by Wilder, L.
“Do you really believe that? ’Cause, I sure as hell don’t,” he snapped. “I may not know what it is, but I know we’ve got something here. I can feel it just standing here next to you, and when we kissed? Damn, woman. Never felt like that with anyone but you.”
“Jackson,” I whispered.
“You feel it too, don’t you?”
He was right. I could feel it too. I tried to deny it, but I couldn’t now even if I wanted to. “Yes, I feel it too.”
“If that’s true, give me a chance. Let me prove to you that we’re meant to be.”
Without thinking about the consequences, I answered, “Okay, prove it. But you should know … it won’t be easy.”
“Nothing worth having ever is.”
Jackson reached for my hand and led me down a long, narrow hall. I followed him into one of the rooms, and as soon as I saw all the computers, I knew it had to be his. Before I’d even had a chance to look around, he had me pinned against the wall, and every single nerve in my body came alive as I watched him slowly lower his mouth to mine. Jackson’s lips were soft and warm, and I leaned right into him before I realized what I was doing. I couldn’t help myself. The man who’d haunted my dreams since the day we’d met kissed me long and hard, making me lose all my self-control. His arms wound around me, inching me even closer as his tongue found its way into my mouth. I was holding on by a thread, and just as I was becoming completely lost in his touch, he pulled back from our embrace and whispered, “I’ve made my mistakes, Reece, but I’ll make them up to you.”
“You’re not the only one who’d made mistakes, Jackson. I’ve made plenty.” I could feel my emotions building inside of me, and I had to fight back my tears as I said, “Actually, there’s something I need to talk to you about. Something that I should’ve told you a long time ago.”
“That can wait. Right now, I want to just be in this moment with you. Can you do that with me?”
I knew that I should tell him the truth, that keeping my secret was only going to make things harder, but I wanted that moment with him. I wanted to forget about the past and let my heart be my guide. With my voice trembling, I answered, “Yes, I can do that.”
My pulse started to race as he leaned towards me and pressed his lips against mine again. Jackson Reed owned a piece of my heart that no one else could have. Right or wrong, I wanted him, I needed him, and I was willing to put everything on the line to be with him. He trailed kisses along my neck, sending chills throughout my entire body. I suddenly became nervous when he led me over to the bed. I hadn’t been with anyone since the weekend I’d spent with Jackson, and I’d had a child—his child. I was worried that he would notice the changes in my body and wouldn’t find me as appealing as he had once before. But when I looked up at him and saw the longing in his eyes, my doubts were quickly forgotten. The truth was, I wanted him just as much as he wanted me, if not more.
I let my fingers trail along the curves of his perfectly-defined chest and relished in the sensation of having him so close. I felt him smile against my mouth as I reached for the hem of his shirt and eased it up towards his chest. As my eyes slowly roamed over him, I quickly noticed how much his body had changed. It had only been a couple of years, but he’d become more muscular, broader, more like a man, and I liked it. I liked it a lot.
Without realizing that I was saying it out loud, I muttered, “Oh my.”
“You like what you see?” he asked with a mischievous smirk.
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Good, because I like what I see too.”
I was still gazing at his sculpted chest when I felt his hand inching its way down my stomach. He stopped at the button of my jeans, and in an instant, he had them unfastened and was slipping his hand down the waistband of my lace panties. As soon as his fingers drifted between my legs, my entire body shivered with anticipation. I gasped as the tips of his fingers grazed across my center in slow, methodical circles. Every single touch made me yearn for more. It felt so good, so right, to have his hands on me again, like they were made for my body and my body alone. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, relishing the sensation as he moved his fingers against me. As soon as I started to feel that familiar tingling in my abdomen, he eased my panties to the side and slid his fingers deep inside me. While gently caressing my g-spot, he began teasing my clit with the pad of his thumb, using just the right amount of pressure to make me come unglued. It felt incredible, better than I’d remembered, and after just a few moments, I felt my orgasm start to take hold. His fingers curled deep inside me, and when he increased the pressure on my clit, I was done. With a gratified moan, my head fell back, and my entire body started to tremble uncontrollably. My climax surged through me with a powerful force, causing me to mumble over and over, “Oh, dear God!”
I’d barely had a chance to catch my breath when he reached for the hem of my t-shirt and carefully pulled it over my head. Lust filled his eyes as they dropped to my chest, and I gasped when the palms of his hands inched up my waist to my ribs. His hands were rough and possessive, and I couldn’t imagine feeling more wanted. I’d often wondered what this moment would be like, to finally be in his arms again, but I never dreamed it would feel so good. His eyes grew intense as he released the clasp of my lace bra and let it drift down onto the floor, exposing my bare breasts. His hands slipped down to the waistband of my pants, and my entire body burned with desire as he slowly eased the fabric down my legs. A tortuous moan filled the room as I stood before him completely naked while he gazed down at me with hunger-filled eyes.
His raspy voice was filled with need. “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered.”
Before I could respond, Jackson took a step forward and eased me on top of the bed then hovered above me. His mouth latched onto my nipple, and his tongue swirled playfully until he moved to give the other the same attention. A fervid moan echoed through the room as my back arched towards him. I closed my eyes, losing myself in the sensation of his touch. There was something about Jackson that made me forget about everything else. It was just him and me, and nothing else seemed to matter. A rush of pleasure surged throughout my body with every flick of his tongue. Unable to contain myself, I muttered his name, over and over again. “Jackson.”
Ever so slowly, he trailed a line of delicate kisses down my stomach, and my muscles tensed when I felt the heat of his breath against my sensitive flesh. My breath quickened as his fingers softly swept across my inner thighs, teasing me as they drifted closer. Overcome with desire, my hips bucked forward, urging him on, and a shock of bliss rushed through my body as the flat of his tongue brushed against me. As his warm, wet mouth clamped down around me, I was barely able to take a breath. I raked my nails across his back when he drove his fingers inside me, twisting and turning as he dragged them across my g-spot. Every move from his talented tongue and fingers brought me closer and closer to the edge, making my hips jerk forward as my body clenched tightly around his fingers.
“Oh, God,” I panted.
After a few more grazes of his tongue, I started to climax. My fingers tangled in his hair as I shamelessly held his head in place while he continued to tease me relentlessly, intensifying my orgasm. “Oh, my God. Jackson!”
I was still fighting to catch my breath when suddenly he stood up and lowered his pants to the floor. I watched as he took a condom from his back pocket. I could’ve told him that he didn’t need it, that I was on the pill, but after our last encounter, I didn’t want to take any chances. Even after he’d eased the condom down his long, hard shaft, he simply stood there staring at me as I writhed against the mattress. God, how I wanted him, all of him, and I didn’t want to wait a moment longer. My voice was filled with hunger as I pleaded, “I need you, Jackson.”
“No more than I need you.”
His eyes never left mine as he eased back onto the bed, and without hesitation, I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him to me. Jackson’s body felt so good against
mine, and I gasped when his cock brushed against me. Every touch was like a spark igniting a flame, causing my entire body to burn for him, and relief washed over me as he slowly yet steadily inched inside me. I looked up at him, this man who held my heart in his hands, and I was suddenly overcome with emotion. I didn’t understand the feelings that I had for him. I knew they didn’t make sense, that it was too soon to know if I truly loved him, but I’d never felt anything so real. My entire body ached for him—heart and soul, and deep down I knew I wanted him, not just at this moment, but for always and forever.
With one swift thrust, Jackson slammed deep inside, giving me every bit of his rock-hard cock. He stilled for a moment, letting me adjust to his size before he started to move his hips again. I gasped when he shifted forward, finding that spot that made every nerve inside me tingle. He placed his hands on my hips then slowly began to move as I moaned from the jolts of pleasure that shot through me.
Consumed with lust and emotion, I gazed up at him with my voice trembling and whispered, “I’ve never wanted anyone so much.”
I leaned forward, pressing my lips against his, and Jackson’s hand instinctively reached towards the nape of my neck. He grasped at the hair that fell around one of my shoulders and held me in place as he deepened the kiss. We moved in rhythm; with each shift forward, I pushed against him as he thrust further inside me, and inhaled a deep breath when I felt the tremors of another impending orgasm. Placing my hands on his chest, I tried to steady myself as he drove into me again and again. Damn. Sex with Jackson was even better than I remembered.
9
Riggs
Having Reece in my arms again was like coming home—nothing had ever felt so right. As I drove deeper inside her and claimed her in the most carnal way, a deep-seated growl vibrated through my chest as she tightened around me. Reece felt so fucking good, making it impossible not to get carried away. I ground my hips against her until I found a steady, demanding pace. Just as I was beginning to worry that it was too much, she lifted her hips and met my every thrust with an eager jolt as we moved together perfectly. When I felt her body tighten against mine, I quickly began slamming into her with even more force than before as her head arched back against the pillow and her nails dug into my lower back.
“Yes, Jackson! Don’t stop!” she moaned and writhed beneath me as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her.
“Dammit, Reece. You feel so good.” I groaned as I watched her come undone. The sound of my body pounding against hers echoed throughout the room, and when I felt my release building inside me, I gave her one final thrust and came deep inside her. After taking in a few deep breaths, I carefully pulled out and ditched the condom in the trash can next to the night table then lowered myself down onto the bed beside her. She curled up next to me, and when she placed her head on my chest, I could feel the rapid beat of her heart against my side. We lay there in silence for several minutes before I said, “That was …”
“Yeah, it was.” Her finger trailed the outline of my Celtic tattoo as she whispered, “This one is new, isn’t it?”
“It is. I got it last summer when I was down in New Orleans.”
She smiled. “I like it. I think it might be my new favorite.”
“Glad you approve.” I chuckled. “What about you? I thought you were going to get one.”
“I was, but with everything that’s been going on, I just never got around to it.”
“Been that busy, huh?”
“Yeah, you could say that. It seems like I never have a free minute.” With a quick jolt, she sat up on the bed and asked, “What time is it?”
I glanced over at my clock before answering, “It’s almost nine thirty.”
“Dang it. I didn’t realize it was that late.” She leaned towards me and kissed me on the cheek, and before I had a chance to stop her, she’d gotten out of the bed.
As she reached for her clothes, I asked, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to get home.”
Surprised, I sat up in the bed. “Wait. You’re leaving?”
She rushed into the bathroom and shouted, “I wish I could stay longer, but I really can’t. Not tonight.”
Realizing that she was serious, I jumped out of bed and grabbed my jeans. I’d just gotten them on when she came out of the bathroom. It was disappointing to see that she was fully dressed. I’d been without her for so long, and now that I had her back, I didn’t want to let her go. Like the first time we were together, I found myself wanting to hold on to her, to keep her close, but this time I wasn’t just going to let her walk out that door without at least saying something. I eased over to her and placed my hands on her hips, then asked, “How do I convince you to stay?”
“I’m sorry, but you can’t. I really have to go.” She looked up at me with those beautiful blue eyes, and I could tell by the sound of her voice that she was telling the truth when she said, “If it makes you feel better, I’d stay if I could.”
“What about tomorrow?”
“I have to work.” She cocked her head to the side as she asked, “Why?”
“I’d like to take you out on a date.”
“Oh, really? A date. Well, that would be something new for us.” She teased. “And what are you planning for us to do on this date?”
“Let’s just say, I’ve got something special in mind. What time works for you?”
“How about four o’clock?”
“Sounds great. I need your address, so I can swing by and pick you up.”
A strange look crossed her face as she stumbled, “I’ll … um … I’ll just meet you here, if that’s okay.”
“Yeah. That’ll be fine.” After everything that happened the last time we were together, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the arrangement, but I decided not to push. I pulled her closer and said, “Just so we’re clear, I don’t want you to go.”
“I know.” She eased up on her tiptoes and kissed me softly. “But I’ll be back.”
Even though I didn’t like that she was leaving, she wasn’t giving me any other choice. As soon as I put on my boots, I followed her out to the parking lot, and I got an uneasy feeling as we made it over to her car. There were so many unanswered questions where she was concerned—questions that one way or another had to be answered. I had to find out why she’d gone to Jason’s apartment, and more importantly, I needed to know why she’d shown up at the clubhouse tonight. I also needed to know why she didn’t want me coming to her apartment, but those questions would just have to wait until tomorrow. After another long, intense kiss, she got in her car, and just as she was about to close her door, she smiled and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too.” She reached into her purse and handed me a card. “If something comes up, just give me a call.”
As I took the card from her hand, I told her, “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll be here waiting at four. Oh … and wear jeans and a pair of boots.
“You got it.” She smiled. “I’ll see you then.”
I watched as she pulled out of the parking lot, and once she’d made it out onto the main road, I headed back inside. When I walked into my room, Reece’s scent lingered in the air, offering a sense of ease. She was back. I had my second chance, and I wasn’t going to fuck it up. I was determined to do things right this time, but in order to do that, I needed to be able to devote my full attention to Reece. That couldn’t happen until I ended this shit with Navarro once and for all. It had been hours since I’d checked his location, so I went over to my computer and pulled up the tracking link that I’d attached to his phone line. Just as I feared, Josue Navarro was not only in Memphis, he was within thirty miles of the clubhouse. It took me a moment, but I was able to pinpoint his location. I wasn’t surprised to find that he was staying at the Peabody. At just over five hundred bucks a night, it was one of the swankier places in town, and it was always pack
ed full of tourists, making it easy for him to blend in with the crowd.
He was getting close, and it was only a matter of time before he’d get even closer. We couldn’t wait any longer. It was time for us to make a move, but I had no clue what that move should be. Gus would have his own thoughts on how the club should proceed, but before I went to discuss it with him, I wanted to go over all the information Big and I had gathered on Josue. Something in my gut told me that there was something in those files that could help us, so I went through each of them, one by one. Over the next hour, there was one name that I found myself going back to—Robert Hamilton, the FBI agent who’d been investigating the Navarro brothers. He’d been the only one who’d managed to get close to taking Josue down, and as crazy as it may have seemed, something told me he was our answer. Following my instincts, I decided to check him out, and what I found surprised even me.
By the time I was ready to go see Gus, it was almost eleven. I wasn’t surprised to find him sitting at his desk when I walked in because the man never seemed to sleep. He was busy looking over some papers when I asked, “You got a minute?”
“What’s going on?”
“He’s in town. Staying over at the Peabody.”
“Any idea what he’s up to?”
“No idea, but I’m not liking the fact he’s so close,” I admitted.
“Right there with you, brother.” He ran his hand over his thick goatee as he directed, “We need to get a plan in motion, which starts with getting some eyes on him.”
“About that … I had something I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Whatcha got?”
As I handed Gus one of my files, I continued, “Robert Hamilton was the agent investigating Josue in Mexico. He’s the guy Big and I told you and Cotton about. Josue knew he was getting close to taking him down, and that’s why he went underground.”