Loving Enough (The Enough Series Book 2)

by Bloom, Nikole

  “OK, so I am glad you decided to go to Ruzek before doing anything else. Do you really think Micah Jones could be behind this?”

  I nod.

  Bode pulls me into a hug and whispers, “I hope you are right. I would love to put all this to rest. Have you told J or Austin about it?”

  I pull back and look him directly in his dreamy blue eyes. “No, and you won’t either. I want to work through this with Ruzek first. I think it is safer for them in the dark.”

  He nods in agreement and we continue to wait as my phone buzzes.

  Unknown: I told u nobody touches u but me. Get away from him now or he is next and this time, I won’t fail

  Chapter 11

  Ruzek

  I was just getting ready to open a cold one when I received the text from Miss Ash. I am beginning to get annoyed with this case. Not only did it take the life of my partner, but now it is taking over my life too.

  I know I could have told her to wait until morning, but the truth is I want to help her. Then there is the Austin Black piece to this story. If any of my superiors ever caught wind that I did not do everything possible to help Mr. Black, I would be back on traffic duty. Austin is the king of kings in this city and he is in love Miss Ash, making her priority one.

  Much to my surprise, Austin, Rylee, Bode and Jeremy are some of the most down-to-earth people you will ever meet. I could see myself being friends with that group. However, I don't think they allow outsiders to penetrate the force field they keep around themselves.

  By all accounts, Rylee is kind to everyone. It makes it near impossible to narrow down a suspect pool. She has been nothing but kind to me, despite the fact I am a reminder of all the bad swirling around in her world.

  Rylee is truly a beautiful woman. Her long blonde hair and deep green eyes are a killer combination, especially with her tall, lean body. I try to remain respectful at all times, but it is hard not to look. Of course I would never have a shot with a girl like that. She is in the Austin Black league, not the get-your-hands-dirty detective league.

  I hope that whatever she felt was urgent tonight will give us a break in this case. We desperately need a break. With Jeremy awake and things progressing towards his release, we need a clue. The department doesn’t have the manpower to watch each of them twenty-four hours a day. The continuous texts mean that we cannot consider any of them free from danger.

  After throwing on a t-shirt and clean pair of jeans, I jump in my truck and head for the hospital. The ride through the streets is quiet. I pull into the visitor's parking lot fifteen minutes later.

  The staff give me a wave as I make my way through the familiar hallways to the bank of silver elevators. Man, I cannot wait to stop visiting this place. I know it will always be a part of my job, but I have been here enough in the past ten days to fulfill a lifetime. I can only imagine how Rylee feels; she hasn't even left the premises.

  Worn out and weary, I make my way through the cold waiting room doors. I see Bode and Rylee sitting in the corner deep in conversation before Rylee looks at her phone and stands up. She discreetly scans the room before her eyes land on me. I can see relief wash over her features when she spots me near the door. She looks a little spooked.

  Rylee leans down and whispers something to Bode that causes him to nod and head for the double doors leading to Jeremy's room. She then makes her way over and reaches out to shake my hand.

  “Thank you so much for coming out tonight. I know it is late, but I really wanted to run this stuff by you while it is fresh on my mind.”

  She goes silent as she waits for me to speak. I give her my best smile.

  “No problem, Miss Ash. I had nothing going on anyway.”

  She lightly smacks my shoulder and stares me down with those luscious green orbs. “How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Rylee, please.”

  I cannot help chuckling at her serious tone.

  “Did you just assault a police officer?” I ask teasingly.

  Her eyes go wide with sarcastic recognition. “No, but I will assault my friend if he does not stop calling me Miss.”

  Wow, I am surprised she thinks we are friends. I can deal with that. There are worse friends to have than this group that is for certain. Her pleasant calm demeanor always surprises me. She has been put through the wringer lately, but still has a genuineness about her that puts everyone around her at ease. She is a remarkable human being and much tougher than I would have ever guessed.

  I gesture towards the chairs and ask her if she would like to sit. To my complete surprise, she takes my arm and drags me towards the elevators. Once the doors close, she explains.

  “Let’s go somewhere more private, away from here. I received another text just as you walked in.”

  She holds out her phone for me to read. It baffles me how this guy continues to know everything she does yet stay invisible.

  “OK, so where do you propose we go?”

  I can tell she is giving it some thought before she quietly asks, “Do you drink?”

  What a strange question. “Sure, I like to have a beer now and then.”

  Her eyes light up and a wicked smile crosses her lips. “Good, let's find a bar. I could use a drink after the past few days.”

  No doubt - I would if I was her. I might need more than a few drinks if I were in her shoes.

  She glances back at me as we make our way to the main entrance and I can see the trepidation on her face as she leaves the hospital for the first time since the accident. The glass doors close behind us.

  “Do you know anywhere close?”

  I weigh my options. Rylee probably expects a nice bar with modern décor and a fancy drink menu. I only know of one bar in this general vicinity and it does not fit that description. It is more of a grunge and beer on-tap kind of place.

  “Ry, I only know a small hole in the wall bar in the area. Where would you like to go?”

  She looks and nods. “Sounds like a perfect place to me. All I want is a nice cold beer. If they have that, I'm in.”

  Given that I drove Rylee to the hospital that fateful morning, we are forced to take my old beat up truck down the street to a place aptly named the Watering Hole. It’s a local haunt frequented by the cops in my district so I figure that is an extra plus in this situation.

  I am somewhat embarrassed by the state of my ride. It is free of clutter, but still has that old car smell and hasn’t been properly cleaned in ages. Rylee doesn’t seem to care, though. She just hops in and pulls the door shut before rolling down her manual window.

  “What is this, a ’97 model?”

  I am shocked she knows that, but how does she know that? I nod and oddly it does not prompt her to say anything further.

  My curiosity piqued, I have to ask, “Well are you going to tell me how you knew that?”

  She smiles and winks. “Oh, Mr. Detective, we all have to have a few secrets, right?”

  I keep a close eye on my mirrors as we make the short drive. Nothing appears unusual. I almost wish it did so I could get a line on how this guy knows her every move.

  We draw a few stares as we make our way through the door of the Watering Hole. There are several officers enjoying after shift drinks and shooting pool. Rylee and I settle into a booth in the back corner of the bar where I still have a clear view of the door and we have a little privacy.

  She orders a beer and a shot of tequila, so I do the same. After slamming the shot and a quick beer chaser, her eyes meet mine. They are full of so many things: fear, despair, worry, and a little dash of hope, I think. Her body language tells me she is nervous, and she is holding her cell phone like a lifeline.

  I give her a reassuring smile as I take a long pull from my beer. “OK, Rylee, what’s going on? It looks to me like you are ready to explode. Tell me what’s up.”

  She takes a deep breath, presumably to calm her very visible nerves, then starts.

  “So do you remember Micah Jones, the badass linebacker from the University o
f Alabama?”

  I nod, thinking what an odd person to bring into this.

  “Well, you see, he and I met before the draft last year…”

  She made her way through the entire story and I can see why she thinks he is a definite possibility. However, I can’t see a way a person that size could hide in the shadows.

  “OK, Rylee, that seems a reasonable conclusion, but how do you think he is pulling this off? He is not a small man.”

  She finishes her beer and signals the waitress for another after asking if I wanted one. I do, but I think I will wait.

  “See, Ruzek, that is the question I can’t answer. He fits everything else, but I cannot see how he could stay hidden. He might have someone working with him, but he told me that he’s basically broke. So I don’t know. It was just an idea. He may not even be in Boston anymore. I have no idea.”

  Frustration and anger mar her delicate features. I believe she wants it to be him just so that this will end. I can’t say I blame her. She has had her life hijacked by a shadow. I look her in the eyes and try to give her some hope without going too far.

  “If you believe there is a chance it is him, I will look into him in the morning. We will see where he is and what he has been up to.”

  That brings a smile to her face. Plus, it can’t hurt to check his whereabouts. It’s not like we have any other plausible leads. She downs the rest of her second beer before responding.

  “I don’t know how to thank you. How about another round on me?”

  I agree this time and before I know it, we are three sheets to the wind and she has to call Bode to come pick her up. I end up taking a cab home after one of the most enjoyable nights I have had in a long time. Go figure. That girl is nothing if not a walking contradiction.

  Chapter 12

  Rylee

  Holy hell, my head hurts this morning. My chat with Ruzek last night turned into getting sloshed. Ruzek is a great guy to hang with. He is just a typical male obsessed with work and sports. We got along great. It has always been easier for me to hang out with men than women, even in a purely platonic fashion.

  After I explained my suspicions to him and we went through a few possibilities, we ended all talk of the mysterious pain in my life. We hung out as two friends would. We talked sports, news, and learned a little about each other.

  I saw several women look Ruzek's way last night, but he did not seem interested which surprised me. He is a gorgeous man with a body to drool over. His sandy blonde hair and dark green eyes highlight one another perfectly. He is also one of the funniest people I have ever met, or he is once he’s a bit tipsy.

  I am afraid to open my eyes in fear of worsening the pain in my head, but a shower and the rest of my day are calling me. Moving to unfold myself from the bench I sleep on, I realize that I am in bed, my bed. It makes sense. Bode wouldn’t want to carry a drunk girl through the hospital. I don’t imagine the hospital staff would have approved and it wouldn’t have been right to stumble through and wake J up.

  Slowly making my way upright, I find a bottle of water and a red rose on my bedside table. The rose and my drink are resting on a note with two aspirin. I would recognize that handwriting anywhere - a little messy, but still legible. It is from Austin.

  Thought you might need these this morning.

  I will be downstairs when you get up and around.

  I love you – Austin

  I do not remember Austin being here last night. In truth, I don't remember coming here last night. I am assuming Bode must have called Austin so that he could go back and stay with J. I am excited to see Aus this morning, but not before I get rid of the hideous taste in my mouth. It tastes like I swallowed a bag of kitty litter.

  Walking into my bathroom, I realize just how much I have missed being home. A quick shower should wash off the hospital smell I have become accustomed to. The power of the spray is orgasmic after the abysmal showers at the hospital. They are akin to the water that drips out of a hose once the faucet is switched off.

  I make my way downstairs after I throw on a decent pair of jeans and my favorite black t-shirt. I am more than a little nervous to see Austin and I am not sure why. We haven’t been alone together since the accident.

  I know he loves me and I love him, but until this mess is behind us and the mysterious person is out of my life, we cannot go back to the way things were. It is almost funny to say the way things were; they were only normal for a split second before everything went sideways.

  I walk through the kitchen to find Austin sitting outside reading and tossing a tennis ball for Boss. He looks so beautiful in this moment. A pair of black lounge pants hang gloriously on his hips, showing off his amazing back and torso when he stands up to throw the ball. His body is so well sculpted you could bounce a quarter off it. His golden hair is longer than usual, and he blows it out of his deep blue eyes.

  I stand for a moment just taking him in, wishing this was my normal. After all my emotional back and forth with this man, the one thing I know is that I want normal with him. He catches me staring and flashes me a shy, loving smile.

  “Hey you, fancy meeting you here,” I say, trying to break the ice.

  He responds by grabbing my hand and pulling me into his lap as he slides down on the outdoor sofa. With his arms wrapped tightly around me, he whispers into my hair, “You are so beautiful. l have missed you like crazy.”

  I angle my body so I am straddling his hips and brush his hair back out of his eyes before placing a kiss on his jaw. The intense look of passion in his eyes ignites a fire that rages through my body. I try to remember all the reasons why we should not be together until he kisses me, causing all of my thoughts to disappear. I am lost in him, lost in the moment. His hands glide beneath my shirt and up my back, settling on my shoulders and pulling me down into him.

  Our dance is slow and sensual. The power of our connection is heightened by every touch and every kiss. I love the way he makes me feel. He has the power to make me forget about everything outside of our current position.

  Austin’s arousal is obvious, but he is taking his time. I push back from him with my hands on his chiseled chest.

  “Aus, let’s go upstairs.”

  My words come out as a breathy plea. His eyes explode with the glitter of passion. He picks me up and carries me towards the door.

  It is amazing how he effortlessly carries me through the house and up the stairs without breaking the kiss he started. Once we reach my room, he slowly and methodically removes every piece of my clothing. It is as if he is memorizing every moment as he slides my jeans down and kisses his way up my body before removing my shirt and bra. I step forward to rid him of his clothing, but he does so himself. In a split-second, his mouth is claiming mine as our hands freely roam one another.

  We make our way to my still unmade bed, and he lays me back before kissing down the length of my body, eventually settling in my sweet spot. I am a bundle of nerves and his expert touches send me screaming over the edge in seconds.

  I am still coming down from my orgasmic high when he kisses and nips his way back up my overly sensitive body. He takes one nipple into his mouth, tortures me with alternating licks and blows before biting down just as he pushes his cock inside me. The combination of sensations rocks my body towards another world shattering orgasm.

  Austin stills after entering me and returns his glorious mouth to mine.

  ”I. Love. You. So. Much. Rylee,” he says between kisses.

  As he slides in and out of my wet heat, his love for me shines in his eyes. I am climbing again as he sets a slow and adoring pace. He worships my body with his and I am in heaven. My hands run down his slick back and mold to his perfect ass as I meet him thrust for thrust. We find a perfect rhythm that both fills the need and drives our fire for one another higher.

  With a few twists of his hips, Austin has me clamoring for another release. I pull his face to mine and kiss him deeply. I can only hope he is feeling the same depth of em
otion I am in this moment.

  He breaks the kiss and in a low seductive tone demands, “Come with me, Ry.”

  Before I can answer, his lips are back on mine and I bite his lower lip as I pull him closer. Something about being with him now has me aching to be closer to him. With us completely melded together, he thrusts pound into me and we release together with breathless screams.

  We lie in our perfect connection for several minutes before he pushes up on his elbows and looks deep into my eyes. The look on his face melts my heart. I am not sure I have ever seen someone adore me the way he does, and he doesn't try to hide it. He wants me to know how he feels about me and, although I have a hard time believing it, I know how he feels. I love him with the same, all-consuming, heart-clenching passion.

  My eyes water when I remember that after this I am unlikely to see Austin for quite some time. He leans down and places a sweet kiss on my lips.

  “Don’t cry, baby, it will all be OK. We will find a way, I promise. I love you too damn much to let you go.”

  “I love you, too, Austin. Even more than I knew until this moment.”

  And I do I love him, more than I ever thought it was possible to love another human being. My heart is breaking at the thought of being forced apart again. I can only hope our love is enough to hold us together despite the distance we will be forced to endure.

  Chapter 13

  Rylee

  Austin and I enjoy a quiet morning in bed lounging around and watching bad television. We laugh and talk; we are us again. I call Bode to check on J and he informs me that J is fine and that I need to spend quality time away from the hospital.

  Although I adore Bode, I refuse to take his word for it and demand talk to my brother. J is very explicit in his directions.

  “Stay the fuck away from this hospital and enjoy the time you have today. It won’t be often that no one knows where either of you are. Enjoy it, Ry. I’m fine.”

  I agree rather easily to stay home for a while, but only because Austin is here with me. J is right. After today it’s unlikely that we will be able to steal many more of these moments before this is all over. Stolen moments are so sweet when they include the man of your dreams.