by M. S. Parker
I got up and wrapped up dinner. He'd probably get something to eat at the clinic, but the chicken could be reheated tomorrow. I could even have a bit for lunch. I wasn't going to eat anything now. I didn't have much of an appetite.
After tidying up the kitchen, I headed into the living room. He said not to wait up, but that had been because he thought I needed to get up for work in the morning. If I was going to have to deal with all of the bad that came from being suspended, I would at least enjoy the benefits, one of which was that I didn't have to worry about staying up late.
Still, it had been an eventful day and the moment I stretched out on the couch, I knew I wasn't going to manage to stay awake. If I was here, though, I hoped Jasper would wake me and we could talk then.
I didn't remember falling asleep, but I knew I must have since, one moment, I was in the middle of watching some medical drama about competing surgeons, and the next, I was jerking awake to the sound of the front door opening. The tv had turned itself off and the room was dark. I sat up, trying to shake the sleep off, when the room suddenly flooded with light. I blinked against it, waiting for my eyes to adjust.
“Shae?” Jasper was standing over me, a puzzled expression on his face. “Babe, you didn't need to wait up for me. You should've gone to bed.”
I shook my head and swung my legs over the edge of the couch. I sucked in a breath at the pain that shot through my calves. I'd stretched before running, but sleeping on the couch hadn't been a great idea.
“What's wrong?” He crouched in front of me. “Are you hurt?”
“My legs are sore, that's all.” I tried to smile, but I had a suspicion that it came out looking more like a grimace.
“Why are your legs sore?” He moved up to sit next to me on the couch. He looked tired, but not exhausted.
“I went for a run this afternoon. That's all.” I didn't look at him. I rubbed my hand over my face and tried to pull myself together. None of this was Jasper's fault and I wasn't going to let being half-asleep drag my emotions to the surface. I'd had far too much of that lately.
“Shae, what's wrong?” Jasper's fingers curled under my chin, gently turning me to face him. “Talk to me.”
He sounded so concerned that my resolve wavered. I sniffled. Dammit.
He folded me into his arms as I began to cry. Between sobs, I told him everything from what I'd learned from Henley to my suspension. I didn't include my trip to the clinic, not wanting him to feel like I was blaming him for being busy. He didn't ask any questions while I cried myself out. He just held me and let me calm myself.
When I was finally done, he spoke, “Can I ask you something?”
I looked up at him, wiping my hands across my cheeks. “Of course.”
His expression was troubled. “Why didn't you come to me right after it happened? Or at least call me?”
I dropped my head, looking down at my hands. “I did come to the clinic, but Georgia said you told her you didn't want to be disturbed. That you were too busy to see anyone.”
He cupped the side of my face and I closed my eyes, leaning into his touch.
“Babe, I'm never too busy for you.” He kissed my forehead. “When something like this comes up, I want you to come to me. Even if I'd been with a patient, I would've come as soon as I finished.”
I opened my eyes and found him watching me. “I didn't want to bother you.”
“You're never a bother.” His thumb brushed across the line of my bottom lip. “I just wish I would've known. Even if you'd wanted to wait until I got home to talk, I wish you would have told me. I never would've stayed late.”
“Your work is important,” I said.
“You're important,” he said. His fingers pushed hair from my face, then lingered to trace an eyebrow, my cheekbone, my mouth. “You're the most important thing to me, Shae.”
I leaned forward, tilting my head so that he could close the short distance between us. His mouth was gentle on mine, lips moving softly as his hands slid over my arms and down to my hands. He threaded his fingers between mine, pulling our hands up to his chest. He held our hands there, over his heart, until he broke the kiss.
“You own my heart.” He raised our hands, kissed my knuckles, and then put my hand back on his chest. “No matter what I'm doing, you can always come to me.”
I nodded and smiled at him. My pulse was racing, as much from his words as from the kiss. “I will. I promise.”
“Good.” He smiled. He stood and used my hand to pull me to my feet.
I winced as my muscles stretched. “I didn't think I was going to be this stiff.”
“Guess I'd better do something about that.” He grinned at me, then swept me off my feet.
Literally.
I barely had time to be disoriented before I was snug in his arms, curled against his chest. Without another word, he carried me up the stairs and into the bathroom.
Chapter 9
“I already took a shower.”
I wasn't entirely sure why I was protesting. There was no way Jasper was going to walk me into the bathroom and then leave me there. I had no doubt he'd join me, and while I loved having sex with him pretty much anywhere, including the shower, I didn't think my muscles were up for what that entailed.
“I'm not giving you a shower,” Jasper said. He set me down on the seat of the toilet. “And it's not about getting clean.” He crossed to the tub and turned on the water before looking back at me. His eyes were dark. “I'm going to make you feel better.”
Well, fuck.
I started to reach for the hem of my shirt and, before I could move, he was there, kneeling in front of me. His hands covered mine.
“Let me.”
I nodded and let go of my shirt. His fingers brushed against the skin at my waist and I shivered. His eyes darkened for a moment, and then his face disappeared momentarily as he pulled my shirt over my head. He tossed it onto the floor, then reached behind me to unhook my bra. His fingers slid along my spine, tracing each bump before moving to my shoulder-blades and up. He pulled the bra straps down my arms, and my bra joined my shirt.
His fingers hooked under the waist of my pants, and I lifted my hips so he could pull those and my underwear off together. Even that little movement made my muscles protest. I'd definitely overdone it today.
“Which scent do you want?” he asked as he stood. “Rose or vanilla?”
“You choose.”
It should've felt weird that I was sitting here naked while he was completely dressed, but it didn't. And while I totally loved his naked body, there was something to be said for watching the way his muscles bunched and moved under his clothes. As he bent over to pick up the rose-scented bubble bath, his jeans tightened around his ass and my stomach clenched.
Damn. I'd almost forgotten how much I loved just watching him move.
He turned around, a startled expression on his face when he saw me staring. “What?”
I flushed. “Nothing.”
“No, something.” He came over to me and held out his hand.
I took it and let him help me to my feet. The familiar scent of roses filled the air, but as he pulled me closer to him, all I could smell was him. Fuck. He smelled so good.
“I was looking at your ass,” I blurted the words out.
“Really?” He arched an eyebrow, a pleased smile on his face.
“Really.” I smiled at him. “You have a great ass.”
He slid one hand around over my hip and squeezed my ass. “So do you.”
“I have a sore ass,” I came back.
“Right.” His smiled softened. “Into the tub.”
He held my hand as I climbed in, not letting go until I needed to grip the sides of the tub to lower myself down. I sighed as the water closed over my body, and I sank down until it just reached my nipples. The bubbles frothed around me, hiding the slightly darker flesh as I settled. The water was the perfect temperature, almost too hot, but not so much that it was uncomfortable. I could fee
l it starting to work on my sore muscles
“Relax,” he murmured against my ear. “Close your eyes.”
I shook my head. “Nope.” I reached up with one soapy hand and ran my fingers through his hair. I was feeling warm, and a more than a little sleepy. “I wanna look at you.”
He chuckled. “You're loopy.”
I laughed and nodded. “A little.”
He reached out and ran the tip of his finger down my nose. “Close your eyes, baby. Let me take care of you.”
“You are,” I assured him as I leaned back.
I closed my eyes, a small moan escaping my lips as Jasper's fingers slid across my wet skin. He cupped my breast, then began to move his thumb back and forth across my nipple. It hardened under his touch as ripples of heat and pleasure fanned out from that point, moving through me.
“Relax, baby.” His voice was low, soothing. “I've got you.”
His hand moved lower, trailing down my stomach until his fingers brushed against the thin curls at the top of my core. I spread my legs, wanting his fingers lower. He obliged, his hand sliding between my legs. Long, strong digits delved between my folds to easily find my clit.
“Ahh...” The sound came out in a rush.
His fingers worked over me with surprising gentleness, just the right amount of pressure to keep the heat inside me building until he moved his hand lower and slipped one finger inside. My back arched, hips pushing up even as his palm rubbed against my clit. His finger moved slowly in and out, a soothing sort of rhythm. When a second finger joined the first, the pressure inside me began to expand, pushing its way through my body.
“Almost there, babe,” he said. He ran the tip of his tongue along the outside edge of my ear.
He curled his fingers, rubbing the tips against that spot inside me until I was writhing. Sparks of electricity were shooting through me, making my skin tingle and my muscles quiver. And then the wave came, pulling me under fast and strong. I heard the water lapping at the sides of the tub even as it caressed my skin. Jasper's calm voice vibrated in my ear, coaxing me, reminding me that he had me, that he was going to take care of me. The strength of his hand as he held me, drew me out of myself.
It was like nothing I'd ever felt before. This wasn't an explosive orgasm, the kind that took my breath away, and made me see stars. This was the slow kind of burn, the sort of flame that engulfed and consumed everything in its path, turning it to ash.
When I finally came down, he was still there. His hands were in my hair, washing it, fingers massaging my scalp. I made a pleased sound and let myself fall into that blissful relaxed state that came after a really good orgasm.
By the time he was done, I was already half-asleep. I barely registered him draining the tub and lifting me out, but I did somehow manage to stay on my feet while he dried me off.
He carried me into the bedroom and slid me under the covers. The sheets were soft and cool against my bare skin. I snuggled more deeply, expecting I'd be asleep before Jasper climbed in next to me, but when he settled behind me, I was still awake. Everything had that fuzzy, almost dream-like sense to it, but I was coherent enough to pull his arm more tightly around me and press back into his naked body. He was hard against my hip and groaned as I pushed my ass against him.
“Not now,” he murmured, running his hand down my side and over my hip. “You need to rest.”
“But you...” I wriggled, drawing a half-pained sound from him.
“Shh, baby.” He wrapped his fingers around my hip. “I'm okay. No guy ever died because he had a hard-on.”
“I love you.” I pulled his other hand up so that he was cupping my breast.
He kissed my temple. “And I love you.”
Silence fell for a moment, but I didn't want quiet. I wanted to hear Jasper's voice.
“Talk to me,” I said, my voice starting to get that thick sound that came before I drifted off.
“About what?” His fingers combed through my hair.
“Anything.” I closed my eyes. “What happened that you had to stay late?”
He made a disgusted sort of sound. “Georgia.”
I was suddenly much more awake. “What happened?”
“She was doing something, moving some filing cabinet or something and she ended up cutting her hand. Easily a two-inch laceration across her palm. There was blood everywhere, and she was freaking out. I had to get her cleaned up before I could even take a look at her hand. She needed stitches, and then I had to bandage her hand up. She couldn't drive home because I had to give her something for the pain. Then I had to go back to the office, clean up the mess there, and fill out the workman's comp forms.”
Jasper's voice was flat, almost bored, and the stroking of his fingers through my hair was hypnotic. It should have made me want to fall asleep, but everything he was saying was having the opposite effect.
Georgia.
I should've known.
I'd never liked her, but I'd kept my mouth shut. She'd been with Jasper for a long time, and she'd been helping him at the clinic. While she'd been terse – all right, she'd been downright rude – with me, I'd borne it because I didn't want to be that woman. The woman who thought that every other woman wanted her man, that every little slight was due to jealousy.
I still wasn't going to say anything, especially not now, not when I was so emotional. My head was a wreck, and I didn't need to be thinking of anything that was just going to make things worse. I also wasn't going to say anything without proof. I'd learned the hard way that I had a tendency to jump to conclusions when I thought with my heart instead of my head.
I wasn't going to do that again.
I also wasn't about to let her get away with it if she was going after Jasper. I knew now that I wasn't going to do anything that could possibly make me lose him. I'd lost one man I loved. Jasper was going to be stuck with me as long as he'd have me.
With that thought, I firmly pushed everything else out of my mind. The slow, steady breathing behind me said Jasper had fallen asleep, and I was ready to join him. I could feel the exhaustion in my bones, and gave into it. There'd be craziness enough tomorrow, but tonight, I was clean, I was comfortable, and I had Jasper's arms around me. That's all I needed.
Chapter 10
Knowing I didn't have to be up for work always made it difficult to get out of bed. Having six feet of hot, muscular man wrapped around me made it even harder.
Pun definitely intended.
I woke up before the alarm went off, and Jasper's cock was hard against my ass. I couldn't help but wonder if he'd been that way all night. Considering the fact that he still had one hand on my breast, and the other hand had slipped down until his fingers were brushing against the curls between my legs, I thought it was a good possibility.
Warmth filled me as I remembered what happened last night. Not all of the bad stuff, but rather the good. All the good that had come from Jasper. How he'd taken care of me. How he'd denied what his body so clearly wanted simply because he knew I was too tired.
Well, I wasn't too tired now.
I shifted, rolling over until I was facing him. His embrace loosened, and he rolled onto his back. I kept my eyes on his face as I folded back the blanket, but his eyelids didn't so much as flicker.
My muscles were stiff as I moved onto my knees, but I wasn't even close to how bad I feared I'd be. I knew a lot of that had to do with the hot bath Jasper had gotten me into last night. That and the very relaxing orgasm he'd given me.
Now it was time to return the favor. I let my gaze move from his handsome face, down over his amazing body. Broad, muscular shoulders and chest. Trim waist and hips. An absolutely beautiful, long, thick cock that was currently curving up towards his flat stomach.
And he was all mine.
I leaned down and wrapped my hand around him, holding him as I worked my mouth over the soft skin. I didn't look up when I felt him wake, felt the muscles in his stomach tense as he realized what I was doing. He said my name, bu
t I kept my attention on the pulsing flesh between my lips.
It wasn't until I felt his hand in my hair, tugging me off of him, that I raised my head. I looked up at him as I let his cock fall from between my lips. My eyes locked with his and I moved my hand faster, gripping him harder.
“Shae, let me...”
“No.” I twisted my hand across the head of his cock and smiled at the hiss of air he let out. “You took care of me last night. It’s my turn. Let me take care of you.”
His eyes looked nearly black and his grip on my hair tightened. “I'm not going to last long.”
“Good.” I smiled at him. “Then you won't be late for work.”
I flexed my fingers and he swore.
“Come on, baby.” I felt his cock pulsing under my hand. He was definitely close. “You're almost there.”
“Shae.”
My name came out as a moan, and my stomach twisted at the sound.
“I want to watch you come. Come for me, Jas.” I didn't want to look away, didn't want to blink. I wanted to see his face when he finally came, to know that I was responsible for making him feel that way.
Suddenly, he groaned, his hips jerking, and hot liquid spilled over my hand. His head tipped back, eyes squeezing closed as he came. He called out my name as I continued to work my hand over his throbbing shaft, milking every last drop until my hand and his stomach were coated with the sticky mess. Only then did I release him.
My day was already off to a better start than yesterday. I just hoped it continued to be that way.
Considering I had to go talk to my favorite detectives today, I doubted it.
I'd dressed carefully for my 'interview' today. A black skirt and a nice blouse that would've been appropriate for work, but weren't too dressy for just coming into the station. I wanted to look like I could be on my way to work, but that I could also just have dressed this way to come in and talk. I wasn't planning on lying to the cops if they asked about my job, but I wasn't going to offer the information either. It wasn't any of their business that I'd been suspended. Hell, it was their fault. Them and their stubborn insistence that I must have been involved in Allen's death.