by Tatum Throne
She traversed around the boulder with Kade following closely behind. With each move she made, he groaned and encouraged her with grunts of approval. When she was halfway around, she heard the sound of Kade’s zipper. Kade came up behind, and he ran his hand up over her backside as the tip of his thick cock searched out her wet core. Wynn moaned as her hands cranked down on the rock.
“Kade...”
“Yes?”
He entered her in one slow, erotic thrust. His hands smoothed down her arms to her hands to help hold her to the rock. Wynn arched back her neck as his lips came down to kiss her. His tongue swirled over the sensitive curve of her ear as he started to sex her wet pussy.
Wynn had no control as he took her in an erotic dance. She wanted to ride his cock but was forced to be taken. She felt him holding back by tightening every one of his muscles. The corded muscles in his thighs brushed up against her legs.
Kade’s hard cock kept her up on the rock as he sexed her in short, intense thrusts. She wanted this with him. She wanted to let go of all her fear and be with him completely, but she knew before she could do any of that she had to tell him the truth of why she was there. Deep down in the most fragile part of her heart, she knew she’d have to tell Kade that she was internal affairs. When she did, she knew she’d lose him.
Her heart was beating wildly. She was so close to letting go when she felt Kade stop, with his sex deep within her hot pussy.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked.
“Trusting you.”
His cock kicked out, and she rolled her hips. She felt it flex again. She couldn’t wait anymore. She started to move. “Kade...”
“I know, baby...”
He pulled out and started taking her hard. Her orgasm hit her entire body. She cried out as she rode the rough waves. Kade waited until the last possible moment before pulling his cock out. Wynn felt his cock slide up the back of her ass crack as his orgasm rocked through his body. A raw, animal cry erupted from deep within his chest as his cum shot over her back.
Her legs were jelly as Kade helped her climb down from the boulder.
“Stay for dinner.”
“Okay.”
Wynn went to reach for her clothes, but Kade stopped her. He swooped up her backpack, stuffing her clothes inside. Then he turned and lifted her off her feet. Wynn gasped as he swung her half over his shoulder and chest. He kissed her on the neck.
She felt owned.
* * * *
Kade set her bare feet on the front porch as he unlocked the door. He kissed his way down over her shoulder and pushed the door open at the same time. Wynn didn’t want to consider how their relationship was changing and deepening. A small part of her heart didn’t want the risk of loving. Kade slammed shut the door and claimed her mouth. He lifted her up off her feet, and she wrapped her legs around his hips. The thick edge of his cock was bold beneath his pants.
Wynn’s eyes fluttered, seeing the house in a blur of movement. The living room looked as though it was newly renovated.
He carried her easily upstairs to his bedroom and into his bathroom. Kade’s big hands gripped her ass tightly as he pushed her up against the wall.
“What are we doing here?” she asked.
“Getting you clean.”
“I didn’t know I was that dirty.”
He slid her down the front of him.
“Yes, you are.” He flipped on the shower and lifted her chin to kiss her again. “You go first. I’ll start dinner.”
Wynn showered quickly and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her body. She’d expected Kade to return and join her, but he didn’t. That thought had her remembering why she needed to get into Kade’s home in the first place. She needed to take a look around his place for evidence.
Kade’s bedroom was designed with a modern, lived-in flare. She peeked into his closet. Climbing equipment hung in the corner, cams, ropes, and harnesses, next to work shirts and tactical pants. His things were neat and orderly. He wasn’t a guy that kept everything he ever had. On the shelf above the clothes, there was a large box. Wynn reached up and tested it for weight before she lifted it down.
Wynn set the box on the floor. Her heart raced as she opened it. Inside were awards and accommodations for bravery in the field as a Secret Service agent. They were things that should be on display in a office or on a wall. Why were they boxed away as though they were not important?
Guilt settled in as Wynn put the box away. There were so many layers to Kade.
Wynn padded barefoot down the stairs to hear him talking to someone on the phone in the kitchen. She went down the short hallway and saw him on his cell phone. Something in the way he was standing made her pause before the doorway.
“She said she didn’t know you. I don’t know. Are you sure you recognized her?” Kade asked.
He listened, and so did Wynn. Damn that man for remembering her. He was going to blow her cover before she had a chance to talk with Kade.
Kade’s kitchen was partially pulled apart. The cabinets were new, and the floors were freshly polished. There were paint cans stacked off in a small sunroom off the kitchen. Beside the cans, a miniature lemon tree sat.
“No. I’ll take care of you at the drop this time. I want things to go perfectly this time. No one is getting hurt. I’ll call you later,” he said.
Drop. The truth hit her hard, and there was nothing Wynn could do to take back hearing it. Kade hung up his phone and turned toward floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked his backyard. He ran his hand through his dark hair in frustration and caught sight of her reflection in the glass. He turned. His work shirt was unbuttoned and showed the dark hair on his chest that always made her heart race. She smiled, pretending not to hear any of his conversation. She blushed as his gaze went from the top of her head to her toes. He crossed the room and gave her a sweet kiss.
She didn’t want to go there with him, not now when she knew the truth of who he was. He could look if he wanted, but she wasn’t going to ever be with him again. “Can I borrow a shirt?” she asked.
“I kind of like you in this towel.” He tugged on the tuck between her breasts.
She walked her fingers up his chest. “I like you out of your shirt.”
He kissed with everything, and she pretended to not be so affected by his kiss, but it wasn’t working. Her heart wasn’t about to get the memo now. She made a mistake by sleeping with Kade, and there was nothing she could do to get her heart back. He backed her up against the wall and pressed himself fully to her. She pulled away.
“My shirt?”
He grinned. “Bedroom.”
She followed him back upstairs, and he disappeared into his closet.
She wasn’t good at this relationship stuff. She didn’t like talking about her feelings or figuring out how to tear down the walls she put up around her heart. She knew that Kade wanted more. She couldn’t let go of her rational side long enough to hand her life over to a man. She knew that he wanted her to trust him completely.
When she was working, she didn’t trust anyone. What she saw in Kade’s eyes scared her more than him finding out the truth. The look in his gaze told her that he was a man that could be everything for her if she wanted. It was just too bad he was the one running drugs.
Wynn felt conflicted inside. She wanted to tell Kade the truth of why she was down there, but what if she was wrong about what she knew to be true? What if she was wrong about what she overheard? There were many different kinds of drops.
They either had this conversation now or later. Wynn didn’t want to have it at all. He came out with the shirt. The confession was on the tip of her tongue. He brought out the shirt. Wynn unclasped the towel, and Kade wrapped it around her shoulders. Wynn buttoned it up the front.
“You look like you have the weight of the world riding on you,” he said.
“I have to work tomorrow. I won’t be around to hang out with you.”
He gave her a kiss. “That’s okay.
I have to meet a friend that’s coming into town.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. We go climb the Drop every time he’s in town.”
Relief poured through her body. Kade pulled her into a hug. She felt guilty for allowing the pleasure of his embrace to seep into her body. She felt guilty for suspecting that he was involved in running drugs. She gripped her fingers tightly around Kade’s waist. She had to let him go if she wanted to do her job. Wynn wasn’t sure if she wanted to do her job anymore. It wasn’t about her undercover work with the FS anymore. All she thought about and wanted was Kade. How could one man shake her so thoroughly?
Chapter Fifteen
Work was taking Wynn deep within the Red. Rumor had it that a group of climbers liked to hit the fields and then hit the rocks. The guys were known for being full-time climbing bums. Men like that couldn’t do that without some source of income. Wynn hiked out to Sky Bridge Ridge. The Eastern Gorge Region was way off the beaten path and the perfect place for climbers to disappear for hours on end.
Wynn’s pack was light on her shoulders as she navigated the trail. It wasn’t long before she heard voices. Four shirtless guys were standing below the ridge. Two were on the rock attacking it. They were each ripped with hard muscle. The one with the long blond hair tied in a ponytail at the back of his neck and tattoos caught her attention. Wynn made her footsteps heavy as she approached.
“Hey, boys. Which route is this?” she asked.
“Jack the Ripper.”
A shiver tracked over her skin as the climber’s gaze went head to toe. Wynn wasn’t the prettiest, but her athleticism tended to catch the eye of men she first met. She smiled, and despite her sunglasses, she had to squint as she looked up at the rock.
“You climbing up here?” the redheaded climber asked.
“I thought I’d take a look,” she said.
“You’re welcome to climb with us.”
Perfect. It was just the in she needed. “That sounds great!”
“I’m Kevin.”
“Wynn.”
A half hour later, Wynn was on the rock. Kevin was the one that was openly interested. It didn’t take long for Wynn to discover that two of the guys were an item. The other two, Kevin and Jase, were coworkers that ran a climbing shop in Lexington. After they spent four hours climbing, they hiked it back to their cars.
“We’re heading to Angelico’s to get pizza. You game?” Kevin asked.
“Sure.”
Angelico’s was on the beaten path and catered to climbers. It was nestled in the Red. They all drove separately. Angelico’s was decorated with mismatched tables, some of which were picnic. Three large pizzas with everything were brought to the table. Wynn was on her second piece when hands smoothed down over her shoulders. She didn’t have to look to know that it was Kade.
He leaned down to her ear. “Working hard?”
“Hardly working right now,” she said.
“Kade, join us, man,” Kevin said.
“I think I will.”
She shivered as Kade’s fingers caressed the sensitive part of her neck. Over the last few days, he’d learned how to get her off with a flick of his finger. That caress was a reminder to her that he didn’t want her to forget about that. Kade sat down across from her at the table. His uniform was muddy in spots. He looked at her, and she met his open stare. She could see that he wanted to know why she lied to him about working. That was the kicker. She hadn’t lied. She was working.
“What’ve you guys been up to?” he asked.
Kevin swung his arm around the back of the booth, cinching Wynn in closer to his side. “Jack the Ripper all day.”
Wynn saw the muscle in Kade’s jaw start to tick overtime. There was a storm gathering between them. She knew there was nothing she could do to prevent this storm from hitting hard and damaging everything it touched.
Wynn tossed down money on the table and scooted from beneath Kevin’s arm and the booth. “I’ll catch you boys another time. Thanks for the climb.”
Wynn glanced back inside Angelico’s. Kade was getting up from the table, but he was quickly blocked in by a three-year-old little girl and her mom. Whatever was being said had Kade smiling. He hunched his big, muscled body down to the little girl’s shoe. She pointed her foot out, and Kade grabbed her shoelaces, tying them. The moment was so completely unexpected and endearing that it had Wynn taking a closer look at Kade.
Their gazes locked through the front windows. Wynn really didn’t want to have the conversation that was soon to come.
She knew it was wrong, but she got into her Wrangler and drove away. Fresh air blew her hair around as she drove. She loved having the top down in the summer. Wynn was halfway back to her hotel when lights flashed behind her. She pulled over in Junior Williamson rest area. He shut off his lights and got out of his vehicle. He looked dangerous when he was in work mode. She didn’t want to admit it, but it turned her on.
“Hello, ranger,” she said.
“Running from me again?”
She didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. She was done with lying to him. He leaned on the Wrangler. She smiled. “I suppose I am.”
“I know you’re hiding something from me.”
“Perhaps it’s okay for a woman to have a little mystery about her.”
The corner of his mouth hitched up as he considered that view of their situation. “Would you feel the same way if I were the one with all the secrets?”
Ouch. “It’s complicated, Kade.”
“I suppose it always is.”
Wynn smoothed her hand around her steering wheel. “Kade...”
“Don’t say anything else, Wynn. I’m tired of the lies. Don’t talk to me again until you want to tell me the truth about why you’re really down here in the Red.”
He walked away, and tears stung her eyes. He sat down in his vehicle and drove away. Wynn reached for her cell phone and made the call she knew was always coming. The phone rang, and then she heard the line connect. Her boss was answering, and it would all be over soon.
“Special Agent Anders.”
“It’s me.”
“Tell me you have something.”
“The growers are local. I think we went about this the wrong way. I think I should’ve gone inside the department.”
“Has your cover been blown?”
“Yeah...Gentry doesn’t trust me.”
“Is he clean?”
“Yeah, I’m sure he is. I think he thinks I’m down here as a buyer.”
Anders blew out a sigh on the other end of the phone. “Okay, it is what it is. We’ll have to go about this another way. Let me think on it.”
She didn’t want to say it, but she knew she had to. “Maybe it’s time to partner with the DEA.”
“I think you’re right.”
Wynn hung up her cell phone. She had to tell Kade the truth. She knew he’d be angry, but there was nothing she could do about it.
Chapter Sixteen
Fog hovered above the dewy morning grass at Kade’s house. Early morning sunshine hadn’t yet cut through the trees. The lights were on in the kitchen. Wynn gripped the steering wheel. She didn’t want to do this, but she didn’t have a choice. She had to tell him the truth.
She thought about showing up in a FS polo shirt and her khaki tactical pants. She decided against it. It was going to be enough to tell him the truth. She crossed the lawn to the porch.
She took a deep breath and knocked on his door. Nerves had her body strung tight. She knew he wasn’t going to be happy about the lies. Wynn’s hand hovered over her badge clipped on her belt. Indecision made her hand shake. At the last second, she moved it off her belt and into the pocket of her cargo pants.
Kade answered the door, and she totally fucking chickened out.
His gaze went head to toe, as did hers. He wasn’t working today. He was in a pair of relaxed jeans and a light-blue, faded T-shirt with old paint splatters on it. His hair was messed, and his feet were bar
e.
“Hey, Wynn.”
There was heat in his gaze. The kind that sent an erotic chill down her spine. He was making it very clear that he wanted more of her, and he was going to do everything in his power to have her, if she told him the truth.
Things wouldn’t be happening between them again. It’d be best if Wynn let him down fast and easy. He smiled that charming grin as he came in close to give her a quick kiss. His smile soon faded into a cautious curiosity when she pulled away from his kiss.
She thought fast but couldn’t come up with anything. “I’m leaving,” she said.
Hurt flashed through his eyes. She hated how she put it there.
“I expected it.”
“Kade, can I come in?”
He turned and left the door hanging open as he headed back down the hallway. The way he dismissed her felt like a smack to the face. She had a moment where she felt like walking away from this bomb with the fused unchecked. She took a steadying breath, and she went inside and shut the door quietly. She followed him and hovered within the doorway to the kitchen.
Paintbrushes were drying on a step ladder in the kitchen, and the windows were open.
Breakfast was on the table. He sat back down to homemade pancakes that he hadn’t yet started on. Butter slipped over the top. He poured maple syrup over the cakes and dug in with his knife and fork. She ignored the way her stomach grumbled. She sat down across from him, and he glared. In the middle of all of it was a miniature slinky.
“So you were on vacation for a few days?” he asked.
Wynn reached out for the slinky nervously and rolled it from hand to hand. “I wasn’t planning on staying in the Red for very long.”
He snorted. “I guess I was your summer fling.”
She knew it was going to be bad. She shook her head and tossed the slinky onto the table. “No...you were never a fling, Kade.”
He looked at her as though he didn’t believe a word that came from her mouth. That hard, bad boy glint to his eye flashed with heat.
“So why are you here?”
