Tempting His Heart

by Dawn Sullivan

  Rolling Sloane over on her back, Creed gazed into her eyes as he whispered, “Good morning, beautiful.” Lowering his head, he gently nuzzled her neck licking it, before lightly nipping his way down further.

  Sloane giggled as she pushed him away. “We need to get ready, Creed,” she laughed. “Your family will be waiting for us.”

  “Let them wait,” he growled as he sucked her nipple into his mouth. Sloane moaned, arching into him as his tongue stroked over her breast and down lower.

  Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Sloane froze, but Creed kept moving lower. “Creed,” she cried out softly, not sure if she wanted him to stop or keep going. Someone knocked again, but Creed ignored them as he licked down her belly and lower still. “Oh, God, Creed,” she panted. “Creed, we can’t.”

  Creed paused at the insistent pounding on the door. Looking up at her, he grinned, “Oh yes, we can.” Rising, he grabbed a towel from the night before. After looking through the peephole, he yanked open the door. “What?” he demanded.

  Sloane heard Caiden’s laughter as he said, “Some of us were headed downstairs. I wanted to see if Sloane wanted to come with?”

  “She’s busy,” Creed said shortly as he slammed the door in Caiden’s face and turned back to Sloane. Stalking toward her, he stopped at the foot of the bed, letting the towel drop. Her eyes widened when she saw he was fully aroused again. As she watched, Creed wrapped a hand around his hard dick and slowly began to stroke it. “How about a shower, baby?” he asked roughly.

  Sloane swallowed hard as she watched his hand move over his erection. It was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen. “Okay,” she agreed absently as she licked her lips.

  She moaned as Creed’s hand moved fast, but then he stopped. “Let’s get in that shower,” he rasped as he turned and went to the bathroom. Sloane moved her hand down and touched her aching clit, her eyes glued to his ass as he left.

  Creed was back within seconds, stopping abruptly when he saw where her hand was. “Oh baby,” he groaned as he watched her fingers move. “That’s so fucking hot.”

  Sloane’s breath quickened and she closed her eyes, moaning as she moved her fingers faster. The next thing she knew, Creed had scooped her up in his arms and was carrying her into the bathroom. Stepping into the tub, he quickly closed the shower curtain before turning his full attention to her.

  Sloane gasped when she felt the cold tile of the shower wall on her back as Creed lifted her up against it, shoving deep inside her. Roughly claiming her lips with his, he tightened his hold on her hips and thrust hard and fast. Sloane reveled at the loss of control, and cried out in protest when Creed tore his lips from hers. Letting go of one of her hips, Creed reached down and started rubbing her clit with his thumb. It was too much, too fast, and soon she was screaming his name as she fell over the edge, her orgasm rocking her to her very core. Seconds later, Creed was finishing inside her, his whole body shaking as he held her close.

  Finally, Creed let her down, cradling her close as she stood on trembling legs that refused to hold her up. “Now, we can get ready,” he whispered hoarsely as he gently turned her around so the warm spray of the water slid over her sensitive skin.

  After they finished their shower, Creed and Sloane got ready and reluctantly left the room to meet his family for breakfast. As they shut the door behind them, Creed stopped Sloane and gently pulled her into his arms. Tilting her head up to meet his gaze, he told her, “We’re in this together now, Sloane. No matter what happens from this moment on, always remember that I am here and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you. I’m not going anywhere, so don’t bother trying to push me away. I love you, Angel.”

  Fighting back tears of happiness, Sloane nodded as she raised her hand and gently traced his face with her fingers. “Together,” she agreed. “I love you so much, Creed.”

  After kissing her softly, Creed laced his fingers with hers and then went down to have breakfast with his family.

  Chapter 18

  Creed’s phone rang as he and Sloane entered the hotel dining room. Looking at the caller id, he saw a number that he didn’t recognize. Making his way to the corner where his family sat, he answered the phone and was surprised to hear Linc’s voice on the other line. “Creed, we need to talk. Meet me outside by my truck,” Linc said quietly before abruptly hanging up the phone.

  Well shit, Creed thought as he looked over to see Katy watching him and Sloane, her eyes sparkling with mirth. He knew they were about to get slack over what happened this morning, and he didn’t want to leave Sloane to handle it alone, but the tone in Linc’s voice told him he better get outside now. Making the decision to trust in Sloane, Creed stopped and pulled her into his arms in front of his family. Leaning down he whispered softly into her ear, “That was Linc. He wants me outside, but it sounds like a private meeting. I hate to leave you alone, Sloane, but I have to go.”

  To his surprise, Sloane wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly, taking her time. Pulling back slightly, she responded softly, “Hold on and I’ll get you the keys to the SUV so you have a reason to go outside.” Kissing him again, she pulled away and sauntered over to Caiden, Creed following slowly behind.

  Holding out her hand, Sloane asked, “Can I borrow your keys, Caiden? I need something out of your car.” After Caiden tossed her the keys, Sloane turned back to Creed with a wink. “Will you go put our bags in the car and bring in the tote I left in the back seat, please? I have something in it I wanted to give Cassie.”

  Pride filled him at her quick thinking, and Creed pulled her in for another kiss before taking the keys and heading out to the parking lot. This better be good, he thought.

  Linc was waiting for him near Caiden’s vehicle, leaning against a brand new Dodge Ram truck. Unlocking Caiden’s SUV, Creed threw their bags in the back and then walked around to the passenger side to get the tote Sloane had requested. When he was done, Creed walked over to where Linc still stood and took a place against the truck next to him. “Talk to me,” was all he said, waiting patiently for Linc to begin.

  He noticed how Linc continuously scanned the parking lot as he started to speak. “What I am about to tell you stays between us, Creed. I have permission to tell you and only you.” Taking his eyes off the parking lot, he glanced at Creed. “My life depends on it.”

  Creed straightened as he asked roughly, “What have you gotten yourself into, Linc?”

  Laughing shortly, Linc went back to scanning the area surrounding them. “A shit storm, that’s what,” he said. Sighing deeply, he rubbed the top of his head. His normally bright blue eyes were bloodshot, worry lines bracketed his mouth. “I didn’t leave just to follow the rodeo, Creed. That’s just what I told everyone. It’s my cover.”

  Creed’s heart sank as he watched his brother. He had been a damn fine cop a couple of years ago. He’d applied for a position with the FBI, but hadn’t waited to see if he got it after Justice was declared dead. He’d quit his position at Serenity Springs police station and took off a week later. Now, Creed was about to find out what really happened, it seemed. “Tell me,” Creed growled. “Who do you work for?”

  Tired, blank eyes met his. “I did get that job with the FBI,” he told Creed. “I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone because they sent me deep undercover immediately. I can’t go into details, Creed. All I can tell you is that as far as everyone knows, I make my living riding bulls. What I am really doing on the rodeo circuit is much more dangerous.”

  “Shit,” Creed swore and he took off his ball cap and shoved a hand roughly through his hair. “You can’t leave then. You can’t go with Mom and Dad to D.C.”

  “No,” Linc whispered in a tortured voice. “I can’t. There’s no way they can get someone to take my place. It would be suicide. I have a feeling shit’s about to go down soon.” Looking up at Creed, Linc said, “I need to get this handled so I can come home, brother.”

  Sighing deeply, Creed pulled Linc in for a hard hug before l
etting him go. “I’ll handle it, Linc,” he told him. “You do your job. Get things handled, and come home. We miss you.”

  “Thanks man,” Linc said as he stepped back, once again surveying the parking lot. “I gotta go. Tell Mom and Dad I’m sorry I can’t make it. Tell Justice…tell him I’ll have a cold one with him as soon as I can.”

  “Don’t worry, Linc, I’ll figure out something.” As Linc went to leave, Creed said softly, “I love you, little brother.”

  Linc looked back with a small smile, “Me too, man. Me too.”

  Creed watched as Linc got in his truck and left, pulling out of the parking lot and heading in the direction of the stadium. Picking up Sloane’s tote from where he’d left it on the ground next to him, he turned and slowly made his way back into the hotel trying to figure out what the hell to tell everyone.

  Sitting down beside Sloane, Creed handed her the tote and picked up a fork to start eating the pancakes she’d gotten him. Sloane opened the tote and removed a book, which she gave to Cassie. He watched his daughter’s eyes light up, but his heart was heavy with the information Linc had just shared.

  “Son,” he heard his father say over the ringing in his ears. But all he could think was that his little brother was in some deep shit and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. Taking a bite of the pancake, he swallowed it without really tasting it. He felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Someone was after the woman he loved. His little brother was deep under cover and in the middle of something he couldn’t share with Creed. His parents were about to go off alone to bring his other brother home after he’d been missing for over a year.

  Clenching his jaw, Creed decided there was something he could do about the last thing at least. Looking up into the expectant eyes of his family, he told them, “I met Linc out in the parking lot while I was putting our things in the car. He tried to change things around so he could go, but it’s just not going to work.” Ignoring the disappointment in his mother’s eyes, Creed continued, “It’s fine. Katy can go with you instead. I need to be in Serenity Springs to take care of Cassie and protect Sloane. Ryder has to work the ranch and Caiden has the clinic to run. I can spare Katy for a few days.”

  Charles cleared his throat and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. At the guilty look in his father’s eyes, Creed asked softly, “What is it, Dad?”

  Taking hold of Cara’s hand, Charles brought it to his lips and lightly kissed her knuckles. Looking around at them all, he confessed, “I don’t know how long it’s going to take in D.C., son. That’s why I wanted Linc to go. I figured he could take time away from bull riding whereas all of you have jobs you need to be at.”

  “I don’t understand, Charles,” Cara questioned. “I thought we were just going to pick Justice up and bring him back home.”

  Charles shook his head slightly, rubbing a hand over his face. “Cara, honey, Justice wasn’t in very good condition when they found him.” Creed felt Sloane slip her hand into his at his mother’s startled gasp. Charles continued, “He’s very malnourished and his immune system is breaking down.” Looking over at Cara, Charles whispered softly, “He’s very sick. That’s all I know.”

  “No,” Cara moaned softly as she pulled her hand away from Charles and covered her face. “No,” she breathed. “My baby, my baby.”

  Creed sat in stunned silence, as did his brothers and sister. They thought they’d gotten their brother back, but had they really? Was there still a chance they could lose him?

  Katy recovered first, pushing back her chair and rising. “Let’s get going,” she said briskly. “We need to get to the airport so I can look into getting Linc’s ticket put into my name or buying my own. I will take the one bag I brought with me and buy everything else I need when we get there.”

  Pushing back his own chair, Creed stood and walked over to throw his food in the trash. He would eat later, right now his family was falling apart. Feeling a small hand slip into his, Creed looked down into the brilliant blue eyes of his daughter. Pulling her close, he placed a kiss on top of her head. “Love you, baby girl,” he told her as she smiled up at him.

  “I love you too, Daddy,” she responded, her smile lighting up her face and showing her dimples off.

  Following his family out of the hotel, his arm around the woman he loved and his daughter’s hand clasped tightly in his own, Creed soaked in their love while praying for his brothers.

  At the airport, Katy was able to take Linc’s place on the plane after paying an additional fee. Once they were checked in, Creed watched in silence as Katy and their parents left to go board the plane that would take them to Justice. When he could no longer see them, Creed turned to his brothers and Sloane, “We better head home. We need to take care of things at the ranch and I need to check in at work.”

  Creed listened to his daughter chat excitedly for the first hour of the drive home over the book Sloane had brought for her to read. When she finally settled down, Creed pulled Sloane close and held her in silence the rest of the way home as he contemplated the best way to protect the ones he loved.

  Chapter 19

  Sloane stiffened in trepidation when they pulled up in front of the ranch house that afternoon. She wasn’t sure what Creed’s plans were now, but she knew she didn’t want to stay at his house that night. The idea of sleeping in the same room her stalker had violated, scared the hell out of her. And there was no way she would leave Cassie on that side of the house by herself. Nobody was going to hurt that little girl.

  “What’s wrong?” Creed asked as the vehicle came to a stop. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Sloane. I promise.”

  “I know,” she whispered. “It’s just,” stopping she looked up into his eyes, begging him to understand, “I can’t go back there right now, Creed. I’m sorry. I want to say I’m strong enough to, but the truth is, I’m not. I’m scared.”

  “We aren’t staying at my house tonight,” Creed told her as he brushed a strand of her dark curls behind her ear. “We’re going to stay here at the ranch for now. Ryder and Caiden can sleep in the house, too. You’ll be safe.”

  Smiling gratefully in relief, Sloane thanked him with a gentle kiss. “Ew,” Cassie said from the back seat making Sloane giggle. “Are you guys going to do that all of the time now?” Cassie asked. “I mean, it’s okay if you want to.”

  Laughing, Creed told her, “Yes, we just might do that all of the time now.” Opening his door, Creed stepped out of the vehicle and then helped Sloane and Cassie out. “Why don’t you go help Ryder feed the horses and Sloane and I will unload the car,” he suggested to Cassie as he walked around to the back of the vehicle to get their bags.

  “I need to run into town and make sure everything’s running smoothly at the clinic,” Caiden told them as he helped unload everything. “I should be back around 6 or so if you want me to bring some pizza home for supper?”

  “Yes,” Cassie squealed, jumping up and down in her excitement. “I want pizza!”

  Sloane giggled as she watched her. “I would love some pizza too, Caiden,” she said as she shouldered her bag.

  “Do you need anything from your place?” Caiden asked as he shut the trunk. “I can stop by and check on things if you want?”

  Shaking her head, Sloane said, “No, I don’t need anything right now. Nothing that can’t wait. Creed can do a quick check of things when he drops me off tomorrow morning.”

  “About that,” Creed said as he picked up his bag and started toward the house. “I was kind of hoping I could get you to stay here where you will be safe for a while.” Before Sloane could protest, Creed continued, “I’m just asking. I know how important the store is to you, and if you really want to go in, then I will take you. After the scare you had yesterday, I thought you might want to wait a few days before going back to work.”

  “No,” Sloane told him as they entered the house. “I need to get the store in order. I would like to go in tomorrow to finish the l
ast coat of paint on the back wall. I have a shipment of books coming in Monday afternoon that I need to sign for and I want to start putting all of the books back on the shelves.”

  Sighing deeply, Creed said, “I figured that was what you would say. I would really like someone to be with you, though. I’m going to have to go to work tomorrow myself for a while.”

  “Katy’s out of town, Creed,” Sloane protested. “Ryder and Caiden both have jobs and so do you. And you can’t spare your deputies. I have protection. I will be fine.” She was lying. She was scared to death, but she refused to let that bastard win. She would have her gun at the store, and she wasn’t afraid to use it if she needed to. She would go on with her life. No one was going to take her freedom from her.

  Climbing the stairs, Sloane went to the bedroom she had stayed in before and put her bag on the bed. Her suitcase was still there from yesterday, so she would have enough clothes for tomorrow and could grab more from the apartment while she was in town.

  “Shit,” Creed growled as he placed his bag on the bed beside hers. “You will keep all of the doors locked and your gun on you at all times,” he ordered roughly as he turned and pulled her into his arms.