Rascal

by Lea Hart

  She waved her hand and had a loopy smile on her face. “Sure.”

  Lining himself up, he nodded. “I’m clean and expect you are too, so we’re going to try this bareback and see if I can last more than ten seconds.”

  “Reports.”

  “What?” he bit out as he barely gripped the last thread of his control.

  “Show them to me. Soon.”

  “Will do,” he replied as he speared her with one thrust, making her cry out in pleasure. He drove into her tight welcoming heat and lost himself.

  Unable to think, he could only concentrate on making them one.

  His balls ached, drawing up as everything inside him rode the edge of release. Changing his tack, he fucked her in a whole new way.

  Doing his best to push her over the edge.

  Nipping and biting her neck, he did whatever he could so she could find her pleasure.

  “Coming now,” she shouted.

  Thrusting harder, she shattered and the force of her orgasm took him along. His entire body and mind were consumed with pleasure.

  With the last breath of his body, he opened his eyes and saw her starry-eyed pleasure and knew it was only half of what his was.

  She was his answer, and this was the beginning of a hundred thousand tiny moments that would change the course of their lives.

  One way or another.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  The first day of the week had never sucked so badly, and Cecily knew it was because Zach was headed back to Vegas in a matter of hours.

  Surprised by the small pinch in her heart, she studied him over the rim of her coffee mug as he responded to emails.

  How had he managed the impossible in less than seventy-two hours?

  It was damn annoying to be sure, and there was little doubt that ridding herself of the threads of addiction he’d woven around her was going to be impossible.

  Standing, she grabbed the coffee pot then refilled their cups. “Are you busy this week?”

  “Seems I’m going to be, since we’ve got a UFC event on Saturday. We run the security for not only the fighters and their families but celebrities who attend as well.”

  “I thought stars usually had their own security.”

  “They do, but we run backup and make sure that if there’s an incident, the interests of the UFC are covered.”

  “And do the interests need to be protected very often?”

  “At least a half-dozen times during any given fight night.”

  “Is it dangerous?”

  “Not really, but occasionally we run into something that’s...less than ideal.”

  “Are you going to elaborate?”

  “No.”

  Rolling her lips together, she frowned. “Not sure how I feel about that.”

  “Probably not very good if I had to guess, but there isn’t much I can do since we sign a bunch of non-disclosure agreements. I couldn’t tell you if I wanted to, so I’m hoping you’ll accept that much of what I do will never be shared.”

  She tapped her nail against her mug and nodded, knowing she’d eventually have to accept it, if she wanted a relationship with the man. Which it seemed she did, since the idea of not having him around was making her stomach roil.

  “The frown on your face is making me worry. Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

  She looked up and smoothed out her features. “Not really.”

  “I’m going to miss the shit out of you, and the idea of getting on that plane in a couple of hours is tearing my gut up.”

  She set her coffee cup down and covered his large hand. “Same.”

  “Can I talk you into flying to Vegas this Friday?”

  “You could, but it sounds like you’re going to be busy.”

  “I’m not working twenty-four hours a day, so I’ll have some time.”

  “I’ll think about it and let you know after I check in with my boss. If I have to be at the corporate offices next week, then maybe I can come in on Sunday.”

  “I’d love nothing more,” he said as he dropped his hand to her leg. “Because I crave your company and expect to be half crazy by the weekend.”

  “I may feel a tiny bit the same.”

  “Just a tiny bit?”

  “For now.”

  “You’re playing it cool, but I respect your need to see if I’m worth investing in.” Moving his chair closer, he took her hands. “What was your favorite part of our time together?”

  Inhaling his scent, she looked up and knew that playing it cool wasn’t going to last more than a minute. “All of it.”

  “Me too,” he replied as he ran his nose along her cheek.

  “I bet the sex topped the list, though.”

  “Yeah, it definitely did, but it wouldn’t have if we didn’t have all the other stuff as well. Getting laid isn’t all that difficult to manage, but finding someone you want to share a meal with and hear every thought in their head, is.”

  “In my world getting laid isn’t easy at all, so having the kind of sex we had was freaking incredible.”

  “What about the other stuff we did?”

  Seeing the hurt in his eyes, she leaned in. “I liked the drive we took to the coast as well as the bowling game where I kicked your ass.”

  “No ass was kicked and there was only a couple of points difference in our scores.”

  “As far as I’m concerned that was an ass kicking and nothing you say will change my mind.”

  He let out a chuckle and bent over, kissing her cheek. “Somebody is a little competitive.”

  “There are not many things that I could actually beat you at, so let me enjoy my bowling victory.”

  “You like the idea of beating me at things?”

  “Considering how accomplished and capable you are, the only answer I can give you is yes.” Running her hand over the ropy muscles on his forearm, she sighed. “It’s the only way I can keep some of my self-worth and illusions that I’m not way in over my head.”

  “You are so far above my pay grade that I don’t ever have a hope of feeling like I deserve you.”

  “Not possible.”

  Lifting her chin, he frowned. “Yes, baby, it is.”

  “Agree to disagree.”

  “For now,” he replied. “So what’s on deck for you this week?”

  “I have to meet with two other security companies and complete a bunch of reports as well as check in with about a half a dozen facility managers.”

  “Not easy being the boss lady.”

  “I’m more of a ‘make sure shit goes as it should and put out any fires’ lady.” Hearing her phone buzz, she reached over and grabbed it. “Looks like I can add meeting a headhunter to my list.”

  “Why are you bothering with that?”

  “Because I’m not excited to move to Vegas and want to see what else might be available.”

  “I thought being in the same town as me would make you excited.”

  “I like that part, but we’ve only just started seeing one another, so who knows what could happen.”

  “I know what could happen.”

  “You think you know, but…”

  “Are you going to keep one foot out the door?”

  “I wasn’t planning on it.”

  “Then don’t waste your time on meeting with a headhunter and move your ass to Vegas so we can make a go of this.”

  “I’m not wasting my time, Zach. I have been with the same company since I graduated college, so it’s not a bad idea to see what I’m worth and find out what kind of other opportunities exist.”

  “I guess that’s okay.”

  “You guess,” she almost shouted. “It’s a great idea, and I probably should’ve done it a long time ago.”

  “Why don’t you come stay with me for a month and let me show you how great living in Vegas can be.”

  “I can stay at a hotel.”

  “Why would you do that when you’d be much more comfortable in my house, my bed and
arms every night?”

  “An interesting way to go about dating.”

  “We have to be in the same place to make us work, and since we don’t yet live in the same city this is the only solution.”

  “It’s a solution and certainly not the only one.”

  “But it’s the best one.”

  “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “When an idea is as good as this one…no way.”

  Deciding that laughing was better than fighting, she pulled him closer and gave him a kiss. One big enough to let him know she was going to try and be open to his crazy ideas. “Thank you for coming and making the weekend one of the best I’ve had in a very long time.”

  “My pleasure, baby,” he whispered against her mouth. “Just think of how great every day is going to be when we’re living together.”

  She pressed a kiss to his lips, hoping it would keep his crazy at bay for a bit longer.

  ***

  Zach walked into his office and felt like he’d been on another planet for four days, not a city five hundred and sixty miles away. Dropping himself into his chair, he leaned back, letting the memories from the weekend wash through him.

  “You are looking a little too love sick for my taste,” Terrence called out as he walked in and took the chair facing the desk.

  Opening one eye, Zach flipped him off. “Get used to it.”

  “Good weekend?”

  “The best,” he replied as he sat forward and ran his hand down his face. “How did it go when you met Jazzy’s family on Saturday?”

  “As good as I could’ve hoped. Her mama loves me, and her daddy doesn’t want to kill me, so I’m going to call it a success.”

  “One step closer, my friend.”

  “To what?” Cole called out as he sauntered in.

  “Marrying my sweet woman in the spring,” Terrence replied.

  Leaning against the desk, Cole fist bumped Terrence and nodded. “Happy for you.”

  “Your sour face is telling another story,” he replied. “In fact, it’s telling me you’re a little jealous.”

  “You’re marital plans are going a lot better than mine, and I’m just trying to figure out what you did to get Jazzy on board.”

  Terrence smoothed his hand down his shirt and grinned. “The woman loves my acres of cocoa brown muscles and doesn’t want to let me get away.”

  Zach snorted and twirled a pen in his fingers. “She’s a church going woman and hates the idea of sinning.”

  “Doesn’t much matter to me what’s keeping her moving in the right direction.”

  Seth walked in and crossed his arms. “Don’t you guys have anything better to talk about?”

  “No,” Cole replied as he slapped his baby brother on the shoulder. “But if you want to share where the hell you’ve been, we’d happy to listen.”

  “Doing a thing for Anthony,” he replied as he sat next to Terrence.

  “I thought we agreed that you weren’t going to take any more assignments.”

  “We agreed that I’d cut back, and I have.”

  “We’ve got plenty to keep us busy here, so taking off and putting your life on the line for something the government will deny any involvement in, is foolish,” Cole said.

  “He misses the adrenaline rush of being in combat,” Zach said as he set the pen down. “Shit is going too well, so he had to feed his need for danger in other ways.”

  “Fuck you,” Seth replied with a little heat.

  “Was it people or information you snatched out of the hands of the wrong person?” Terrence asked.

  “Both, and that’s all I’m going to say, unless any of you feel like joining me on the next one.”

  “Not a chance in hell,” Cole said firmly.

  Terrence shook his head. “Me neither.”

  “I’m not interested in hanging my ass out on some bullshit the government wants to do off the books,” Zach said before moving folders around. “I’ve given enough blood to the war on terror and plan on staying right here and building the company we’ve worked so hard for.”

  “And to make sure the woman you’re interested in knows, you’re going to be around for the one month dating anniversary,” Terrence added. “Nothing will make a woman turn tail faster than thinking a man has got more important shit to do.”

  Cole turned and raised an eyebrow. “And that answers the question I came in here with.”

  “Yeah, I had a great weekend with Cecily and—”

  “You don’t have to say more, brother, because the look on your face tells me everything I need to know.”

  “Which is?”

  “You found the one you want to keep.”

  Inhaling a long breath, Zach nodded. “Yeah, I just may have, since I want nothing more than to crack the code that is her heart.”

  Seth gagged and waved his hands. “This place is like a freaking wine bar with the three of you sharing your innermost feelings. Where are your balls, men?”

  Cole punched Seth on the arm and grinned. “Don’t worry. Someday it will happen to you, and all the sappy gooey shit we’re saying is going to make complete sense.”

  “I hope to hell it doesn’t.”

  “Yeah, who the hell would want to be happy and have an amazing partner?” Terrence asked.

  Cole stood and walked toward the door. “Yeah, it totally sucks to have a woman love me the way Kelly does. It’s everything I can do to stand the affection and caring she shows me every day, and if I weren’t a damn Marine then I’m not sure I could handle the mind-blowing sex that happens twice a day.”

  Seth flipped Cole off and heaved himself out of the chair. “I’m going back to my office so I don’t have to listen to this bullshit.”

  Terrence stood, as well, and laughed. “Which means your bullshit is coming just around the corner.”

  Zach watched the three men walk out of his office and then booted up his computer knowing he was going to do everything he could to get Cecily excited not only about Vegas, but him.

  Since he was pretty sure that having her in his life was the key to happiness.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  To accept or not. Checking the time, Cecily decided she’d had enough of it and answered the call from Zach. “Hello, handsome.”

  “Hello, beauty.”

  “I don’t have much time.”

  “Seems to be a theme this week.”

  “I know, and I’m not going to apologize since I’m trying to get enough done to come and see you this weekend.” Hearing a gust of air on the other end of the line, she knew her news made him happy. “I’m going to assume that was the proverbial sigh of relief.”

  “And you would be correct, because the two days we’ve been apart are too damn much.”

  “What would you do if we were in the same city?”

  “I’d have to close my office door to tell you since the words that would need to be used to describe my many, many fantasies are not appropriate for the office.”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of foot rubs and the like.”

  “Oh, well yeah I’d definitely do that after I made you a drink and had dinner in the oven.”

  “Now those are words a woman dreams of hearing.”

  “What about the other stuff?”

  “I like the other stuff for sure, but don’t want to hear about them since I’m sitting in a coffee shop and am about to meet with a headhunter. Sexy thoughts do not need to be circling my head while I’m trying to present my most professional persona.”

  “I like the sexy, wanton persona better.”

  “Would you like me to share that with Ford Helms?”

  “No. And who the fuck is Ford?”

  “The headhunter that’s due any minute.”

  “What are you wearing?”

  “What?”

  “You heard me?”

  “The navy wrap dress I wore to Arizona.”

  “Fuuuuck.”

  “And what does
that mean?”

  “I love that dress, and you’re too damn delicious for any other man to see you in it.”

  “I wear the dress to work all the time, and it’s completely appropriate.”

  “You hang out with old people, and their eyesight probably isn’t all that good.”

  “You’re making no sense.”

  “Don’t smile at him.”

  “Are you suggesting I frown?”

  “No, just don’t give him one of your good smiles.”

  “And what in the world is my good one?”

  “The one that makes your whisky eyes dance with flecks of gold and your nose scrunch up.”

  “That was a lot more specific than I expected.”

  “Give him the one that you give me when you’re trying to humor me but don’t want to encourage me.”

  “I have no words.”

  “Going to assume that’s a good thing.”

  “You would be wrong.”

  “I miss you, baby, and can’t wait to see your face.”

  “Is that your segue?”

  “Yeah, the road I was on was bound to get me in trouble.”

  “What are you doing today, dear?”

  “Sitting in on Seth’s meeting with a couple of government shadowy types who run ops off the books.”

  Sitting forward, she sucked in a breath. “What?”

  “Remember when I told you Seth sometimes disappears for weeks without telling us much.”

  “Yes,” she replied as a cold dread ran down her back.

  “Seth’s handler is coming into the office today and that’s never happened, so I have a feeling the next gig is going to be extra. I want to understand the devil we’re dealing with, before he accepts.”

  “Why are you dealing with any devils?”

  “Because my baby brother is, and if his ass is on the line, then having as much information as we can is a good thing.”

  “Are you going to join him on these black ops?”

  “And what do you know about black ops?”

  “What I’ve learned on TV.”

  “So, nothing.”

  “Would you tell me if you did?”

  “I would if you agreed to be my girlfriend.”