She leaned over him, and he sucked her nipple into his mouth. Each flick of his tongue sent a zing of lust through her. When he switched nipples and tormented her again, the ache between her legs grew unbearable.
“Luke, please…,” she pleaded.
After one more titillating suck that made her whimper with need, he grinned and released her. “Okay, sweetheart, I hear ya. Roll onto your back.”
Eagerly, she did as he asked and spread her legs. He moved over her, resting his weight on his right hand and left forearm. She noticed the grimace he tried to hide. This was probably not what the doctor had in mind when he’d told Luke to take it easy for a few days. Her concern evaporated when he thrust into her, and her breath caught in her throat.
“Damn, you’re tight, Elle. I’ll be careful, but you gotta relax your muscles.”
“Sorry. It’s been a while.”
“Don’t be sorry. Just let go. Don’t tense up.”
She focused on how much she wanted him inside her, and her body responded. He pushed gently, gradually filling her inch by inch. But then, he stopped.
“Wh-what’s wrong?” she asked.
Self-control strained his expression. “I’m afraid it’ll hurt if I go any deeper, and no way in hell am I going to hurt you.”
“I’m sor—”
He silenced her with a hard kiss. “If you apologize again, I will spank you. Now let’s get to the climax you mentioned.”
Even though the stress he was putting on his wound had to be extremely painful, his strokes were strong and unfaltering. His hips moved with a steady, increasing rhythm. He held back, not going too deep, but she’d never felt such fullness, such satisfying sensations. As pressure built, all she could think about was Luke inside her, giving her what she so desperately needed. She wished the wonderful intimacy could go on and on.
When her orgasm erupted, she didn’t want to stop. But the climax swept her away with such force that she was barely aware of Luke tumbling after her.
Chapter 20
Wednesday morning, Sean Burke leaned against the counter in Jake’s kitchen. “I can’t believe Luke’s not up yet. He’s always been a damn early bird, always the first one out of bed.”
Jake arched his eyebrows as he peered at his employee over the rim of his mug.
“Shit. You don’t think…?” Burke set his cup on the Keurig coffeemaker and tapped the button. “Sure, I was messin’ with him about it, but I never seriously thought… Nah, never happen.”
Jake cocked his head. “Why not? They’re both single and unattached, as far as I know. And she’s damn hot.”
Burke glanced over his shoulder. “She’s a reporter.”
“So?”
“Luke hates reporters.”
“Didn’t look like he hated her yesterday. More like…overprotective with a heavy dose of lust,” Jake said.
“Yeah, well, maybe he had a lapse in judgment. He could’ve been thinking with his dick for a moment, but I’m sure he would’ve come to his senses before he did anything stupid.”
Jake frowned and straddled a chair at the table. “Okay. What’s the source of Johnson’s issue with reporters? Anything I should worry about while he’s here? He’s not gonna go postal on her, is he?”
Burke removed his mug from the machine and took a long drink. “Not postal, but he could get damn pissed. And you should ask him about the ‘source.’ Like I told you before, it’s not my story to tell.”
Jake shrugged. “Fine. If you’re not going to give me the background necessary to make my own decision, I’m putting this one on you.”
“I don’t like the sound of that.”
“Too bad.”
Wearing a worried expression, Burke settled into a chair at the table. “What do I need to make a decision about?”
Jake checked the monitor on the wall that showed the outside of the guesthouse. Earlier, he’d set the security system to beep if either of its external doors opened. He didn’t like to be surprised or overheard. “One of my FBI contacts came through.”
“No shit? How’d you manage that on such a high-profile investigation?”
“I gave him closure on those partial prints from your wife’s missing-mother case.”
Burke’s eyes narrowed. “How much closure?”
“Just enough to get what I wanted from him.”
“You didn’t tell him—”
“Dammit, of course not. But since you brought it up, how much does Johnson know?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Jake studied his new employee for several moments. It amazed him how things had turned out. Burke had still been an LAPD detective during Angela’s case in August, and he’d seemed like such a straight arrow. But when things had gotten tough, he’d gone rogue right along with Jake. After they’d handled Jessie’s missing-mother investigation together a short time later, Burke had realized he didn’t like the straitjacket of police work anymore. Now they made a great team. They just needed to figure out how to clone themselves because there was too much demand for their services.
“Good. Keep it that way,” Jake finally said.
Burke rolled his eyes, rested his elbows on the table, and leaned forward. “What’d you get from the FBI?”
“All of it.”
“Awesome. Sooo…?”
“I haven’t had time to review it thoroughly.”
Burke sighed.
“What? You thought I’d have it solved already?” Jake asked testily.
“No. Actually, I didn’t think the FBI would cooperate.”
“O ye of little faith.” He savored another swallow of coffee.
“Okay, back to what you want me to lay my ass on the line about.”
Jake flicked another glance at the monitor. He needed to get Burke’s opinion soon or there wouldn’t be much chance of progress today. But asking someone to judge a friend could be tricky. “Is it safe to share any of the FBI info with Johnson or is he going to insist on knowing how I got my hands on it?”
“Good question.”
“Not the astute answer I was hoping for.”
Burke frowned in concentration. “Luke usually follows the rules, and he’s always been real responsible. He might have a problem with your…methods.” He scratched the side of his head. “Besides, what’s he likely to find in the FBI files that we don’t?”
“Nothing. It’s Elle who might spot something that doesn’t mean anything to the rest of us.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Burke flopped back in the chair. “Even riskier. First, because she’s a goddamn reporter; and second, because how can we show her and not Luke?”
* * *
When Elle drifted awake Wednesday morning, she didn’t open her eyes. Maybe if she kept them closed, her problems would miraculously disappear. And if they didn’t, she could at least hide in the darkness, cocooned in a warm contentment she couldn’t remember feeling in a long time. If ever.
The cocoon was actually Luke, who held her spooned against him with his uninjured arm snugly latched across her belly. Her bare belly, her bare everything. His bare everything was poking her thighs, igniting a fire between them. But responding to her lust, as satisfying as she knew it could be, would end the peacefulness she was enjoying. Was this wonderful feeling the normal aftermath to great sex or was it something else?
As she pondered the question, Luke shifted slightly, and his hand slipped down her belly into the small patch of pubic hair. His fingers flexed and then stilled. She held her breath, but she didn’t have to hold it for long.
Luke groaned and slid a finger between her folds. “You’re hot and wet, sweetheart. You been thinking about me?”
“Yes,” she whispered and carefully rolled over to face him. Peacefulness could wait.
With his good arm, he reached across to grab a condom from the nightstand. After putting it on, he pulled Elle closer so she could drape her leg over his hip. He gently kissed her as he plunged inside.
/> She gasped as he filled her completely. Even before he started to move, her muscles tightened, and pressure built. She clutched the sheet as he began thrusting, slow and steady, driving her crazy. “Faster,” she hissed.
“Patience, my pretty,” he said, but his breathing had also turned ragged. Although the position was slightly awkward, his hips never faltered in their rhythm.
In another minute, Elle teetered on the brink. “Come, Luke.”
“Ladies first.”
So she did, flinging her head back and crying out with pleasure. A moment later, he joined her. They lay together in the disheveled sheets, their limbs entangled, for several minutes.
Then Luke drew a long breath and kissed her forehead. “Good morning.”
Finally able to breathe normally again, she grinned up at him. “Good morning. I’m starved.”
“Me, too. Let’s see what Stone’s got stashed in this kitchen. Unless you want to eat with…uh…at the main house.”
“No. Here’s fine.” I’d be fine with never having to leave here. She blinked rapidly as the outrageous idea, unexpected and unnerving, made her eyes sting with tears.
“You want the first shower?” he asked.
“No, you go ahead. I…uh…need a few more minutes to recover.”
He lifted her chin and stared directly into her eyes with obvious concern. “You still okay…with this?”
“Sure.” She forced a smile. “I’m a big girl.”
He held her gaze a moment longer before nodding. “Okay then.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire. The childish taunt played in her mind while she fixated on Luke’s tight ass as he strolled to the bathroom. Once he closed the door, she buried her face in her hands. Who did she think she was kidding?
Something about last night had shaken her to the core. And that shaking had resulted in the wonderful contentment she’d experienced this morning. So no, she wasn’t okay. The really scary part was she didn’t know why. There were simply too many possibilities: some good, some bad.
Was her reaction the result of vulnerability created by her abduction? Or insecurity from being held captive? A sexual dry spell since breaking up with Richard? An unsatisfying, three-year relationship with him? A need for life-affirming sex? Super-hot sexual chemistry? An emotional connection?
Oh God, no. The last possibility made no sense. How could she and Luke be emotionally compatible? Although they shared a few traits, their personalities weren’t even similar. And their lives were also completely different—as well as being more than two thousand miles apart.
She dropped her hands from her face. Her gaze darted to the bathroom door. This had to be a strictly sexual attraction, nothing more. Luke was handsome and hot and great in bed. Any woman would be physically attracted to him. Right?
* * *
Luke scrubbed a hand over his face as hot water flowed down his back. What the fuck is going on? What the hell was I thinking? Unfortunately, he didn’t have a good answer for either question.
What he did know, though, was that he and Elle should never have had sex. And the blame was all on him. He had even warned her about LAS, and then, like an idiot, fallen prey to it himself. Plus, he’d taken poor Elle down with him.
After the shooting and near kidnapping, he should’ve anticipated his reaction. It didn’t take a rocket scientist or even a college graduate to recognize his potential need for life-affirming sex. But he’d been blinded. Which prompted another question: blinded by what?
The pain in his left arm distracted him before he became even more worried. He glanced down at the plastic bag the ER nurse had given him. Covering his wound to keep the stitches dry made showering tedious, but worth the inconvenience to avoid complications.
The annoying throb was probably penance for putting too much weight on his arm during sex. Hopefully, another dose of ibuprofen would take care of it because he couldn’t have his concentration muddled today.
As he washed, his thoughts returned to Elle. The sex had been great. Not only had it been physically satisfying, but waking up with her this morning had also been...comfortable. He couldn’t remember feeling so content and relaxed in a long time.
Whoa. Slow down. He shook his head vigorously, drops of water flying from his hair.
He and Elle had just shared LAS. Nothing more. Nothing deeper. Nothing complicated. Simple life-affirming sex was a safer explanation than combustible sexual chemistry. Working together would be much easier that way.
After drying off, he wrapped a bath towel around his hips. As he opened the door, he prayed Elle wasn’t still naked.
Dressed in the borrowed tank top and pajama pants, she stood in the kitchenette, making toast and coffee. When she spotted him, her eyes widened and darkened, and her mouth formed a cute little O.
Hot damn was his primal reaction, but he reined it in to a more practical oh damn. Of course, his dick didn’t get the memo.
“Hungry?” she asked breathlessly.
Hungry for her or for breakfast? The truth was yes to both. He gulped. For both their sakes, he needed to correct any misconceptions about last night ASAP.
“Yeah. Thanks for fixing breakfast.” Being careful not to let the towel flap open as he walked, he took a plate and cup from the counter and sat down at the small table.
Still staring with unmistakable desire in her beautiful eyes, she joined him.
“Uh, about last night…and this morning…it was awesome, Elle. You were great.” Her hopeful grin derailed his train of thought for a few beats. “But…I need to apologize.”
Her smile turned cautious. “Apologize? For what? You were great, too.”
He shook his head. “No. If I’d been great, I would’ve heeded my own warning about LAS. But with getting shot and almost losing you, I guess I needed it so bad that I screwed up. At least I feel better…about being alive, I mean. Anyway, I hope it helped you, too.” He shrugged and looked down because he didn’t want to see her reaction to his next words. “Since we got LAS out of our systems, it shouldn’t happen again.”
She didn’t respond while he took a bite of toast and a drink of coffee, but he felt her intense gaze boring into him. Finally, he glanced up and met her angry glare.
“You’re right, Luke. It shouldn’t have happened. Period. So, we definitely can’t let it happen again.” She stood up without taking a single bite of her breakfast. “I feel…” She swallowed hard. “I need a long, hot shower.”
“Shit,” he murmured as she stomped to the bathroom. That went well. Elle was pissed, but what did her anger mean? Did she simply want more LAS sex…or something else? Damn. Women were so confusing, so complicated. And right now, he didn’t have time to deal with all the emotional crap. He had to focus on keeping her safe.
Thinking things might go better if he was dressed when Elle returned, he pulled on his jeans. Then he snagged his phone from a pocket and turned it on to look for calls from Karla. When his sister had come to see him in the emergency room yesterday, she’d been terribly upset, so they’d decided she would be less stressed staying with Sean and Jessie. They’d also agreed she was better off not knowing where Luke would be staying, but he’d promised to check his phone occasionally for messages. Otherwise, he would call her with any news.
There were no voicemails or missed calls from Karla, but Luke’s boss had left an impatient message yesterday evening with instructions to contact him ASAP. Luke cringed. He doubted if the next morning qualified as ASAP. Resignedly, he dialed his boss’s direct number.
“Deputy Johnson returning your call, sir.”
“Where the hell are you?” Lieutenant Colin Tanner asked.
Luke tensed at his furious tone. “I’m…on vacation, sir.”
“You may be on personal time, Deputy, but you sure as hell aren’t on vacation. I’ve got the FBI breathing down my neck. They’re accusing you of aiding and abetting Elle Bradley. Is it true?”
“Yes, sir, it is. But Ms. Bradley is the vic, not the per
p. Last time I checked, it wasn’t a crime to aid and abet the victim.”
After a long pause, the lieutenant snorted. “You’re right. But it should be a crime for one of my deputies to get his ass shot doing someone else’s job.”
“Left arm, sir.”
“What?”
“My arm, not my ass. Unless you’re gonna chew it out, my ass is just fine.” Luke grinned to himself.
“My mistake.” Tanner broke into a hearty laugh.
Luke breathed easier.
“What’s really pissing me off, Johnson, is the lack of cooperation. You were shot in Ramona, and the jerks are acting like we don’t have jurisdiction. I understand the attempted kidnapping is part of their ongoing investigation—which is apparently ongoing to nowhere—but the attempted murder of my deputy is not.”
“I wholeheartedly agree.”
“I figure we have as much right as they do to track down the bastard who shot you.”
“Yes, sir. Absolutely.”
“What do you think we should do about it?”
Luke had an answer ready. “Insist the FBI share all their files on Ms. Bradley’s kidnapping since the perp is the same guy.”
“Do we have proof he is?”
“Yeah, she recognized his voice and ski mask.”
“Excellent. I’ll take care of it. And if they still don’t want to play nice in the sandbox, I’ll get the Sheriff involved. Anything else?”
“Yeah. It’d be great if someone could e-mail me our case files.”
“You got it. More?”
“Not that I can think of right now.”
“All right. Consider it done. In the meantime, don’t get shot again.”
“I’ll do my best, sir. Thanks.” He disconnected, switched off his cell, and stuffed it in his pocket. Hopefully, bringing in the big guns would make the feds change their unreasonable tune.
“Did I hear you talking to someone?” Elle asked from behind him.
Well, at least she’s still speaking to me. He turned…and forgot to breathe.
Only Obsession (Rogue Security Book 3) Page 17