“I just want to hold you for a minute,” he whispers. God, he’s strong, and solid and…safe. His big hands rub up and down my back, as if he’s reassuring himself that I’m here. His breathing is choppy. “We need to talk.”
“Yes, we do.” We so do.
“Are you okay?” He pushes me away, just far enough to look in my eyes. He brushes my hair away from my cheeks, his eyes worried.
“I’m fine.”
“You didn’t answer me. My texts or call.”
“I fell asleep.” I cup his face in my hands. “I just fell asleep.”
He closes his eyes and takes a long, deep breath, and when he opens his eyes again, he’s more in control now. “Was Casey okay? Did she give you any problems?”
“Casey is amazing,” I reply truthfully and see his eyes soften with love and affection for his daughter. “I loved having her here.”
He nods and holds on tight when I try to shift away, off of his lap.
“Stay here, please.”
“Okay.” I frown and watch him. His eyes are tired.
“Lila, there was another murder.” He swallows hard.
“Who?” I whisper, not really wanting to hear the answer.
“Cheyenne.”
“Oh.” The tears come, falling down my cheeks unnoticed. “Oh, she was such a good kid.”
“I know.” He frowns and looks down, and I know he’s not telling me everything.
“What else happened, Asher?”
“He’s getting more violent, Lila. I’m not going to give you details because I can’t, and because you don’t need that living in your head.”
Jesus, what did he do to her?
“Okay.”
“And…”
He grows quiet again.
“And?”
He won’t meet my gaze. Finally, he closes his eyes and swears under his breath, then looks up at me with eyes that are tormented and scared as hell.
“And what, Asher?”
“And you’re a target.”
“What?” I shake my head. “That doesn’t make any sense. I’m not a student.”
“What I’m about to tell you is confidential. This hasn’t been released to the media.” He brushes my hair over my shoulder tenderly. “With each victim, the killer has left a note. Threats. He talks about wanting revenge. But he’s never specified a name before.”
“But he did this time.”
Asher nods and pulls a piece of paper out of his pocket, unfolds it, and shows it to me.
“This is a photocopy.”
I read the note and feel my blood run cold.
“Oh my God.”
I begin to shake and find myself caught up in Asher’s arms again. He’s rocking me now, holding me close. I can’t get close enough.
“Why?” I whisper. “Asher, I don’t understand. Oh my God! Those poor girls! They were all tortured and killed because of me?”
I pull out of his hold and stand, pacing the floor. I’m shaking. I can’t breathe.
“This is my fault.”
“Stop it, Lila. It’s not your fault.”
I whirl on him.
“He’s after me.” I shake my head wildly. “Who would do this?”
“Is there an ex out there somewhere that would want to hurt you?” He stands and takes my shoulders in his hands, rubs my arms firmly, trying to soothe me.
“I haven’t dated since I’ve been here,” I reply truthfully. “And I don’t have any skeletons in my closet. I’ve had boyfriends, but those relationships ended on decent terms. There are no weirdos in my background, just guys that it didn’t work out with.”
“We are going to catch this guy,” he promises me. He cups my face in his hands and looks deeply into my eyes. “I promise. Nothing is going to happen to you. I’m not going to lose you to this.”
I hug him tightly and his words hit home. I’m not going to lose you.
“Speaking of losing someone.” My voice is soft as I pull away. “Casey told me about her mom. I’m so sorry for your loss, Asher.”
His lips firm, but he doesn’t look sad or upset. He looks simply resigned.
“It’s been four years,” he says. “What did Casey tell you?”
“Just that she hadn’t had that much fun since her mom died.”
He nods. “I was investigating another serial murderer in Seattle at the time. He was an evil bastard.”
“Aren’t they all?” I ask dryly.
“Yes.” He brushes his fingertips down my cheek. He can’t stop touching me. “He decided to play with the police, specifically the men who were trying to find him.”
“No,” I whisper.
“He killed her. It was staged to look like a car accident, but he confessed later to making that accident happen. Missy died instantly.”
“Oh, Asher. I’m so sorry.”
“How do you tell a six-year-old that her mama isn’t coming home?” His voice is rough.
“How do you bury your young wife and raise your daughter alone?” The enormity of it hits me, and all I can think about is comforting him. Loving him.
I offer him my hand. “Come with me.”
He follows me silently into my bedroom. I lead him onto the bed, over the covers, our clothes still on, and snuggle up to him, holding him close.
“Is this your way of comforting me?” he asks. His lips tip up into a half-smile.
“It’s all I have,” I reply with a shrug. It’s more than I’ve ever offered to anyone else in my life.
I’m letting my walls down with this man, and as much as it scares me, I can’t stop.
“I’m okay, baby. It’s been a while. We’ve healed.”
“Yes, but I just found out, and I’m hurting for you, Asher.”
“God, you’re sweet.” He rolls me onto my back and kisses me softly, his hand resting on my jaw and neck. His lips are soft, sure. He teases me with his tongue as he eases his big body over mine and settles in to kiss the hell out of me.
It’s pure heaven.
“Tell me I can stay,” he whispers against my lips.
“What about the investigation?”
“We’re done for the night.”
“You can stay,” I reply. He smiles and nibbles his way down my neck. His hands slip under my shirt and work it up over my head, then he discards my bra. “You’re beautiful.”
I smile shyly as he pulls a nipple into his mouth and lazily teases it, blows on it, then sucks some more. I tug his shirt up impatiently, getting caught up under his arms. His skin is warm and smooth over strong muscles.
“Can we take this off?” I ask. He sits up and in one fluid motion, pulls his shirt over his head and tosses it aside, then covers me again. He unfastens my jeans and slips his hand inside while his mouth travels down my torso, making me shimmy and squirm.
The things this man does with his mouth are insane.
His fingertips find my sweet spot and my hips surge up off the bed as electricity shoots through my body, sending fire along every nerve.
“God, you’re so responsive. Do you know how long I’ve dreamed of your sweet little body?”
“Nine months,” I pant with a smile. “Yes, I know exactly how long.”
He chuckles and bites my stomach right next to my navel. “You’ve been in my dreams for months. I wake up aching for you.”
Is it possible to come from words alone?
“Asher, I need you.”
“I’m right here, baby.”
“Need you inside me.” I bury my fingers in his hair and hold on tight as his mouth continues the journey around my torso, along my ribs, under my breasts.
Who knew that the spot under my breasts was so fucking sensitive?
He’s pulling my jeans down my legs, effortlessly, and kissing his way down to my hip.
“Trust me, I’m about to be inside you. God, you smell good.”
“I don’t wear perfume.”
He grins up at me knowingly. Naughtily. God, I want to de
vour him.
“Not that kind of smell, Delila.” He sniffs against my hip. “You smell like you want me to make love to you.”
“I so want you to make love to me.”
He growls as he makes quick work of sliding off his jeans, slips on protection, and covers me. He holds me tenderly, his forearms under my shoulders. His pelvis is cradled in mine, and he thrusts slowly back and forth, sliding his cock in my folds, hitting my clit each time.
“Oh my God,” I whisper.
He kisses my lips as he pulls his hips back, and suddenly the tip is at my entrance, pushing inside. I’d forgotten how big he is.
“We’ll take it easy,” he assures me, watching me carefully. “God, you’re so tight.”
“Or you’re big,” I reply breathlessly, loving the way he feels as he eases inside me. “You feel so damn good.”
“You’re amazing.” He stops when he’s buried inside me completely and leans his forehead against mine. “So fucking amazing.”
I clench around him and smile when he groans.
“God, don’t do that.”
I do it again.
“Lila, this won’t last.”
“We have all night, Lieutenant,” I reply and clench again, circling my hips. “I’m right here. Let go.”
His eyes shoot open, hot and intense, and he begins to move in long, steady, measured strokes, hitting every delicious nerve ending inside me, until I’m right there with him, ready to come out of my skin.
“Gonna come,” I whisper.
“With me,” he replies hoarsely. He grips my ass in one hand, tilting me up to meet him fully, and we come apart, crying out, clinging to each other.
“Amazing,” he whispers and kisses my lips softly.
So fucking amazing.
* * * *
“Why aren’t you sleeping?” he whispers against my ear, then kisses me there. He’s spooned up behind me, his arms around me, holding me tight.
“Maybe I am,” I reply with a grin.
“I can hear your wheels turning,” he says and nudges me onto my back so he can see my face. He rests his hand on my belly and kisses my nose. “Talk to me.”
“I’m—” I look to the ceiling, searching for my words.
“Sated? Impressed with my manliness? Ready to come again?”
“Confused,” I reply with a sigh. “And impressed with your manliness.”
“What are you confused about?”
I turn and hide my face in his chest, enjoying the way the light dusting of hair feels against my skin, but he cups my cheek in his hand and guides me back to look me in the eyes.
“What are you confused about, sweetheart?”
“How can I be this happy with you when there is a maniac out there killing my students, and he has some kind of crazy fixation on me? Does it make me a selfish person?”
“No.”
“We’re having sex—”
“Lila, it’s not selfish. We’re living our lives while we try to figure the rest of it out. We haven’t forgotten it.”
“I’m never going to forget it,” I whisper.
“No,” he agrees quietly and kisses my forehead. “You won’t.”
“How do you do this? Every day?” I hold on to him more tightly as I realize just how dangerous his job is. “Why do you do it?”
“I’ve always wanted to be a cop,” he replies.
“But why homicide?”
“Someone has to stand for the dead, Lila.” He kisses my forehead again, tenderly, but I can feel the energy pumping through him. “Someone has to stand over them and take care of them. To get that closure for their families. To make sure that the animal who killed them pays for it.”
“But at what cost? Asher, what you see every day—”
“Makes me a better cop and a better man.” He rolls away, onto his own back, and I follow him, bracing myself on his chest, watching him pull his thoughts together. “I’ve seen the worst of humanity there is, Lila. And I’ve seen the best.”
“You are the best.”
He tilts his head and searches my gaze for a long moment. “Thank you.”
I shrug, suddenly embarrassed at speaking my thoughts out loud.
“Tell me something about you.”
I blink at him. “What about me?”
“Tell me something about your childhood.”
“You don’t want to know about my childhood, Asher.”
His eyes narrow. “Yes. I do.”
I bite my lip and watch him quietly, but he doesn’t insist. He just waits. And here, in the dark and in the quiet of this honest moment, I trust him.
“I didn’t know my mom.” His gaze snaps to mine in surprise.
“You were raised by your dad?”
I smirk. “If you can call it that. Mom left before I could crawl. I was a mistake and she didn’t want me.” Asher reaches up to tuck my hair behind my ear, but I flinch away.
I don’t want him to touch me while I tell him this.
“Dad was an alcoholic and enjoyed the occasional recreational drug.”
“Lila—”
“It could have been worse. And there were long stretches of time when he’d sober up and things would be relatively normal for a while. But inevitably, he’d fall off the bandwagon and I’d be left to fend for myself.”
“You should be so proud of yourself,” he says softly.
“I am,” I agree. “My life could have gone very badly had I not had Kate in my life, and a fierce stubbornness. I made my mind up early on that I wouldn’t end up like my father.”
“You’re amazing,” he says.
“I’m strong,” I reply.
“Okay, so back to the original statement. What are you confused about? Because I don’t think you’re confused about the sex we just had in light of the circumstances.”
“You’ve made me rethink things that I thought I believed,” I admit softly.
“Such as?”
I shake my head and am embarrassed to feel my eyes fill with tears.
“What is it, baby?”
“I’ve been very good at keeping my heart safe, Asher. I don’t long for children, because I don’t think that I’d be a good parent given what I come from. I don’t have one-night stands, but I also don’t think about being with anyone for the long term.”
His eyes flare, but he stays quiet, waiting for me to finish.
“But—” I swallow hard.
“But?”
“I enjoy you. I enjoy Casey.”
“We enjoy you too.”
I nod, ridiculously happy to hear those words.
“So, we’ll just enjoy each other,” he adds with an encouraging smile. “And see where it goes from there.”
He pulls me back into his arms and kisses my cheek, then my lips.
“We’ll just see where it goes,” I whisper, liking the sound of that but knowing that I’m quickly losing my heart to this amazing man and his daughter.
Chapter Six
~Asher~
“Wake up, sleepy head.” I climb onto the bed, steaming mug of coffee in hand, and lean over to kiss Lila’s forehead. I can’t seem to keep my hands—or my lips—off of her. And she doesn’t seem to mind.
“Want to,” she mumbles and frowns, her eyes still closed.
“Come on, Delila, wake up.”
She sniffs the air. “Do I smell coffee?”
“Yes.” I grin and climb off the bed, then saunter naked toward the bathroom. “It’ll be in the bathroom with me.”
“I don’t want it that bad!” she calls out.
Okay, so she’s not a morning person. She can’t be perfect.
“I’m naked,” I reply. “You have twenty seconds to get your sweet ass in the shower with me before I come haul you in myself.”
“Whatever, caveman,” I hear her mumble, and my heart stumbles with the immediate love I feel for her.
I haven’t felt this in…four years.
I recognize it. I’m in love with
her. How it managed to happen so fast, I don’t know. And while I do recognize it, it feels different this time. Not better or worse, just different.
Because she’s not Missy. She’s Lila. I’m not replacing what I had, I’m adding to what I have now, and that feels pretty fucking good.
I start the water, set a condom inside the shower because I want to take her there this morning, sip the coffee, and grin when I feel her move up behind me, press her spectacular naked body against my back and a kiss to my shoulder.
“Good morning,” she whispers sweetly.
“Good morning.”
“May I please have some coffee now?”
I snort. “You don’t have to put on the sweet act, darlin’. I’ll share my coffee.”
“Thank God,” she says and takes the mug out of my hand, then downs it in three big gulps.
“Uh, that was hot.”
“Thank God,” she repeats with a grin and steps into the shower. “So is this!” Her voice is a high-pitched shriek.
“Do not turn it down,” I order her and step in with her.
“Are you trying to burn me?”
“You’ll drink boiling hot coffee but you won’t shower in hot water?”
“This isn’t hot. This is…” She flails her hands about. “This is really hot.”
“Brain not working yet?” I kiss her forehead and laugh when she pinches my ass. She’s smiling, her eyes shining and happy, still a little sleepy, and her skin is still warm from bed and soft, and I can’t stand it.
I need her.
Now.
I lift her and brace her against the wall of the shower, making her cry out at the cold against her back.
“What the hell?”
“Need you,” I murmur against her sweet mouth. I hold the condom up to her lips, and she grips the wrapper in her teeth, helping me rip it open. I roll it on, then boost her up and slide inside her, and nothing has ever felt so fucking good in all my life. “Do you know how damn good you feel?”
“If it’s anything like how you feel, it’s pretty damn good,” she replies and bites my lip. “Didn’t we do this just a few hours ago?”
“We made love a few hours ago,” I reply and hold on to her ass in the palm of my hands, just this side of too rough. She gasps and bites her lip. “That was life-affirming sex.”
Easy With You Page 6