Bad Boys of Summer

by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy

  “S’that right? Well, honey, plan on being real embarrassed tonight, okay?” He lifted her and moved her to the bed, laying her crosswise over the mattress, so that her legs hung over the side. He came down beside her instead of atop her. “Now, let’s get these clothes off you.”

  “Okay.” She lifted her hips and pushed her shorts and panties down to her knees. Lucius skimmed them the rest of the way off, then tossed them onto a chair in his room. He whisked her T-shirt up and over her head. With the fingers of one hand spread wide, he stroked her from her shoulders to her hip and everywhere in between.

  Shyly, a little uncertain, Bethany told him, “I’m ready.”

  “I’m not.”

  She raised herself up and stared down at the erection pressing hard against his jeans. “Yes, you are.”

  “Not yet.”

  Understanding, she said, “You don’t have to do this.”

  One brow lifted. Rather than look at her face, he caught her knee and opened her legs a little. “This?”

  “Pay so much attention to me.”

  The side of his mouth quirked. “I love looking at you and touching you.”

  “But…” She regretted her earlier jibes against men and lovemaking because now he felt obliged to spend extra time on her. “I know you want to…well, you know.”

  “Fuck you? Get inside you? Get my rocks off?” Finally, he looked at her face, but only for a brief glimpse. “Yeah, I do. And I will. But let me enjoy myself first, okay? I’ve been thinking about this for a really long time.”

  “You aren’t…anxious?” Every guy she’d ever known had been anxious. A kiss, a fondle, and they were ready to get it over with.

  As if he’d known her thoughts, he said, “Don’t compare me to other men, babe, okay?” While saying that, he pushed up and off the bed. Reaching back, he caught a fistful of his shirt and jerked it over his head. Next, he removed his phone and pager and placed them on the dresser behind him, then shucked off his jeans and underwear.

  Bethany stared. “Wow.”

  He stood there, giving her a chance to look while he parted her knees farther. His chest expanded on deep breaths. “Trust me, I’m anxious.”

  Her voice almost deserted her. “Then…”

  He knelt down—between her now widespread legs.

  “Oh, uh…”

  “Shhh.” Hot lips and a hotter tongue trailed up the inside of her right thigh. “Damn, you smell good.”

  Bethany’s head dropped back on the mattress. She stared at the ceiling, so rigid with anticipation that when his mouth touched between her legs, she almost jumped out of her skin.

  “Easy,” he whispered, and with his big hands caging her pelvis, he used his thumbs to part her, leaving her fully exposed. His tongue licked over her, in her. She felt his breath, the rub of his whiskery jaw on her tender inner thighs. She felt so much, all of it incredible and mind-blowing.

  Never had she imagined anything like it. “Lucius,” she practically yelled.

  “Yeah?” He drew on her clitoris, flicked with his tongue, and she knew she would climax again.

  “This is my favorite part.”

  Did she hear him chuckle? She wasn’t certain, not with the blood rushing through her veins and her heartbeat sounding in her ears. Her whole body throbbed with her orgasm, leaving her utterly spent.

  She was still buzzing when Lucius put a light kiss on her mouth. That got her eyes opened.

  “Hey,” he whispered. And then he slid into her. “I already put on a condom,” he told her. “All you have to do is relax.”

  Relax? She couldn’t feel her bones, she was so relaxed. But the full, delicious sensation of having him inside her quickly changed that.

  Propped on his forearms, watching her intently, Lucius thrust slow and deep, in and out. He was patience personified, although dark color showed on his cheekbones and his eyes glittered brightly. “You wanna come again? Maybe with me, this time?”

  Could a man be more amazing? “Oh, Lucius.”

  He smiled that amazing smile. “Is that a yes?”

  “I don’t think I can.”

  He adjusted, moving one hand beneath her derriere, tilting her hips up, sinking deeper.

  She gasped.

  Satisfied, he rumbled, “I think you can.”

  He lowered his head and kissed her, stealing what little breath she had so that her head buzzed and her body quivered with sensation. The tension built, tighter this time, almost painfully. He began thrusting faster, harder, rocking the bed and groaning. His mouth ate at hers, voracious, his tongue thrusting in and out—and everything exploded.

  Just as she felt herself coming, he stiffened, lifting his mouth away to growl out his release while keeping himself buried deep inside her.

  As the pleasure faded, he collapsed against her, breathing hard, his body damp with sweat.

  Despite her state of euphoria, Bethany grinned. “Lucius?” she asked breathlessly.

  “Yeah?”

  “I’m changing my mind.”

  He pushed up to look at her, his expression dark. “About what?”

  “My favorite part.” She touched his beloved face. “I think that last one has to be it.”

  Six

  Hero’s wet nose, poking over the side of the bed, woke Bethany the following morning. “Hey, you,” she said to the dog while stretching awake. “Where’s your lord and master?”

  The dog barked and wagged his tail, urging her to leave the bed. She pulled on Lucius’s oversized T-shirt and padded barefoot and bare-bottomed out of the bedroom.

  Lucius was nowhere to be found, but she located a note on the kitchen counter.

  “Gone for donuts. The dog’s been out and the coffee is fresh. Stay in bed. I won’t be long.”

  She covered her mouth and giggled, then hugged herself. Last night had been…incredible. The stuff of dreams.

  Hopefully, the start of forever.

  Lucius hadn’t said anything about that, but he’d been so tender, so sweet, she couldn’t help but start planning.

  The dog whined and scratched at the front door.

  “So Lucius took you out, but once wasn’t enough? Okay, then. Let me throw on some shorts and get your leash.”

  The dog scratched again, more anxious, making Bethany curious. “What is it? Is someone out there?” Was Lucius back already?

  She put her eye to the peephole. A man stood in front of her sister’s door, checking a notepad and the address of the apartment.

  Even from the back, she recognized Michael Tracer.

  Her stomach bottomed out and her skin went clammy. How had he found her? Hero leaned against her side, offering silent comfort. Marci would be alone, but she wasn’t. The dog would protect her.

  Before her sister could be disturbed, Bethany jerked Lucius’s door open. Trying for a gentle smile that wouldn’t look too false, she said, “Mitch. What are you doing here?”

  He turned, looked her over, and deep satisfaction settled into his features. “Marci. At last, I’ve found you.”

  Hero lurched out past her, snarling, bunching for an attack. Bethany was ready to let the dog attack, until Michael pulled out a gun.

  Staring at the dog, he said, “Restrain that beast or he’s dead.”

  “No!” Bethany quickly caught Hero’s collar. “Easy, Hero. It’s okay.”

  Glancing around in nervousness, Michael hissed, “Get back inside, right now, before someone hears us.”

  Having no choice, Bethany held onto Hero’s collar, kept her gaze on Michael, and backed into Lucius’s apartment. As long as Michael thought she was her sister, she might be able to juggle things to her advantage.

  A hand on her shoulder shoved her the rest of the way inside and the door shut behind her. Going to her knees, Bethany hugged Hero close, but the dog refused to be placated. She could barely restrain him.

  “Shut him up, Marci, or I will. I mean it.”

  What to do, what to do?

  Mainta
ining a tight grip on the dog’s collar, Bethany surged back to her feet and snatched up the keys from the wall hook. “Let me put him next door. My sister, Bethany, lives there. She watches the dog sometimes, so she won’t think anything of it if he’s there.”

  His expression brightened. “I’d love to get the two of you together.” A slick, smarmy smile appeared. “It’s a favorite fantasy of mine.”

  Bethany shuddered in revulsion. “She’s not home right now.” Please, Marci, don’t make a liar out of me. Stay in bed just a little longer.

  “I could shut up the dog for good.”

  Stark fear squeezed her lungs. “But someone might hear you. There’s no reason to do that. You want to talk to me, right? Why else would you have come looking for me?”

  “Yeah, I’m going to talk to you.” His grin promised awful things, further rattling her composure.

  Bethany concentrated on breathing. “Listen to me, Mitch. I can put the dog next door. He’ll be out of the way—and we’ll be alone. Please.” And when Lucius returned, he’d take care of everything. He’d know what to do.

  Michael chewed over her suggestion, waffling between agreement and his hatred of animals, but finally, to her relief, nodded. “Fine. Get rid of him. But don’t you dare try to run away from me. If you do, I swear I’ll make you sorry—starting with killing the damn dog.”

  “I promise.” With the gun trained on her and Hero fighting her, Bethany went across the hall and unlocked the door. Hero resisted, but she managed to get him inside without too much noise. Thank God, Marci didn’t appear in the doorway.

  Tight fingers clamped around her arm and Michael yanked her back into Lucius’s apartment. He spun her around and smacked her up against the wall, the gun aimed at her chest. “Now, bitch, you’ll pay.”

  Bethany was so terrified that nausea crawled up her throat, and she almost barfed on him. She swallowed several times until she could get her voice to work. “For…for what?”

  “Like you don’t know.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t.”

  “Then let me clue you in.” He stepped back, and she sucked in a much-needed breath. “I had things all planned out. I had a well-to-do wife lined up who would have given me everything I ever wanted. But you went and made up some damn story about me mistreating her stupid mutt.”

  Good God. Bethany blinked hard and fast. “You…” She couldn’t get any other words out.

  “That’s right. I’m the one you tattled on. Like that stupid mutt meant anything. It was just a damned dog, and not even a purebred.”

  Her own surge of anger gave her voice strength. “Dogs are living, breathing creatures! They have feelings and—”

  His raised fist halted her tirade. Gasping, Bethany cowered back, but no strike came.

  “Oh, no,” he said, his tone singsong-gentle as he lowered his arm. “It won’t be that easy. You won’t get me to lose control.”

  Far as she could tell, he’d lost control a long time ago. Cautiously, she lowered her arms. “What are you going to do?”

  “First I’m going to ruin your life the way you ruined mine. I’m going to expose you for the fraud you are. Then…” He laughed. “I’m going to get rid of you. But don’t worry. It’ll be painless. I promise.”

  Yep, that’d definitely ruin her life. The cruel idiot. The only thing Bethany could think to do was keep him talking until Lucius returned. “How…how are you going to expose me?”

  “You’re going to tell me how you do it, how you get people to believe you’re a psychic. You’re going to tell me about some of the others you’ve duped. As your last boyfriend—”

  “You were never my boyfriend.”

  “No one else knows that.”

  “Bethany does.”

  “She knows that I wanted you first. That’s all. What can she say? That she was second choice?” He laughed. “You’ll tell me everything, and in my grief over your death, I’ll let it leak to the press. You’ll be confirmed as a fraud, in life and in death.” He grabbed a bar stool and pulled it around to face her, then seated himself, legs crossed, arms propped loosely with the gun barrel toward her. “Spill it, Marci. I want to know everything.”

  “Right.” A trained SWAT member would know how to handle a lunatic like Michael. She had to believe that. Because if anything happened to Lucius, she’d never forgive herself. “Should I start by sharing a few stories?”

  Lucius had spent the time walking to and from the bakery in blissful euphoria. He was in love. And unless Bethany was damn good at deception, she cared a lot about him, too. Soon as he woke her up with coffee and sweets, he’d tell her how he felt.

  Then he’d propose.

  He felt so good, he almost wanted to whistle.

  But the second he turned the block and could see the apartment complex, he sensed a problem. He didn’t understand it, but alarm bells started going off in his head, and without another thought, he broke into a trot.

  He was still several yards away when he saw Marci on the narrow balcony outside her apartment. She had Hero with her.

  Her gaze met his and she lifted one finger to her mouth, warning him to silence while frantically signaling him close.

  The urge to go straight to his place, to skip the subterfuge and assure himself of Bethany’s safety, burned throughout him. But he had to trust Marci, because he knew she loved her sister.

  As he neared, he saw the tears in Marci’s eyes.

  “Lucius,” she whispered, “thank God you’re here.”

  He dropped the stupid donuts, grasped the balcony railing, and vaulted himself up the few feet to join her. “What’s happened? Where’s Bethany?”

  She shook her head. “I heard some noise and woke up and Hero was here. He’s really upset, something about there being a man with Bethany at your place. She had to have shoved Hero over here for a reason, so I didn’t want to knock on the door. Instead, I called your apartment. The first time she didn’t pick up. But I called back and she answered…as me.”

  Lucius tangled a hand in his hair. “She’s impersonating you?”

  Marci nodded. “Which probably means—”

  “Michael Tracer has found her, and she hopes to protect you.”

  “She wouldn’t talk to me. She only said that you weren’t home and she was busy. Then she hung up.” Marci hugged herself, trying to contain her tremors. “I’m so afraid.”

  Lucius jerked the phone from his waistband and put in a call. Backup would arrive in less than ten minutes, but he couldn’t wait that long. “Listen to me, Marci. Do not get hysterical. I need you with me. Do you understand?”

  She swallowed hard, and straightened her back. In a calmer voice, she said, “What can I do?”

  “I’m going to go around back and climb in the bedroom window.” Lucius paced as he formulated the plan. “I need you to make a ruckus in the hallway—you know, cause a distraction. Maybe take Hero out or something, but make sure he’s on his leash. And if the door to my apartment starts to open, get the hell out of there. I don’t want the bastard to have two hostages, understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m going to come up behind him. Try not to worry. I won’t let him hurt her.”

  She grabbed his hands, and the strength of her grip stunned him. “Promise me, Lucius.”

  “I promise. Wait two minutes. That’ll give me time to grab some gear from my truck.”

  “What gear?”

  “My sniper rifle, for one thing.”

  Her eyes rounded. “You keep a sniper rifle in—”

  “I keep all my gear locked in my truck.” He cupped her cheek. “You’re okay?”

  “Yes.”

  “Be careful, Marci. Bethany will never forgive me if anything happens to you.”

  “And vice versa.” She gave him a shove. “Now go. Show me what a badass SWAT guy can do.”

  Lucius didn’t grin, but he did go back over the balcony railing and hit the ground running. Thank God his truck was in t
he back lot rather than out front, where someone might see him. Still, he used caution as he unlocked the truck and took out what he’d need.

  Getting in the back window of his apartment might have been tricky except that he’d done it before, when he’d accidentally locked himself out when he’d first bought the place.

  The building sat on a slight incline, so while they had balconies out front, at the side, the windows could be reached with a little stretch.

  With the Blaser LRS2 slung over his shoulder, he hefted himself up, pried the window open, and after one quick glance inside, slithered silently over the sill. Crouching down, he crept across the floor to the open bedroom door.

  He could barely see Bethany as she plastered herself against the door, speaking in a trembling monotone about dogs and psychic ability. He couldn’t see Tracer, but judging by the direction of Bethany’s gaze, Lucius knew he had to be positioned in front of her, probably with a weapon trained on her.

  More than anything, Lucius wanted to take him apart. It wasn’t easy, but he utilized patience, waiting for Marci’s part.

  Then it happened. From one second to the next, Hero barked furiously in the hallway, no doubt wanting in to protect Bethany. Marci called to him loudly, causing all the racket Lucius asked for.

  A man’s voice said, “What the fuck?” and then he was there, in plain sight, shoving Bethany aside and putting his eye to the peephole.

  Lucius saw the gun gripped in his hand. He saw Michael stiffen and spin around to face Bethany. “You little lying bitch! You’re Bethany, aren’t you?”

  Michael started to raise his gun hand—and Lucius put a bullet clean through his shoulder.

  With a scream, Michael fell back against the door, splattering blood. His arm went limp from the wound.

  In a few long strides, Lucius reached him. He retrieved the weapon, spared a quick glance for Bethany, who looked shaken but fine, and then he secured the scene—just as he’d always been taught to do.

  “You’re sure you’re okay?” Lucius asked her for the umpteenth time.

  Bethany curled in closer to his right side. She wore a pair of his shorts with his tee. The shorts read:Monkeys steal my underwear while I sleep . He wasn’t sure Bethany had noticed.