by Tess Summers
Oh, fuck no. Squaring off with Cassie right now was about the stupidest move Nathan could have made. Luke wasn’t quite sure what the hell the man was thinking. This was about to turn into a shit show of epic proportions, and Luke needed to put a stop to it.
“It doesn’t matter, I do, and I’ll do whatever she says.” Maybe that made him sound whipped, but he didn’t care. That was by far the lesser of the two evils right now.
Finally, Nathan seemed to get it, and his whole attitude changed for the rest of the interview with Cassie. She didn’t actually tell them anything they didn’t already know, except that she and Lucas were treated like guests of Dante Guzman’s to the point they were almost pampered.
That was a huge fucking relief for Luke. He had imagined all sorts of terrible things happening to them during this nightmare and was thankful to learn that wasn’t the case. He thought it was probably going to make Cassie’s recovery from the ordeal easier although he was sure she was going to be jumpy and a bit paranoid for a while. He knew he was going to be overprotective as fuck.
Brenna and Ron arrived as Nathan wrapped up his questions. The older sister burst into the room and made a beeline to where Cassie sat, hugging her tight before going to where Lucas was still sleeping and picked him up to hold him in her lap as she sat down in a chair.
Softly rocking him back and forth, Mrs. Thompson defiantly told them, “I don’t care, I need to hold my little guy,” when they scolded her for disturbing the boy’s sleep.
Ben arrived not long after Brenna and Ron, and noticing the officer standing guard outside the room, suggested he stay with them at the beach house for a while.
“I can stay with you guys until things settle down. Ya know, help with Lucas, make sure someone’s there when you’re not, allow you to let your guard down a little when you’re home.”
Luke grinned and gripped his friend’s shoulder. “Aw, buddy, if you miss me, you can just say so.”
Ben grinned back. “Nah, I’m just bored. My girl’s out of town this week.”
Brenna spoke up. “You know you can count on us to help too with whatever you need.”
Ron nodded solemnly in agreement.
“Thank you, all of you. We’re going to take you up on that, especially babysitting duties,” Cassie said with a laugh while Luke hugged her shoulders.
Definitely the babysitting duties. he planned on seducing little Miss Cassie Sullivan while his son was with one of his aunts or uncles.
Luke appreciated the department stationing a guard outside the exam room even though being vulnerable and relying on someone else to protect him or what belonged to him went against every fiber of his being. Still, he valued the support of his Blue Family.
The chief came in, making the already crowded room that much smaller.
“I’m going to post a car outside your house where they have a good view of both your place and yours,” he said, gesturing to Ron and Brenna. He turned back to Luke, “And I want you to take some time off.”
“But…”
“A week, Luke. I want you to take at least a week. People will still be working the case while you concentrate on your family for a few days. Maybe take your son to Disneyland, plan your wedding, hell, take an early honeymoon.”
Luke looked at Cassie for her reaction to planning a wedding or going on an early honeymoon. The woman should play poker because she had the blank face down pat.
“You’ll keep me posted on any new developments?” he asked before agreeing. Not that he had a choice, given it was a directive from the chief of police, but he didn’t really mind since he was going to be able to spend much-needed time with Cassie and Lucas.
“I will keep you in the loop with all of it. You absolutely need to know what’s going on. Of course, I expect you to do the same if you learn anything.”
“Ten-four.”
Ben leaned over to Cassie and told her in a loud, sarcastic whisper, “That means, okay.”
Luke flipped him off, and Ben started laughing. “Wait, what does that mean?”
Cassie did her own stage whisper. “He thinks you’re number one.”
That elicited a laugh from the whole room.
A man in a white lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck walked in, pushing the room past comfortable capacity.
“Enjoy the time with your family, Luke. We’ll have someone there twenty-four-seven to keep you safe but think about checking into a resort or give the Disneyland suggestion some serious consideration.” Chief Pearson turned to walk out the door, then hesitated and turned back around, handing his card to Cassie. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“Ten-four,” she teased.
Todd nodded his head toward her while addressing Luke with a wink. “I like her.”
He kissed her temple and smiled at his beautiful baby mama. “Me too,” he murmured as his boss left the room. She smiled back at him, but the worry over things not being over was evident on her face. He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles while the doctor started to explain the discharge instructions.
Don’t fret, doll. I take care of what’s mine.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Luke
The sun had come up by the time only Cassie and he arrived at the beach house. Lucas was going to stay at Brenna’s so Luke and Cassie could sleep, and Ben got the hint to stay the fuck gone until later that night when Lucas returned. Luke wasn’t sure where things stood between him and Cassie, but he wanted time alone with her to find out.
It wasn’t until the drive home Luke realized he was starving. Nothing the greasy cheeseburger in the to-go bag in his hand wouldn’t fix.
Cassie sat next to him at the table in the kitchen, looking longingly at his burger while she ate her bran muffin.
“Want a bite?” he asked, holding it toward her.
He expected her to politely decline, so he couldn’t suppress his chuckle when she took a big, ravenous bite, wiping her mouth with her fingertips and muttering, “So good,” as she chewed her food.
“We should’ve gotten you one too.”
“No,” Cassie shook her head. “It’s one thing to steal a bite from you, it’s quite another to eat a whole burger by myself.”
“You need to let go, live a little. Indulge your desires.”
He wasn’t talking about breakfast, and he was sure she knew it because she countered with, “That usually leads to more misery in the end.”
Luke dropped to his knees in front of her and began to massage her pregnant belly, gently laying kisses over her blouse as he whispered, “Not always, doll. Sometimes it leads to beautiful things.”
Almost absent-mindedly, she began to play with the hair at the nape of his neck as she carefully watched him caress her stomach, not saying anything.
He pressed on, pushing her top up so he could stroke her bare skin. He’d missed how she always felt like silk and leaned down to rub his cheek against where his little daughter was growing inside her.
She let out a little whimper as she tugged his hair tighter.
“I love you, Cassandra Jo Sullivan,” he whispered.
“I love you, too, Luke Santiago Rivas,” she admitted.
He lifted his head to look into her eyes. “Yeah? Still?”
She made a disapproving face that would make any mother proud. “Of course. You’re the love of my life and the father of my baby—and my hero. I don’t know what would have happened if—”
He didn’t let her finish her thought, wrapping his arms around her middle and planting his mouth on hers to keep her from saying anything more. Her response was immediate, slipping her arms around his neck and drawing him closer. His tongue sought hers, and soon they were deepening the kiss.
When they came up for air, Luke rested his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, taking in the moment. She was in his arms again. For good, if he had anything to say about it.
“Hero aside, baby doll, I’m sorry I fucked everything up befor
e. If I could do it all over again, I would do it a lot differently. But, I can’t. All I can do is ask your forgiveness and promise to do better from now on.” He leaned down and kissed her belly again, continuing in between kisses. “You… Lucas… and Claire… are my world now.”
“I haven’t agreed to Claire, yet,” she smiled.
Luke resumed kissing her stomach while talking. “I know. We can name her whatever you want, just promise me her last name will be Rivas. Like her mama’s.” He looked up hopefully, his lips still on her skin. Her face was unreadable as she returned his gaze while her fingers entwined in his hair again.
“What do you think about Sofia Claire Rivas instead?” she asked softly.
“I love it!” He immediately sat up, not wanting her to change her mind or think any more about it.
“It doesn’t start with ‘C’ though, like you wanted.”
He caressed her chin and kissed her below her ear, murmuring, “As long as her last name is Rivas, I don’t care. We’ll give our boys ‘L’ first names, and our girls will have ‘C’ middle names.”
With both hands, Cassie drew his face to hers so they were eye to eye.
“Whoa. Slow down, cowboy. Let’s get this little girl outta me before we start planning any more baby Rivases.”
“Can we practice making them, at least?” Luke smirked.
Her face fell. “Let’s take it slow, okay?”
“We’ll go as slow as you want. But can I at least touch you? Hold you as I sleep next to you?”
“Of course, you can touch me.”
She didn’t answer his second question, and he was feeling brave. “I need to share your bed, doll. There’s no way I can sleep alone now, I need you next to me.”
“Me too. Every night we were away and Lucas slept next to me, all I could think was how much I wished you were with us. Not to be kidnapped with us, of course. But to be there so I could feel you next to me.”
He pulled her to her feet, then scooped her up and started walking to the stairs toward her room.
“What are you doing? Put me down!”
The SWAT sergeant ignored her protests until he gently deposited her on the king size bed, lying down beside her and immediately unbuttoning her blouse.
“Luke! Stop it! What are you doing?” Even as she protested, she bowed her body up to help him manipulate the buttons easier.
“I’m going to show you how grateful I am you’re home safe and sound, and how sorry I am for hurting you. I’m going to make my apologies to your body, over and over, every day until you forgive me.”
She tried to suppress a giggle. “But I’ve already forgiven you.”
He opened her blouse, staring at her beautiful figure. “I still need to make sure,” he said as he began to kiss his way from her stomach to her tits.
Her front-clasping bra made removing the pesky material easy. Her boobs were fucking awesome before she got pregnant, but holy hell, they were spectacular now. He kneaded them in his hands, feeling the weight as he pushed one up into his mouth. Cassie gasped softly when he took a nipple between his lips, swirling his tongue around the stiff peak before gently biting down. She held his head to her chest, her eyes closed in ecstasy, and he wanted nothing more than to escalate things, but he needed to prove to her he respected her wish to take it slow, so he continued his apology to her tits but didn’t go any further.
Which was obviously not what she wanted as she pressed her hips against his.
He lifted his head to look at her. “Doll?”
Her chest was heaving when she answered him. “Hmm?”
“I thought you wanted to take things slow?”
His question seemed to anger or embarrass her, and she shoved him away as she sat up, attempting to fasten her bra.
“I don’t know what I want anymore, Luke Rivas. These pregnancy hormones make me so goddamn horny, and I’ve missed you like crazy. But I do want to take things slow with you. But I also want to fuck your brains out.”
She was having trouble securing her bra in the position she was in, and he gently put his hands on hers to stop her from continuing.
“Lie back,” he quietly ordered.
“Luke…”
“Lie back, Cassandra,” he said in a sterner voice as he eased her back onto the pillows.
She did as instructed, and he methodically began to undress her. Every time she started to protest, he’d put his fingers to her lips to silence her. When she was completely naked before him, he paused to take her in.
He didn’t know what he would have done if she’d have been hurt or worse. This beautiful creature carrying his baby. This stubborn, sassy, sexy as fuck, gorgeous woman loved him and his son, and he was going to make a life with her. A life he could have never even dreamed up, his imagination wasn’t that good. He didn’t think it was possible to have his heart so full, but it was overflowing with how much love he felt for her.
“I’ve missed you so much, doll,” he murmured.
Starting at her feet, he massaged and kissed the tops reverently and worked his lips up her calves. He took his time, making sure to kiss every inch of her skin as he made his way toward her baby bump. Her sharp intake of breath when he sucked the skin on the backs of her knees made him smile slightly before he massaged her inner thighs, planting little hickeys on her skin along the way to her hips. He could smell her arousal when he licked the crease between her thigh and hip, and he inhaled the delicious aroma deeply. He’d fucking missed that scent.
Luke purposefully bypassed her pussy, kissing along her pubic bone to the other side of her body only to lick the matching crease on the other thigh. Cassie shifted her hips slightly as if to encourage him to move a few inches to her magic center.
Instead, he continued his ascent up her body with his lips and hands. Her sides, which were usually ticklish, were covered in goosebumps as he swirled his tongue over her skin. Her nipples were little pebbles when he kissed the underside of her breasts. He took his time pleasuring her tits. Probably because he just fucking loved her boobs, but also because her whimpers and moans grew loudest when he was tending to them.
His lips meandered up her chest to her neck where he buried himself between her ear and shoulder. This was another one of his favorite scents, and he could get lost kissing her neck and never want to be found.
Finally, he reached her face. Cupping her cheeks between his hands, he kissed her eyelids, under her eyes, making a path with his lips to her mouth, which he caught with his in a slow, sensual kiss. He poured every bit of love and affection of his being into that kiss, wanting it to be the culmination of his exploration of her body.
Well, not quite the culmination.
“Please, Luke,” she whimpered while grinding her hips against his clothed body.
Again, he placed his fingers to her lips with a “Shhh.”
He slid down her core to nestle between her legs, her pussy glistening with desire. Running his finger up and down the length of her labia, he murmured, “You are so wet for me, doll.”
She moaned in response, spreading her legs a touch farther.
Normally, this would have been when he made her beg for him to continue, but he was smart enough to know now was not the time, so he decided to forego that game and satisfy her until she was seeing stars.
Delicately spreading her with his fingers, he dipped his head between her legs and slowly licked her from her clit to her ass and back.
“You taste so fucking good,” he growled as he lapped up her pussy. “So. Fucking. Good.”
She started to move her hips against his mouth, and he looped his arms around her thighs, pinning her in place as he began to fuck her with his tongue
“Oh, God, Luke. Yes, just like that,” she moaned as she tried to thrust off the bed.
He pressed her against the mattress, forcing her legs to remain open so he could continue attacking her pussy with his mouth. He moved his tongue furiously around her clit as she began to pant. Sliding one fing
er inside her pretty, pink pussy, he began to finger fuck her as he continued to devour her.
Cassie was fisting the bed sheets, gasping his name while trying to thrash about as he held her in place. Her cunt started getting wetter, then began to quiver, and she gripped his hair to hold his head in place as her whole body shook from her orgasm.
Luke didn’t stop until she was squeezing her thighs around his head, begging him.
He crawled up her body, feeling pretty fucking proud of himself. Nobody knew her body, knew how to satisfy her, like he did. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in to kiss his mouth. He knew she tasted herself, and it made his cock even harder when she didn’t hesitate to kiss him passionately.
“That was incredible,” she purred. “I hope you haven’t been practicing.”
Smirking, he brushed her bangs from her forehead as he stared into her eyes. “Only on you in my mind, baby. I haven’t been with anyone else since our very first date, and I don’t plan on ever being with anyone else. I love you, Cass. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you.” He dipped his head to kiss her again and felt her contented sigh.
“I love you, doll. Please marry me.”
She turned over so he was spooning her. “You can’t ask me that while I’m in the afterglow of a mind-blowing orgasm,” she scolded.
“It’s the best time to ask, are you kidding?” he grinned. “How can you say no to a lifetime of coming like that?”
She rolled over to face him, giggling as she did. “You’re insane.” Her face got serious, and she leaned over to kiss his jawline. “And sexy.” She continued kissing down his neck, pausing in between kisses while telling him, “And gorgeous. And funny. And smart. And you make beautiful babies.”
He chuckled at her last comment and tilted her chin so she was looking at him.
“I know Sofia wasn’t planned, but I thank God every night that you got pregnant.”
Her mouth turned upward. “Me too.”
Her admission she was thankful to be pregnant made him so damn happy.
She leaned over to whisper in his ear, “Do you wanna practice making another one?”