by Dale Mayer
He spoke over top. “I met her over a year ago. She helped put me back together again, and it was because of her that I would return to the work I love. She was happily married at the time, so I walked away. Neither cheating nor breaking up a marriage is something my sense of honor or integrity would allow. I found her again.” He reached across and lifted her hand in his. “Literally, as it were, and when I realized she was single, I knew I’d do anything for a chance with her.”
“What kind of chance?” her mother asked, clearly torn.
“As in, permanently. She’s a very special woman, as I’m sure you agree.”
“Yes, of course.” Caroline said slowly. “She’s my daughter.”
“And deserves to be treated with honor and respect…and of course given a whole heart, not just a cheating heart,” he added calmly.
Her mother sat back, a lemon slice look on her face, then her shoulders sagged and she nodded. “Yes, she does.”
She turned to her daughter who’d been sitting immobile at his side. “And is this what you want?”
Sasha squeezed Cooper’s hand and said, “I really want to see where this is going.”
“And Greg?”
Sasha laughed. “Greg is a deceitful, lying, two-faced, son of a bitch. He betrayed me. I will never get back together with him. He burned that bridge permanently. I need to know my partner has my back, not targeting it.”
The coffee maker inside beeped. Caroline quickly stood up and rushed inside.
“Did you mean it,” he asked, trying to keep his voice neutral.
“Mean what? What I said about the relationship with you – absolutely.” She studied him. “Did you mean what you said?”
“Absolutely.”
She smirked then said in a wicked tone that caught him off guard, “Does that mean we can go to bed now that we have all the basics out of the way?”
“I sure hope so,” he whispered fervently, heat rippling through him. “Can we skip coffee?”
A giggle escaped. Her eyes widened, and she slapped a hand over her mouth and stared at him. But her eyes were twinkling with mirth.
“Sasha, are you all right?” Caroline called from the kitchen.
“I’m fine, Mom,” she managed to get out, but her shoulders still shook. He loved that lightheartedness in her. In fact, he was pretty darn sure he loved her. Period. And likely had for a long time. Now to get her out of here and back to his place – fast.
Chapter 24
“I thought we’d never get out of there,” she whispered as she buckled up her seat belt then waved good-bye to her mother.
“Do you think she believed us?”
“I’m sure she did. We were giggling like two-year-olds.”
“With good reason.” He pulled the Jeep into traffic. “So a quick stop at your place then mine?”
“Hell no.”
He glanced over at her in surprise. “Sorry.”
She leaned closer and ran a silky hand down his thigh. “Your place then mine.”
“Shit,” he whispered in a strangled voice. “You do pick your times, don’t you?”
“Not intentionally, but right now, I do wish we were at your house and tucked up in your bed.” And she let her fingers slide down the inside of his thigh.
He made a strangled sound and switched lanes. “Your empty house is closer.”
“No, never there,” she said. “I want to be in your bed.”
“And that’s where I want you,” he said when he could, his voice a hoarse whisper. “You’re a hell of a tease.”
“No way,” she said. “I’m making promises.”
When he groaned, she laughed. When he wove in and out of traffic and managed to get them back to his house in record time, she knew he was as anxious as she was. She tumbled out of the passenger side and ran around to his side where she threw herself into his arms.
He picked her up and pinned her against the hood of the Jeep, her legs wrapped around him and his erection exactly where she wanted it. Minus the clothing.
She wanted this man with an overwhelming passion. She couldn’t imagine that ever changing. With tears in her eyes, she kissed him. She poured her feelings into that kiss. Emotions she’d worked hard to heal over the last year. He was so damn honorable. And that mattered.
Hell yeah it mattered.
He’d never cheat on her. He’d never hurt her deliberately and he’d never act like a kid with his hand stuck in the candy jar when he got caught. If he did wrong he’d stand up and take the punishment like a man.
A man. Jesus. A fucking big man. She rocked against him, her thighs tightening around his.
He flung his head back and thrust against her.
“Jesus,” he cried as if seeing where they were standing. “What is it about you that I lose all sense of awareness?” He hitched an arm under her hips and walked into the house, the door slamming behind them.
She pressed frantic kisses on his cheek and jaw and neck, her hands running under his shirt while he growled. And then he ran up the stairs to his bedroom. She giggled.
He flung the two of them on the bed but twisted so he landed on his back – even now looking out for her.
She sat up and rode him through his jeans.
“Fuck,” he roared, his hands going for the snap closure. She immediately shifted so he could open his pants and helped him drag them off. His boxers went with them. She pounced. But he wasn’t having any of it.
“Hell no, fair play.”
She shot him a frustrated look and stood up then whipped her shirt over her head and stepped out of her Capri length pants. She stood in her thong and bra and stepped up on the bed. He immediately stood up and placed tiny kisses over the lacy triangle. His fingers slid underneath the elastic edge to find the dampness inside. She cried out, her knees buckling. He flipped her to the side and quickly reversed their positions. Now it was his turn. His tongue tasted and stroked and sucked then delved until she was a writhing mass of nerves on the bed.
“Cooper, now,” she cried out. “I want you inside of me.”
He slid one finger down through her damp curls. She opened her legs wide. “Yes,” she hissed. “More. More.”
Carefully he worked one finger inside, and she realized he figured she might struggle with his size. And she might, but it was a challenge she was more than up to.
She pushed up on his shoulders and he willingly rolled over. She grinned. “You’ll fit, no worries there.”
He shouted with laughter. “You are awful tiny…”
“I am, and you’re awfully big,” she whispered, stroking the full length of him. “But we’re made for this.”
She threw one leg across and straddled him, her hips almost shaking with need. She gave him a salty smile as she placed him at her entrance and slowly sank down – but not all the way.
His breath caught in the back of his throat as he tried to lift his hips up, his back aching as she rose slightly above him to keep him where she wanted him.
“Witch,” he said in a thick voice.
“Never,” she whispered and relaxed, feeling the stretching as he filled her completely and still there was more of him. She let herself sink lower.
He groaned.
She moaned. And shuddered when she took all of him.
She sat in place for a long moment as she reveled in the sensation. It had been a long time. And never this perfect. This man had snuck into her heart and soul, and she’d welcomed him into her body with joy. “God I missed this,” she murmured.
“Not as much as I missed you this last year,” he whispered. “I was heartbroken to find out you were married. Then I was heartbroken for you when I heard about your divorce.”
“But not for yourself, huh?” she said, loving the moment. And needing so much more.
“No, you are mine. Have been since I first saw you,” he whispered, reaching up to cup her breasts. “Don’t ever doubt it.”
She placed her hands on his chest and leaned forw
ard to stare into his eyes and started to ride.
Gazes locked, she took them both to the edge of the precipice. He slid his hands down to her hips and held her in place as he ground up hard against her and sent them both over the edge.
Collapsing down onto his chest, she lay against his heart, hearing that rapid beat against her ear. His arms gently stroked down her back, tremors still wracking his heavily muscled frame.
“We’re so damn lucky to have found each other,” she whispered.
*
“You’re so damn special,” he whispered.
Still recovering, she propped her head on her hands and smirked. “Does that mean you’re ready to go again?”
He gave a shout of laughter and hardened up perfectly – already inside of her.
“Good thing,” she said. “I’ve been abstinent for a long time.”
“Planning to make up for it?” he asked suggestively.
“Depends, are you up for the job?”
Not only was he up for the job, he was bound and determined to give her a night she’d never forget. And he was very goal oriented.
Chapter 25
The next morning, true to his word, Cooper pulled into her driveway just before noon, and said, “Here we go. If we make it fast we can head to the beach afterwards.”
She reached over and kissed his cheek. Something she’d done dozens of times already this morning. There was nothing like a night of hot passion to make for the best moods.
“Perfect.” She really could use more clothes and she had a few plants she didn’t want to see die because of neglect.
They walked up together, holding hands. The house was dark and silent but with Cooper at her side, the edgy fear wasn’t there. She loved not having to face this alone. She unlocked the door and walked inside. Her huge fern on the front window was crying out for water.
“You go pack what you need, I’ll water this guy.”
She smiled at him. “There are two more in the kitchen.”
His phone rang as she ran lightly up the stairs, bracing herself for the reminder of what her bedroom had looked like last time. She could have asked Cooper to accompany her upstairs, but that seemed a little silly. Outside her door she took a deep breath and walked in. Then averting her gaze she went to work. She had a small suitcase in the closet that she pulled out and opened. Quickly she emptied her drawers. There were more clothes in her closet. She rifled through them, choosing a dress and a sweater. That’s all she had room for. With a quick walk through the bathroom she collected a few more toiletries and added them to the growing pile.
With the suitcase in hand, she walked out of the room. There was a second bathroom, but it was empty of everything but what a guest might need. The spare bedroom door was closed. She dropped the suitcase at the top of the stairs and pushed the door open. Walking inside her nose caught the scent of something strong. Something foreign.
And something that didn’t belong.
She spun around to run out of the room but strong arms grabbed her and a hand slapped over her mouth. She struggled, panic overtaking her normal judgment and she went wild kicking and twisting to get free. To let Cooper know she was in trouble.
“Stupid bitch.”
She shuddered. She didn’t know that voice. But she understood one thing. He was big, strong and determined.
Her energy drained quickly and she hung limp in his arms. She could barely hear the voice in the background as if he whispered something to someone. And she was pretty sure it wasn’t to her.
*
Cooper answered his phone as he filled up a large mug of water and walked from plant to plant.
“Mason, what’s up?”
“The middle brother, Marten, was granted shore leave. He’s due back today.”
Cooper’s breath released suddenly. “Anyone go with him?”
“Yeah, the younger brother called Yarnel.”
Cooper’s mind suddenly filled with possibilities. “Do you think that could be the older brother Harken? Using the younger brother’s passport to get into the country? He is on a week’s leave.”
“And the freighter picked up several men down the coast four days ago. Supposedly Yarnel was one of them.”
“So Harken travels as the younger brother, joins the freighter and lands in the US illegally. And it just so happens that his wife who’s been having an affair disappears around the same time.”
“We’ve contacted the freighter. They say the brothers aren’t due back until later today, but they have given the Coast Guard permission to board.” His voice turned dry. “Of course that could mean nothing.”
“It means they either don’t have her or don’t know she’s onboard.”
“I vote the latter. This is a vendetta of the brothers against the wife.”
“Do we have any information on the brothers?”
“The younger one is clean of any violations. The middle brother is divorced. The wife had a restraining order against him. He was accused of domestic violence but the wife refused to press charges. She is currently living in Germany. All three brothers reside in Turkey.”
“So a predisposition for violence, particularly against wives.”
“Exactly.”
“Okay, keep us posted.” He went to close the call, then remembered. “Mason, can you shoot me a picture of the brothers. Just in case.”
And he suddenly realized that it was quiet upstairs. As in too quiet.
“Shit,” he whispered in a low voice.
“What’s the matter?” Mason said in a terse tone.
Cooper whispered, “We’re at Sasha’s place.”
He slowly turned to face the empty doorway. “She went upstairs ten minutes ago and now it’s quiet.” And his instinct kicked in. “Damn it, it’s too quiet. Give me two minutes, if I don’t call you back…” He hung up and slipped the phone in his pocket. He shifted to the base of the stairs. Studying the layout of the house, the stairs and the flooring, he realized that because it was hardwood it would be impossible to make it up without the wood creaking.
Unless… He hopped onto the railing and quickly pulled himself up to the second floor, his gaze on the level above him as he landed like a cat in the hallway. Could Sasha have lain down? Fallen asleep?
Her suitcase stood at the top of the stairs. He peered into the master bedroom. It was empty. Doing a quick check, he checked the ensuite bathroom and moved back out to the hallway. The second bathroom stood wide open. He stuck his head in but it was emtpy. The spare bedroom door was closed. Shit.
With his ear against the wood he listened.
Breathing.
Behind the door.
Well, that answered that.
He stepped back slightly and took a running jump, slamming against the door. It held. He hit again, focusing on the latch. The door popped open.
To show Sasha against the headboard, her arms tied behind her back.
Unconscious.
He searched the room but her attacker was gone. The window curtains fluttered in the breeze. He growled deep inside his throat as he stared out into the afternoon sun. Outside of indents in the soft ground below showing the intruder had exited that way, there was no sign of him in the yard. He opened his phone. “Mason, Sasha was attacked. The intruder got away. I’m checking her now.”
When the pulse beat strong under his fingers he closed his eyes and collapsed onto the bed. “She’s alive.”
“Thank God for that.”
He could hear voices in the background, but he was so overwhelmed he couldn’t speak.
“We’re five minutes away. Hold tight.”
And Mason hung up.
Cooper leaned over the bed and stroked Sasha’s face. “Wake up, sweetheart. Wake up.”
She muttered something unintelligible and her eyelids fluttered. She sighed then opened her eyes. When she saw him tears filled her eyes. “Cooper?”
“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
She blinked in confusi
on. “What happened?”
“Don’t move.” He pulled a pocketknife from his pocket and cut the bindings holding her arms.
“That hurts,” she cried out as her arms rolled forward. He picked up her closest arm and rubbed some life back into it.
“Do you remember what happened?” he asked gently, dropping a kiss on her wet cheek.
“Attacked from behind. Why does this keep happening?” Her voice was low and pained, breaking his heart. “At least it wasn’t Greg.”
“Even worse, it’s not about you.”
“Thank God. Imagine if it was.” And she realized what she’d said. “Poor Theresa.”
“The Coast Guard is on its way to search the ship for her.”
But Sasha was shaking her head. “I doubt she’s there. The guy that’s after her was here.”
Her gaze widened and she cried out, “Look–”
And he knew.
He spun and lashed out but took the blow on the side of the head. The last thing he heard was Sasha’s voice crying out to him. “No… Don’t hurt him.”
*
Mason kicked the truck into speeds he had no business using as he barreled toward Dr. Sasha’s house. They’d tried to call Cooper’s phone several times and no answer. The Jeep was parked in the driveway. Mason pulled up behind it, Shadow raced out to the front door. It was locked.
Mason beat him to the back door. The door was open. Mason backed up and looked at the second floor. There were no sounds and no windows open on that side. It was also a long drop. Not an impossible one but…
Motioning at Shadow, Mason slipped inside.
With one ear cocked, Mason watched as Shadow joined him. They did a fast sweep of the downstairs but the upstairs needed to be checked. Taking the stairs two at a time, he was on the second floor in seconds, Shadow at his heels. They checked the rooms where the doors were open, then centered on the one room with the closed door.
And reassessed. It wasn’t closed. It hung drunkenly as in someone had already kicked it in.
He knew the damn place was going to be empty.
At his signal, the two entered low and swept the room.
