RJ (HC Heroes Series Book 7)

by Donna Michaels

  “Amen.” Abby lifted her glass of water. “Lyndsey is exactly right. Sometimes, when it comes to your welfare, no amount of prodding or wishful thinking will move them.”

  Loni snorted. “It has to be their idea.”

  Lori lifted her wine glass in the air. “Then here’s to hoping RJ has come to my side and all that waiting is behind me.”

  She wanted to see RJ again. Wanted to spend time with him, but what if he was the type to smother?

  Lori didn’t want to go through that ever again.

  His ex was an artist…why was that woman now his ex?

  Had he stepped on her wings?

  Her mind vetoed that thought. RJ didn’t seem like that kind.

  Neither had jerkface at first…

  She brushed those thoughts aside and reached for a cupcake before they were all gone. RJ was a nice guy who melted her bones and she was going to enjoy that side of him for as long as possible.

  Hopefully, her wings stayed intact.

  Chapter Eight

  Lori was just spooning a mouthful of chocolate chip ice cream into her mouth when a light rap sounded at the door.

  She froze, heart suddenly pounding in her ears via her throat. Was it that asshat random knocker again? She knew it was possible that one of these times when she opened the door instead of no one, she could meet the barrel of a gun.

  Or just a young kid peeing his pants because she’d caught him.

  Armed with a baseball bat that she now kept close by, she hurried to peek through the front window. Dark hair, dark eyes, sexy grin.

  There was definitely someone on her porch. A very familiar…sexy someone.

  The pounding in her ears skipped loud and shot straight to deafening, while a flood of heat washed through her body in a delicious wave. RJ.

  She unlocked then opened the door.

  “Hey. I thought you were coming home tomorrow. Is everything okay?” She stood there, frowning at him.

  “Yeah, we finished the job and instead of waiting until morning, we decided to drive home tonight,” he replied. “I noticed your lights were on. Any chance you can come to my place right now and stay the night?”

  They usually hung out at her cottage. Excitement rippled through her pulse. She liked the idea of spending the night in his bed. Made it feel like she meant something more to him than a hook-up.

  She nodded. “Yeah. Sure. I just need to grab some shoes and my backpack.”

  She’d return in the morning to grab a quick shower and change before work.

  “Maybe leave the bat here.” Still standing on her porch, he nodded at the bat in her hand. “You won’t need it. You have me.”

  Warmth swept through her chest. Yeah, that confirmed it. She definitely meant something more to the guy, which was great, considering he was winding his way past her guard.

  Unwilling to admit that just yet, she kept quiet but smiled at him before she set the bat against the wall, slipped into her nearby sandals, and grabbed her backpack from the couch. “Ready.”

  “Great, because I have pizza coming to my place in ten minutes.” He reached in and locked her door then shut it after she stepped outside. “I would’ve called you when I left Austin but sometimes you’re asleep by now and I didn’t want to wake you.” He grabbed her and squeezed. “I’m glad you were up.”

  She smiled at him, noting his handsome features looked sexy and mysterious in the moonlight. “Me, too.”

  Normally, she would be asleep by now. Four-thirty in the morning came fast, but for some reason, she had been a little restless tonight.

  Thank God, she thought, as she walked across the street with him. She would’ve hated to miss this invitation. Exhilaration ruled her pulse and her steps as she entered his unlocked cottage. His lights were already on and his duffle bag was tossed on the floor as if he’d unloaded quickly and rushed over to her cottage as soon as he got home.

  More warmth spread through her chest. She liked that she was important to him. A lot. Maybe too much.

  Needing a distraction from her dangerous thoughts, she glanced around and wasn’t surprised to find the layout was identical to hers. His furniture and appliances were similar too.

  “There was one more thing I forgot to tell you.” Dark brown eyes stared unblinkingly at her.

  Her heart rocked. “Oh? What?”

  “This.”

  Before she could blink, he had the door closed and his deliciously hot, hard body pressed her up against the wall, while his hands thrust deep into her hair, holding her head immobile as his mouth caught her startled breath.

  The former SEAL moved quickly. His strong, sure, stealthy nature upped her desire. And his swift, sure, deliberate movements fanned the heat in her belly.

  Damn, she liked this discussion.

  Lori reached out to grip RJ’s collar and held on tight. Hot and full of desire, the man tasted way better than the ice cream currently melting on her table at home. She was open to discussing all night long, and would’ve told him, but her tongue was currently in the middle of a delicious rendezvous with his.

  A knock sounded at the door. They broke apart long enough for RJ to pay for the pizza he tossed onto the nearby coffee table before shutting the door with his foot while he brought his mouth back down on hers.

  His hunger and sure movements increased her desire for the sexy man.

  Without releasing her mouth, he lifted her up, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his hips. A grunt sounded in his throat, then repeated when he pressed his erection against her center.

  He broke the kiss. “I’ve missed this,” he said, trailing hot kisses down her neck, stopping to nibble behind her ear.

  She sucked in a breath and crushed him closer, kissing a path across the only flesh available to her, his temple. “Me, too.”

  “Roger that.” Warm breath tickled her ear as he nipped her earlobe and sent goose bumps down her neck. Then his hand slid under her shirt, skimming over her ribs to cup her bra and brush a thumb across her silk-covered nipple.

  The heat pooling in her belly spread to every pore in her body. At once.

  Things were getting real.

  Yeah, real good.

  ***

  Lori grabbed RJ’s head and pulled his face to hers. There was so much heat and longing in her gaze it was nearly his undoing.

  “Please tell me you have a condom,” she said, her voice breathy with need before she ran her tongue over his lower lip.

  Jesus, she was killing him.

  “Yes, I do,” he muttered, then slid his tongue into her mouth for a very thorough wrangling that had need spiking through him and her gorgeous curves shaking in his arms. Breaking the kiss, he sucked in a breath. “Hold that thought.”

  RJ pushed them from the wall and heard her sandals falling to the floor with a thud. He stepped over them as he carried her through the living room, his hands full of a world-class ass he’d never tire of touching. Or licking. Or kissing. Fire skittered down his spine. He’d thought about this every night in Austin. The job had been great. Went off without a hitch. But the nights alone in his hotel room had given his mind time to wander, and it had…right to Lori. It had created a fierce ache. An ache only her lips could assuage.

  Things were getting out of hand. Fast. But he was past caring. Especially when she nipped at his chin, then bottom lip and sucked it into her mouth. Damn, she was potent.

  Hard and throbbing, RJ somehow managed to carry her into his bedroom where he let her slide slowly down, enjoying the feel of her soft curves brushing his body. When her feet hit the floor, he crushed her close, kissing her long and deep, delectably aware of her hands slipping under his shirt and skimming his abs as she unbuttoned his jeans.

  Her need for him was apparent by the way her fingers shook against his skin.

  Fire flamed through his body. He released her mouth and ran his hands down her sides to rest on her hips. “We have on too many clothes.”

  “I agree.” She steppe
d back, pulled off her shirt, then unbuttoned and unzipped before she shimmied out of her jeans.

  He sat on the bed, removed his boots and socks, before standing to yank off his shirt and shuck his jeans while the beauty stood before him in a lacy blue bra and matching panties.

  “Navy. Nice.”

  The sexy woman had no idea what she did to him. After removing his boxers, he stepped close and fell with her onto the bed, the sound of her laughter bringing a smile to his lips.

  He’d never grow tired of hearing it.

  He shifted his weight onto forearms and grinned down at the beauty beneath him. “What’s your pleasure?” He brushed a strand of hair off her face. “Top or bottom?”

  A wicked gleam entered her eyes. “Both.” Then a second later, she rolled them until she was on top. “You’re okay, I didn’t hurt your back, right?”

  “Right.” His voice was low and rough to his ears, but considering he was hard and throbbing, he wasn’t surprised. “My back is fine. No issues when we fell onto the bed. And none with your sexy maneuver.” He skimmed his hands up her thighs, over the sexy curve of her waist, up her ribs on his way to her back.

  God, she was so soft. Silky. Perfect.

  With a quick flick, he unhooked her bra and tossed it over the side of the bed and nearly swallowed his tongue as he watched her freed breasts bounce, her gorgeous nipples, tight and puckered, begging for his attention.

  He obliged.

  Cupping and tweaking the beauties, he brushed his thumbs over both peaks, and watched pleasure darken Lori’s eyes before she closed them and moaned while she rocked on his erection. Son-of-a-bitch. RJ’s eyes nearly rolled back in his own head. He clamped down hard on his control. She was magnificent, and so damn responsive. He was a lucky bastard. And selfish. He needed to hear her scream his name. Stroking a finger over the lace covering her center, he was rewarded with a long, low moan.

  “I need you in me,” she murmured.

  He needed that, too.

  Grabbing her upper arms, he tugged her down, and his temperature shot to inferno at the exquisite feel of her soft, full breasts brushing his chest. She opened her mouth, but he didn’t wait to hear his name, he kissed her hard and deep, needing to taste her sweet essence.

  Lori trembled against him and brushed her tongue to his. That was what he needed. Her passion. Her hunger, her heat. He needed to know he wasn’t in the crazy firestorm of need alone.

  He wasn’t.

  Thanking his lucky stars, he ran his hands down the curve of her back and released her mouth to kiss a path over her throat and sink his teeth in her neck, just behind her ear. She sucked in a breath and rocked deliciously against him. Heat ricocheted down RJ’s spine and spread through his body. Needing to touch her…all of her, he shifted and ripped off her panties then flipped them over, so he was on top.

  “My turn,” he muttered against her collarbone as he brushed his lips down her breast and sucked a nipple into his mouth.

  “RJ…” Her voice was throaty and hitched as she thrust her fingers into his hair in an attempt to hold him there.

  But he had plans.

  Delectable plans.

  He released her gorgeous peak in exchange for the other where he tugged until her squirming took him to the brink of exploding. The woman was a gift. She gave without even knowing. Her hitched breaths, throaty moans, soft little sighs…they filled him with a pleasure he’d never even known existed.

  Needing more, he kissed a path down her quivering belly, straight to the part he longed to taste and explore the most. The trembling woman immediately opened her legs, as if she needed his mouth on her there, too.

  Not about to disappoint the beauty, he kissed a trail up her inner thigh and spread her farther by holding her open with his shoulders as he brushed a finger over her center. “So wet…” He blew on her, loving how she squirmed before he pressed his mouth to her glistening folds.

  A sweet, sexy sound met his ears as her fingers returned to thrust in his hair and hold him in place. RJ glanced up, intent on telling her he wasn’t going anywhere, but his heart rocked hard in his chest at the sight of her caught up in their fiery passion. Lips parted, eyes glazed over and dark with need, the woman was every man’s fantasy.

  She was his tonight.

  She was his. Period.

  Whatever he needed to do to keep her in his life, RJ would do.

  She panted and rocked into his touch.

  Empowered by the knowledge he was pleasing her, he watched her face as he licked and sucked, and he didn’t let up until he commanded the scream he’d yearned to hear.

  She cried out his name and bucked wildly as she burst. When her shuddering finally stopped, he brought her down slowly, enjoying every last bit of her succulent taste, before pulling his mouth away.

  She was so sweet.

  So beautiful.

  So perfect.

  “Damn, Rocky,” she muttered between breaths, lifting up on her elbows to stare down at him. “I needed that.”

  A chuckle broke from his dry throat. “Me too.” He dipped down to kiss one thigh, then the other before leaving the bed to fish a condom from his jeans and roll it on.

  A wicked grin curved her lips. “I would’ve helped with that.”

  “And we would’ve been done before we got started.” He never would’ve survived her hands on his throbbing erection. Slowly crawling up her body, he bent to kiss her hip, brushing his hands up her body until he filled them with two gorgeous breasts.

  She moaned and arched into his hands, her tight nipples poking his palms while he nipped at the sexy curve of her waist, then kissed a path to her belly button where his tongue dipped down to explore.

  She inhaled and squirmed. Damn, the woman had great squirm. And hunger, because she grasped his head, tugged him up to her mouth and kissed him hot and wet and deep.

  Ah, hell, he was done.

  “I need you in me, now, RJ,” she murmured against his lips. “Please.”

  “No need to beg. I want that, too,” he said, voice low and raspy.

  Lifting up, he positioned his erection against her hot, wet heat and pushed in. His moan mingled with hers in an identical declaration of pleasure.

  “Damn, Lori. I wish you knew how good you feel around me,” he told her, watching her eyes glaze over as he slid in and out of her slick, silky warmth. “Exquisite.”

  Bold hands stroked his abs and pecs, as her desire laden gaze held his stare. “I was thinking more like magnificent.”

  She thought he was magnificent?

  More of that power went to RJ’s head and puffed out his chest. The sexy, giving woman, thrusting beneath him with lush curves and mesmerizing blue eyes thought he was magnificent. Yeah, he was definitely lucky.

  He prided himself with putting a pleased smile on the faces of the women he’d been with, but none had ever made him want to pound his chest, shout to the world that she was with him, or just plain feel.

  Until Lori.

  The others all paled next to her brilliance. The gorgeous woman stood out. Her addicting kisses, charged touch, sweet, exquisite taste.

  Damn…he loved her taste.

  RJ grasped her wrists and pressed them into the mattress by her head as he captured her mouth with his to sample more of her hot, addicting sweetness. Over and over, he swept his tongue into her mouth, and she moaned and bucked against him. Heat shot down his spine and his body began to tighten.

  The edge was close. He released her lips to kiss a delectable tight peak and received another moan of approval. When she arched, inviting him to take and give more, he drew her farther into his mouth and sucked hard.

  “RJ…”

  He released her nipple and lifted up. “What do you need? Tell me,” he encouraged as he thrust deeper inside.

  “That.” She panted, “More…of…that.”

  The rapturous look on her face told him she was close and took him to the very edge. Another deep thrust, then another was all she
needed, and as he watched her burst, hard, she took him right over with her.

  ***

  The last Monday in September arrived without warning…like Lori’s alarm. The month and last night had flown by way too fast. Grunting, she shut off the alarm, then scooted back to the warm, toasty goodness. It was still dark outside, but light spilled into her bedroom from a nightlight she kept in the bathroom across the hall and it illuminated the rich, dark chocolate colored eyes smiling sleepily at her.

  “Morning, beautiful.” RJ rolled onto his back, pulling her close, and she immediately threw her leg over his and snuggled against him. He kissed her head and held her tightly, with one hand cupping her hip and the other cupping her hand resting on his chest. “Sleep well?”

  After their mind-blowing sex?

  “Oh, yeah.” She sighed, staring at the ridges of glorious abs on an equally glorious man.

  A hot man. Literally. Metaphorically.

  His warmth and strength seeped into her, not only now, but also while he’d slept. She was a lucky woman. RJ was a force, in bed and out. By the time they’d used up the second condom last night, she’d lost the feeling in her limbs and had fallen asleep completely sated.

  “Hell, yeah.” His hold tightened. “You deplete my energy. Every time.”

  He was telling the truth. Of that, she was certain. Before that satisfied slumber overtook Lori, she’d watched RJ slip into his own satisfied slumber. His breathing had been peaceful and even, and his big body had been relaxed and all loose-limbed and sexy-as-sin—like now.

  Mmm…the man looked good enough to eat. And nibble. And lick. Oh, how she’d feasted on him last night. Need fluttered low in her belly, and she fought the urge to caress and stroke the male perfection beneath her.

  But he’d earned the respite.

  The sexy man had given her his all and took hers in return. Yeah, she was damn lucky. Time spent with him was amazing. No complaints. No regrets, other than they had to be at her sister’s within a half hour. Shoot.

  Yeah, it was time to move.

  So, why was she still curled up against RJ’s hot, hard, naked body?