by L. A. Fiore
“Yes,” she said, pulling her lip between her teeth because, God, he was beautiful.
“Just want it noted I don’t go around sticking my cock in women without protection.” He informed her, hoping she understood the significance of what he was saying.
Her eyes moved to that cock and her clit pulsed before her gaze lifted to his. “I don’t go around letting men stick their cocks in me without protection,” she teased, then added, “I’m not sorry you did.”
Hank’s lips tipped up slowly in a grin. Moving into her, he leaned over her laxed form, kissed her puffy lips before he wrapped his arms around her and tossed her up and over his shoulder. Her laugh rang in the silence. Hank took steady steps toward the stairs with a smile on his face, then moved up them listening to a giggling Arissa. He reached the top and stopped.
Arissa threw an arm out, pointed down the hall and said on a chuckle, “That one.”
Once they crossed the threshold of her bedroom, Hank brought them to the edge of the bed where he easily tossed Arissa onto it. When she saw him climbing in, she pulled the bedspread down, tucking herself inside, leaving him an open invitation as she held it up. He slid in, tucked her to his side and laid a kiss to her forehead when she snuggled up next to him.
Her eyes met his, there was humor when she said, “You start taking all your suspects into custody like that and there’s going to be a crime wave in Summerville.”
Hank chuckled and teased, “Are you confessing that I should suspect you of a crime?”
Her eyes turned dark. “I’ve had some thoughts about you that I’m sure violate some kind of laws on public displays,” she said jokingly.
Hank’s voice grew low and deep when he said, “If you share those thoughts, I promise to give you a thorough body search.”
She felt those words. “Oh dear God,” she moaned. “Not sure I’d survive that tonight, but that’s definitely a rain check I’m cashing in.” She turned into him and asked, “Why the sheriff?”
Hank grinned down at her and touched his lips to hers before he settled in and answered her question. “Living in a small town you don’t see much. But as a kid, I remember seeing the sheriff walking the streets and how everyone took to him. Then I grew up and that hero worship faded and I was hit with just the people in the town, wanting to protect them. Then I got elected and, fuck, I wish I knew about all the headaches this town would give me.” He finished on a chuckle.
“And you love every second. These people adore you. And from my own experience, you coming to my aid that first day, I understand why.”
“I wouldn’t go as far as saying every second.” Hank laughed. “But yeah, I love my job. Pussy, chickens and all.”
Arissa laughed at the reference, even as she grew warm because she had wondered how it’d feel to have the sheriff doing a little pussy wrangling with her. Her imagination hadn’t come close.
Hank felt the shake of Arissa’s body next to him. He liked it. Liked it a fucking lot. It felt good, not just her laughter but having her against him. “Heard you took off to Charleston, had to handle some work shit, you get it settled?”
Something warm moved through Arissa realizing it was the first time someone, outside of those she worked with, had asked her about work. “I did. My stager is high maintenance, but she’s amazing. Speaking of, I won’t be using Danielle for your spread. Your place doesn’t need it, but I am going to start taking pictures to send to Dmitri, if that’s okay with you.”
Hank didn’t even have to give it a thought before he said, “I’ll get you a key, you can come and go as you want.”
That warmth grew and settled comfortably in her chest even as she asked, “Really, are you sure?”
Hank turned into Arissa causing her to move to her back. He hung above her, their eyes connected. “When I asked you earlier if you’re ready, I meant it. I’m not here to play games, Arissa, too old for that shit. I’ve seen how you are with others, with me and this town. I like it. Like it a fucking lot.” He held her stare and when she didn’t say anything, he asked, “You with me?”
Never had she been on the receiving end of such words. She’d been under a lucky star when she’d pick Summerville to set down roots because this man…he was under her skin in the best possible way. She ran her finger over his lips, needing that small touch before she whispered, “I’m with you.”
His eyes grew soft from just three small words. He took her mouth, and when he explored her this time it was slow and soft. Ending it with light brushes against her lips and cheek, he settled back next to her, pulling her closer than she was before, even though that wasn’t possible.
“Dinner in or out?” He shot at her.
“In. I’ll make another pie since we didn’t get any last time.”
“Deal,” he said before he asked, “Movie in or out?”
She glanced up at him and grinned. “In for all the questions.”
Hank smiled at her before he chuckled. When his laugh died down he asked, “You have to go into the city much for work?”
“No, most of what I do can be handled from here. I only went in last week to calm down Danielle. She lets it all build and then she blows. She should be good now for another few months.”
It wasn’t a question when Hank said, “Next time you have to, I go with you.” He let that sit between them a second before he told her, “It only takes me a minute to pack a bag.”
“I love Charleston. I always have, but this last trip it was missing something.” She looked up at him before she added, “The next time I went I was going to ask if you’d come with me.”
Hank leaned into her, causing her to fall to her back again. “Baby, no matter what it involves, I’ll always come with you.” He didn’t let Arissa speak as he kissed her, this time it ended with them breathing out each other’s name when they came…together.
9
Hank woke to a thundering sound. He gently shifted trying not to wake Arissa, whose body was draped over him. The banging came again, this time louder.
Arissa stirred, the loud sound waking her. “Make it stop,” she grumbled and snuggled closer to him.
He moved from underneath her, rising from the bed to check out what the fuck was going on. “Babe?” Hank called as his eyes stayed to the sight out the window.
Arissa had been having the most excellent dream, but the damn banging was pulling her from it. At least she thought it was a dream until she opened her eyes to find Hank standing by her window. Last night came back in stunning clarity. “I thought I was dreaming.” It was only when Hank turned to her, that dark look in his eyes that made her body react, that she realized she was still speaking every thought out loud.
Hank winked at her. The erotic vision of Arissa’s nightshirt lifted above her belly, hair a mess and sleepy eyes to him had him thinking he should make a new ordinance in the town. No knocking on anyone’s door before nine in the morning, maybe extending that time to noon for his and Arissa’s doors. “Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he mumbled. Then cocked his head gesturing to the group of women now screaming Arissa’s name. “Better go deal with your women before they break the fucking door down.”
Arissa was still on him calling her beautiful. She could say the same of him, standing there in only his boxer briefs. The look in his eyes, whatever he’d been thinking, she wanted to explore that all day. Then she heard Hya. She rolled her eyes and climbed from bed. “You need to arrest them. All of them,” she grumbled as she yanked open a drawer and pulled out a pair of yoga pants. Shimmying into them, she glanced over at Hank. Dear God, she was leaving him in her room to handle the Belles. “And throw away the damn key,” she hissed.
Hank chuckled as he reached for his jeans on the floor. “Been trying for years, Sweetheart.”
“I’ll infiltrate from the inside. Plant evidence, if necessary.” She didn’t bother brushing her teeth.
Banging on a woman’s door at this hour, knowing who she went home with, served them right.
All hands had to be banging on the door at once because the sound thundered through the house as Hya screamed, “We’ll break it down, Arissa, you know we will!”
She headed for the door, but stopped in front of Hank. She let them bang as she got her fill of him, wishing he wasn’t putting on his clothes, but taking them off. “I’d like another rain check.”
Hank was doing the zipper of his jeans when his eyes met Arissa’s and he whispered, “Baby, you hold all the checks now.” He laid a kiss on her forehead, swatted her ass and told her. “Go deal with those crazy ass women.”
She was going to kill them. All of them. She didn’t share that, but dragged her feet from the room. When she heard Hya, she screamed back, “Shut up, old woman. I’m coming.” She yanked the door open, they all tried to enter at once. It had to be the look on her face because Maureen stopped, and the others all banged up into each other.
“Do any of you own a watch?” Arissa asked but didn’t wait for an answer. “No one should be woken at this hour.” She then dropped her voice and added menacingly, “Knowing who I left with last night, you shouldn’t have knocked until tomorrow, maybe the day after.” She glared at them, holding it on Hya. “Am I wrong?”
Jo waved a hand, whipping away Arissa’s words as if she hadn’t even spoken them. “Pfft, let us in. We need details asap.”
“I’m going to kill all of you,” Arissa threatened but stepped aside and held the door. “You better have brought food and coffee.”
Hya barreled past Arissa, holding a white box in her hand. “Hush, I brought you fucking donuts.” She started down the hall toward the kitchen shouting, “Sex with that man needs more than donuts, but I got those anyway.”
Arissa muttered under her breath. “I could still be having sex with that man.”
Maureen followed behind the group voicing, “I got the coffee.”
“I brought extra,” Millie added, holding up her own carafe.
Arissa gave thought to being a proper southern lady and tending to her guests before herself for all of two seconds before she thought fuck that. She walked into the kitchen, flipped open the box, grabbed a chocolate glazed donut and shoved half of it into her mouth. Talking around it she said, “Pour me a coffee, would ya?”
She felt all eyes on her. She knew what they were waiting for, but she was going to let them wait. “This donut is good.”
Maureen stopped mid-pour and leveled her eyes on Arissa. “Oh God, it didn’t go well did it?”
“I thought she would have been doing some acrobatic shit down the stairs,” Hya muttered with a glazed donut resting near her lips.
Arissa dropped down on a chair, kicked her feet up on her table. Took a moment to eye all of them then asked, “So why are you here?”
Jo slid a chair out, plopping down in it. “Sugar, you better spill.” She settled her impatient eyes on Arissa.
A wicked grin touched Arissa’s mouth. She reached for the coffee Maureen set down in front of her. Took a nice long sip. Dropped her feet on the floor, leaped up from her chair and said, “Oh, so you want to know what happened after a certain sheriff whisked me away last night.”
“Where’s my cane?” Hya’s voice was irritated, her head whipping around looking for the cane she’d dropped somewhere in the kitchen.
Arissa couldn’t help the shudder. Hya and her cane. “Fine. We came back here. Had sex right on this very table.” Arissa slapped her hand on the wood causing a loud thud.
All eyes moved to the table.
Jo lifted a napkin and waved it in front of her. “Oh dear Lord.”
“Details,” Hya demanded as she moved to the table, sat down and started rubbing her hand on the wood.
“You never learned about the birds and the bees?” Arissa asked, holding back her laugh.
Hya leaned into Arissa and dropped her voice. “You are the only one of us who has seen that man naked. Has had his cock inside you, so when I say details. I want fucking details.”
Millie’s cup was halfway to her mouth, eyes gazing at the table with affection. “Yeah, what Hya said.”
Maureen reached the table, gave it a once over and asked, “You want to sell your table?”
“I get dibs first. I’m the oldest,” Hya spat at Maureen. “Also—”
Arissa cut them off. “Not for sale. I’m having it bronzed.” Arissa crossed the room for a mug and filled it with coffee.
The women had their eyes glued to Arissa, hanging on every word she spoke, so didn’t hear when Hank entered the kitchen.
“Morning, ladies,” Hank greeted them as he made his way to Arissa at the same time she held the mug of coffee out to him. He took it and muttered, “Thanks, Baby.” Then he turned, put his back to the counter and rested against it and took a gulp of the hot brown liquid.
Arissa gestured with her head to the women, fighting the grin because the kitchen was oddly quiet considering the Belles were in it. They were all looking at Hank. He was a sight in only his faded jeans. She was sure they were undressing him the rest of the way with their eyes…the table in their fantasies too, she had no doubt. “They woke us up to hear details.”
“He doesn’t have a shirt on,” Hya uttered in whispered shock. “Does he?”
Millie hummed, “Mmm.”
“No,” Jo started with disbelief. “No, he doesn’t.”
“Dear Lord, my eyes are seeing this, thank you, Jesus,” Hya mumbled.
Maureen shifted in her seat, set the mug that had been shaking in her hand on the table and stuttered, “Mor… Morning Sheriff.”
Hank nodded to Maureen and teased, “Details on what?”
Maureen’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. Not because she was embarrassed, but because she was on lust overload.
Hank winked at Arissa then focused on Jo when he asked, “That key you have to my place, can you give that to Arissa?”
All eyes shot from him to Jo.
“You’ve had a key to his place this whole time?” Hya expressed loudly and quite angrily.
Jo shot her a look. “He’s my boss, Hya, did your old brain forget that?”
“Ladies?” Millie tried.
“A key, a fucking key.” Hya tossed her hand in the air. “This is ground for unfriendship, just saying.” She blew out on a heavy breath before tossing a bite of donut in her mouth but spoke around it and added, “All the times I stumbled trying to peer into his windows…” She shook her head. “Unbelievable.”
“I’m still on the key,” Maureen said, her eyes narrowing on Hank. “And him giving it to Arissa.” Maureen turned a blinding smile on her. “Who is now officially my new best friend.” Maureen reached for her coffee. “So we’re back to details on last night. I feel that will help fill in the holes.”
“He was filling holes last night for sure,” Hya cackled then glared. “But details are needed.”
As the ladies brought their attention back on what they thought was breaking news, Jo silently nodded to Hank in answer. He obliged by doing the same.
Hank’s eyes drifted around the room to the ladies that were staring back at him. Hmm… If all he had to do to shut them up was take off his shirt, he would have done it years ago. Because right now, they all looked as though they couldn’t find their words, voices were silent that usually could be heard miles away. “Come on, ladies. Some things need to be left to the imagination, right?”
Hya tried a different tact. “I’m a dying woman. I mean not really but I’m older, I’m dying sooner, so give me something to take with me.” She even batted her lashes for emphasis.
Hank looked to the ceiling and muttered, “For fucks sake.” Then he looked at Hya. “Hya, you’re probably the healthiest one in this damn room, so tuck that card away, will ya?” Hank looked at
Arissa. “Call me when the grilling is done, we’ll make plans for later, yeah?”
He was leaving her to the vultures. She loved them, but they were relentless. The second part of his comment hit and she smiled. She was going to see him later. Her expression turned soft. “Yeah. I’d like to cash in on some of those rain checks.”
Hank leaned into her, put his mouth to her ear and whispered, “Baby, you give me what you gave me last night, you can cash in as many as you want.” With that, he lifted his head, placed a firm kiss on her forehead and started out of the kitchen, dropping his mug on the table in the spot he knew Arissa’s ass was last night and tossed out a little crumb. “That spot was on fucking fire last night.” Then he walked from the room.
Silence followed his departure, all eyes to the door he’d walked through. No one spoke, not when they heard his footfalls coming back down the stairs, when the front door opened then closed. They heard the garage door, a car start and through it all, no one said a word. It wasn’t until his SUV was a distant rumble that all eyes turned back to Arissa.
Hya stood, walked to Arissa, pulled her to the table, pushed her down on the chair then stood in front of her. “Details. Start at the beginning.”
* * *
The time for the gossip train was getting shorter and shorter every month. This time, he only had a chance to go home shower and get his jeans pulled up before his mom was blowing up his phone.
He snatched his cell from the dresser and tapped the screen. “Status?”
Catherine’s mouth opened then closed then she asked, “Where have you been?”
Hank was just reaching for a tee in his drawer when his hand stopped. “Come again?” he asked. Yes, it was his mother, loved her dearly, but he dealt with her during his relationship with Phoebe and he vowed to himself to never let her ride the wave with him again. For Christ sakes, he was a thirty-six-year-old man.
Silence settled for several long seconds before she said, “I only meant with the storm, your father and I were worried.”
She wasn’t fooling anyone, his dad wasn’t worried, it was her. It was always her. He grabbed a faded black AC/DC shirt. “As you can hear, Ma, I weathered the storm just fine. All good by you?”
