by L. P. Dover
The second we got inside the house, he lifted me in his arms and carried me into his room. For the past couple of weeks, it had been my room as well. I felt safe with him, and worst of all, I was falling in love with him. It was dangerous to want a man like Blake, but I couldn’t resist him. Setting me down, he unzipped the back of my dress and let it fall to the floor. I slid my underwear off and crawled back on the bed while I watched him unbutton his shirt, one button at a time.
“You love to keep me waiting, don’t you?”
He winked. “Someone has to. You can’t always have what you want, when you want it.”
I narrowed my gaze. “Wanna bet?”
Grabbing his waistband, I playfully nibbled on his jean-covered arousal as I unzipped and lowered his pants and boxers. He sucked in a sharp breath when I wrapped my lips around his tip and flicked it with my tongue.
He fisted his hands in my hair. “Damn, baby.”
I sucked him off as hard as I could, his moans making me wet between my legs. I wanted him inside me. “Lie down,” I whispered. Sliding back on the bed, I patted the space beside me.
Smirking, he spread my legs instead and rubbed his cock against my clit. “I know what you’re up to, princess. It’s not going to work.”
I bit my lip and smiled. “Then come here and give it a try. Let’s see how long your control lasts.”
Blake loved to be in control and it showed in the way he made love to me. Sometimes, it felt good to challenge him and take the lead. His raw gaze penetrated down to my core as he lay back on the bed, taunting me by licking his lips.
Straddling his waist, I leaned down to kiss him, sliding my clit up and down against the length of his cock. He dug his fingers into my hips and groaned as I rolled my hips over him.
“If you don’t fuck me now, I’m going to take you myself, princess.”
I giggled. “Don’t like being teased?”
He bit my lip and sucked. “Not when I want you this bad,” he said, voice raw and dark.
Core tightening, I lowered onto him and sat all the way down. He hissed and grabbed onto my hips, thrusting up into me. I rode him hard and then even harder when he sat up, pulling me into his lap. His mouth found my nipples, sucking and biting, as I milked him.
“I’m so close,” I cried, holding him tight. Everything exploded all around me and I screamed out my release. He pushed me down onto him, his cock pulsating as he filled me with his warmth. His body jerked and he moaned. Breathing hard, I sat there on his lap while I caught my breath.
“I didn’t think it was possible, but you made me lose control,” he murmured.
Grinning from ear to ear, I leaned back. “You liked it though, didn’t you?”
He shook his head and then kissed me, his body still connected to mine. “No . . . I fucking loved it.”
Blake
“What do you want to watch?” Hadley yelled from across the room. She flipped through the channels, going ninety miles an hour.
How the hell could she see what was on? I grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and joined her on the couch. “If football was on, I’d say we could watch that. The Carolina Cougars have been killing it.”
She handed me the remote. “That’s because Cooper Davis has been kicking ass at quarterback.”
I coughed and almost choked on my beer. “You watch football?”
“Yeah, all the time. Cooper is one of my favorites. I met him when I sang at the last Super Bowl.”
“Would I be name dropping if I said I personally knew him?”
Her eyes went wide. “No way, really?”
“Yep. There was a bar in downtown Charlotte where we used to hang out all the time. Sometimes I miss being back there.” Hadley snuggled into my side and I put my arm around her. She’d been with me for over a month and I knew it was only a matter of time before she had to leave.
“When was the last time you went back?” she asked.
“Over a year now. I don’t have any siblings and both my parents like to travel, so it’s not like I have anything to go back to.”
“That must be fun to travel the world. One day I hope to be able to do that when I’m not stuck on a tour bus. Are they retired?” She turned to look up at me.
I nodded. “For two years now. They decided it was time to live life to the fullest. You never know when your gig is up.”
She blew out a heavy sigh. “My parents were like that, but my mom didn’t have much time. It’s not fun watching someone you love suffer.”
I swallowed hard and rubbed her shoulder. “I know. I’ve been through that as well.”
“What?” she gasped, eyes wide in surprise. “Who?”
“My mother,” I said. “She was diagnosed with breast cancer and was lucky to survive. I didn’t want to tell you because I knew it would bring up bad memories and only make you upset.”
She held up a hand, trying to hold back tears. “I’m glad you told me. Every once in a while, I’ll donate all of the proceeds of one of my concerts to charities who help take care of cancer victims. My goal is to help others before it’s too late. I’ve seen the look on a child’s face that just lost a parent to cancer. It breaks my heart.”
“That was one of the things I found out about you that made me realize you weren’t just a spoiled bitch who only thought of herself,” he mumbled.
She smiled. “Gee, thanks. On a brighter note though, I want you to introduce me to the Carolina Cougars. I need to meet some famous people,” she said with a wink.
“I doubt you have issues with that. Besides, I don’t know if I want you to meet them. You might want one of them over me. They’re famous.”
She smacked me on the thigh. “Just because you’re famous doesn’t make you a good person. I like you for who you are. I don’t need someone who’s famous or rich to be by my side.”
“Then what do you need?”
Her gaze met mine and she smiled. “You.”
I leaned over and kissed her lips, burying her into the couch. She spread her legs and wrapped them around my waist. “Are you sure I’ll be enough?” I asked, pushing into her.
She snickered and rocked her hips. “Definitely.”
I went to pull her shorts down, but the remote was under her and the TV volume grew steadily louder. “Hold on,” I said, searching for it underneath her body. Finding it, I was about to turn the TV off, when I looked at the screen.
“What is it?” Hadley asked.
Her head turned to the TV and she froze the second her name came over the news. “Apparently, the driver is the suspect they’ve been looking for in the shooting at Hadley Rivers’ home, where her bodyguard and boyfriend were both shot. There has been no word on where Hadley is at the moment, but it is believed she’s in protective custody as the police have been searching for the suspect. We’ll continue to show you live coverage as the pursuit unfolds.”
“Holy shit.” I grabbed Hadley’s hand and helped her up.
She cupped a hand over her mouth. “What the hell is Dane doing? There’s no way he can escape from that many police cars.”
“He must be desperate.” A sickening feeling sank in my gut. High speed chases rarely ended well. I grabbed my phone off the coffee table and dialed Robert’s number.
“Evans,” he answered.
“What’s going on?” I barked.
Robert blew out a frustrated sigh. “We found the crack house where Dane’s been staying. When the NYPD busted in, he jumped out the window and drove away. He’s clearly high as a fucking kite. If he hurts anyone during this pursuit, I’m going to kill him.”
“Jesus Christ. Call me when you know more.” I hung up and filled Hadley in.
“How long do you think this will go on?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Don’t know. I just hope he doesn’t kill anyone.”
The pursuit lasted for another thirty minutes and ended with Dane running his car head first into a semi-truck. I knew without a doubt the fucker was dead. My
phone rang but I kept my eyes on the TV when I answered. I already knew who it was going to be. “Robert.”
“I’m assuming you know why I’m calling?”
I closed my eyes. “He’s dead.”
“Yes. Good news is, once we get everything handled, it’ll be time for Hadley to go home. I know that’ll make you happy. I’ll call her father and get her out of your hair. He’ll be ecstatic to see her.”
“Nah, that’s not necessary. I’ll do it. Just give me a couple of days.” I set my phone down and looked at Hadley. “Dane’s dead. You’ll be able to go home soon.”
She shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. The last thing I want is to deal with the press when all of this is going down. I just need a couple of weeks.”
“You know your agent isn’t going to like this. Everyone’s going to want you back.”
“I don’t care. If you want me to go, I will, but I’m not ready to leave yet. I need a little more time. Everyone will just have to understand.”
I pulled her into my arms and breathed a sigh of relief. I wasn’t ready for her to go either.
Blake
“You’re going home today, girl.” I rubbed Snowflake’s muzzle. She huffed and bumped me with her nose. She wasn’t the only one I was losing. Hadley’s two weeks were up and first thing in the morning, she’d be on her way back to California. I didn’t think it’d be so hard to let her go.
Grabbing the brush, I slid it down Snowflake’s body so her coat would shine. It was a special day for Josie and I wanted it all to be perfect for her.
My phone rang and when I set down the brush, Snowflake snorted. She loved it when I brushed her. “Give me one second,” I told her. I looked at the phone and smiled. “Well, I’ll be damned,” I said, answering the phone.
“Have you missed me?” Mason joked. Mason Bradley was the leader of our undercover group and an MMA legend. Not only was he a heavyweight UFC Champion, but he had solved one of the most heinous crimes in the sport.
Chuckling, I leaned against the wall. “You’re damn right, I have. What ya been up to?”
“Nothing much, just taking a break. I heard you were watching the Rivers girl. That must be a pain in the ass. Don’t people know you’re not a bodyguard?”
“I don’t think they got that memo. Besides, it hasn’t been too bad; she leaves tomorrow. What can I do for you?” I asked.
“I have a job for you. Well, for me and you. It looks like I called at the right time.”
“What’s going on?”
“There’s a situation out in Texas, where a couple of girls were found dead in a barn. The owner of the property is an elderly man in his nineties. I think his ranch hand is the one who did it, but no one can find him. I could really use your knowledge on this one.”
I glanced at the house where my bedroom light glowed through the blinds; Hadley was awake. “When do you need me?”
“Tomorrow, if at all possible. I’ll send you the details.”
“Sounds good, brother. I’ll be ready.” Sighing, I hung up the phone and dialed Robert’s number.
“Hello,” he grumbled.
“I’m going to need you to escort Hadley home. Can you fly out here by tomorrow morning?”
He yawned. “Why can’t you do it?”
“Mason just called and asked if I’d help him with a job in Texas. I leave tomorrow.”
“All right, I’ll be there first thing.” We hung up and I got back to brushing Snowflake. I only had one more night with Hadley before we parted ways. Now all I had to do was tell her I wouldn’t be going with her.
Hadley
“Aren’t you ready to come home?” Nick asked.
I wanted to get back to singing, but I didn’t want to leave Blake. “I am,” I lied, hoping he couldn’t hear the trepidation in my voice.
“I’ve been given permission to get back on the ice in limited practice. The wound still hurts, but I should be able to play again soon. Everything will go back to normal.”
No, it wouldn’t, but I couldn’t tell him that yet. I wanted to wait until we were in person. He sounded so happy over the phone. “That’s great, Nick. I know how excited you are about playing again. I think when I get back, I’m going to find somewhere else to live. I just can’t bring myself to stay in that house.”
He sighed. “I understand, baby. I’m sure the team will be happy to help you move.”
I watched Blake through the window, talking to Snowflake’s owners. He was handing her over to them. “Thanks, Nick. I think I need a new start.”
“And I’ll be with you every step of the way. But here’s Felicity. She’s been dying to talk to you. I miss you and I can’t wait to see you again.”
“Same to you.”
“Bye, babe. I’ll see you at the airport.”
“Okay.”
He handed the phone to Felicity. “Can you believe our lives are about to go back to normal? Do you have any idea how many people have missed you?”
“A lot?” I laughed.
“You’re damn right. And you have a few concerts to make up too. I hope you’ll be ready by next weekend?” she asked excitedly.
“I’ll be ready, don’t worry. Where am I going first?”
“New York, baby! I know you’re excited about that.”
I was, but my heart wasn’t. Leaving was going to be harder than I thought. “You know it.”
“All right, I’m going to get off so I can get back to work. We’re going to have a welcome home party for you when you arrive. It’ll be so much fun.”
I said goodbye to both of them and made my way outside. Blake was cleaning out Snowflake’s stall. Without saying a word, I went up behind him and put my arms around his waist. He was sweaty, but I didn’t care. “You okay?”
He chuckled and set the rake down before closing his hands over mine. “Did you think I was going to cry?”
“Not really, but I know I would if I was that close to Snowflake. I know you’ve grown attached to her.”
“I have, but it’s not like I won’t see her again. The Wright’s live just down the road. I’m sure Josie will bring her by to visit.” He pulled me around to face him.
We stared at each other and all I wanted to do was tell him not to let me go. Too bad I didn’t have a choice. I had to go. Lifting up on my toes, I wrapped my arms around his neck. “What’s on the agenda for my last night here?”
His gaze darkened, but then he smiled and kissed me. “I have it all planned out. I just have to finish up out here and then take a shower. Why don’t you grab a glass of wine in the meantime?” He slid his hand up my sundress and smacked my butt.
“Hey,” I said, stepping away from him. “What are you up to?”
He winked. “It’s a surprise. Now go.”
I went inside and poured a glass of wine while he finished up in the barn. Tyla showed up and handed him something, but I couldn’t see what it was. I wanted to tell her goodbye, but she left before I could catch her.
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go,” Blake said as he shot past me to the bedroom. Once the ten minutes were up, he joined me in the kitchen, dressed in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt. “Let’s go.” Taking my hand, he led me out to his truck and opened the door.
“Where are we going?”
He flashed a small smile. “You’ll see.” Shutting the door and jumping in his side, he started up the truck. Instead of going down the driveway, he pulled us around to the backyard and into the pasture.
“You’re not kidnapping me, are you?” I joked.
He chuckled. “If I could get away with it, I would. It’s going to be quiet around here without you.”
“I know the feeling. Luckily, I have a lot to do when I get home. Felicity already has me booked in New York next weekend. It feels like it’s been forever since I’ve been on stage.”
“How’s the new song coming along? Have you finished it?”
“Almost. I still need a good ending. Ho
pefully, it’ll come to me soon.”
He reached for my hand and squeezed. “You’ll figure it out. I wish you would sing it to me. It’s not the same listening to you in the shower.”
I gasped. “You’ve been spying on me?” I smacked him on the arm and he burst out laughing.
“Hey, it’s the only time I could catch you singing.”
“You’re such a creeper,” I teased.
He shrugged. “You need to get over your fear, Hadley.”
I wasn’t afraid to sing in front of thousands of people I didn’t know, but if I sang in front of him, it’d make me vulnerable. He’d see right through me. I wasn’t ready for him to see me like that. The truck began to slow and we came to a complete stop.
“All right, we’re here,” he said, getting out of the truck. We were in the middle of nowhere, with wide open fields all around us. There were a few bison off in the distance and I prayed they stayed far away.
I got out of the truck and watched him climb into the back. There was a basket and a cooler, along with another box I couldn’t see inside of. “What are we doing all the way out here?”
Smiling, Blake pulled out a bunch of blankets from inside the box and spread them out in the bed of the truck. “I thought we could have dinner and spend the evening out here, alone.” Extending his hand, he helped me into the back of the truck and I sat down on the smooth, fluffy blankets. He opened the basket and pulled out various containers of food.
“Is that what Tyla brought this afternoon? I saw her hand something to you and leave.”
He chuckled. “She’s a really good cook, so I called in a favor.”
“I wish I could’ve said goodbye. Will you tell her for me?”
“She’ll be by in the morning. You can tell her yourself.”
The food smelled amazing, and I piled a bunch of it onto my plate. She’d made roasted chicken, asparagus, mashed potatoes, and rolls. It all tasted like heaven. “Remind me to tell her how amazing this was before we leave,” I noted. Blake averted his gaze to his plate, his body tense. “Is everything okay?”
“I got a phone call this morning, about my next mission.”