by Katie Reus
“You never have to thank me for anything. But you’re welcome. I want to hunt that bastard down and kill him.” There was a dark edge to his tone. And she was pretty certain he wasn’t joking.
“That’s what the police are for.”
Brooks snorted.
“Mr. Markov’s guys ran after Oleg,” she said. “They might have…taken care of him already.”
“They haven’t found him.”
“How do you know?”
“Gage overheard a conversation Markov had on his cell phone in his vehicle with one of his guys—after you were already inside the police station. He disappeared from the grounds and Markov is pissed. He’s increasing his security tenfold.”
She swallowed hard. Great. Oleg really was still out there.
“Have you told your Fed friend what happened?”
“She’s not my friend. But no, I haven’t told anyone yet. As soon as I got your call, I came to the police station. So what happened?”
She wrapped her arms around herself but opened her eyes. There was no snow falling, but there was a blanket of white everywhere she looked as he drove down the quiet street. As she relayed what had happened in exact detail, Brooks gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles turning white.
“Yep, I’m definitely going to kill him.” The way he said it, it sounded more as if he was talking to himself than to her.
“Can the Feds use this against him?”
“Maybe. Right now, they’re focusing on finding that bomb.”
“Why didn’t you call me back earlier today?” Ugh, did that sound like she was whining? Darcy inwardly winced at herself.
He shot her a sideways glance before focusing on the road. “I don’t want to lie to you.”
“Then don’t lie.”
“Okay, then I was retrieving some illegally planted listening devices in a now dead detective’s house.”
She blinked at his words. “What?”
“The detective you overheard talking, Turner, he’s dead. Supposedly killed in a random gas station robbery. But I don’t buy it.”
“And you were… Oh, wow. That seems really dangerous.” She knew he’d done a lot of very dangerous things when he’d been a Marine, but for some reason this hit home more. “What if you’d been caught or—”
“I wasn’t. And if for some reason I was,” he actually snorted at the thought before continuing, “I have a very good attorney.”
“So…what exactly is happening with Semyon?”
“The Feds are looking into him. Apparently, he has a boss that they want a lot more. They’re going to keep you out of everything. You’re simply someone who left an anonymous tip. If that ever comes out at all. With Polzin and Markov clearly at odds, they might tear each other apart and bring themselves down. The anonymous tip might never come to light.”
“What if…Semyon is never charged for the bombing? Or what if the Feds…don’t find the bomb?”
Brooks’s mouth pulled into a thin line. “We’ll worry about that in the future. For now, I just want to get you home and in bed.”
There was nothing sexual about the way he said “in bed” and for some reason she found that incredibly disappointing.
She closed her eyes and must have dozed because the next thing she knew, they were pulling into her driveway.
Darcy yawned as Brooks put his truck in Park. “I’m surprised you didn’t insist on taking me back to your ranch.”
“I’m not worried about Polzin. I can take care of him. And…I knew you would rather sleep in your own bed tonight.”
His insight didn’t exactly surprise her, but it did touch her. “You seem to know me pretty well.”
“I do know you. Even if my past action says otherwise.” He shot her a wry look. “I let the past dictate my reaction to something seven months ago. It was stupid.”
“Stupid, yes. But not unforgivable.” Despite how she’d felt before, she knew he’d made a mistake. But he was human. She was still scared of getting hurt by him, but he’d really stepped up recently. And the truth was she didn’t think she could walk away from him. Not again.
He raised an eyebrow, but didn’t comment. Instead he glanced around her little front yard. A light blanket of snow covered everything. “Where are your keys?”
She dug into her purse and handed them to him.
“Sit tight,” he said. “I’m going to go in through the front door, turn off your alarm, and open the garage.”
He had her code so she didn’t need to give it to him. “Why can’t I get out with you?”
“I doubt Polzin is waiting to attack you here, but I don’t want you out in the open right now. My friend Gage is sitting across the street, keeping an eye on us.”
Surprised, she turned around and, sure enough, there was a truck she didn’t recognize across the street. The windows were tinted so she couldn’t see inside, but if Brooks said it was his friend then it was. It made her feel even safer.
“I’ll only be a few minutes. I’m going to do a sweep of your house as well.” Then he was gone, leaving her alone in the quiet of his truck.
Most of the shock had worn off and she had time to think. She wasn’t sure she wanted to think too much right now, however. What she wanted to do was give in to that little voice in her head telling her to make a go of things with Brooks.
A few minutes later, she nearly jumped out of her skin when he opened the driver’s side door and slid inside. She hadn’t even seen him approach the vehicle. Which probably had more to do with his stealth abilities than with her poor observational skills.
“Your house is clear.”
A trickle of relief slid through her as he pulled into her garage. When the door shut behind them, she let out a little sigh. She was finally home. “Thank you for bringing me home. You were right, I really do want to sleep in my own bed tonight. And I would like you to join me.” There was no mistaking what she was asking. She didn’t want him to simply snuggle up with her. She wanted to feel him skin to skin, to feel him thrusting inside her over and over as they both came.
He didn’t look directly at her, but his fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly. It was so quiet in the interior of the vehicle, his breathing overly harsh. Instead of responding as she’d expected, he got out of the driver’s seat. Before she’d even unbuckled, he was at the passenger side helping her out. Not that she needed him to, but she still took his hand. Was he going to respond to what she’d said?
A bit of doubt crept in. She knew he wanted her. That much was clear in his every action the past few days. So why wasn’t he jumping on this? She’d assumed this was exactly what he wanted.
He picked up her purse and as they stepped inside her laundry room, she slid off her jacket. She’d started to get too warm in the truck and was glad to take it off. He immediately took it from her and placed it on the hook by the door. Then, surprising her, he motioned for her to sit on the little bench. There was nothing sensual about the way he took off her boots. He moved with economical precision. And even if it felt a little silly letting him do this, she kind of liked it. Okay, more than kind of. Once he was done, they headed into her kitchen. Wordlessly, he headed for one of her cabinets and pulled out two cans of chicken noodle soup.
“I’m not that hungry,” she said even as her stomach rumbled. Maybe it wasn’t that she wasn’t hungry, she simply didn’t feel like eating.
“You need to eat something before you go to bed.”
When he said bed, it made her think all sorts of things. Sexy, naked things. “Are you going to respond to what I said in your truck?”
He paused once before pulling two bowls down. “I’ll sleep with you tonight, but we’re not doing anything else. You just had a huge shock. I don’t ever want to be something you regret.” There wasn’t much give in his voice.
“I’m not going to regret this.” She had no doubt of it. “I need you.”
He paused, his expression softening. But then he just made a sor
t of grunting sound and put one of the bowls in her microwave, then covered it with a paper towel. When he shut the door, he went to another cabinet, clearly having remembered where her stuff was. He pulled out a box of caffeine-free chamomile tea. Instead of making it in a pot on the stove, he placed one of the teabags in a mug and filled it with water. When the soup was done, she had no doubt he would simply put the tea in the microwave.
Since he wasn’t going to talk more about what she’d said, she decided that she’d just get in bed with him naked later. That should make things easy enough between them. Because she seriously doubted he would argue with her then. Not when she wrapped her body around his.
She wanted more than an orgasm, because she could give herself one. No, she wanted that intimacy with him. Hell, right now she needed it.
Chapter 17
—You’re my weakness.—
Feeling far too edgy, Brooks leaned back against the headboard as he waited for Darcy. He deserved a medal for telling her that they wouldn’t be having sex tonight. She’d offered him everything he wanted but he couldn’t do it. Not when she’d had such a rough night.
God, he couldn’t even think about what she’d been through. What that psycho might have done if Markov hadn’t been there. Brooks never thought he’d want to thank Markov for anything, but hell. He might have lost the woman he loved tonight. Right now he wanted to claim her more than anything, but he couldn’t take advantage of her.
Darcy was okay because of Markov. Of course, if Markov hadn’t had that bastard in his house in the first place, Darcy never would have been in danger. Brooks scrubbed a hand over his face. He kept trying to rein himself back in—and not go hunting Polzin down. Because if he left, Darcy would be alone. Or she’d be with one of his guys, but that still wasn’t happening.
After what she’d just been through, he was going to be at her side.
When he heard the water from the bathroom shut off, he pushed up slightly against the headboard.
He wanted her more than his next breath.
But…he couldn’t do that tonight.
Brooks sat up straight as Darcy stepped into the bedroom. Backlit by the open bathroom door, she was completely, utterly naked. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.
She gave him the cheekiest grin as she stepped into the room, confident in who she was. She was just as gorgeous as he remembered, all smooth skin and perfect curves. He didn’t know where to look as he raked his gaze over her, greedy to drink in every inch. Her breasts were just a handful, her pink nipples tight and perky. He wanted to touch and tease her everywhere until she was panting from his caresses.
“Cat got your tongue?” She took another step toward him until she was at the foot of the bed.
He continued staring. They shouldn’t do anything. She’d been assaulted earlier and she was in shock. Okay maybe she wasn’t in shock anymore, but she’d been through a lot tonight. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said he never wanted to be one of her regrets. That would carve him up inside—and might ruin any chance of a future they had. He wasn’t sure that she’d completely forgiven him and if they slept together, it would carve him up if she regretted it in the morning. “Shock,” he blurted. What the hell was he trying to say?
Her head tilted slightly to the side, and a cascade of her dark hair fell over her shoulder, highlighting one of her breasts. She crawled onto the bed, kneeling at the end of it as she watched him with a hungry gaze.
Fuck.
When she sat like that, looking at him like that, it was impossible not to be hard, not to want to throw out everything he’d decided earlier. “You were in shock earlier,” he finally muttered, finding his damn voice. His cock was rock hard and his entire body ached with the need to touch her.
She let out a silvery laugh. “I’m not in shock now.”
He grabbed the covers and bunched them over his hard on, as if that would hide anything. God, he was acting like a ridiculous teenager. Scratch that—he never would have turned down a gorgeous, naked, willing woman as a teenager.
Her pale green eyes danced with laughter. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I don’t want to take advantage of you,” he rasped out.
Her gaze darkened and she started crawling up the bed, her breasts full and so damn tempting. “I’m pretty sure that I’m the one taking advantage of you.”
Okay, a man only had so much restraint. She was a grown-ass woman and if she told him she wanted this, they were doing this. But first… “No regrets,” he rasped out. “Swear you won’t regret this in the morning.”
“I could never regret this.”
Okay, that was going to have to be good enough for him. Moving lightning fast, he tossed the covers off and had her pinned flat on her back underneath him. She laughed in surprise as he stretched out on top of her, savoring every inch of her as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
God, he’d missed her. Now, having her like this, he wasn’t sure where to start. Especially after that little preview last night, when he’d brought her to orgasm. That definitely hadn’t been enough. He needed to taste all of her too.
“You’re mine. Not letting you go,” he murmured so she knew exactly where he stood—right before he crushed his mouth to hers.
His cock was rock hard and pressing against his boxers insistently as she moaned into his mouth and rolled her hips against his. It wouldn’t take much to strip and be inside her but he wanted more than that. And she deserved more too.
Forcing himself to slow down, he gently sucked her bottom lip between his teeth.
She let out another little moan he felt straight to his cock and slid her hands down his back until she was cupping his ass. Then she made the most appreciative sound and squeezed.
“I’ve missed this ass,” she murmured against his mouth, making him laugh.
“Oh yeah?” He’d never been one to need his ego stroked but…he loved that she was as into his body as he was into hers. And she’d never been shy about telling him. Okay, maybe she’d been reserved at first. But that was just one more thing he loved about her.
His Darcy could be serious, and when she let loose, let go with him—he knew it was just for him. That she trusted him enough to let her guard down.
And he swore that he was never going to lose her trust again. Life without her had been just existing.
“I’ve also missed this,” she said, reaching between their bodies and stroking his hard length through his boxers.
He froze above her, all the muscles in his body going taut at the feel of her stroking him. And she wasn’t even touching him skin to skin yet.
He groaned again before grasping her wrist. She gave him the most wicked grin.
“You’re trying to push me over the edge,” he murmured.
“It’s what you get for trying to make decisions for me.” She rolled her hips again. “And I don’t think you’ll be exactly sad if I do.”
“I’m tasting you first.” Then he’d come only when he was inside her. “Are you still on the pill?”
She nodded, her eyes heavy-lidded as she watched him. The desire he saw there nearly undid him. Reaching between their bodies, he cupped her mound and found her soaking. Oh yeah, it wouldn’t take her long to climax.
And no matter how long it did, he was going to enjoy every second of getting her there.
She let out a strangled sound as he slid a finger inside her slickness.
“This for me?” He knew damn well it was for him. But the most primitive part of him wanted to hear her say it.
“Yes.” The word came out harsh, unsteady.
Keeping his finger buried inside her, he dropped his head to one of her breasts. There was no rush right now. Even if all he wanted to do was bury himself inside her, lose himself in her and never stop. She was going to come against his mouth.
How the hell had he lived without her—and how had he ever imagined she’d betray him? That question would haunt him for a while,
he had no doubt. But there was no room for that in his headspace now.
Slowly, he flicked his tongue over her already hard nipple, savoring the way she arched into his kisses and dug her fingers into his back.
“No foreplay,” she rasped out.
Oh, she was getting foreplay. He lightly bit down onto her nipple in response. Teasing her had once been one of his favorite pastimes.
She arched into him and he continued his assault, moving to her other nipple, then back again, all while slowly stroking his finger in and out of her.
She made the sweetest little sounds of pleasure, her breathing as erratic as his heartbeat. By the time he made his way between her spread legs, he was desperate to taste her.
“Driving me crazy…on purpose.” Her voice was unsteady as he dipped his head between her legs.
Hell yeah, he was. He was driving himself crazy too. But it was worth it. Her clit was swollen, the little bud peeking out from her folds, begging him to kiss it.
Oh so slowly, he flicked his tongue against her sensitive bundle of nerves and she nearly jolted off the bed. The woman was like dynamite and he wanted to be the one to set her off.
She slid her fingers through his hair and gripped his head. “No teasing.”
“So much teasing,” he murmured before flicking his tongue against her clit again. Over and over, he teased her as she writhed against his face.
He knew what it would take to get her off, to push her over that cliff, and while he wanted to drag it out longer, he wanted her to come more.
Last night had just been a reminder of how things had been between them. Tonight was different. When she’d said what he’d done was a mistake but not unforgivable, he knew she’d been sincere. That they had a chance again.
He wasn’t letting it go. Wasn’t letting her go.
Sliding two fingers inside her, he shuddered as her inner muscles tightened around him. His cock responded, shoving against his boxers, jealous of his damn fingers. He began stroking in a rhythm he knew would give her exactly what she needed.