HIS Series Box Set (Books 4-7)

by Sheila Kell

  Rick nodded, now informed of the entire situation. “We’ll take care of it.” He looked like he wanted to say something else, but nodded again and left, closing the door behind him.

  Her first urge was to grab something and throw it as hard as she could so she could see it shatter into a million pieces like her life was becoming, but she tamped it down. She’d work on other aspects of the business, fundraising and finding a grant writer she’d been thinking about to help with some large grants she saw they could acquire. She’d get the advertisement ready, but before she printed it, she’d research some grant writers and see if she thought she could convince any to help her so she didn’t have to dive through hundreds of resumes.

  Deep in research mode, her focus on her computer, she didn’t hear the office door open, but she felt the presence in the room. She stiffened, and her hand on the computer mouse stopped moving. Taking a breath, she slowly turned her head to the door to find out what threat had intruded now. Although she didn’t feel anger or bad vibes, for a split second she considered it could be Luke and everything would be all over. Matt wouldn’t be able to save her like he had last night.

  Seeing the incredibly handsome man standing just inside the door, she relaxed. “Matt, you scared the crap out of me.”

  He moved forward and smiled. Was he swaggering and smiling seductively? Her mind must be playing tricks. This was not the same man who’d been terrified for her and also take-charge last night. “You’ve been locked up in here for far too long. It’s time you take a break. How about some lunch?”

  Lunch? She looked at the clock and was surprised to see it was after one. Rolling her neck and shoulders, she released the tension and sighed at the welcome relief.

  Hands lightly touched her shoulders, and she started. She knew it was Matt’s hands, but not being able to see them bothered her. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Relax.”

  Easy for him to say. But she focused and thought only of Matt’s hands on her, like they’d been so many times before. He’d always been a gentle lover, treating her like a precious queen, while always ensuring she enjoyed their lovemaking. It took a couple of minutes until she finally relaxed and his hands became a welcome pleasure on her body.

  “That’s better,” he murmured.

  “I didn’t realize it was so late in the day.” Oh, his fingers were magic on her tense shoulders.

  “Are you getting some good work done?” He removed his hands, and she almost reached out to make them return to their work.

  “Yes.”

  Matt turned and leaned his magnificent butt on her desk. “You’d rather be with the dogs though?”

  She smiled sheepishly. “Yes.”

  “It’s only until we catch Ripley. I talked to Jesse today, and more men are on their way. They’ll help search for him.”

  “I thought the rest of the men were working other jobs.”

  “They were. A few of the men are on their way home and will do a quick turnaround to get here.”

  “Oh, Matt. I don’t want to take away the break these men probably thought they had after returning home.”

  Reaching down, he clasped her hand, looking at it as he wove his fingers into hers. She wondered what he thought in moments like that. He always looked so engrossed in watching their hands join. “They want to help,” he told her.

  Not fighting, she allowed him to pull her up from the chair and rest close to him. Her heart pounded and stomach rolled with nervousness.

  “Look at me, Caitlyn,” Matt said softly.

  She did and fell into the depths of his smoldering golden-brown eyes that contained small gold flecks floating around in a ring when he desired her. Her pulse ratcheted up at their intimacy.

  Matt’s arms wove around her back and pulled her close while her hands held hostage between them at his chest. Beneath her palm, she felt his heart beating as fast as hers. His breathing hitched and he whispered, “Caitlyn.”

  With her own erratic breathing, she couldn’t find a way to respond to his calling her name. When his head leaned down to her, she welcomed the touch of his lips on hers, tentative, but soft and loving. Her body went afire, but not in fear and fright, but in a wanting, needing of Matt’s touch. Surprise flittered through the recesses of her mind at the change he pulled from her. But this was Matt. She would never feel the same with someone else.

  Ecstatic that she’d relaxed enough to kiss him, she wound her arms around his neck and moved her lips hungrily.

  Taken aback, Matt stopped moving for a second, before he tightened his hold on her and deepened the kiss, moving his lips as hungrily as hers and sending a tingling all the way to her core. A little shocked at the sensation, she wondered if she could be ready for more.

  When Matt slipped his tongue past her parted lips, an explosion of pleasure flitted through every nerve ending in her body, making her hyperaware of every inch of him. Their tongues danced and dueled, loving the other one’s taste.

  Her nipples pebbled against his rock-hard chest. Since she could tell he was waiting for her next move, using her hand on the back of his neck, she angled his head to take the kiss deeper, as their lips moved against each other.

  Heat nearly singed her when his tongue stroked the roof of her mouth, and she moved even closer to his body.

  With a groan, Matt pulled back. “We’d best stop now,” he rasped. “Otherwise, I’m bending you over this desk.” He used a hand to act as if he were testing the denseness of the desk’s surface.

  God, that sounded so good, but she didn’t want to ruin what had just been blissful happiness by her possibly freaking out. How much could she take? She definitely knew Matt would allow it to be as one-way as it had before. He’d want to please her, to love her, to be inside her, but he’d do only what she felt comfortable doing. A delicious shiver slid up her spine at the thought. “You did say lunch, didn’t you?”

  He removed her hands from around his neck. “Yeah, lunch.” Then he leaned down with a wicked grin. “Soon, you’ll be my lunch.” He stood, winked, and walked out the office door, leaving her with her mouth wide open at his audacity, and secretly loving it.

  WITH SEVERAL FIST bumps, Matt welcomed two of his brothers—two because Jake was still a brother to them even though he was technically a brother-in-law—and the two HIS brethren on the front porch of Caitlyn’s home. AJ, Jake, Mike, and Rob arrived with little fanfare and looking eager while a bit tired from going without rest between jobs. Even though he felt grateful and knew the extra help was helpful, the heavy weight of responsibility for Caitlyn’s life didn’t ease. At least now maybe he wouldn’t almost allow her to get killed.

  Only two of the men would be helping at her home. The other two would be working on locating Ripley, although they’d all stay in a hotel in town. At least that kept more men from being underfoot in the house, albeit not on the property. No matter how gracious she’d been so far, he doubted Caitlyn would appreciate more men to trip over. It was the best he could do. Thankfully, the men tried to stay out of the way as much as possible.

  “AJ, Jake, Mike, and Rob,” he said, “thanks for doing this.”

  AJ gave him a slap on the shoulder. “It’s nothing. We’re family.” He shrugged. “That’s what we do. Besides, I haven’t seen Caitlyn since my freshman year.”

  “Ditto,” Jake said as he scoped out the property. “No wonder you needed extra help,” he added after spying the woods on three sides.

  “Yeah. More importantly, I need someone chasing that son of a bitch down.”

  AJ grinned his boyish grin that always got him whatever he wanted as the youngest Hamilton brother. “That’s why we’re here. Jake and I have taken up that challenge.” Two former FBI agents. Perfect.

  Even though he knew half of this team would be investigating, actually hearing the words shot relief through him, almost making his limbs weak. Firming his limbs, he nodded and spoke around the lump that had lodged in his throat, “Thanks, man.” He never thought he�
��d have to count on his baby brother to keep the woman of his heart safe. Not that AJ couldn’t do it, but because he was the older brother, he should be doing the saving.

  “Ken’s headed this way. We’ll go meet with him,” Mike said, waving to Rob. The two men stepped off the porch toward their team leader.

  “Well, let’s go see Caitlyn,” AJ suggested.

  “Let’s go then.” Matt led them off the porch toward the training facility, explaining the area, blind spots, optimal spots, and everything else he could think of to ensure they understood what they had to work with on this end so they could keep their eyes open when they were around and not chasing that asshole Ripley.

  Stepping into the break room, Matt stopped them. It occurred to him that having so many men crowding into her office might be frightening to her. No way would he do anything that might trigger something unpleasant. “Hang right here. I’ll get her and bring her in. Have some coffee, or there’s water in the fridge.” He pointed to it like they couldn’t figure it out.

  At her door, which was closed again, Matt knocked softly. “Caitlyn, AJ and the team are here.”

  The door swung open. “AJ?” she asked with wide, hopeful eyes.

  A smile swam across his face. “Yes, AJ. He’s in the break room.”

  Surprisingly, she pushed past him and hustled down the hallway to the where AJ waited. Matt hurried to keep up, hoping AJ didn’t do anything stupid, like grab her up like he used to. Why didn’t he think to warn his brother not to do that?

  As she entered the break room, AJ opened his arms, and she jumped into them, laughing.

  Matt stopped and muttered, “Son of a bitch.” She could rush into AJ’s arms and not his? What. The. Fuck? He had to remind himself that he had been able to hold her more than once, but still… AJ?

  Still laughing, AJ released her, and she slid to her feet. “AJ, it’s so good to see you.”

  “You too, Catie.” As far as Matt knew, AJ had never heard Caitlyn’s father call her that, yet he’d adopted it from the first time he’d met her. While with most people who tried to shorten her name, she’d corrected them and told them it was Caitlyn, she’d never done that with AJ. It had to be that damn grin he used to always get his way, Matt thought.

  “You remember Jake?” He turned to his foster brother and now brother-in-law with a smile. “Emily’s husband,” he added with an eyebrow lift.

  “Husband?” she asked in surprise even though he thought he was certain he’d told her that piece of information. “Wow. Jake, that’s so great.” She reached up and gave him a quick hug. It hadn’t been anything like AJ’s, but she’d still touched him. Was it because she knew nothing sexual existed? That she knew from experience that they were no threat? It was something to think on.

  “Okay, enough of the love fest,” he groused. So what if he sounded like a jealous old man. He didn’t give a damn. They’d received easy liberties he’d been fighting for. He was pissed.

  His younger brother scrutinized Matt’s face before a grin broke out on AJ’s. “Right. We need to get busy. Want to sit down here?” he asked Caitlyn. “Jake and I are going to find this bastard for you, Catie.”

  She looked at Matt before answering, and his chest swelled with pride that she’d checked with him first. It shouldn’t, as he wanted her to be self-sufficient and, he knew she was, but with this whole matter, she deferred to him and that made everything else better.

  “Yeah,” he said and pulled out a blue plastic chair for her, “let’s sit here and chat.”

  After nearly an hour of discussing what they knew and what AJ had found out from the local sheriff, they realized they still had basically nothing. If Luke was in the area—and they were betting odds he was—he was a ghost.

  “Here’s what we’re going to do,” AJ said, focusing on Caitlyn. “We’re leaving Rob and Mike here to help cover the area. Like before, you go nowhere without someone. Preferably Matt.” He nodded to his brother. “Jake and I are going to see what we can do to find him. I won’t lie; it’s going to be tough, so just because we’re out there hunting, doesn’t mean you can let down your guard. Got it?” he asked pointedly.

  With wide, disappointed eyes, she nodded. Matt figured she’d hoped they’d say they could catch him lickety-split and be done with it all. His men never gave false hope to a client, and as much as he didn’t count her as one, she was a client. Her safety was paramount to anything else. Including his feelings for her.

  Bullshit. He couldn’t discount his feelings for her or set them aside because she was in danger. In fact, the feelings seemed to increase, deepen due to the danger surrounding her. No, he couldn’t stop loving her or wanting to make love to her, just because some bastard was after her. He’d just have to use his head and not lose sight of potential danger.

  “I don’t know,” AJ said, and Matt realized he’d missed whatever question Caitlyn had asked.

  “I’m sorry. What?”

  They looked at him with a strange expression, as if he’d suddenly grown two heads.

  She cleared her throat. “I asked if he knew how long before they caught him.”

  “And I said—”

  He cut AJ off with a growl. “I heard you.”

  The corners of AJ’s lips tilted up.

  Matt glanced at Jake and saw his had also. Fuckers. “About time you two get on it,” Matt groused. He stood, not caring what the others thought.

  AJ and Jake stood. “Yeah,” Jake said, “we’d best get on it.” His repeating Matt’s words was intentional. They were definitely making fun of him.

  Caitlyn stood also. “Well, thank you.” She appeared at a loss for words. Truly what did one say? Good hunting? That was what he’d say if she hadn’t been standing there, but it sounded too crass with her close by.

  They all exited the building and his brothers left in their rented SUV. Matt turned to Caitlyn. “What’s on your agenda now?”

  She looked at the training facility wistfully and sighed. “I’d be watching the training with the new handlers, but I’m going to stay away since I don’t want anything to happen to them.”

  His gut churned at the sadness that emanated from her words. While they hadn’t taken her away from her home and work, they’d taken part of her work—what had sustained her all these years—away from her.

  “How about we make some lunch?” he offered. Being with her in close confines of the kitchen appealed to him. Maybe he’d find something they had to cook or prep together so he could touch her.

  “That sounds good.” Without looking at him, she turned to her home.

  Now, he had to figure out how he got as exuberant a hug as she’d given AJ whom she’d always thought of as a kid, even though he was only one year younger than she was.

  WITH THE NEW arrivals staying at the hotel, nothing changed around her home. Caitlyn still didn’t see the security team except at mealtimes. In the evenings, like this one, they went straight to the room they shared after the kitchen had been cleaned so as not to intrude upon her life. They’d insisted on taking on the task of doing the dishes. She’d never seen more polite men, and Ken ma’amed the hell out of her. Granted, growing up in the south, she’d seen plenty polite men, but these guys took it to a whole new level of gentlemanly.

  Sitting on the couch with Matt, they watched a movie—a comedy she barely registered. Hopefully she laughed in the appropriate places. At some point, Matt executed a high school move where his arm made it on the back of the sofa behind her head. Only, he didn’t stop there or try to cop a feel. His warm hand massaged her neck, relaxing her muscles, but the contact sent a tingling down her spine and lit her nerve endings.

  She wasn’t afraid of his embrace any longer, but she still feared an increased level of intimacy. What if she froze when he tried to… to penetrate her? God that word sounded so clinical. When he tried to push inside her? She had no idea whether she’d be able to have sex ever again even though she wanted it… with Matt.

  “Come
here.” Matt’s hand on her neck nudged her closer, removing the small space between them.

  The movie had obviously ended as the news was on the television. Still feeling the loving effects of his touch, she slid closer, and a sliver of elation slipped through her veins when she didn’t tense when their bodies touched.

  Matt slid his hand on her neck down the couch behind her until it was under her butt, and placed his other hand under her legs. He hefted her in the air and deposited her onto his lap. “I want you, Caitlyn.” One hand slipped around to her hip and pulled her against his erection.

  Desire blossomed and her heartbeat raced. Something inside her told her that she’d made a breakthrough already. She was going to have more before this night was through. She’d keep reminding herself it was Matt and knew he’d never intentionally hurt her. She wanted Matt with every fiber of her being. It’d been too long since they’d made love. Too damn long.

  “I want you, too.” She wrapped her arms around him and placed her head on his chest, listening to his rapid heartbeat until it seemed their hearts beat as one, even as fast as they moved.

  “Caitlyn.” He cleared his throat, and the rumble from his chest eased her last shred of nerves. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. I never stopped.”

  She swallowed as her vision blurred, and her heart swelled in delight. When he’d said the words when he’d orgasmed, she hadn’t been sure he meant it, but now…. Could it be true he’d never stopped, even after she tried to ruin what love they’d had? In no way did she deserve this wonderful man. But she loved him with every fiber of her being and didn’t want to let him go. She had to be honest and hope all went well from there. She wasn’t a stranger in dealing with disappointment and despair. She could deal with it again, but didn’t wish to have the displeasure.

  Pushing aside that they lived in different states and had jobs that tied them there, she looked up at him and blinked her vision clear. “Matt, I love you, too. I never stopped. But you have to know, I may not be able to”—she audibly gulped—“to be with you.” When she saw his jaw tighten, she rushed to add, “But I want to. I want to right now, but I’m scared.” Okay, so her nerves had come back. With encouragement from him, she could beat them away. But shouldn’t she have some nervousness anyway? It had been a long time for her. And the last time had ruined any desire she’d held. Until now.