by Peyton Banks
“Aspen,” he ground out, increasing their pace. He didn’t want to release before her. He wanted them to go together. “Come with me.”
Her eyes flashed open and locked with his. He let go of her breast and eased her face down and crushed his mouth to hers, capturing her scream. Her body shuddered with her hitting the peak. Her pussy walls clamped down on him, and his orgasm slammed into him. He tore his lips from her mouth and roared, shooting his seed deep within her womb.
In bed, Aspen sighed and buried her face into Declan’s warm chest. She slowly drifted her hand across his hard abdomen. She was lost in the memories of their night together. The sun was now coming up, and she didn’t want their time to come to an end, but unfortunately, it was. He’d wake up, they would have awkward conversation while they got dressed, and then he would leave.
This was what she wanted.
A night full of passion that would last her for a while.
His gentle snores filled the air, and she contemplated how she would wake him. She had a few ideas but knew she shouldn’t act on them since he had to leave.
She hated to wake him, but it was time. It was time for her to break the perfect night that they’d had. She didn’t want to have the awkward morning after. She’d act cool and collected while he gathered his things and left.
She just couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t bawl her eyes out after he’d gone.
She wouldn’t cry because he was leaving, but because of how her life had come to be.
Lonely.
Aspen pulled back and sat up, taking in Declan’s perfect muscular chest, his washboard abs with the light sprinkle of dark hair that continued south of the blankets.
She bit her lip and had to tear her gaze away from his sublime body. Her heart raced at memories of her tongue burning a trail down his abdomen and ending with his cock in her mouth. The taste of him still lingered.
Pushing those memories aside, she slid from the bed and quietly made her way over to her closet and grabbed her robe. This was new for her, and she wasn’t sure how to end a one-night stand, but there was no time like the present to learn. She walked over to Declan who was stirring.
“Hey.” She gently tapped his shoulder.
His eyes flew open, clouded with sleep at first before focusing on her. His lips curved up in a smile as he ran his hand through his hair, leaving it tousled.
“Morning,” he murmured, sitting against the headboard.
“It’s almost eight o’clock,” she whispered.
His smile slowly disappeared when the reason she’d woke him settled in.
It was time for him to go.
She hated how he appeared to shut down right in front of her. Their night together had been amazing, and it was a shame she couldn’t afford to see where this thing between them could go.
But then again, all he was offering was no strings attached.
“Yeah, thanks for waking me.” He swung his feet to the floor.
“No problem.” She took a few steps away from him before she jumped back into the bed with him. She turned on her heel and rushed out the room. She didn’t want to give in and ask him to stay with her for breakfast.
They had made an agreement.
No strings.
She arrived in her kitchen and immediately went straight for the coffee maker with her mind racing.
One-night stands didn’t stay for breakfast, did they?
Chapter 5
Declan pulled his ballistics vest over his head as his team prepared to go out on a call. He was lost in his thoughts, still confused on the situation with Aspen. He should have been grateful there wasn’t any drama.
He’d gotten what he wanted.
A night with no strings.
But it still left him baffled.
He was at first pleased to find her standing next to him when he had awakened. Her beautiful bronze skin had practically glowed against her silk white robe. In the hours of the night, he had tasted every single facet of her body. He would have preferred to have woken up with her still tucked into his side.
‘It’s almost eight o’clock.’
Her words still echoed in his head. The mention of the time had been like a splash of cold water to the face.
He had been dismissed.
She hadn’t been cold, but she hadn’t asked for his number or to even see him again. Declan was used to being in the role of having to let women down and even reminding them that it was to be for only one night.
Aspen had just sent him on his way with an awesome cup of coffee in a to-go cup, and a smile.
“Sergeant Owen.”
Mac’s sharp voice broke through his thoughts. Shutting his locker, he turned and faced his longtime friend.
Marcas MacArthur’s attention was locked on Declan. Mac was like a bulldog—once he got something or someone in his sights, he didn’t let it rest until he got what he wanted.
The locker room drew quiet as Mac made his way to him. His teammates were not hiding the fact that they wanted to hear the conversation between him and Mac.
“What’s going on, Dec? You’re barely here,” Mac said, stopping in front of him.
“Just not feeling well today, Mac.” He met his friend’s eyes. There was no way he would admit to being hung up on a one-night stand. Today was just not the day to get his balls busted over a woman.
“Why don’t you sit this one out. Head home and get some rest. You look like shit.”
“I’m good.” He straightened to his full height and met the stares of his teammates.
He would be good for the assignment. His men would depend on him being sharp once they got to the location.
Apparently satisfied, Mac walked away and began briefing them on the job.
“We have a hostage situation down at the Comet’s main terminal hub. Our local boys in blue were able to secure the perimeter and need our help extracting the hostages and grabbing the bad guys.”
“Any reason given?” Ashton, the SWAT team’s lead negotiator asked.
“Sounds like the transit heads were laying off some of the bus drivers, and they weren’t taking kind to it,” Mac replied. “Let’s roll out. I’ll give more information in the B.E.A.R.”
The team filed out and headed toward their armored vehicle, all dressed in their black fatigues with SWAT brandished across the front of their ballistics vests. Declan could still feel eyes on him and knew that Mac didn’t fully believe him. His friend knew when we was lying.
Declan tried to act busy, double-checking his weapons and securing his helmet on his head. They all wore face masks that covered the bottom of their faces to protect their identity when it came to high-risk situations.
Zain Roman, a longtime member of the team, hopped in the driver’s seat while the rest filed in the back.
Myles Burton, the team’s sniper, sat across from Declan and eyed him. He nodded to his team mate who seemed to be checking him out as Mac had.
They were a close-knit unit and would sense when someone was off.
“You good?” Myles asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“I’m good.”
“All right, men, intelligence states that the bad guys have ten Comet employees housed in the dispatch room of the bus terminal.” Mac continued the briefing, but Declan didn’t hear a word that was spoken.
His thoughts were on Aspen. The memory of her creamy brown skin sliding against his had his cock jerking. He tried to shake off the memories, but they kept flooding his brain.
Her gasps when he’d thrust deep within her had him rubbing a hand along his face. He cringed when he hit the rough bristles of his jawline. He hadn’t shaved in a few days and was paying for it.
He hadn’t felt like this for a woman in…damn, he couldn’t even remember.
They arrived at the local city bus station where all hell had broken loose. The team instantly jumped from the B.E.A.R and sprang into action. The terminal was a large building that usually bustled with guests and employees, but to
day, it was a ghost town.
Ashton and Mac went to speak with the lead investigator on the scene. Ashton would be the one assisting with the negotiations of the hostages. Declan and the others spread out, speaking with the cops that were the first on the scene and ensuring that the perimeter was pushed back. The men in the terminal were armed and pissed off. There was no telling how they would react, and they had to ensure the safety of the public.
“We have blueprints,” Brodie said, gathering the team over to the hood of a squad car.
They all stood around and began planning the entry into the terminal.
Their team was specially trained to respond to certain situations. The local boys in blue depended on Declan and the rest of the SWAT team to infiltrate and secure all targets, preventing loss of life.
They had intensive training that made them all experts on infiltrating. Their training was drilled into them so much that Declan was sure his team mates could practically do their job blindfolded.
Confident they had a well-thought-out plan, the team moved and waited for the order.
“They’re sending out three women,” Ashton called out.
Declan, Brodie, Zain, and Iker moved in formation toward the building. They would escort the hostages to safety. A few ambulances were parked back behind the yellow tape, to offer assessment of the hostages and check for injuries.
Their weapons were aimed high as they stood near the doorway of the large terminal. They flanked the glass sliding doors and waited for the women to come forth.
“I see them.” Brodie knelt on the ground beside Declan.
“How many?” he asked.
“Looks like the three as promised,” Brodie said.
The three women ran out of the building with tears running down their faces. Declan and his men surrounded them, putting their bodies in the line of fire as they rushed them to safety. Uniformed officers met them and escorted the women over to the ambulance.
“Have they made any demands?” Declan asked, walking over to where Mac and Ashton stood.
“Yes, they want to speak to the CEO of Comet. They’re demanding their jobs back,” Ashton said. “Not sure if that will happen. Give me more time.”
“Take your time.” Mac slapped him on the back. “We need to get the hostages out safely. Let’s not have any casualties today.”
Aspen made her way to the break room for her lunch. She pushed open the door to find the place empty, but the television was turned to the local news station that was streaming a breaking story.
Everyone in the library was talking about the hostage situation down at the Comet’s main terminal. It had been going on for hours, and the local SWAT team had been dispatched.
Her thoughts turned to Declan. She knew he was one of the SWAT officers, and her heart sped up that he may be in danger. She sighed and sat at the table. It wasn’t for her to worry about the sexy cop. They’d had their one night together with no strings attached.
“Please tell me you have it on the news,” Evie gasped, blowing into the break room.
“Yup,” Aspen replied, opening her packed lunch. She took a bite of her sandwich with her gaze glued to the table. Not much happened in the city, but when it did, the press was all over the story.
“Declan is probably there right in the middle of this craziness,” Evie said, plopping down next to Aspen.
They both ate their food in silence for a while as the anchors were giving updates on the situation.
“I just hope everyone is okay.” Aspen took in the chaos taking place not too far from the library.
“So, what happened with you and Declan?” Evie asked, turning to Aspen.
The television went to commercials.
Aspen had been dreading this conversation. There was no way she was telling Evie she had slept with Declan. If she did that, Evie would be practically planning their wedding.
“Nothing. He seems like a nice guy.” She took a sip of her water as an excuse stop talking.
“And…” Evie’s wide eyes were on her.
“Well, we met at the restaurant. Had dinner, and that was it.” She shrugged as if it were no big deal. She refused to look her friend in the eyes for fear that Evie would see the truth in hers. She was always a shitty liar.
“That’s it? No spark, no instant romance, no hot sex all night?”
Aspen coughed at Evie’s line of questioning. She almost choked on her sandwich but took her time swallowing the food. Oh, there had been plenty of sparks and hot sex. Just thinking of the things they had done had her body heating up at the moment. She grabbed her water bottle and swallowed a healthy sip. She didn’t want to give away any hint on how just thinking of Declan Owen had her getting all hot and bothered.
She shook her head, turning her attention back to the television as the commercials ended.
“No, Evie. I’m sorry.”
“Well, damn. I must be losing my touch. I was so sure you two would be perfect for each other.” Evie sighed.
“It looks as if the SWAT team has been successful in today’s intense hostage situation. We are getting reports that all the hostages are unharmed,” the anchor woman on the television announced. The camera switched back to the scene and zeroed in on two men in all back with face masks on, bringing two men in handcuffs out of the bus terminal.
She focused on one of the men. She knew that body and the walk.
Intimately.
Declan decked out in his uniform had her heart racing. She never knew seeing a man with his tactical gear could be so sexy.
Dirty thoughts entered her mind that involved him, his ballistics vest, and handcuffs.
She sighed and pushed those thoughts aside for now.
But it didn’t mean she couldn’t fantasize about him in the privacy of her own home.
Her cell buzzed in her pocket. She grabbed her phone and pulled it out and swiped the glass screen. She gripped it tight as she read a message from US Marshall Ball. He wanted to move up their meeting.
Apprehension filled her, and her mind raced. He’d never moved up their appointments before. She responded and confirmed that she could meet him at the new time.
“Everything okay?” Evie’s voice broke through her thoughts.
She looked at her friend and nodded.
She hoped it was.
Chapter 6
His music blared from the speakers in his truck as he drove toward downtown. Declan had a meeting in city hall that he couldn’t miss. He had a private appointment with one of the IRB agents. He couldn’t let a leak in their department go unanswered. That leak could have cost them Mac’s life.
After the bus terminal situation, Mac had chewed him out. Declan had been distracted by a brown-skinned beauty, and this distraction could have cost him his life.
The startled targets had shot off a round of bullets, and one had embedded in the wall next to Declan’s head.
It would have been a fatal shot.
He was starting to rethink this no-strings clause he had proposed to Aspen. He hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind. Apparently, Aspen had no issues with sending him on his way.
It bothered him.
It couldn’t have been the sex. There was no way she was that good of an actress. Every orgasm she’d had was genuine.
And here he was, not knowing if he should contact her.
For the first time ever, he was thinking of pursuing something with a woman, and it scared him. He knew better than to try to speak with Mac. Mac, who was currently engaged to be married, wouldn’t be the best person to ask. He was far too in love with Sarena. Any advice he’d offer would be clouded with his feelings for Sarena.
Declan was thinking of maybe starting a physical-only type of relationship with Aspen. He didn’t have her number but knew where she lived.
Yeah, he’d be labeled as a stalker if he just showed up. He racked his brain and knew Evie would have her number. He shuddered with the thought of showing interest in Aspen to her. She’d ne
ver let him live it down.
He didn’t have many choices.
Maybe he’d call his sister, Averi. She was the only one he could trust who would give sound advice regarding his situation and not judge him. They had a close relationship, and he knew that would be the best thing to do.
He turned on the street leading to City Hall, and a familiar figure walking down the street caught his eye.
Aspen.
He took in her beautiful silhouette, and his heart pounded. He quickly found a parking spot on the street and rushed from his truck. He slammed the door and tried to remain cool.
“Aspen!” he called.
She paused and turned to him with a surprised look on her face.
He jogged toward her.
He was not stalking her.
This was just a coincidence.
“Hello, Declan.” She smiled as he reached her side.
He was captivated by her bright smile and stood before her, unsure what to say.
Did they hug? Shake hands? He wasn’t sure so just kept his hands to himself and greedily took her in.
“How are you?” he asked.
Her guarded look unsettled him, plus that her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Those alarms in the back of his mind were going off
He thought hard and didn’t recognize this feeling in his chest.
Was this nervousness?
“I’m good,” she said.
They fell in step with each other down the sidewalk. He tried not to stare at her. Her dark hair was left flowing down her bare back, thanks to her summer dress. His hands ached to touch her, but he had to fight the inclination.
“Where are you off to?” he asked, curious to know where she would be going at this time of day. It was early in the morning to just be walking downtown.
“Just some personal business at City Hall.” She shrugged her bronze shoulders. “Where are you headed?”
“Same. I have some police business in the mayor’s office,” he murmured.