He braced himself over me with a forearm curled above my head, as his other hand started to leisurely trail over my chest. His fingers were surprisingly gentle whenever they encountered a scar, old or new. Apparently, he not only wanted to seduce, he wanted to soothe, as well.
Before I could get completely caught up in the moment, I asked, “You’re the one in a bad mood. Shouldn’t I do something to make you feel better?” I wasn’t ignorant of where things had been headed the moment I let him in the door. I was surprised that instead of letting me distract him, he was doing his best to keep me off balance and wound up.
“If you don’t think seeing you like this, getting to touch you like this, doesn’t instantly make me feel better, you haven’t been paying attention.” His warm lips dragged across the ridge of my cheekbone and down across my jaw. I bit back a moan when I felt the edge of his teeth on the side of my neck. I liked that he didn’t treat me as if I was going to break any second. I was so tired of feeling broken and fragile, it was nice to be treated normally by someone. I wanted to be seen as desirable, as something more than a burden.
What was happening between the two of us might boil down to the need for a distraction from the building complications in our lives, but what a distraction it was.
My abs tightened almost painfully when one of Rodie’s thumbs brushed lightly over my nipple. His fingers purposefully traced a path downward, as his mouth moved along my neck, then up to my ear. When I felt the nip of his teeth on my earlobe any remaining resistance drifted away.
I arched into his touch as his fingers outlined the muscles of my stomach, tracing the carved indents that arrowed sharply down into the soft fabric of the sweats. I was glad I hadn’t lost most of the definition in my abs since he seemed to appreciate how the hours of hard work had paid off.
When his fingers hit the fine, pale trail of blond hair that disappeared into the waistband of my pants, I put my hands to work trying to wrestle him out of his ugly uniform shirt. I was in decent shape, but I had nothing on him. I could tell whenever we were pressed closely together how strong he was. I could see it when he moved a certain way and all those muscles strained against the seams of his clothes. He was taller than I was, bigger, but in no way did he make me feel delicate or small in comparison. I liked that he didn’t try and rein in his strength when he handled me.
I must’ve been more eager and impatient than I thought. Buttons popped and hit the wood floors with tiny pings. Rodie chuckled against my skin as my seeking hands finally found bare skin. He had tale-tell patches that were lifted and smooth, scattered across his shoulders and torso, much like I did. There a light dusting of freckles on his collarbone, making me wonder if he’d been more of a redhead than he was now back in his youth. His skin tone was lighter than mine, but he had an attractive patch of burnished chest hair, where I was smooth. We both appeared to appreciate the fine art of manscaping, but I was right about his body being something close to perfection.
He looked like one of those ancient Greek statues carved out of marble, pale and perfect, even with the scars and marks littered all over him. I couldn’t remember a single time I’d been with anyone who understood what it was like to have the body of a survivor. I never dated anyone in my field because it was easier that way. Every single time things progressed to the point where clothes started coming off, I had to issue warnings and explanations. It was eye-opening to be with someone who simply knew. With Rodie, there was a sense of relief, a sense of rightness I’d never felt before.
The instant his hand slipped past the barrier of my pants, I felt like an electrical current shot through me. His palm was warm and sure when it wrapped around the pulsing length of my cock. It felt like my brain short-circuited. The entire world narrowed to the places on my body where Rodie was touching me, where he was tasting me.
His mouth slid over mine as his hand started a steady glide up and down the rigid length between my legs. I could feel his cock straining, pressing against my leg, and I wanted desperately to get my hands on it, but he kept me pinned beneath him as he manhandled me into submission. I swore against his questing mouth, and felt him smile in response. He knew he was driving me out of my mind, and he loved every second of the control he had over me.
My shoulders came off the table when his thumb skillfully slipped over the damp head of my cock. There was already moisture leaking from the slit, and Rodie’s gaze turned absolutely predatory when he pulled that kind of response from me. His kiss turned dangerous and demanding as he shifted to pull the stretchy material of my sweats out of the way. My cock immediately stood upright. The sight was erotic and undeniably sexy as Rodie’s hand wrapped back around it.
I moved restlessly underneath him as his mouth lifted from mine and moved to the center of my chest. I felt like I was going to go up in flames everywhere his mouth touched. I muttered his name and slid my fingers through his thick hair. I felt him smile as I held his head, guiding it lower. Anticipation tightened my entire body, and I’m pretty sure I forgot how to breathe for a minute.
“Pretty.” Rodie rasped the word against my lower abdomen. I would’ve been insulted if it was anyone else, but I knew he really did think I was pretty, even in my tattered state. There was a level of reassurance in that single word that I had no idea I needed.
A moment later his mouth replaced his hand on my overly eager dick and I couldn’t stop a long, loud moan from pouring out of my mouth. The heat and wetness surrounding my hard flesh was everything. His hand most certainly felt good, his mouth was unbelievably better. It was the best.
He swirled his tongue in such a way that spots of white exploded behind my eyelids. My back arched, and my hands pulled relentlessly at his hair. My hips lifted, chasing pleasure and his warm mouth, as Rodie took me apart with every flick of his tongue and every precise and practiced suck. I wasn’t sure if anyone had ever handled me this well, this thoroughly. If they had, their memory was about to be replaced because I was never going to forget how well and how quickly he learned what I liked.
When the tip of his tongue slid across the slippery slit, picking up the drops of fluid there, I knew I wasn’t going to last much longer. I’d been alone and on the mend for a long time. I already had a hair trigger, and considering he’d been the star in all of my most recent fantasies, there was no holding out against his skilled ministrations. He was like a symphony conductor, expertly making my body play the tune he wanted.
I pried my eyes open, and our gazes locked with an intensity I wasn’t prepared for.
The way he was looking at me, the absolute appreciation in those green eyes, was all it took to push me over the edge. I didn’t even have the chance to warn Rodie. Between one gasp and another, I exploded in a rush of pleasure and nearly pulled out a handful of his hair in my lust-induced euphoria.
I heard him swallow reflexively, then chuckle as he pulled away from my happily satiated dick. He sat up, dragged the back of his hand across his mouth, and looked at me with a lifted eyebrow. Part of me wanted to wipe that cocky, satisfied smile off his face, but a bigger part of me realized he deserved it. There was no denying he was as good at giving head as he was at everything else.
I swore, throwing an arm over my eyes as he rose to his feet.
“Gotta say, I ended this crap day on a high note. You know how to make a man smile, Special Agent.” I jolted when he caught one of my nipples between his fingers and gave it a tug. “Thanks for letting me in tonight, Wyatt.”
I knew he was getting ready to say goodbye, so I bolted upright and reached for him. I caught one of his elbows and told him, “Don’t go.” I was going to have to get creative with my physical limitations, because there was no way I was getting back up if I got down on my knees, but I wanted, no needed, to return the favor.
Rodie gave me a considering look and asked, “You sure you want me to stay?”
I nodded, holding out a hand so he could help me off the table. “I’m sure.”
I didn’t k
now much of anything at the moment when it came to my life. But I knew without question, I wasn’t finished with Rodie Collins in any way, shape, or form.
Rodie
“Sorry I’m late.” I pulled my hat off and slid into the booth across from Miranda. We hadn’t been able to make a dinner date work, but I offered to buy her breakfast before work the last time we chatted. I didn’t know I would be driving in from the Warner Ranch, or that I would be reluctant to leave the bed that had a very naked Wyatt Bryant in it. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d spent the night sleeping next to someone. I’d forgotten how nice it was to sleep skin to skin and how sweet the sound of someone else’s soft breathing could be. I would’ve stayed in that spot next to him forever if it was an option.
Miranda gave me one of her sad smiles as she looked at me over the top of her menu. “Are you actually sorry?”
I chuckled because she knew me so well. “No. What I was doing was worth being a little late.”
Wyatt might not be able to bend and move fluidly, but he was creative, and when he wanted something, there wasn’t much that could stop him from getting it. I took a lot of pride in being able to satisfy my partner, but so did he. I’d had a feeling when all of his intensity and focus was directed at something pleasurable, it would be devastating, and I was right. For the first time in forever, I felt like I very well might have met my match. So even though I was late and it was early in the morning after a night of little sleep, I was still smiling and remembering all the ways Wyatt used his hands and mouth on my very willing body.
Miranda set down the menu and tilted her head to the side as she considered me silently for a moment. “You look happy, Rhodes. I wasn’t sure what was different about you when you brought your special agent in to see me, but now I know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you look this way.”
I picked up a menu, even though I knew what was offered by heart. This diner was close to the sheriff’s office and the only restaurant open late in Sheridan. I ate here once or twice a week and knew almost all of the waitstaff by name.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve looked this way, Miranda.” I gave her a pointed look. “You deserve to be happy more than anyone I know.”
We both looked up as the waitress stopped at the edge of the table, dropping off two steaming mugs of coffee. With a sleepy smile, she asked if I wanted my regular order and if Miranda was ready to place hers. Once we were alone again, I put my forearms on the table and leaned toward my longtime friend and advocate.
“Do you ever think about leaving Sheridan and starting over somewhere else?” When Wyatt asked why I stayed somewhere I’d never felt like I didn’t belong, I had a hard time coming up with a good reason why. The only thing I could think of was that Sheridan was my hometown and I knew what to expect day in and day out. After a career spent in warzones, and never knowing if this day would be my last, the predictability was nice.
Miranda wrapped her small hands around her mug and watched me over the rim as she took a sip. She made a face and pulled her gaze away from mine. “Where would I go?” She sighed and tapped her nails on the side of the mug. “I’m too old to start over.”
I shook my head in automatic denial. “No, you’re not. What you are is too young to give up and accept that this sadness and emptiness is all there is to your life. You can find someone to make you smile again. You can find a new version of happiness, Miranda.” All she had to do was put the work in.
She made a sound and blinked wide eyes at me. “I think you’re oversimplifying things. Not all of us are so lucky to have a smoking hot special agent fall into our laps. Think about it, if Wyatt wasn’t injured, he never would have found himself recovering here. You met him before he was hurt and never made a move because you knew he was going back to Washington. Are you telling me you would’ve chased after the man? Do you think he would have let you catch him when he was able to run away?”
I did my best not to flinch at her insightful observation. I’d wanted Wyatt from the start, but I hadn’t done anything about it because he was going to leave, and I knew that I wasn’t going anywhere. It seemed impossible until Wyatt got injured and ended up back in Wyoming. I wasn’t about to let my chance pass me by, but Miranda had a point. If he disappeared tomorrow, there was a good chance I wasn’t going after him.
I cleared my throat a little louder than necessary and picked up my own mug. “We’re talking about you, not me. I know you loved Abe more than anything and losing him is not something you’ll ever fully get over. But you have one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen. I know you have more love to give.” Abe Connelly had saved my life on more than one occasion, and I credited him for making me into a man I could be proud of most of the time. I still wasn’t over my former CO’s death, and struggled with it daily, wondering if there was more I could’ve done to prevent what happened with him.
Losing someone you loved was never easy, but when you lost someone to suicide, there were so many more questions and lingering regrets wrapped up in the grief. It was a tangled web that was difficult to fight through. And just when you thought you were free and clear, fine, gossamer tendrils would cling to you in the form of memories, reminding you the loss was always there, the hole the person left in your heart was never fully filled.
“I still miss him every day,” I told her quietly.
That heartbreaking smile tugged at her mouth. She reached across the table and put one of her hands over mine. “I know you do.” She sighed slightly, and blinked eyes that were suddenly teary. “I won’t leave because he’s still here. I feel him in our home, in the land he loved. I’ll never forget how excited he was when I agreed to his crazy plan to move to Wyoming and become a cowboy.” She let out a strained laugh and pulled back to shyly wipe at her eyes. “I hated you before I got the chance to know you. I don’t know if I ever told you that.”
I gave her a shocked look and leaned back in the booth. “What!?” Miranda was key in my recovery. She was the only loving, maternal figure I’d ever had in my life. She had gone above and beyond nursing me back to health, and we’d held each other together when my CO was no longer around to do it for us. She was never anything other than loving and kind to me.
She laughed again, but this time there was a spark of humor in her gaze. “When Abe told me he wanted to uproot our entire life and move to some place in Wyoming I’d never heard of, I thought he’d lost his mind. I knew he was burned out mentally and physically from his career in the military, but I guess I never realized just how exhausted he was. He went on and on about this place and the kid who came from here. He admired you so much. You really were like the son he never had. I was convinced he never would’ve had such a wild idea if it hadn’t been for you.” She playfully narrowed her eyes at me and pointed a finger at the end of my nose. “I spent my first Wyoming winter cursing you out in every way imaginable.”
Winter in Wyoming was on a different level. The cold was brutal. The landscape empty and barren. During the summer, Sheridan was an outdoor lover’s dream and the state’s economy thrived on tourism. In the winter, this place was like something out of an apocalypse. The wind was enough to strip the skin from your bones, and bitter cold made it almost impossible to go outside. I didn’t blame her for not wanting to suffer through that year after year, but I knew she did so willingly because of her love for the man who’d been like a father to me.
I started to apologize, to tell her that I had no clue I was influencing my former CO when I talked about home, but she quickly shushed me and waved off the words.
“As soon as we settled in, Abe was at peace. I think moving here gave me more time with him. I knew he was unhappy when he retired, but I didn’t know how deep that depression ran. It went away for a while when we came here, but started to seep back in slowly. It seemed to fade again when he brought you home and was focused on helping you heal, but once you were back on your feet, I could tell he was sinking into the darkness again. I always wanted forev
er with Abe, but deep down, I knew I was only going to get him for a short amount of time. I love that this place let me keep him with me a little longer, so I don’t think I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon. You, on the other hand,” her eyebrows danced upwards knowingly, “This place takes and takes from you and has yet to give much back in return. I’ve never understood why you seem so determined to stay.”
Wyatt’s words telling me I deserved better rang in my ears.
When I was younger, I honestly believed I deserved the poor treatment and I got everywhere I went. I thought the judgment was normal and that I’d never really done anything to earn the acceptance and respect I so desperately wanted. I knew better now. I’d done nothing wrong back then, and neither had my mother. It made no sense that I was now literally back at the very beginning of my life, trying to fit in and belong, while risking my life for people who didn’t give a damn about me.
“The mayor found someone to run against me in the upcoming election, and his assistant is trying to blackmail me into having an affair with her.” I bit the words out. Furious just thinking about the stupid game I was caught in.
The waitress popped back up at the edge of the table, placed our breakfast in front of us, and asked if we needed anything else. Miranda politely sent her on her way, leaning over the food-laden plate with huge eyes.
“What are you going to do about both of those things? Is there someone you can report them to?”
Detour (The Getaway Series Book 5) Page 11
