by Cynthia Eden
“Them?”
“He’s not alone in holding. He’s got company back there. Want to guess who?”
She did not.
“Deputy!”
She jumped at the shout.
Titus didn’t move.
“You heard that,” Blair whispered. “I know you did.”
“Deputy!”
“Does he sound desperate?” Titus tilted his head. “Maybe he does. Maybe—”
She ran around him.
His sigh followed her.
Blair threw open the door to the holding area. “Linc!”
He was right in front of Andrew Bradley. Andrew was pinned between Linc and the bars.
“Get him out of here!” Andrew screamed. “Now! And I want my lawyer! I deserve my freaking phone call!”
“Hmmm…well, you’re the one who put Linc in jail…” Titus ambled in behind her. “So if you want him out—”
“I’m dropping the charges. Is that what you want to hear? I’m not pressing charges, just get this psycho out of my cell!”
Blair’s breath left her in a hurried rush.
“That’s what I wanted to hear, yes.” Titus unlocked the cell. Motioned toward Linc. “Come on.”
He made no move to exit. “I want to stay.”
“No, what you want is to pound the shit out of the guy, but I can’t actually let you do that. He dropped the charges. You’re a free man. Worked just like Spence said it would.” Titus rolled his hand. “Come on. I don’t have all night.”
Linc shot a fuming glare at Andrew. “We aren’t done.”
He marched from the cell. Blair stiffened because Linc headed straight for her. She’d never seen his eyes look quite so intense before. His hand lifted and his fingers curled around her jaw. His touch sent heat racing through her.
Linc stared at her as if she was the only thing around him. “You weren’t hit by the bullets.”
“No.”
“You’re okay.”
“Yes.”
Some of the tension slid from him. His hand dropped. “Then let’s get the hell out of here.”
The sooner, the better.
They strode for the door.
“Oh, I do remember her now…” Andrew’s voice was mocking. Cocky all of a sudden, when he’d been afraid before.
Blair turned slowly and stared at him through the bars. Titus had already closed the cell door.
“Shanna. Bleached blonde. Too thin. Thought she was going to be a prima ballerina. Girl had no talent. Told her so.” He smirked. “She couldn’t handle the truth. Last time I saw her, she was running away, crying.”
Linc surged forward.
Blair caught his arm. “Stop. You got what you wanted. You have his DNA.”
Andrew smiled. “Shanna probably met a bad end. That’s what happens sometimes to girls like her.”
Linc’s body vibrated against Blair. She pushed him back and narrowed her eyes on the man in the cell. The man who’d been screaming for a deputy moments before but now seemed arrogant as hell. “You’ll be meeting a bad end.”
“Promises, promises…” His gaze drifted over her. “Well, aren’t you something new and shiny?”
Linc locked his arm around her shoulders. “Don’t fucking even think it.”
“You two—get out,” Titus ordered at the same time. “I’ll clear the paperwork out front. Go.”
Blair turned with Linc. He kept his arm around her shoulders. She could feel his fury. It was like a living, breathing beast filling the air around them. He didn’t speak until they were out of the holding area, and as soon as that door closed behind them—
Linc cornered her. He turned his body and slapped his hands against the wall behind her. He was in front of her, the stone wall behind her, and she couldn’t look away from his eyes.
“You weren’t hurt.” His voice was low and growling. This wasn’t the Linc she knew. The Linc who always had a funny one-liner. Who was mocking and easy going and kept a ready smile.
This wasn’t him.
But…
Maybe she didn’t know Linc so well. She hadn’t known about a sister. Hadn’t known he was working his own agenda, and as she stared into his eyes, she actually thought…
I don’t know him at all.
“Blair.”
She swallowed. “I already told you, I’m okay.”
He didn’t back away.
Her hand lifted and pushed against his chest. A spark of electricity seemed to burn through her fingers. Her breath caught, and she saw his eyes flare. He’d felt it, too.
No, no, absolutely not. They were not doing this.
His hands fell down as he backed away from her.
“You can’t lie to me, Linc.” Her voice was low, carrying only to him. “Not if we’re going to be partners. That’s a deal breaker for me. I have to be able to trust my partner completely, and if I can’t trust you…” No, she hadn’t been the one holding back. That had been him. “If you can’t trust me, then we’re done.”
“That an ultimatum, B? I tell you all my secrets or you find a new partner?”
She held his stare.
A faint smile curved his lips. It never reached his eyes. “I’m not the only one with secrets.”
“I haven’t held anything back from you.”
“You sure about that? You’re sure that you’re being completely honest with me…about everything?”
Her breath came too fast. “I don’t know what game you’re playing.” She brushed past him. “I can’t stay here all night. I need to get back to the hospital and see how Francis is doing.”
He grabbed her arm. Not in a tight grip. He never did that. Never hurt her.
But then, she would have said that he never lied to her, too. She’d been wrong about that.
“Blair…”
Her face angled toward him. “Do your paperwork with Titus. Try to not get arrested again, if you can help it. I’ll update you about Francis’s condition when I learn more.”
He didn’t let her go. “Watch your back. Andrew Bradley isn’t going to give up and sit in a cell like some model prisoner. He’ll have a backup plan in place.”
Her head inclined.
His hand slowly slid down her arm. A caress that sent a shiver over her body. What was happening? They were partners. Partners. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Her steps were quick as she hurried away from him. No, she wasn’t hurrying.
She was fleeing.
Chapter Seventeen
“I know you’re sore. Do you need some help taking off your clothes?”
They were in Spencer’s house—the main house, not the cottage—and standing at the foot of his stairs. The Christmas tree waited nearby, and the house smelled of fresh pine.
He’d been careful with her since they’d left the station. His jaw had been clenched tightly, his movements brisk and a little rough, but he’d spoken gently to her. Touched her with only the lightest of caresses.
As if he thought she’d break.
She wasn’t the breaking type. He should know that.
Her gaze slid around the room. Toward the tree. They still hadn’t decorated the tree. They’d planned to do that before…
Before the world had gone crazy.
Her gaze darted past the tree and slid to the comfy couch. The area was tidy and warm, and it felt like home.
Or maybe he felt like home.
“Baby?”
Her gaze returned to him. “I need help.”
“Okay.” He released a breath. His hands were at his sides. “Let’s go upstairs. I’ll help you get the clothes off and then you can slide into bed and rest.”
“No.”
Spencer blinked. “No?”
“No, I don’t want to go upstairs. I want to stay right here. I want you to take my clothes off right here.”
Silence. Thick.
A low growl came from him.
She saw the flare of desire in his eyes.
But
then…
“I don’t think you understand the situation,” Spencer rumbled. His voice sent a roll of heat through her body. It was so dark and deep and sexy. “I’m trying to keep my control right now. I’m fucking on edge. You nearly died. That SOB set you up. If you hadn’t been wearing the vest—”
Her hand lifted and touched his stubble-covered jaw. “I was wearing the vest. I’m all right.”
He shuddered at her touch. “That’s a…bad idea.”
“What is?” Her fingers slid down his throat. Moved to his chest. “Touching you?”
He caught her hand. “You need care.”
Haley laughed. “What I need is you.”
“You’re hurt. I’m not sure I can keep my control. Not sure I can be gentle.”
He was precious. “Because I asked for gentle?”
His pupils flared. “You have bruises from the fucking bullets.”
He was trying to look out for her. And it was sweet and it made her heart ache, but what she really wanted right then…was him. “I was scared, too.”
His jaw hardened.
“The bullets blasted, and I felt them hit, and when I was falling, do you know what I thought about?”
A hard shake of his head. His hold on her hand was so tight.
“I thought about you.” She pushed up on her toes and her lips brushed over his neck. “I want you, Spencer.” Her tongue slid out and licked him. “I don’t care about gentle or rough. I don’t care about control. I just need you.”
He yanked her against him. Her head tipped back and his mouth crashed down on hers. Yes. The kiss was exactly what she craved. So much passion and stark need. Fierce desire. She kissed him back with a wild desperation. Her hands curled around his shoulders and held on for dear life.
His tongue thrust into her mouth. She moaned and took more. Adrenaline, fear, lust—everything swirled like a tornado in her. In the storm, he was her center.
Her nails raked him. His shirt was in her way. She wanted skin to skin. She pushed her hands between them and yanked at the shirt. Haley was pretty sure she heard a button pop, but she didn’t care. She shoved the shirt open and touched warm skin. Muscled strength. She pulled her mouth from his and kissed his chest. Licked. Bit. Loved every single moment.
“Baby…I’m trying to hold on…”
Screw control. She licked his nipple.
Haley could have sworn she heard his control shatter.
He grabbed her shirt. Had it flying across the room a moment later. His hands went to her breasts. He yanked the bra out of the way. Took her breasts into his warm, strong hands. She arched toward him. He plucked her nipples with his fingers, then took one nipple into his mouth, sucking hard and deep, and her knees went weak.
He caught her. Lifted her up and held her easily as he stalked toward the couch. He put her down and jerked off her shoes. Her jeans. Took her underwear with them so that she was naked before him and spread out on those soft cushions.
He still had on his pants and boots. Still had—
He knelt near the couch. Hauled her toward him. Spread her legs and put his mouth on her. She cried out because his lips and tongue felt so good. She was going crazy. Haley surged her hips toward him even as she grabbed for the cushions and clenched them in her hands. Her body was bow tight. He was licking and sucking. Working her clit with his fingers. There was no way she could hold back, and Haley came with a fast, sharp scream.
Her hips bucked against him. He kept working her with his mouth. Licking her over and over again. Like he was starving. Desperate.
“Spencer!”
She came a second time. Or maybe she was still coming from the first release. The pleasure pounded at her. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her breath heaved out as her whole body trembled.
He pulled back. Her sex quivered—
She let go of the cushions and reached for him. Greedy for more. Everything.
He pressed a kiss to her side.
She quivered.
He’d…he’d just kissed one of the bruises from the bullets. His mouth moved up, and he kissed the second one, too. The one so close to her heart.
His head lifted. Her eyes had opened at his tender kiss, and she stared at him. Lust stamped his features. He looked wild and savage.
He stripped and grabbed a condom from his wallet. Shoved it on. He kissed the mark near her heart once more, and then he drove his cock into her. He filled every single inch of her. Her legs locked around his hips.
Spencer’s hands came down, pushing on the cushions near her as he kept the weight of his body off hers. His gaze pinned her. Slowly, he withdrew.
She wanted him back.
Spencer plunged into her and filled her completely once again. Her body was so sensitive. Every glide and thrust had her panting and jerking. Spencer wasn’t restrained. Wasn’t holding back. He let go and surged into her over and over. He was thick and full, and he was driving her insane.
Another orgasm was building. She could feel it coming. He was kissing her neck. Slamming into her, and her body was just his. His. There was no stopping. There was no slowing down. She came for him again, screaming his name this time because it felt that good.
He caught her legs. Lifted them higher. Opened her even wider for him.
He drove into her. Withdrew. Thrust.
His face was locked into primitive, dangerous lines. His eyes gleamed.
He stared at her as if she was his. As if he needed her more than anything else in the world.
As she fought to catch her breath, she realized she did want him more than anything or anyone else. She’d never felt this way for another man. Never.
He erupted in her. Bellowed her name.
And she whispered, “I love you.”
***
Her eyes flew open. Haley’s breath shuddered out as awareness came back to her in a fast, desperate rush. She’d had sex with Spencer. Awesome, amazing sex. At the end, she’d…
Oh, God…had she said that she loved him?
Her hands flew out and grabbed the soft cover that was over her. How had the cover gotten there? Where was Spencer?
And, jeez, had he heard her confession?
“I didn’t want to wake you up.” His voice came from the right.
Her head whipped toward him. He was sitting on the nearby chair, wearing a pair of loose jogging pants, and that gorgeous chest of his was wonderfully bare.
“I figured you’d had one nightmare of a day, so you needed your rest.” He gave her a half smile. “You’re cute when you sleep. Sometimes, you smile.”
She smiled in her dreams?
Only when I’m dreaming of him. And she had been. They’d been walking through town, with all of those gleaming Christmas lights around them, and she’d felt safe. Happy.
The way she seemed to always feel with him.
“Actually, you’re not cute.” He leaned forward. “You’re fucking beautiful.”
She sat up, pulling the cover with her because, yep, she was naked. Super naked. “You were watching me sleep?”
“I was watching over you. I…” He glanced away. “After today, I can’t shake this tightness in my gut. Like danger is still coming.”
Coming for me.
“When I was a SEAL, my instincts never steered me wrong. This isn’t over, not yet. The bastard has another plan in place, I know it.”
She pulled the cover even closer. “You didn’t buy that bit about him being undercover and working with the FBI.”
His gaze returned to her. “Did you?”
No. “He’s really good at lying. I learned that when we were together.”
His jaw hardened. “For the record, I hate hearing about when you were with him.”
She blinked at him.
He rose. Towered over her with his muscles tight. “See, here’s the thing. I think I’d hate hearing about you and anyone else. Because I’m a jealous bastard.”
Haley swallowed. “If it makes you feel better, I don�
�t want to hear about you and anyone else, either.”
His head cocked. “That why you kissed me under the mistletoe back at Maureen’s?”
Their first kiss. A kiss that had changed everything for her. “There was no way that Keri was kissing you.”
He laughed. God, she loved that sound. So warm and rich.
But as he stared at her, Spencer’s laughter faded. “If that SOB comes for you, I will do anything necessary to stop him. I’m not going to lose you.”
She didn’t want to think about losing Spencer, either. Not when she’d just found him.
“You didn’t answer my question. Did you buy his undercover story?”
“No.” Her head tilted back as she gazed up at him. “Because his mouth was moving. I’ve learned that when Drew is talking, he’s lying.”
“I think he’s the one who helped Francis escape. I think he has Francis’s ex-wife. I think he forced Francis to shoot you.”
“How is Francis?”
“In recovery. Got an update a little while ago. He’s not conscious, not yet. But I have a deputy with him, and we’ll know as soon as the guy wakes up and can talk.”
Good. She nodded.
Spencer didn’t move.
She couldn’t look away from him. Didn’t want to look away.
“Did I hurt you, before?”
“You’ve never hurt me.”
His hand caressed her cheek. “I want to destroy anyone who does. I’m not controlled, hell, I’m barely even civilized when it comes to you. Your safety matters more to me than anything else.”
Her head turned. Her lips pressed to his palm.
“Baby…”
She looked back at him. Realized that Spencer was in the absolute perfect position. Her hands reached out. Her fingers were shaking, just a little, as she pushed down his jogging pants.
“Haley…”
His cock sprang toward her. Thick and full. Already erect.
“Yeah, that happens when I’m near you.” His voice was rougher. Even deeper. “I look at you, and I want.”
She glanced up at him. “What a coincidence. Same thing happens to me.” She leaned forward and put her mouth on him.
Spencer hissed out a breath. His hands curled around her shoulders.
She licked him. Sucked him. Took him in and savored him.