Barely Breathing (Colorado High Country #1)

by Pamela Clare

  Austin started to object, but Sutherland cut him off. “You had one hell of a day out there. I should’ve sent you home when medical cleared you. I let you stay on because I thought it would help you work off some of the adrenaline. You’ve done more than your share today. Go home. That’s an order.”

  Shit.

  Austin reached for his hand mic. “Fifty-six-twenty, end of watch. Goodnight.”

  “Fifty-six-twenty. Good job today. Glad you’re safe. Eighteen-oh-seven.”

  Sutherland slapped him on the shoulder. “Get some rest this weekend.”

  “Yeah.” Austin glanced around, feeling strangely disoriented.

  Where the hell had he parked?

  He spotted his service vehicle on the other side of the blue portable latrine that served as the property’s only restroom. He walked to the truck, stashed his gear in the back, then climbed inside and started the engine, listening in his earpiece as one of the sheriff’s deputies took over as Russey Command.

  It was over. He was going home in one piece.

  “Goddammit!” He slammed a fist against the steering wheel, rage that had been on slow burn inside him all afternoon exploding.

  The bastard was going to get away. Whoever he was, he was going to get away. Unless the CSI unit found prints on that backpack that just happened to be in the system, they wouldn’t even know who he was. He’d be free to shoot at the next person in a uniform who crossed his path.

  “Son of a bitch!”

  Austin closed his eyes, drew a few deep breaths, then drove back to the Parks and Open Space office, where he checked in his vehicle and filled out an incident report.

  “Good work, Taylor.”

  “It’s good to see you in one piece, man.”

  Feeling on edge, he dropped the report on Sutherland’s desk, then walked outside. He found Hawke leaning against his Tahoe, waiting for him.

  “I hear someone took shots at you. I just wanted you to know it wasn’t me.”

  Austin met Hawke’s gaze, chuckled. “You wouldn’t have missed.”

  “Damned straight.” Hawke stepped forward and crushed Austin against him in a bear hug, slapping his back for good measure. “Goddamn, buddy. I’m glad you’re okay.”

  “Yeah. Me, too.” Some of the tension inside Austin eased away.

  At least Hawke was over the Lexi thing.

  Hawke released him, stepped back, cleared his throat. “Lexi called.”

  Or maybe not.

  “Yeah?” Austin opened his SUV, tossed his backpack in the back.

  “You two really can’t keep your hands off each other, can you?”

  Jesus! How much had Lexi told him?

  Still, it was the truth.

  “I didn’t go to Knockers that night with a plan to hook up with her if that’s what you were wondering.”

  “That’s what she said. Shitty timing on my part—again.”

  “I guess so.” Austin peeled off his duty belt.

  “Also, sorry about what I said. No matter how much you mess up your life, I’ve got your back.”

  “I know.”

  “So how’s this?” Hawke motioned to the bandage on Austin’s neck.

  “Fine. Just a nick.” Austin yanked off the bandage, crumpled it, tossed it into the backseat.

  Hawke leaned in, looked at the graze. “Shit. That’s nothing. You’ve gotten worse injuries climbing at the gym.”

  “That’s what I said.” Still, the EMTs had insisted on treating him and checking him for shock.

  “Let me buy you a drink at Knockers.”

  Austin didn’t feel like hanging out, but he didn’t say so. “A drink?”

  “Let’s celebrate. My best friend didn’t get his damned head shot off today.”

  Austin grinned. “I’ll follow you into town.”

  Lexi took Megs up on the invitation to join her and the rest of the Team at Knockers. When Austin walked in, Eric beside him, cheers went up throughout the pub. He shook his head, an embarrassed grin on his handsome face.

  Lexi couldn’t stop herself. She jumped to her feet, ran to him, and wrapped her arms around him, realizing at the last moment that he might not be up for a public display. She started to draw back, but his arms surrounded her, held her tight.

  He pressed a kiss to her hair. “God, it’s good to see you.”

  “I’m so glad you’re okay.” Her gaze dropped to the wound beneath his ear, a deep scratch about two inches long, her stomach twisting.

  He’d come close to being shot and killed today.

  She and Eric shared a glance, and she saw a flash of emotion—regret?—in his eyes before he looked away.

  Then Rain came up behind them. “Joe says your money isn’t good here tonight, Taylor. Your drinks are on us. What will it be?”

  “That’s awfully nice of him. Thanks. Scotch, straight up.”

  “How does Macallan sound?” Rain asked.

  Austin grinned. “The good stuff? I won’t say no.”

  His fellow Team members laughed, but Rain’s expression went serious. “We take care of our own around here.”

  For some reason, her words put a lump in Lexi’s throat. Her friends in Chicago had never said anything like that. When she’d needed them to stand beside her, everyone but Vic had abandoned her.

  Austin slid his arm around her shoulder, and the two of them sat in a spot near the center of the tables that Team members had pushed together.

  “Heard the bastard almost got you.” Mitch got to his feet and leaned in to look at the wound on Austin’s neck. “Hell, that’s nothing. You got more beat up than that on our last training mission.”

  More laughter.

  Lexi ordered a glass of chardonnay and a salad, listening while Team members expressed their relief that Austin was okay, the women coming right out and saying it, the men ribbing him as if the whole thing were a joke.

  “Can’t believe you didn’t shit your pants.”

  “You do realize you had a firearm, too, don’t you?”

  “That will teach you to waste time watching pretty birdies on duty.”

  Austin laughed with them, but there was something forced in his smile. When Conrad challenged him to a little competition on the rock wall, he declined. “Sorry, but I’m wiped.”

  Couldn’t they see the shadows in his eyes or the tight lines on his face?

  Lexi waited till he’d finished his burger, then took his hand beneath the table and gave it a squeeze, whispering in his ear. “Let’s get out of here.”

  He squeezed her hand back, dropped a five on the table as a tip for Rain, and got to his feet. “I’m headed home. Thanks, everyone.”

  Megs followed them toward the front door. “Don’t worry about tomorrow’s training. Take the day to yourself, and let me know if you want to set up an appointment with Esri. I’m sure—”

  “I’m fine, Megs. I don’t need a day off, and I don’t need to talk to Esri.”

  “I knew you’d say that.” Megs frowned. “Listen. Someone took a shot at you today. That can fuck with a person’s mind. We can’t afford to have you on lead if your head isn’t a hundred percent in the game.”

  “I’m fine.”

  Megs nodded. “Okay. Show up tomorrow, but if you seem distracted, I’ll pull you from the exercise.”

  Austin nodded, but Lexi could tell he was irritated. “Fair enough.”

  “Get some rest. We’ll see you in the morning.” With that, Megs turned and walked back to the table.

  As they stepped out the front door into the cool night air, Austin swore under his breath. “Sometimes she drives me crazy.”

  “Sorry, but I’m with Megs on this one.”

  Austin grinned down at her. “Traitor.”

  Austin left Lexi playing with Mack in the kitchen and made his way upstairs to the shower, weariness beating through him with every step. He knew it for what it was—an adrenaline hangover. He’d felt like this a few times after Team missions that had failed. It was noth
ing that a hot shower and a good night’s sleep couldn’t fix.

  He stripped out of his uniform, stopping in front of the bathroom mirror to examine the graze on his neck. Ahearn was right. It was nothing.

  He turned on the water, stepped under the spray, and closed his eyes.

  Bam! Bam!

  Rifle shots echoed through his mind, made his pulse spike.

  Get a grip, man.

  He willed himself to relax, washing the sweat off his body, shampooing his hair, then reaching for a razor and shaving. He wrapped his towel around his hips and walked back to his bedroom, where he found Lexi waiting for him, stretched out on his bed in nothing but black lacy panties.

  “I put Mack in his crate.” She got to her feet, closed the distance between them, then took hold of the towel and gave a yank. “I’m a firm believer in sex therapy.”

  Blood surged into his cock. “Yeah?”

  He hadn’t been expecting this.

  “In cases like this, fellatio is particularly effective.”

  Holy shit. “Is that so?”

  “Definitely.” She pushed him onto his back on the bed, then straddled him, bringing his thoughts to a standstill with a kiss.

  He let her take the lead, palming her naked breasts, the feel of them heavy in his hands, their soft pink nipples pebbling at his touch.

  “I was so afraid for you.” Her lips were hot against his, her voice a whisper. “God, Austin.”

  He slid a hand into her hair, drew her head back, looked into her eyes. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m okay.”

  “Thank God.” When her mouth took his again, there was an urgency to the kiss that surprised him, a raw current of emotion shuddering through her.

  He took everything she gave, then turned the tables and demanded more, nipping her lower lip with his teeth, then soothing it with his tongue.

  Damn, she tasted good.

  She pushed off his chest, her wet and swollen lips curving into a smile that melted him down to the marrow, one hand closing around his cock.

  God. This might be worth getting shot at.

  She ducked down again, kissing her way down his chest and belly, her fingers stroking him slowly, root to tip.

  He gathered up her red hair and drew it to the side so that he could watch, his abdominal muscles jerking when she teased his obliques with her tongue. They were her favorite muscles. Still, a man could only take so much of this. The anticipation was killing him, his cock aching to be inside her.

  Mouth. Pussy. Either one would be really good.

  Now.

  She finally gave him what he wanted, taking him into the heat of her mouth, licking his cock from the base to the aching head.

  His hips gave an involuntary buck, one of his hands fisting in her hair, the other clutching the sheets. “Jesus!”

  At first, she teased him, circling the tip with her tongue, licking the underside as if he were a lollipop, the sensations a kind of torment. “God, I love your cock.”

  She was echoing the words he’d said to her last night, and, damn it was sexy, the heat in her eyes making his pulse skip.

  She seemed to mean what she said, moaning as she moved up and down his length, her hand and mouth working together, stroking and twisting, the pressure just right. And, God, what she was doing with her tongue…

  Fuck!

  He fought to hold still, not wanting to force himself deeper into her mouth than she was prepared to handle. But, damn, she wasn’t making it easy, his balls already drawing tight, the first hint of climax building in his groin.

  She seemed to realize he was near the edge. She stopped, blew breath across his wet cock, her lips tracing kisses over his obliques again.

  “Have mercy, woman.” He was out of breath, his heart thrumming in his chest.

  “Good orgasms come to those who wait.” Her gaze met and held his as she took him into her mouth once more.

  Again she took him to the edge, and again she stopped, pressing kisses to his thighs, his belly, his balls, making him moan with frustration.

  “Third time’s a charm.”

  Somehow he managed to speak. “Promises, promises.”

  This time, she took him hard and fast to the edge, fucking him with her mouth, her tongue, her lips, and her hand synched together in a rhythm that drove him out of his mind. Orgasm crashed in on him, a shockwave of blinding pleasure washing through him as she finished him with her hand.

  He lay there, spent, his head empty, his body weightless, while she wiped the cum off his abdomen with a tissue then snuggled beside him.

  “Good God, Lexi. You are…” What word could describe what she’d just done to him? “You are incredible.”

  She kissed him, soft kisses on his cheeks and lips, her fingers curling through his hair. “Thanks for not getting killed today.”

  He took her into his arms and held her.

  Chapter 10

  Lexi awoke to find herself intensely aroused, Austin’s big hand caressing her breast from behind, his thumb making slow circles over her nipple.

  He nuzzled her ear, his voice deep and sleepy. “Good morning, beautiful.”

  The first hint of daylight shone through his open bedroom window, fresh mountain air carrying the scent of pine.

  “Morning. Mmm.” She gave a little moan as he tugged on her erect nipple then teased the very tip with his palm, the sensation heightening her desire, making her ache.

  Last night, he’d fallen into an exhausted sleep almost immediately—something he’d never done before—and she suspected he was making up for that now. Not that Lexi had cared. He’d had one hell of a day. She’d done what she’d done to help him relax, not because she expected anything in return. Still, this was nice payback.

  Delayed gratification was worth the wait when Austin was involved.

  “Do you have any idea how much you turn me on?” He pressed his erection against her bottom, his hand leaving her breast to cup her, his fingers finding and teasing her clit. “You’re already wet.”

  Pleasure shivered through her—but it wasn’t enough. “Now.”

  He chuckled, nipped her shoulder with sharp teeth. “Patience, woman.”

  He kept up his assault, his hand busy between her thighs, his lips caressing the sensitive skin of her nape with little butterfly kisses. She lifted her leg, tried to drape it over his, but her ankles were caught in the sheets.

  He kicked the covers away, nudged his knee between her thighs, enabling her to open herself to his touch. “Yeah, that’s right. Let me in.”

  She moaned as he teased the entrance to her vagina—and then slipped a finger inside her. “Fuck me, damn it!”

  “You give head with that dirty mouth?” he teased, withdrawing his hand and starting to turn away. “I need to grab a condom.”

  She held onto his wrist. “It’s okay. I’ve got an IUD.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this? We’ve never—”

  “Yes. Now!”

  He entered her with one slow thrust, his exhale becoming a moan. “Jesus, Lexi.”

  They’d never had sex without a condom before. Lexi had been so afraid of getting pregnant as a teenager that they’d always used condoms and the pill. But she wasn’t a teen now. And, God, neither was Austin.

  Did this feel as good for him as it did for her?

  He adjusted the angle of her thigh where it draped over his, spreading her legs farther apart, moving in sweet slow strokes that already promised her heaven. Then he went back to work on her clit, flicking and teasing her.

  One of her hands fisted in the sheets, the other grabbing onto Austin’s arm, her face turned into her pillow as he fucked her from behind. He was driving into her now, hard and fast, and she was moaning like a porn star. Why, oh, why didn’t they spend every spare moment fucking? When it felt this good ...

  “Austin!” Orgasm sang through her, bright and beautiful as the rising sun.

  But he was there, too.

  He thrust into her hard onc
e, twice, three times, his breath hot against her nape as he came inside her.

  For a moment, they lay there in silence. His cock was still inside her, his heart beating hard against her back.

  Her heart was pounding, too, little ripples of pleasure still washing through her. “We should spend all our time having sex.”

  He chuckled, kissed her hair. “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing?”

  She thought about that for a moment, laughed. “I guess so.”

  He gave a little thrust with his hips, his erection beginning to fade. “It felt incredible to be inside you without a condom. I didn’t think I’d last.”

  “I enjoyed it, too.”

  “Shit.” He kissed her, withdrew, reached for a box of tissues, handing her one. “Time for breakfast. I’ve got an hour and a half to get all the way to Eldorado Canyon State Park.”

  She sat. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

  “Are you kidding me?” He leaned in, kissed her, his gaze soft. “I could take on the world right now.”

  The warmth in his eyes left no doubt as to why.

  Her heart seemed to trip.

  “Hey, you should come with me.”

  “Can I do that?”

  “Sure.” He got out of bed, walked naked toward the bathroom.

  The sight of his body sent a flutter through her belly because—my gentle Jesus!—he was glorious. He really ought to be bronzed. Or carved into marble. Or dragged back into bed.

  “You can hang back and watch.”

  She was watching. Wait—what was he saying?

  Oh, yeah. Today’s training.

  “You’re part of the Team now, aren’t you?”

  Lexi liked the way that sounded. “I guess so.”

  She reached for her phone, saw that Britta had left a message sometime last night. She’d have to call her back later. But Kendra still hadn’t gotten back to her, and her father didn’t seem to want her around. Why shouldn’t she hang with the Team today?

  She got to her feet. “I’ll have to go home first to shower and change.”

  “You can shower here. I’ve got a spare toothbrush.” His gaze raked over her. “We’ll find something for you to wear.”