”

  Poppy gave him a shifty look and changed the subject.

  “Do you know what your surname means?”

  “Dalziel. I always thought it meant—I dare.”

  “It also means little field.”

  Joe laughed. “Is that right? So what’s your middle name?”

  She sighed.

  “Do I have to tickle it out of you?”

  Poppy tapped her chin. “You could smack it out of me.”

  Joe shook his head. “That won’t work. You like me smacking you.”

  He began to tickle under her arms and Poppy tried to squirm away. Once Joe caught her foot, he’d knew he’d won. A feather touch on her sole and Poppy shrieked. “Iona.”

  Joe tried hard to keep a straight face as he tugged her back to his chest. “Poppy Iona Field.”

  “Actually, it’s Iona Poppy Field. Laugh and I’ll hurt you.”

  Joe did the best he could but it was a losing battle. He laughed so hard he started to cry and once he’d begun to cry he couldn’t stop. Tears rolled down his face and he gulped air into his lungs. “Oh God, I love you. I don’t want to leave you.”

  He landed kisses all over Poppy’s face, then swung her on top of him and thrust up between her legs. She clamped around him as he pushed in and out of her, wet thighs slapping together, chests heaving as he rocked his hips faster and harder. Her hands crept to his and their fingers linked as they bucked and pumped wildly against each other. Joe slammed against her clit, shifted his hips to get the perfect angle, and Poppy arched her back and yelled out her release in a long vibrating scream.