Alibi (Brantley Walker: Off the Books Book 5)

by Nicole Edwards

“Oh, yeah. And I’m lookin’ forward to makin’ your acquaintance all over again.” Magnus’s eyes were hooded. “Now stroke yourself, Trey.”

  As awkward as it was, Trey did as Magnus requested. Several minutes later, the awkwardness disappeared, leaving him with nothing but lust singeing his nerve endings and making him sweat.

  “When you get back, we’re gonna pick up where we left off.”

  Trey shook his head but didn’t say anything. He knew this shouldn’t be happening, knew he should invoke some sort of rule that said he could never see Magnus Storme again. He was getting in way too deep as it was. The only consolation was that Magnus continued to keep it solely about sex, which allowed Trey to maintain some distance.

  “The next time I see you,” Magnus continued, his voice gruff and low, “I’m gonna strip you down, run my tongue over every inch of you.”

  Trey continued to stroke his cock, fisting himself firmly.

  “Then I’m gonna finger your ass until you’re ready for me.”

  Ah, hell. Trey’s asshole clenched at the thought.

  “When you are, I’m gonna sink into you so deep you won’t know where I begin and you end.”

  Trey grunted.

  “You want that, Trey? You want me to fuck you hard and deep?”

  He nodded, closing his eyes. “God, yes.”

  Magnus grunted and Trey recognized the sound. He was precariously close to the edge, too.

  “When I’m done,” Magnus crooned, “I’m gonna fuck you all over again. Harder. Faster.”

  Oh, Jesus.

  “You wanna come for me, Trey?”

  He nodded again, squeezing his eyes shut as his cock tunneled through his fist. He squeezed more firmly until he felt that electrical explosion within him.

  “Oh, fuck,” he growled, gritting his teeth as he came, barely aware of Magnus doing the same.

  Okay, so maybe he could get used to this thing they had going.

  *

  Baz lay in the dark room trying to block out the fact that JJ was in the room next to him. He’d spent the better part of the past few days in her presence, still under the ruse of only being her friend.

  Truth was, it was killing him.

  Could he do it indefinitely if he had to? Yeah. Probably. But only because he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.

  But it was during those times, like tonight, when she’d been laughing and joking and touching him every chance she got. Completely platonic, of course, but he couldn’t seem to convince his body that was her intention. No matter how hard he tried, Baz still wanted her with a fierceness he couldn’t explain.

  Just like every night since they got here, he lay in the full-size bed in this small room and listened for sounds coming from her room. Every so often he swore he heard her, but he figured it was wishful thinking. Considering his overactive imagination usually turned what was a comfortable vacation with friends into something lascivious with his thoughts of her getting more erotic by the day, it made sense that his mind was playing tricks on him. His favorite fantasy: JJ would come into his room, crawl into his bed, and beg him to make love to her.

  When he thought he heard footsteps, Baz glanced over at the door. Just beneath he could see a sliver of light. Was that a shadow? Was JJ at his door?

  He waited.

  Nothing.

  Okay, so he was most definitely imagining things now.

  He flopped back down, stared up at the ceiling, and heard a light creak.

  The door opened an inch.

  Propping himself up again, he watched the door. “JJ?”

  “Yeah.”

  Baz pinched his arm because surely he was dreaming. Ow. Okay, not dreaming.

  “You need somethin’?”

  She stepped into the room, closed the door gently behind her.

  Baz didn’t move, wasn’t even sure he could. When she started toward him, he was pretty sure he stopped breathing.

  And then her knee was on the mattress.

  “Is this okay?” she whispered.

  “More than,” he said, shifting over so she could join him. “Are you all right?”

  “Don’t want to be alone.”

  He understood that. It was different here, in this house. Not familiar like their apartment.

  JJ settled in beside him and Baz managed to exhale. She was looking for comfort. He understood. Although she didn’t talk about it, he knew she was still having a difficult time dealing with what had happened on New Year’s.

  “Baz?”

  He turned his head toward her. Before he could speak, her lips were on his.

  His body froze. He was scared to touch her, fearful if he did it would send her away. But he also didn’t want to pull back, because fucking hell, JJ was kissing him.

  “Is this okay?” she asked, her lips gliding over his again.

  Baz rolled to his side, brushed his fingers along her cheek, and kissed her, this time taking control. And when she sighed into his mouth, his synapses fired, his body flaring to life.

  Kissing JJ was unlike anything Baz had ever experienced.

  He’d had that same thought the first time their lips met and perhaps every time since.

  This woman … she didn’t hold back in anything that she did. Jessica James was the type of woman who forged ahead, clearing a path in the process. He should know. He’d been bowled over by her on more than one occasion.

  “I need you, Baz,” JJ said, part groan, part whisper.

  “JJ,” he mumbled against her lips, sliding his thumb along her jaw. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Not even a little,” she blurted.

  Another thing he loved about her: she was brutally honest.

  However, the comment didn’t inspire confidence.

  “Please,” she said, her lips gliding over his. “Let’s not think about it.”

  His conscience was niggling at him in warning. Baz knew the right thing to do would be to hold JJ, to comfort her without giving in to his baser needs. Too bad he’d stopped listening to his damn conscience lately. No way could he deny her.

  JJ kissed him again, and this time he realized she didn’t hold back, her tongue lapping at his, her palms gliding over him roughly, as though she needed something more than he was giving her.

  “Please, Baz. Touch me.”

  She didn’t have to tell him twice.

  He ignored the urge to slow things down, deciding they would do this at JJ’s pace. Fast and furious. That was the way she operated and sometimes it was hell to keep up. But this … this he could manage and he did. Their clothes did a vanishing act all their own, tossed haphazardly around the room as they fumbled for one another.

  Baz kept his hands on her, loving the feel of all that smooth, silky skin against his palms, her soft moans as he touched the right places.

  “We’ve got all night,” he whispered when she whimpered, rutting against him.

  “Then we’ll do it five more times,” she said on a rush.

  Five? Who did she think he was?

  “It’s been … months, Baz.”

  “Trust me, I know.” As soon as the words were out, he prayed she didn’t think about the last time he’d had sex. Even if he couldn’t remember much of that night, it hadn’t been quite as long for him.

  “Condom,” she said, nipping his lower lip.

  Right. Condom.

  He fumbled for his wallet on the nightstand. As would be the case, it fell to the floor, requiring him to pull away to retrieve it. But he finally managed to get the condom, only to have JJ yank it out of his hand.

  Baz rolled to his back as JJ straddled his hips. She wasn’t gentle when she rolled it over his iron-hard length, dragging a ragged moan from him.

  “Did I hurt you?”

  “Not even a little.”

  He’d barely gotten the last word out when JJ sank down on him.

  “Fuck,” he groaned as her silky heat surrounded him, her hair tickling his shoulders as she loomed over
him.

  God, she was so fucking hot like this. Out of control, desperate.

  With his hands on her hips, he guided her as she rocked forward and back, her tight sheath dragging more ragged moans from his chest. Pure, unadulterated pleasure rocked him as she rode him like they’d been made just for this.

  When she sat up, arched her back, Baz cupped her breasts, teased her nipples, admiring her sensual sounds, while mentally, he was hanging on for dear life, praying she was not going to regret this tomorrow.

  “Baz… yes.” She sighed and whimpered, clearly chasing that elusive release.

  Rather than let her take all the credit for the hard work, Baz pulled her down to him, rolled them both so that she was under him. He didn’t separate their bodies, sliding his arm beneath her, holding her tightly as he pumped his hips, driving into her hard and deep.

  She bit his lower lip, crying out as they soared higher, aiming right for the precipice.

  Baz pulled back so he could meet her gaze, stared into her eyes as he continued to drive into her.

  “Oh, God, yes.” JJ’s knees clamped on to his hips as she met him thrust for thrust. “Don’t stop, Baz. God, don’t stop.”

  He gritted his teeth, impaling her deeper, faster, until her pussy squeezed his cock as she cried out his name again and again.

  It was then that he let go.

  As he came, he couldn’t help but wonder how long it would be before she realized what they’d done.

  Baz woke, having rolled over to find JJ’s side of the bed empty. A quick glance at the bedside clock told him that night was fading away, but it wasn’t quite morning.

  And he was alone.

  He should’ve figured as much. Last night had been incredible, which meant JJ was likely coming up with a million excuses as to why what they’d done was wrong, and so many more about why they couldn’t be together.

  But JJ was in for an argument because Baz had spent the past few months coming up with reasons why they should be together, and he was more prepared than ever to fight for what he wanted. Sure, there was another obstacle they had to deal with, but Baz loved her enough to make it work.

  Baz managed to sit up, shook the rest of the exhaustion from his brain as he pulled on his shorts. He padded barefoot down the short hall to the living room, finding JJ sitting on the couch in the dark. She was wearing his shirt, one shoulder bare, her long, silky hair hanging over her shoulders.

  He looked around, ensuring no one else was moving about. From the sound of it, the rest of the house was still asleep.

  When JJ looked up at him, he saw her fear, felt his heart clench in his chest.

  Her gaze swung away. “I don’t know how to do this, Baz.”

  Well, at least she hadn’t called him Detective.

  Hoping she would elaborate, Baz stepped around the coffee table, took a seat beside her, but not too close.

  “Ever since that night…” She held her knees tighter. “Ever since then, I’ve been scared.” JJ paused, shook her head. “No, terrified. I don’t want to be alone, terrified someone’s gonna hurt me again.”

  He didn’t move, didn’t speak, wanting her to continue.

  “I hate it. I hate what it’s turned me into.” JJ glanced over at him. “I’ve got no one.”

  “You’ve got me, JJ. You’ve always got me.”

  “And you’ve got Molly.”

  Baz sighed, hating that those few words diminished everything they’d ever had.

  “You know it’s not like that.”

  “I do know that.” She was still watching him. “I do. But even if we had a second chance…”

  Hope burned hot in his chest.

  “Even then, I’ve never had a successful relationship in my life, Baz.”

  He wanted to tell her that wasn’t true. To remind her of her relationship with Brantley, a friendship that had survived time and distance.

  He wanted to tell her to think about all the people she interacted with on a daily basis in Coyote Ridge. They all cared about her and she cared about them, which made them more than acquaintances.

  “My mother hates me; my father pretends I don’t exist.” Her tone remained quiet as she continued. “The only person I ever felt close to was my brother. But he obviously didn’t care enough about me to stick around.”

  Baz couldn’t imagine losing her brother had been easy. And because Jeremy James had taken his own life, he understood why she would think he had abandoned her. It was difficult for people to lose loved ones to mental illness.

  “I’m sorry about your brother.”

  Her gaze swung to him slowly. “That was bad enough, but then my parents blamed me.”

  That was something he hadn’t known. “Why?”

  JJ shrugged. “They needed someone, I guess. After all, it wasn’t their fault. Couldn’t be. Saint Mom and Dad, the greatest parents on the planet.” She sighed. “Since I was the only one left, I got the honor of being responsible for pushin’ him to the point of no return.”

  Damn.

  “Don’t you dare feel sorry for me,” she said, although there was no force in her words.

  Baz didn’t respond, knew telling her she wasn’t responsible wouldn’t do any good. Not right now.

  “And all that’s just proof that I can’t do this.” She stared back at him. “You deserve better than me, Baz.”

  Unable to stop himself, Baz scooted closer, put his arm around her shoulders, and had her relax against him. He kissed the top of her head, brushed her hair back. When she leaned into him, he took it as a good sign. Twisting so he could look down at her, he lifted her chin with a finger, tilting her head back.

  “I don’t want anyone else, JJ. Since the day I met you, you’re the only one I can think about.”

  She didn’t say anything, but Baz could practically hear her thoughts. There was no way Molly’s name didn’t pop into her head.

  “This is a relationship,” he said softly, firmly, continuing before she could interrupt. “I’m not goin’ away. You and I both know that’s not what you want. We deserve that chance.”

  Her green eyes were glassy once again, and he held her gaze for long seconds before he leaned in, pressed his forehead to hers.

  “I love you, JJ. You might not want me to, you might not even believe me, but I do. And I’m gonna continue lovin’ you even if you push me away.”

  She sniffled, but her head tilted, her mouth moving closer to his.

  “I don’t expect you to love me back,” he managed. “Not yet. But you will.”

  Again, he knew she was thinking about Molly, and it made his chest ache.

  “For the time being, let me love you and you just be content with that. Let’s keep doin’ what we’re doin’. This friendship … it’s important. And while we’re doin’ that, let me show you what it means to be in a relationship, show you that you’re better at it than you think you are.”

  “But—”

  “Let me, JJ,” he said sternly, pulling back to look down into her face. “That’s all I’m asking. One day at a time. It doesn’t have to be difficult.”

  Her eyes were wide, but he could see hope there. Possibly for the first time since he’d met her, she wasn’t poised to argue with him.

  “What do we do on the first day?” JJ whispered, and those words made his heart thump harder.

  “Well, I suggest we go back to bed, you let me hold you for a few hours so you can get some sleep. That’s all, JJ. I just wanna hold you. Then tomorrow we’ll see how it goes.”

  “And go to the aquarium?” she asked hopefully.

  “Whatever you wanna do. Aquarium, beach, whatever.”

  “That sounds like a full day.”

  “It can be.”

  “Okay.”

  Baz cupped her face, smiled. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. But one day at a time.”

  “As promised.”

  When she let out a giggle as he was lifting her into his arms, Baz knew this time would be dif
ferent. It would require effort, but the one thing he knew with absolute certainty was that JJ was worth it.

  So very worth it.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Friday, March 12, 2021

  Brantley ran along the water’s edge, Tesha keeping stride beside him. He focused on the feel of the sand beneath his feet, the salty breeze on his face, his body having found its natural rhythm, giving him the ability to focus his mind.

  He’d come out this morning before anyone had woken in an attempt to get some perspective. He knew the coming weeks were going to put pressure on the team. The change alone was going to cause some tension, and he would have to deal with all that plus the challenge of proving their worth to Sniper 1 Security.

  They had spent the past six months on the hunt for Juliet Prince, and while it hadn’t been their sole focus, it had taken a significant amount of their time. That was over. Done. There was nothing to fall back on, no excuses to be made. It was time for the next chapter in their story to be written. Was he ready? Absolutely.

  Yet there was still the matter of the choice he and Reese had made in that motel parking lot in Port Isabel. They had left Juliet Prince to die, and while he didn’t regret that she was dead, it wasn’t a decision he’d ever seen himself making. At some point, along with all his other demons, Brantley figured it would rear its ugly head and he would have to deal with it, too.

  Brantley ran through the wet sand until his thighs screamed and his lungs burned, but he couldn’t seem to outrun his thoughts.

  Tesha let out a bark then took off at a sprint, leaving Brantley behind.

  Up ahead, he saw Reese walking toward them at a leisurely pace. Brantley closed the gap quickly, slowing as he approached, wanting to catch his breath before he said good morning to his man.

  As he walked, his muscles cooling, he had another thought. Brantley wondered what the next chapter in their story would entail. He smiled to himself, realizing he didn’t know the answer, but he was looking forward to seeing where it took them.

  “You didn’t wake me,” Reese said, squatting down to pet Tesha.

  “I didn’t,” he agreed, continuing to move so his muscles didn’t lock up. “Thought maybe you’d sleep in.”

  “I tried, then JJ waltzed right into our room, tryin’ to talk me into goin’ to the aquarium with them. Figured I better hightail it before I did somethin’ stupid.” Reese smirked. “Like say yes.”