by Clara Stone
“I have one more favor to ask you.” I pause, then add, “A personal one.”
This time he does look up, surprise lifting his eyebrows and widening his eyes. “Yeah, of course. Anything.”
“Can you dig into Vincent Gallo’s family for me, please? I want to know everything, any little detail you can find on his step-mother or his three half-brothers.”
“Sure, Agent. No problem. Anything else?” He finishes gathering his things and closes his messenger bag as he waits for further instructions.
“Once you find dirt on the woman, I need you to get in touch with Gary DiNera and pass along a message to him. Give him the file with everything you find and tell him it’s a personal favor from me. Tell him that if he can take care of this case, his debt to me is taken care of.”
“You bet, Agent Lovelly. I’ll get on it right away.” He shoulders his messenger bag and smiles.
“You’re wonderful, Harris. You know that?”
“I do, but I don’t mind hearing it again.”
I grin at him and smack him on the back. “You are one hell of an analyst, Harris. And if Satan’s coming after my ass, there’s no one I’d have on my team than you.”
He chuckles. “Good luck to you, Agent Lovelly.”
After that, I pull my phone from pocket and call Fisher. He doesn’t answer, so I leave him a message telling him to call me back. I want to text Jess and let her know I’m on my way home, but I also want to surprise her. So instead, I pocket my phone and head out to my car. I jump in and fire up the ignition, my foot itching to put the pedal to the metal so I can be home soon.
BY THE TIME practice wrapped up with a very awkward, terse sort of goodbye, I was exhausted. The guys could tell something had happened, but neither Jarod nor I said anything. In fact, Jarod flat-out ignored me—a fact I was incredibly happy about—and Tom hovered around me like he was afraid I’d have a mental breakdown any second. The combination of it all meant that I was more than ready to get out of there when Tom called rehearsal to an end.
Cat picked me up, since Harrington had to meet with his boss, and the only thing I could think about on the way home was how amazing a hot shower and my bed were going to feel.
She lets me out at the base of our stairs and then drives off to park the car. I stumble up the three flights of stairs, pulling my keys from my purse as I go. I unlock the door and pull it open, stepping inside and kicking the door closed behind me. I look up and freeze, my heart going pitter-patter as I stare at the man before me.
“Harrington,” I whisper.
I’m equal parts surprised and excited to see him, my earlier exhaustion melting away in a flash. His hair is disheveled, and he looks like he hasn’t slept in days, but the moment he looks at me, a cocky smile appears on his face.
Before I can utter a word, he crosses the space between us. He wraps his arms around me, lifting me up and swinging me around until my back is to the closed door. His face is so close to mine as he leans in, placing one hand next to my head, against the door, as the other drops to my hip. I can feel my pulse beat against my neck and temples, and I lick my lips involuntarily.
“Miss me?” he mumbles, before he claims my mouth like he’s laying his claim to my body. My body readily agrees. His mouth is demanding as he tilts his head, his tongue tracing the seam of my lips, prodding them to part. Like a puppet, I succumb to his demands. My mouth opens, welcoming him.
He makes this sort of deep, animalistic rumble that sets my senses on fire. His tongue slides over mine, tasting me like he’s a starving man who’s finally found food.
I don’t know how or why, but this kiss, unlike all the others we’ve shared, makes me want to cry. When he pulls his head back, he’s breathing heavily. The green in his hazel eyes pops as he drags his thumb along my lower lip.
“Wow.” I grin. “Tha—that was something else,” I whisper. My lips still tingle from the kiss.
“Fuck, sweetheart. I missed you,” he groans.
“I missed you too. But how did you get in here?” I ask.
He gives me a sly smile. “Fisher loaned me the key Cat gave him so I could surprise you.”
And then his mouth is once again crashing against mine. His hand tightens over my hip as I flick my tongue along his. He moans, his hips grinding into mine. I think I moan too, but I can’t tell because my mind is lost in the sea of fog he has me under.
His hand slides down the outside of my hip, over my thigh, and then toward the edge of my shorts, following it all the way to the curve of my rear. Then he lifts me up, wrapping my legs around his waist, his hips fitting snug against mine. I feel him pushing against me, but there are too many layers between us.
“Harry,” I moan into his mouth, as sharp spikes of pleasure shoot through me. My arms circle his neck. He walks us like that across the living room, down the hall, and all the way to my bedroom, kissing me the entire time.
He kicks the door closed behind him and once again turns until my back is braced against the door. I grunt at the impact, though I know he wasn’t trying to slam me into it.
“Shhhh . . .” He places a finger to my lips. “You don’t want Cat to hear you, do you?”
I lick my lips. “Then don’t bang me against the door, Harry.”
His mouth curves up in a sexy smirk as he finally sets me back on my feet. His lips descend to mine, and I feel the same need pouring through me as before. “I need you. Now.”
I nod and he takes a step back. With trembling hands, I wrap my fingers around the hem of my shirt and pull it off. Then I reach for his. He lifts his arms for me as I pull it over his head. His eyes have a desperate look that startles me.
“I hope you can keep quiet, sweetheart, because I’m going to make you want to scream.” He makes quick work of my bra and shorts. “Hmm . . . such a beautiful, gorgeous creature you are, Jessica Owens,” he whispers, tugging at my hand and pulling my body into his. I go without hesitation. He walks us back toward my bed and sits at the edge. His hands grip my hips and pull into him as he kisses me across my stomach. A small moan escapes my mouth and he shushes me again.
“You’re not off to a great start, sweetheart,” he teases.
I want to say something witty, but all that I manage is, “Get naked, Harry.”
Instead of an amused chuckle or smartass comment, he stands up. He quickly steps out of his jeans and boxers briefs, watching me as I watch him undress.
I swallow thickly.
“I want to try something different.” He sinks back down on the bed, pulling me with him. “Straddle me, sweetheart.”
I do as I’m told, my knees feeling weak as they adjust on either side of him.
He gulps. “Now, ease down on me.”
“I-I’ve never—” I start, but seeing the animalistic look in his eyes does something funny to my insides, and I decide to trust him. So I grab on to his shoulders and slowly lower myself as he navigates himself inside me.
We both groan at the same time as I slide down further. “Easy, sweetheart. Nice and—”
I lean forward and attack his mouth, shutting him up and taking away his breath. For the next few moments, our ragged breathing is the only indication of our lovemaking.
His hands grab my hips, his fingers digging into me as I rock back and forth slowly. “Holy shit, Jess.” His breath is ragged and pained, like he’s trying to control himself, keep himself from going over the edge. “You feel so fucking good. So wet. So good.”
I giggle softly. “It’s okay. I’m yours.”
He growls and grasps my hips, thrusting upward, fast and hard. “Fuck.”
“Shhh,” I remind him. “Not so loud.”
“Fuck. You’re so tight.” His mouth descends downward, suckling and licking all the way to my breasts. He reaches for my right breast and squeezes it hard, and my head falls backward as I moan.
“You feel so fucking amazing,” he compliments, before his warm mouth wraps itself around my nipple. He sucks on it, hard.
“Harry.” I’m so lost that I can’t keep control of my own body, and I rock harder, faster against him.
His hand abandons my breast and ventures downward, slipping between us to masterfully work magic at my core. I whimper.
“I want to taste you so fucking bad,” he says, rolling us over abruptly. I squeal in surprise and he grins.
“Stay quiet, sweetheart,” he admonishes with a wicked grin, his head dipping lower as he scoots backward.
“You try being quiet, when—oh,” My hips buck up as his mouth does that crazy sucking thing at my hip while his fingers continue their assault on my core. “Oh, my God.”
His chuckle is low and erotic as leaves a trail of kisses, traveling down, down, down. “Oooooo . . .” I moan as he flicks his tongue against me and all thought shatters. Especially when his tongue’s doing that . . . holy mother of . . . whatever he’s doing right now . . . flicking and . . .
He slides a finger into me . . .
And I nearly scream, but he covers my mouth with his hand and looks up with a wink. “Quiet, baby.”
I writhe and squirm as a beautiful pressure builds in the pit of my stomach. My hips buck up and he slowly slides the hand from my mouth all the way to my stomach, pressing me down, hindering me from moving much. I grab the sheets and bite down on my lip, trying my hardest not to make a noise. My vision blackens. “Fffuck,” I cry as an orgasm unlike any I’ve ever felt rips through me.
I collapse against the bed, my legs falling limply to the side as I come back down from Heaven. I feel Harrington crawling up my body, kissing me as he ascends.
“I’d say you enjoyed that,” he says, just as I open my eyes.
He leans forward, kissing me softly, and I taste myself on his lips. “You taste that, Jess? Sweet and delicious. I’ve never tasted anything so fucking good.”
Heat assaults my body, but I recover quickly. “You were pretty talented with that tongue.”
He pinches my nipple and my eyes roll back. “I’m good with other things too.” He thrusts his hips forward “And I want inside you.”
I lean up and kiss him, passionately. I wrap my legs around his hips and dig my heels into his butt. “Then what are you waiting for?”
He groans. “Thank fuck.” He sits back on his heels, breaking my leg lock. He runs his fingers over my sweet spot, once, and I shiver as my body instantly responds. Then, in a swift motion, he wraps his arms under my knees, pulling me up, and the next moment, he thrusts into me in one quick move. I can’t help the gasp that escapes my lips.
“So fucking good.” He lets one knee go, using the hand to brace himself so that he hovers above me as he moves in and out, slow, then fast, then slow and hard. It’s amazing, and perfect, and before long, my body starts to coil again. I didn’t think it would have anything left after the last one, but as his mouth and hands and body work their magic, I feel myself steadily hiking back up that rainbow. It takes everything in me not to be loud, but as his fingers slip between our joined bodies again, I can’t hold back anymore.
“Oh god, Harry! I’m going to come,” I moan, squeezing his hips as I reach the apex, arching up into him, my toes curling as I cry out.
“I love you, Harrington Brad Lovelly.”
He grunts as he thrusts one last time and joins me in release. A satisfied, pained smile plays on my lips as he collapses on top of me. Every inch of me is hyper-sensitive, wrung out, and completely satisfied.
“Holy mother of hell, woman. I’m never letting you go.” He breathes into the curve of my neck, kissing me softly. “That . . . that was . . .” He pushes up on his hands and our gazes connect. He smiles weakly. “I fucking love you, Jess.”
Then he’s kissing me again, but softly this time, taking his time. He pulls back and looks at me, and I feel my heart flutter. It’s that intense kind of look he’s given me a time or two, the one I still don’t quite know how to interpret.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
He shakes head and tucks some stray strands of hair behind my ear. “I love you so much, Jessica Owens. You own my heart, my body, every breath. And I’d do anything to protect you. You know that, right?”
Before I answer him, I lift my face and touch my mouth to his. “I know. I believe you.”
“Good.” His smile is crooked, sweet, and very boy-next-door. Then suddenly, like something lit up in his head, his eyes widen. “Shit. Shit. Shit. I can’t believe I did that.”
“What? What happened?” My heart rate spikes in concern.
“Condom. I totally forgot about a condom.”
I smile, relaxing again, and kiss him. “I’ve been on birth control since I was fifteen. Bad periods, and all.” I shrug a shoulder.
Relief floods his face as he leans forward to kiss me. “I’m clean,” he says. “I’ve never had sex without a condom before.” He kisses me again. “And I’m never wearing another condom again.”
I giggle like a freaking schoolgirl. He gives me that devilish grin that means trouble, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
“Ready for round 2?”
“Already?” I gasp.
“Sweetheart, I missed you for a week—”
“Three days,” I correct him. “It was only three days.”
“Three fucking long days.” He presses his mouth to mine. “I have a lot of sex to make up for.”
And he does. Until the wee hours of the morning. And I don’t even care that my big show is less than twenty-four hours away. Not when Harrington is next to me, inside me, making me fall more in love with him than ever.
“YOU READY?” HARRINGTON asks, massaging my shoulder. We’re standing in the parking lot in front of Club Royale. In just a few hours, I’ll be on stage, playing the biggest show of my life. I’m tired as hell, too, since Harrington’s sexual appetite is insatiable. He even wanted to “save water for the plants and third-world children” this morning, after already rocking my world all night long. Not that I’m complaining, though every inch of my body is sore.
I see Jarod and the rest of the gang hauling equipment inside.
After Wednesday’s little fiasco, I’m nervous to go over there, to be in the same room as Jarod.
“Hey, look at me.” Harrington turns me around so I’m facing him. “You’re going to be great.”
“I know,” I say, making light of my overreacting nerves.
He smirks. “Who’s cocky now?”
“I learn from the best.”
“So, I was thinking . . .” He tilts his head to the side. “Tonight, after this big gig of yours . . . how about we celebrate?”
“Hmm . . .” I wrap my arms around his neck. “What do you have in mind?”
“It’ll be a surprise. Don’t bother changing after the show, either.”
I laugh, my head thrown back. “Yeah? Do your plans include the horizontal Tango?”
He leans forward, pressing his mouth to mine. “They might. Later. After my surprise.”
A cold gust of wind whooshes over us and I shiver, kissing him back. “I like the sound of that.”
He spins me around so my back is to the car. He studies me. “I can’t wait until all of this is over and done with.”
“All of this” being Stamos. He hasn’t told me all the details, because he can’t, but I know the FBI is close to bringing him down. And I couldn’t agree more. Though part of me does wonder how long it will be before another assignment pulls him away from me.
Something vibrates between us.
“Your phone’s ringing,” I say, letting my arms drop to my sides as he takes a step back.
He pulls his phone out of his pocket and looks at it. His eyebrows knit together, forming a deep V.
I rub my hand over his arm, worried. “What’s wrong?”
He waves vaguely at his phone. “Harris is calling me.”
Why is that a bad thing, I wonder. But I don’t ask the question. He slips his phone back into his pocket, and although his expression has ret
urned to its usual smirk, I know something is bothering him. And I’m pretty sure it has to do with the phone call.
“So, I need to get in there . . .” I say, and then jerk my chin toward his phone. “Why don’t you take care of whatever that is?”
“Okay.” His response is immediate, and I know my theory is correct.
“See you tonight?”
“You bet my left nut I’ll be there.”
I laugh and pat his chest. “Aww, such a romantic.”
He winks. He leans in and gives me a quick, sweet kiss on the cheek before moving to the driver’s side door and getting in.
I step back and watch him drive out of the parking lot before I turn and make my way to the side entrance we’re supposed to use. Tom’s waiting for me when I get there.
I groan and walk toward him.
“Listen, Jess, I just wanted to apologize for the other day, for Jarod. I had a feeling something like this was going to happen. That’s why I didn’t want you in the band at first. I saw the way he looked at you during your auditions, and I really hoped that my intuition was wrong. That things could have worked out better than this.”
“So, wait, this is my fault?” I spit. I’d really started to like Tom, too.
“No. Not at all. I’m not saying that at all, Jessica.” He tries to backpedal, holding his hand up.
“Then what are you saying?”
“Just that . . . maybe tonight’s performance should be your last with The Torque.”
I take a step back, feeling like I’ve been slapped in the face. “You’re firing me?”
“No. God no! You’re the best drummer we’ve ever had, but . . . I just, with Jarod being the way he is . . .” He looks over his shoulder at the closed door, conflicting emotions warring in his face. And suddenly, I realize what he’s trying to say. He cares. About me. And he’s not sure he can guarantee Jarod won’t try something again.
“I get it.”
“You do?” His surprise is evident. He wasn’t expecting me to understand.
I nod. It feels like my heart’s been ripped apart, but I do get it.