HIS Choice (H.I.S. #2)

by Sheila Kell

  In the middle of nowhere, they stopped at a remote, rustic house with a light dusting of snow on the roof. Smoke escaped the chimney. The cozy look had her eager to explore.

  Kate and a Dalmatian met them at the door, welcoming them to her home and headquarters.

  Megan walked into the large, open living room, her eyes zeroed in on the men with guns. She’d met most of them at the hospital. AJ, leaning on a cane, introduced her to them again. For some reason, she immediately knew these men would do anything to protect her and AJ.

  A man who looked similar to AJ and his brothers, but had longer curly hair and a softer, more sensual appeal, walked up to her and introduced himself as Devon. She’d almost laughed out loud. She’d expected a computer geek look. She should’ve expected another handsome man. Their father, U.S. Senator Blake Hamilton was an appealing man. His boys were younger versions of him.

  A squeal erupted and a flash of red passed her and threw itself at AJ. Devon reached back to keep him from falling on the floor.

  “Uncle AJ! You came! You came!” A beautiful dark haired child with an angelic face of five or six wrapped her tiny arms around him, holding his legs tight.

  Kate lifted her into his free arm. “Remember what I told you. Be careful, he’s hurt,” she whispered to the little girl.

  “I will, Momma.” The child’s attempt at a whisper failed.

  AJ smiled and kissed the girl on the forehead. “I had to come see you, Reagan. I’ve missed you.”

  She pulled back. “Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I have a new brother. And guess what?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “What?”

  “He’s hurt. And guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I’m babysitting a cat. And guess what?”

  The room erupted in light chuckles at AJ being assaulted with a question the child had mastered.

  “What?”

  “You missed Amber’s birthday. She turned three.” In her attempt to display the number, she held three tiny fingers up with one hand and used the other hand to hold her thumb and pinky down.

  His smile faded, and his body visibly tensed.

  “Reagan, meet Ms. Megan.”

  The little girl smiled and stuck out her hand for a handshake. “Are you Bob’s mom?”

  Grasping Reagan’s small, soft hand, she responded, “Hi, Reagan. I am. Is he around?” Megan hadn’t thought of her cat in days. Kate had told her about his antics, but he’d slipped her mind. Megan’s thoughts had been filled with the man before her. She had to get her head screwed back on correctly.

  The little girl squirmed away from her uncle and ran off.

  “Hey, doll.”

  Megan turned and gave a small squeal of her own. She threw her arms around him. “Trent, you’re okay.”

  “Not as okay as AJ. My bullet hit bone so I’m out of business for a while.” He waved down to a brace on his leg.

  Her heart sank. “I’m so sorry. I’ll pay you for the time you can’t work. It’s only fair.”

  He chuckled. “Doll, you aren’t paying me. It’s a work hazard. Besides, you were worth it.”

  “Trent, let her go.” AJ said in a stern yet angry voice.

  She swung around and caught the challenging look he cast his friend.

  “Hey, AJ, jealous much?” Trent taunted.

  The muscles in AJ’s jaw twitched. She’d had enough of the two of them and their territorial whatever.

  Before she could give them a piece of her mind, Reagan returned struggling to hold a heavy cat. “Here, Ms. Megan.”

  She hurried to retrieve Bob before he fell to the floor. Although cats supposedly landed on their feet, she never was one for testing the theory. Hugging him tight, nuzzling in his warm, long hair and listening to his loud purr, her body calmed. “I missed you, big boy.”

  “You should’ve seen it. Bob hissed at Dottie and she barked at him. And later they were friends. They played together. They played with me. Bob really likes chasing the red dot.” Reagan snickered.

  “Everyone’s here, let’s go,” Jesse said above the noise in the room.

  AJ leaned to her and placed a light kiss on the lips. “Stay with Kate. I’ll be back soon.”

  Megan’s hands stroked Bob faster. “But I thought we were doing this together?”

  He ran his hand through his already disheveled hair. “We are, but…”

  Kate interrupted. “It’s okay, Megan. We’ll find out what they said soon enough without dealing with all of their male bullshit. Besides, AJ hasn’t received his ribbing yet today.” She winked at him.

  Looking back and forth between the two, Megan bit the corner of her lower lip. She’d come to trust Kate. She’d saved her and AJ. If she said they would find out then they would. But what was this about him getting ribbed? “I’ll trust you, AJ, but I want to know what Kate is talking about.”

  He dropped his head and laughed. “It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” He and Trent brought up the rear each leaning on a cane.

  “Come have a drink with me. This will take a while,” Kate said.

  Megan set Bob on the wood planked floor. “I’m right behind you.” A photo on the mantel caught her attention and she picked it up. It showed one beautiful girl and six handsome boys. Five of the boys looked like their father whom they all surrounded. The sixth boy and girl looked different from the rest. And different from each other. Different mothers maybe? But she’d read the senator had only been married once and his wife had died of cancer.

  Kate smiled. “I picked up the same photograph my first time here. Perfect looking family, isn’t it? Before you ask, the girl is their baby sister Emily. The boy is their foster brother Jake Cavanaugh.”

  “I hope I meet them someday.” It would have to be soon unless she could convince AJ to share his life with her. She’d love to be a part of this family.

  Kate took the photo from her and placed it back on the mantel. “Emily moved to New York, and Jake is a long story. One that’s best AJ tell you.”

  * * * * *

  AJ and Megan waited for the phone to ring. Everything had to go as planned. They needed this drug bust.

  Matt, their current babysitter, lounged in a chair watching TV. AJ knew he remained fully alert and listened to everything said. He sighed watching his brother rub his own leg. He loved him and wished he could make everything normal again. AJ’s leg would be fine in a few days. But Matt’s wouldn’t.

  “Why hasn’t he called?”

  AJ chuckled at her impatience. “He’ll call when he’s able. Now, did you call your boss and tell her you’d have a front page exclusive for her?”

  “Yes. She kept pushing to learn what it was. She threatened not to take the story if I didn’t let her know the basics right then. I told her that I’d submit it to her and is she didn’t print it that I’d submit it to other newspapers. Dang, I wish I could have been there to take photos.”

  “You’ll have to suffer with just an interview. The phone should ring any minute.” Although Byron couldn’t participate in the bust since it would blow his cover, he’d selected an agent to brief Megan. The DEA appreciated positive news articles about their success with the war on drugs.

  She glanced at Matt and then back to him. “Tell me about Jake.”

  AJ heart stopped. How could he explain it to her without his appearing a monster? How could he tell her that finding Jake was what held him back from a real life? She loved her brother so maybe she’d understand AJ’s need to find him. She wouldn’t understand his part in his brother leaving. Knowing that, she’d blame him for Emily’s heartbreak like the rest of the family did.

  The ringing phone saved him. She’d ask again. He needed to prepare himself.

  “Hamilton.”

  He handed the phone to her and
knew he would lose her for the next hour or so. Her smile widened with every note she wrote. His heart lightened. She was in her element.

  She’d insist on attending the meeting his team expected the Magician to have with his advisors who’d failed him. It would be too good of a story for her to pass up. But, she wouldn’t be there, end of story. He’d be her source for her article. The person who’d conducted the arrests.

  Megan broke into his thoughts.

  “I’m finished. Do you want to read it before I send it?” She turned beaming at him.

  His heart skipped a beat. He’d miss her more than he thought.

  She almost bounced out the chair with excitement. “I can’t believe he sent me a photo to use.”

  AJ trusted her. She’d proved herself and joined the elite few that he did trust. “Go ahead and send it. We need it to be in the morning paper.”

  And just like that, step one of their plan had been set in motion.

  He rose and walked toward her, pulled her into his arms, his kiss was hard and fast, her tongue meeting his halfway. His need for her took hold of him and wouldn’t let go.

  A throat clearing slowly brought him back.

  “There is a room with a closed door,” Matt informed them.

  She giggled as AJ dragged her there, slamming the door behind him. With her help, he pulled her sweater and bra off. He leaned down and took her breast in his mouth. He pulled back. “I’m sorry to say my injury will limit my ability to make love to you.”

  She reached under his sweater and slid her hands over his chest. “We already know that you being on your back doesn’t limit us.”

  Which was what he needed to hear.

  * * * * *

  Naked, lying in bed, AJ kissed Megan, feasting on her mouth with his lips and tongue as a heated passion flowed between them. Her sweet taste made him lose focus of everything but her. He could kiss her like this forever. But, he wanted more.

  From the beginning, there had been something about Megan that told him things would not be easy, but they’d be worth it. Now, shaking with lust, he needed her more than ever, needed everything she could give.

  She moaned, sexy and throaty, and arched into his hand, hurling heat to his heavy erection that painfully throbbed with the need to be inside her, to fill her, to feel her come around him.

  Raising his mouth from hers, he gazed into her darkening eyes. He brought his slightly trembling hand to her face and lightly stroked her cheek with the back of it. She was beautiful, inside and outside. He’d been lucky she had been thrown in his path.

  Having her beside him, her lips wet and swollen, her hair splayed over the pillows, and her eyes clouded with lust would be a snapshot he’d never forget. “I can’t get enough of you, Megan.”

  What had she done to him? They were in a dangerous situation, and he’d willingly turned their protection over to his brothers so he could be inside her. And this wasn’t the first time. If it had been the olden days, he’d think she’d bewitched him.

  “I feel the same.” Her voice was breathless, and her body trembled. She pulled him down for a hot, demanding kiss, her tongue invading his mouth, her nails cutting into his back. He groaned. His little dove wasn’t shy and knew how to push him to the edge.

  AJ slid his lips from hers, kissing across her cheek, teasing the sensitive skin along her jaw, grazing her earlobe and then his lips explored, ever so slowly, along the silky expanse of her neck, pausing at a rapidly beating pulse that matched his own.

  She whimpered softly as he continued his path toward her breast.

  He took the puckered bud into his mouth, sucking, teasing, nipping, until she moaned and writhed beneath him. Her body’s passionate response urged him forward. Moving his hand down, his fingers crossed the beginning of hair growth on her mound. Maybe she would let him shave her? That erotic vision flitted through his mind. He tamped it and the other dozen fantasies down. Later.

  AJ slid his fingers across her slick folds, nudging a finger inside her core, finding her hot, drenched…ready. Her hips strained to meet his touch. Groaning, he gave her clitoris an idle flick before slipping two fingers inside her. He loved the small, erotic sounds she made.

  Sounds that made his cock throb painfully, needing release.

  Megan glided her hand down his chest, teasing along the way, playing with the curly hair, tweaking the nipples before slipping to grasp his rock-hard cock. His breath caught, and every muscle in his body clenched. Her touch left a trail of fire in its wake that only she could extinguish.

  Grasping him tight, she stroked his length from shaft to tip, her thumb teasing the crown when she reached it, wiping away his pre-cum. After several minutes of torture, she clasped his testicles and gave a light squeeze.

  His body jerked, and his groan sounded animalistic. Her touch set his body on the edge of the flood gate, ready for the dam to break. There was only so much he could take.

  Maneuvering above her, their bodies aligned, he rested on his forearms, unsure if he could string any words together. “Minx,” he rasped.

  “What about your leg?”

  “What leg?” He tamped down the pain. He needed to be in control.

  A slow, sexual smile grew on her face. “Hmm.” She wrapped her legs around his back and guided him to her entrance.

  AJ looked down at Megan, the heat in her eyes seemed to mirror the hunger raging inside him. With sweat forming on his forehead, he gritted his teeth and nudged his way inside her until he fully seated himself. A look of pleasure reflected on her face.

  She lifted her hips off of the bed and rocked against him until he could move and they fell into a rhythm they had perfected. Their bodies were in exquisite harmony with each other.

  He leaned down, his demanding lips caressed hers, nipped at her bottom lip, sucked on her tongue. Her kisses filled him with sunshine, happiness and pleasure making him feel alive and exhilarated.

  Megan’s breathing changed, and she wiggled beneath him, arching closer. He knew her, knew her body. She was close to orgasm.

  Sweating, his heart thundering, he balanced himself on his left forearm, reached down with his right hand to cup her ass, and buried himself into her as deep as he could go, pulled out and plunged into her again, ensuring every thrust made the root of his cock graze her swollen clit.

  She responded immediately. Her body tensed, her inner muscles drew tighter around him and her moans became frantic. She came with a cry, ecstasy on her face.

  With a long drawn out groan, he surrendered, pleasure tore through as he exploded hot, fast and strong inside her.

  He had no idea how much time had passed as he lay on top of her waiting for his floating body to return to Earth. Slowly he rolled off of her, pulling her with him so her head lay on his chest.

  Megan snuggled into him. “I love you,” she whispered.

  Her declaration slammed into his midsection harder than the force of the shots at his chest. AJ tensed and then went into flight mode. He pulled from under her, jumped from the bed and raced into the bathroom, locking the door behind him.

  He cleaned himself, wiped off the small bit of blood leaking from his wound and then leaned over the sink, his head down. A deep sigh escaped. A sigh of despair.

  She loved him.

  How the hell did he deal with that? He didn’t deserve her love. He didn’t deserve anyone’s love.

  Where did he go from here? Pretend he didn’t hear it? No. He expected she’d say it again.

  Why the hell had he let himself get involved? He was supposed to protect her, not steal her heart and then rip it apart. They’d have no other option. They would end when this was over. Maybe he should tell her that so she could get used to the idea before she falls deeper in love.

  No. He couldn’t tell her now. She’d beg him to stay with her and he couldn’t.

  He l
ooked up at his reflection in the mirror. He couldn’t stay in here forever.

  What sucked was that he still desired her. He wanted her under him and beside him. He loved her.

  He wet one of the rags in the bathroom and steeled himself for her reaction to his running off like a chicken.

  He had no plan. There was no playbook for how to handle this. He’d figure out what to do as he went along.

  AJ carried the damp rag with him from the bathroom and reached out to clean Megan.

  “Tell me about Jake.”

  His body stilled. Why not fuck up what had been great sex with her admission of love and his sharing what he’d done to Jake? AJ had come to expect all good things must come to an end. He’d just hoped for more time.

  Reaching forward he handed her the cloth instead of cleaning her himself and then stepped back. “Are you sure you wish to know?”

  She tilted her head and drew her brows in. “It seems to be something important to you, so yes, I’d like to know.”

  He pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. The hands twisting his heart in two ripped it open. His soul dove deeper into the darkness. He’d held on to this for a long time. He’d held in the pain, the heartache, the inability to be happy. She’d been his last chance. And it would be over shortly. Why the hell not?

  He sat on the edge of the bed but couldn’t bring himself to look at her. He forced breath into his constricted lungs. “Jake was brought into our family when he was ten. We’re the same age and quickly became best friends. I had someone else to help me stand up to my big brothers who picked on me and left me behind.” Envisioning the fun he and his foster brother had brought out a smile which immediately disappeared.

  “We’d just graduated from college. We’d left one party and were headed to another. Jake decided he’d rather go home. Since he’d had too much to drink, we dropped him off and continued on with our sober, designated driver.”

  He didn’t want her to think he’d been irresponsible enough to drink and drive or let Jake do the same. Not that it mattered with the whole of it. He’d just needed to tell her.

  “I arrived home early in the morning and had something to tell Jake.” He waved his hand as if to brush something away. “I went to his room and, as usual, opened the door without knocking.”