Dampening the cotton wool peroxide, he worked to clean off the blood, reopening the tiny stab wound to thoroughly cleanse it. Heather breathed through the pain, and Manny waited for the area to dry before applying the band aid.
“What you and I have, Heather, has nothing to do with the investigation. I was going to tell you the night before, to prepare you, but you already knew. I’m sorry. I had to do my job, but being with you is the best thing that has ever happened to me. And you always had Manny Baker, right from that first date.”
Sighing, Heather rolled carefully to her side, and he stood to allow her enough room to sit up. She swung her feet to place them on the floor and stared up at him, heavy sheaf of dark-blonde hair framing her sweet face, bottom lip pouting forward to meet the upper one. “I was gutted. Shattered. I trusted you and those seventeen dates were with Matthew Bourke. I don’t know Manny Baker.”
Manny went to his knees again, grasping both of Heather’s hands, relieved she didn’t pull away. “You know Manny Baker. Matthew Bourke was all about fringe benefits, on the job and off. Manny Baker got the job done this time but I found it damnably hard to concentrate. I hated to leave and couldn’t wait to return. I fell in love with you, Heather. I should have waited before we—”
“Oh, let it go, Manny. Waited for what? I’ve been thinking, not always a good thing in my case, believe me. But I know you well enough, even as Matthew Bourke to believe you weren’t getting some because you thought it was the last time to take advantage. I would have gone to bed with you on date two. It meant a lot to me that you waited until we knew one another better.”
Manny knew he was gaping. Like a fish. He would never, ever understand women. Heather had left the city in high dudgeon, preparing her apartment for a lengthy absence, deliberately building distance between them. She couldn’t know he would have ferreted out her whereabouts and come for her, or could she?
“I had a lot of alone time to think today, Manny. I know you started out cultivating me, but you hardly ever asked about my boss, my ex-boss, the killer, after a few dates. And you could have pulled back when it was clear I didn’t know squat about Grayson. You didn’t.
“I went home to Mommy. I just wanted somebody to ease my hurting. But as usual, Wanda can’t be there for me. So that leaves you, Manny. I don’t have anybody else. Scared?” Heather’s gaze didn’t waver.
“Terrified, but only of saying the wrong thing, sweetheart. I’ll be your everything if you’ll have me.”
Two perfect tears welled in Heather’s eyes and tracked down her cheeks, one sliding faster to drop free, falling to her shoulder. He leaned in and kissed the other away.
“Can we go back to your place? Your friend gave us some space, but she can’t visit other people forever.”
“I need to stop and pick up a few things, Manny. I kind of emptied out the place.”
“I know, Heather. I should tell you Mrs. Humphries and I checked out your apartment.”
Heather laughed. “Poor Mrs. Humphries. She’s an incurable romantic. I suppose she told you I might have gone to see my mom, too. She tends to share.”
“She likes roses, too.” Manny smiled as Heather flushed and looked away. “It’s fine, Heather. I had visions of you feeding each one to me, thorns and all. We’ll pick up the essentials. I have a feeling it’ll be a weekend of rest. McAllister will want his statements, but everything else can be wrapped up without either of us.”
“Not too restful, I hope.”
Well. He supposed he was up for that challenge and a certain part of his anatomy agreed. Helping Heather to her feet, they headed to the door.
“My keys!” Those particular items lay on the table by the door.
“That’s what alerted us, Heather. Smart move to drop them.”
“I was shaking so hard I could hardly manage to let them drop down the front of my leg and try to absorb the bounce with my foot. But Grayson didn’t hear them. He was too busy being the big, scary jerk.”
Manny gestured for Heather to precede him and set Moesha’s door into place, wedging the knob with a piece of wood salvaged from the jamb. He had no doubt the super would be on the scene shortly to repair it, considering Moesha’s strong personality and definite appeal.
They entered the elevator and he backed Heather against the wall, careful of her injury. He hit the lobby button right before he took her lips, holding her steady against the tender assault, pouring all of his suppressed emotions into the kiss. When they broke apart Heather gasped for air and clung to him.
“I was scared shitless, Heather. I thought he’d taken you.”
Lifting a hand to his face, she gently pushed at his hair, feathering it back from his forehead. “I was scared, too. But Moesha looked out through the peephole and saw both of us. She knew something was up from the stuff at the office and saw Grayson had shaved his head. But she wasn’t going to leave me out there with him, so my brave friend let him in.”
Manny walked Heather out to her car, respecting her thoughtful silence, opening the passenger door and ensuring she was buckled in before closing it. He rounded the vehicle and climbed into the driver’s seat, adjusting it when the steering wheel constricted his chest. The mirrors also required adjusting before he started the engine and backed out of the lot.
“If you hadn’t come when you did I would have…hurt him.”
“I doubt that, Heather. But you scared him spitless.” Manny was glad he’d interrupted that particular event. He didn’t want that vision in his head, but he was going to be Heather’s everything for the rest of his life. She and Moesha had seized the day, and overcoming their assailant would likely mean fewer nightmares and less anxiety over time. Heather would have been far more traumatized had she actually harmed Grayson.
She actually chuckled. “Yeah, he wasn’t such a tough guy flat on his back with a knife at his neck.”
The domesticity of purchasing groceries charmed him and appeared to settle Heather. She put things chosen just for him in the cart, items she would never eat. They stowed them in the car and headed back to her place. Manny thought about that stripped bed with more attention than behooved a gentleman, but he needed Heather desperately, her brush with evil intensifying his need. As soon as they entered her apartment, hauling her suitcases and the grocery sacks, he gave Heather a gentle push toward the bedroom.
“Make up the bed, Heather, while I put the perishables away. We’ll eat later.”
Eyes huge in her face, glittering with desire, Heather nodded wordlessly and went. He put things away in record time before ensuring the deadbolt was set on the door as well as the safety chain. An errant thought that Mrs. Humphries might come to check on Heather had him fumbling for his cell.
“So she’s home? And is she all right?” The older woman’s voice was anxious.
“She’s home and fine,” Manny assured her. “I’ll have her call you later after she’s had a rest.”
“Oh, of course. She’ll need a rest.” Mrs. Humphries didn’t sound like the naïve old woman he recalled from a few hours ago, and he smiled before saying good-bye. He went to find Heather.
Water ran in the bathroom and Manny pulled his clothes off, tossing them over the bench at the foot of the bed. Plain cotton sheets adorned the mattress and he decided they had more shopping to do, because Heather deserved the best. There were limitless possibilities and experiences ahead of them.
Chapter Ten
Legs tangled with Manny’s, pinned to the mattress by the weight of his shoulder on her hair, tethered in a very acceptable way, Heather stared sleepily into the dark. Manny slept deeply at her side but she wanted to savor the moment. She could sleep any time. All the stress and turmoil of the past few days had fallen away under the experienced tutelage of his lips and hands, the driving thrusts of his hard shaft.
Emerging from the bathroom earlier, having freshened up and changed into a nightgown, her first sight was of a very naked Manny, standing in the middle of her bedroom. His need fo
r her was obvious, although his face was tender, eyes gentle. She went to him and he caught her up in his arms, once again kissing her breathless. Her nightgown inched up her thighs, aided by Manny’s questing hands. He stepped away far enough to pull it up and over her head, allowing the silky material to float to the floor.
“You are so lovely.”
She closed her eyes against the overpowering need in his, her breasts tightening in response, her sex swelling and dampening to prepare for him. He took her down with him to the bed, turning at the last moment to lower her body over his, protecting her injury. The hard, muscled heat of him spiked Heather’s senses and she dipped her head to trace Manny’s lips with her tongue before peppering little kisses over the delineated muscles of his pectorals, drifting lower to the ridges of his abdomen. He groaned his pleasure and ran his big hands over her sides.
“Making me crazy here, Heather.”
“Good. That’s the plan.” She shifted her weight up over him and pressed her wet apex against his hard shaft, feeling the pulsing strength of him, her need escalating. Moving to set her knees on either side of his hips, leaving her open and vulnerable to him, she felt the broad head of his desire notch against her opening.
“I’m not protected,” he protested.
“The timing’s perfect, Manny. I am.” Heather lowered herself, inch by excruciating inch over him, fully encompassing his shaft, observing how his features became etched with the strain of controlled desire. Looking her fill. She leaned forward to kiss him and revelled in sharing his very breath. His hands covered her breasts, rolling their tender tips between his fingers, spurring her on.
She sat back and began to move, lifting and lowering her body, undulating in place, connected to Manny in the most intimate manner possible. Rejoicing in their connection she moved faster, his hands now gripping her hips, eyes locked with hers. The telltale warnings of imminent release closed in and her rhythm faltered. Manny surged to meet her, pushing her over, joining her, and she collapsed on his sweaty chest, heart hammering in her own,
Heather lay contently, just thinking. Manny had cooked for them, an omelette, mirroring their former Sunday together, and she sat and watched, wrapped in a robe. He looked mouthwateringly handsome in a pair of plaid boxers, strong physique nicely displayed. They talked about the future. Advising Manny she had registered for college didn’t faze him.
“My job will force me to travel, Heather, at least at this point. But there are other opportunities for me, closer, here. We’ll figure it out, make it work. I’m not inclined to have a long-distance relationship, but you’ll get your degree.”
She simply accepted his reassurance. Their relationship had withstood considerable adversity to this point, so she refused to worry. He had helped her with the dishes, commenting that he had nowhere to rush to, other than back to her bed. They shared a shower, Manny washing her body with tender care and careful attention. She shivered a little to think of her reaction. And then they went back to bed for the night, but not to sleep, at least not right away.
Heather smiled, and shivered again. Neither of them thought about her back that time and the injury certainly hadn’t registered. Manny took her on his terms, telegraphing his urgent need, pushing her over time and again before shuddering in her arms, moaning his love.
“Sweetheart?” He turned slightly.
“Uh-huh?”
“Can’t sleep?”
“Soon, Manny, just thinking good thoughts. About us.”
“Us. That sounds good.”
“Oh, it is, Manny.”
No longer held in place by his weight on her hair, Heather turned her face to find Manny’s mouth, kissing him good night. He pulled her closer and she felt him relax again into slumber. Her everything.
THE END
WWW.PERIELIZABETHSCOTT.COM
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Peri Elizabeth Scott lives in Manitoba, Canada. She and her husband have a wonderful son, and a houseful of animals. She works part time in private practice as a social worker and child play therapist. Peri has written for years, mostly short stories and poetry, and reads everything she can lay her hands on. She has only recently turned to penning contemporary romance, although has published dark erotica under another pen name.
For all titles by Peri Elizabeth Scott, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/peri-elizabeth-scott
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Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
About the Author
Be Your Everything [All for Love] (BookStrand Publishing Romance) Page 12
