by Vaughn, Ann
"Never said I didn't."
"You aren't this relaxed back home."
"Lot going on back home," he replied, stepping past her to go inside.
Seeing that everyone was settled outside, Lainey got up and followed him in, finding him pulling a bottle of water from the fridge.
"Shutting back down on me, Commander?"
"Needed water."
"Of course," she said, leaning back against the opposite counter from where he stood.
"How does Melissa seem to you?"
"She wants Whit but is scared to move on her feelings."
"Do you think she'll agree to come to Springfield?"
"I think it will depend on Whit. What's his full name, by the way?"
"Derek Whitten."
She glanced toward the backdoor, seeing Whit sitting on the rail next to Melissa.
"I think you need to talk to Whit and ask him to ask her to come. If she thinks he wants her there, she may agree."
"Good to know," he said, starting to walk past her, but she stepped into his path. "What?"
"Why are you throwing your walls back up, Commander?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "You are the most...exasperating man I've ever met! You really are! I mean, really, I -"
Later, Lainey would swear he never moved. One minute he was by the refrigerator and the next he was on her, lifting her up onto the counter and taking her mouth by storm. She gasped, allowing his tongue entry, her hands fisting in his shirt. His hands forced her knees wide so he could settle in close to her then his hands cupped her face to angle her head to deepen the kiss.
Her heart was pounding; she could feel her hands trembling. He was slightly sweaty from playing football and she found she loved the smell of him and his tongue was driving her insane. A whimper sounded in her throat when he captured her lower lip, licking and sucking it before releasing it to trail his lips down her neck.
"Mike," she whispered.
"Shh, cara," he said, returning to her lips, "don't talk."
He kissed her again, this time so painstakingly tender she felt tears stinging the backs of her eyes. His hands delved into her hair, tilting her head to give him better access. Lainey slid her arms around his shoulders, her fingers sinking into the hair at his nape, resulting in her breasts being crushed against his chest.
When the door opened, he slowly pulled back, shielding her from whoever had just walked in with his body. Lainey looked up at him, feeling dazed and not quite sure what had just happened.
"Just me," Melissa said from the doorway, "sorry to interrupt."
"It's OK," Mike said, helping Lainey down from the counter. Her legs were weak and she had to clutch his arm to keep from falling. He glanced down and saw the dazed state she was in and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close into his side.
"Riley and the others said that you wanted me to move to Springfield and run the offices from there."
"I do. We need you."
She nodded and glanced around the kitchen, then back at Mike.
"I wanted to stay here where we lived with Zig...but, I've missed all of you. You're my family."
"Will you come then?"
She took a deep breath, tears in her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, I will."
Mike released Lainey and embraced Melissa, kissing her cheek and speaking low into her ear. Lainey pressed her fingers to her lips as she watched them, happy for them both but desperately wanting more time with him. Heart racing, she quietly left the kitchen in search of a bathroom to try to regain her composure. She'd no sooner found one and stepped in when a hand on the door prevented it from closing and Mike stepped inside behind her, then closed them in together.
"Mike, what are you..."
He backed her against the wall, towering over her.
"Wasn't done," he said, leaning down to skim his lips over hers.
She stared wide-eyed up at him then decided to throw caution to the wind, standing on her toes to twine her arms around his neck and pull him down for a kiss. Mike groaned and lifted her into his arms.
"Wrap your legs around me," he said, then braced her back against the wall so he could kiss her without having to lean down so far.
She did as he asked, reveling in the feel of his body between her legs, his lips against hers. The passion between them was unlike anything she'd ever felt. No matter where he touched, it wasn't enough. His hands worked their way under her shirt, her stomach quivering beneath his fingers.
"Hold on to me, cara mia," he said against her lips, letting his hands cup and massage her breasts through her bra.
"Mike," she pleaded.
"Shhh," he said, lifting her shirt, and leaning down to skim his lips over the swell of her breasts over her aqua lacy bra, "molto carina," he whispered reverently.
"Please," she whispered.
"Please, what?" he asked, pulling the cup of the left side of her bra down, then closing his mouth around her to suckle.
"Oh, God," she moaned, burying her fingers in his thick hair, feeling his tongue sliding over her sensitive flesh. "Mike."
"Cosi dolce," he said, lifting his head to look into her eyes, even as he covered her back up. He could see the passion in her eyes, knew that if they weren't in a house full of people he could take her right then.
"Don't pull away," she whispered, even as he slowly lowered her to her feet. "Mike, please."
He ran his thumb along her lower lip, then, unable to resist, leaned down and kissed her once more before pulling away and taking a step back.
"Now's not the time, cara mia. I shouldn't have followed you in here."
"But you did...and I'm not sorry you did. When are you going to let go of that rigid control you keep over yourself, Commander? You aren't a robot!" she hissed.
He took her hand in his and pressed it to his zipper, allowing her to feel the length of his arousal.
"Damn right I'm not a robot," he said, his voice deceptively soft, "but now's not the time nor place." Her hand tightened on him, causing him to groan. She didn't speak, her hands shifting to his belt, pulling it open, her eyes locked on his. When he didn't protest, she unbuttoned his pants and shifted to his zipper before he reached down to stop her. "Don't."
"Why? When's the last time you..."
He pulled her closer, fisted his hand in her hair and yanked, tilting her head back.
"Not now," he growled, "but soon."
"Bullshit," she snapped.
He cupped her chin with his free hand. "Watch your language."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I should say it in Italian and then it's OK, right?"
His eyes roamed her face, then he leaned down and closed his mouth over hers taking her in a kiss that bordered on brutal, leaving her whimpering and clinging to him. He was close to tossing his principles out the window and taking her then and there when they heard everyone's voices coming back in the house.
"That's our cue," he said, releasing her and stepping back to fix his pants and fasten his belt.
"Oh, my God, seriously?" she cried, glaring at him.
"What?"
"You just...you..."
"Your cousin is out there. Do you really want to get into this with him out there."
"Go to hell, Commander," she snapped, pushing past him to reach for the door. His hand closed over hers, preventing her from opening the door.
"Don't belittle this, cara mia. I can't...I won't belittle you by taking you for the first time in a bathroom."
"But you'll grope and fondle me in said bathroom? That's allowed?"
"I'm a man who hasn't had sex in over ten years. Sue me."
In spite of her anger, Lainey laughed, then looked up at him over her shoulder.
"I have...no comeback to that," she said, shaking her head.
He leaned down and placed a kiss to her shoulder.
"Your hair smells nice," he whispered, nuzzling the side of her head.
"Mike," she br
eathed.
"You should go. I'm gonna need a few minutes before I can be around everyone else."
She reached up to caress his cheek over her shoulder then stepped out, taking a deep breath when the door shut behind her. For several long moments, she stood there, leaning against the wall next to the door, fingers to her mouth. Would she have really gone through with all that she'd tried in there if he hadn't stopped her? Thinking about how his kisses made her feel, she was pretty sure she would have...and that scared her beyond belief.
Chapter Sixteen
All eyes were on her when she walked into the family room where everyone was gathered. She realized belatedly that she probably should have checked the mirror before walking out of the bathroom, especially judging from the look on Riley's face at that moment. With a mental shrug, she decided not to worry about it. What was done was done and there was no going back now. Besides, it wasn't like anything actually happened! Only, she knew that was a lie, too. Something did happen. Something important. She'd just taken one more brick out of the wall that her enigmatic Commander had built around his heart. That, in and of itself, was monumental.
Ignoring her cousin's questioning gaze, she crossed over to where Sarah was and sat beside her, wordlessly lifting the beautiful brunette's hand and applying acupressure to her pressure points.
"Oh, wow, are you psychic or what?" Sarah moaned, letting her head rest on the back of the couch.
Lainey smiled at her, then felt her smile broaden when Colt looked down at their hands then up at Sarah's face, a picture of genuine concern.
"Baby? Were you feeling bad again? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, lifting her other hand into his.
"Take her feet, Colt," Lainey said softly, loving when he immediately dropped to the floor in front of them to massage his wife's feet. "You're a good man, Colt Harris. I don't care what my cousin says."
Colt smiled, and even through the scruff on his cheeks, Lainey could see his dimples. He paused every few minutes to place a kiss either to the top of Sarah's foot or along her arch, making Sarah giggle, which made Lainey smile. Sarah had a really great laugh.
"Looks like you found the way to set Malibu Ken off," Colt said, nodding toward Riley who was scowling at them.
Lainey nodded but shrugged at Colt.
"He'll get over it."
"Yeah, but it will be fun ribbing him," Colt said with a wink.
"You leave him alone Colton Harris," Sarah told him, "Lainey doesn't need you adding fuel to the fire."
"Thank you, I -," she stopped when Mike walked into the room, his intense gaze immediately settling on her. Her heart stopped under his intense scrutiny, her stomach doing flips.
"Oh. Wow," Sarah said, looking back and forth between Lainey and Mike, who walked a direct path to Lainey, cupped the back of her head in his hand, leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, he winked at her then walked into the kitchen, leaving the room in stunned silence behind him. "Just. Wow," Sarah repeated.
"I am right here, ya know," Colt said, tickling Sarah's foot.
"I know. But that was..."
"Hot," Claire, Melissa and Jenna said in unison.
Lainey could feel a blush staining her cheeks. She released Sarah's hand and stood, following Mike into the kitchen where she found him drinking another bottle of water. If he was going to take things to the next level with PDAs in front of everyone, she figured she would just have to work at one-upping him. Walking up to him, however, feeling that intense gaze settle on her again, she changed her tactic and stepping to him, wrapped her arms around his waist and was rewarded when he put his water down and wrapped his arms around her as well.
"Maybe we should just stay here and not go back to Springfield," she said, looking up at him. "No Conroy here."
"It's tempting, I admit...I could take you to Tuscany to la nostra casa...our home there."
She smiled. "That would be good."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "But that wouldn't solve our problems...Conroy is obsessed. He'd figure out a way to find you sooner or later...we'll get him. Soon. He'll make a mistake and we'll get him. They always do."
"I'm going to have to go back to work, soon. My patients need me."
He smoothed his hands over her face and hair, then leaned down to kiss her once more.
"We'll figure it out, cara mia, I promise."
"Mike?" Melissa said from the entry to the kitchen, causing him to look up.
"Yeah?"
"Um, I've put everyone in rooms, except for you and Whit."
"We can sleep in the living room, don't worry about it," he said, dismissing her concerns.
"Well, yeah, but..."
He stepped away from Lainey and went to Melissa, kissing her forehead. "We're big boys, we can handle roughing it on the couches. Don't worry about us. You know I don't sleep much anyway. It's fine."
"You still aren't sleeping?" Melissa asked, concerned.
He shrugged, stepping away. "Sleep is over-rated. What did you need, Riley?" he asked, seeing Riley walk up behind Melissa.
"Can we talk? Outside?"
"Riley," Lainey began but Mike held his hand up to stop her.
"It's all right," he told her, following Riley outside, finding the rest of the guys gathered on the porch. "What is it?"
"Alarms at her house and work are going off again," Colt said. "He's testing the perimeters. Cops have been sent to both places."
"Nothing's turned up at the loft, though, correct?"
"Nothing," Colt confirmed.
"So, he hasn't figured out where we've taken her, at least."
"Not so far, it seems," Coop agreed.
"Also, the equipment we ordered for the Adtkisson Estate arrived. We can start installation tomorrow if we want," Colt informed him.
"Good. Things are starting to roll now. It would be good if we could get him before the Founders Day Ball," Mike said, more to himself than to the group.
"Lot of things starting to roll now," Colt said on a chuckle.
"No shit," Coop agreed, "you had all the girls staring with their mouths hanging open back there."
Mike crossed his arms over his chest, giving Coop a blank stare.
"And your point?"
"Is that it's cool," Coop said.
"Yeah, Boss, it's cool," Colt said.
Mike's eyes shifted to Riley. "We cool?"
For several moments, Riley didn't speak, then took a deep breath.
"Can't lie, not crazy about seeing it, but...yeah, it's cool. We're cool."
All eyes shifted to Whit then, making him shift uncomfortably under the weight of their scrutiny.
"What?"
"Melissa," Mike said simply.
Whit rubbed the back of his neck. "What about her?"
"How long you gonna wait on the sidelines, brother?" Colt asked.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"When did you turn yellow?" Coop asked.
"Come on, man!" Whit snapped, glaring at Coop. "Zig -"
"Is gone. It sucks, but it's the truth," Coop pushed on, "Claire lost her husband, too. She didn't think she'd ever be able to move on from that...but she has. I'm not saying it's been easy, competing with a ghost. Sometimes it really sucks. And I know it's worse for you because you knew Zig...but you and Melissa are cheating yourselves by not exploring what's between you. You don't think Zig would want you both to be happy? You don't think he would rest easier knowing it was one of his brothers taking care of her?"
"Petey already thinks you're the shit," Riley pointed out.
"What is this? Oprah?" Whit asked, starting to pace.
"This is about the happiness of one of our team members," Colt said.
"Of both of our team members," Riley stressed. "Both of you would be happier if you'd make a move, man."
Whit gestured toward the house. "I got her to agree to move to Springfield, run the offices."
"Let's put it this way, bro," Colt said, "same
thing I told Coop about my sister. I appreciate you wanting to do the honorable thing...but do you really want to sit back and see her with someone else? Because all her quirkiness aside, Melissa is hot and she's a sweetheart and if you don't claim her, someone else will. You want to see that happen?"
"No," Whit admitted.
"Then make your move."
"It's more than just Zig, though," Whit finally admitted.
"What?"
He took a deep breath, his gaze going to the window, seeing Melissa talking with the other girls. Truth be told, he wasn't wild about the Goth stuff, but it was part of her and...
"Earth to Whit," Colt prompted.
"She and I have gotten really close since Zig...and if things went bad between us...I don't know if I want to risk losing her friendship."
"If she meets someone else, you won't have the friendship you have now. You think some other guy is going to tolerate you being close to his woman?" Coop asked.
"Make your move," Riley repeated.
Whit shook his head and flipped them all off as he walked back inside. A heartbeat passed. Maybe two. And then the rest of them busted out laughing.
"Deer in the eff'n headlights," Colt laughed.
"Almost feel sorry for the poor bastard," Coop chuckled.
Mike pinned Riley with a hard stare. "We good?" he repeated.
"Yeah, man, we're good...just...don't go overboard with the PDA shit."
Inside, the girls glanced out the windows, seeing the guys all standing in a loose huddle. Lainey hoped that Riley wasn't giving Mike a hard time. She wasn't sure what was going on with Mike that he was being the way he was, but she sure as heck didn't need Riley busting his chops about it.
"Hey, Lainey?" Cam asked, drawing her attention.
"Yeah?"
He handed her his iPod. "My dad just texted me. None of it really makes sense...like he's drunk or stoned. I don't want to show my mom or Riley because...well, I just don't."
She looked at the text from Wade Blackwell, Cam's father. He'd been out of rehab for a month now and she thought he was doing better, but judging by the gibberish she was seeing, he may have had a relapse.
"Let me send him a text and see what kind of response I get...but honey, you're going to need to show your mom. If he has had a relapse, she needs to know."
