Behind the Badge

by Renee Harless

  He contemplated stopping for dinner but settled on a frozen pizza he knew was sitting in his freezer, ready to be cooked and eaten. As he began the journey home, he wondered what Shelly and Abel were doing that weekend. Had Abel ever been fishing? Maybe he could teach him on one of his favorite lakes. He wasn’t sure if Shelly would allow Preston to take her son on a trip alone, but she could join them just like his mother had.

  Oh man, what would his mother say if she knew the thoughts running through his head?

  Laughing as he turned into his driveway, he followed the path and parked his truck in front of the garage. Hopping down from the truck, he heard a creaking noise coming from his front porch and instantly fell into alert. His hand went to the butt of the gun in his holster strapped to the belt around his waist. Slowly walking toward the porch steps, he kept his movements steady and silent.

  “I was wondering when you’d be home,” a voice called out from the far left side of the covered porch where there was a wooden porch swing attached. The sound of Shelly’s voice was like music to his ears, his heart beating wildly at the notion that she had waited for him.

  “Sorry, I’m not used to having a beautiful woman waiting for me at home.” Preston walked up the steps and moved closer to the bench. Shelly placed her foot on the floor to stop the rocking movement.

  “Well, I’m happy to be of service this evening,” she replied seductively. He wasn’t sure if she meant to sound that way, but the way her voice traveled across his ears left the hairs on his arms standing on end.

  “Where’s Abel?” he asked, loving how her body softened at the mention of her son.

  “Sleepover.”

  “Want to join me for pizza?” Leaning toward her, Preston placed one hand on the arm of the bench and the other on the back beside her shoulder.

  “Pizza sounds delicious,” she whispered.

  “Do you know what else is delicious?”

  Her breath hitched as he leaned closer, trailing his lips across her ear and down her jaw.

  “What’s that?” she whispered and Preston noticed the knuckles of her hands clenched tightly.

  With a smirk, Preston replied, “You,” then he brushed his lips against hers in the lightest of touches.

  He wanted to kiss her with everything he had, to possess her and make her his, but he had to bide his time. She was wary of him, and he wasn’t sure why she had to end up on his porch this evening, but he planned to play by her rules and take his time. He wanted to savor her for as long as he had her and he knew that if he kissed her fully, he would have lost himself in her lips and body.

  “Pizza,” he murmured as he stood up and held a hand out to Shelly, who looked utterly confused with her furrowed brows.

  Preston guided her inside the house. He found Ace barking inside his crate, wanting to be fed. He had Alexis let the puppy out before she came into the office per instruction from the first obedience class, but he could tell by the shredded towel that had been in the crate with him that it was going to take some time.

  Releasing Shelly’s hand with an apology, Preston let the dog outside after snapping the invisible fence collar onto her neck. The wiring had been laid when he renovated the property, but he had just begun working with Ace to learn the barriers in the mornings. So far, the dog had done well.

  While he waited for the pup to return, he got the oven ready for the pizza and grabbed them each a bottle of water. He was dying to know what caused her to wait for him on his porch this evening, but he knew he would have to be patient. She’d tell him when she was ready.

  It wasn’t long before Ace was back in his open crate, snoring loudly while Preston and Shelly settled on the couch watching a movie they found on television.

  “You’re probably wondering why I was waiting on your porch, huh?” she said as she took a final bite of pizza crust.

  “Well, I was curious,” he added as he stood and took their plates to the garbage. When he returned to the couch, Shelly twisted her body toward his, tucking one of her delicate legs under the other.

  “I know that I’ve been sending crazy mixed signals, but I thought about it today and I realized that there is no reason why I can’t, why we can’t . . .I don’t know. I just can’t stop thinking about the kiss and I want more.”

  Placing his hand gently on her bent knee, Preston looked into her eyes to gauge her reaction to his touch. He had expected to see her flinch, but Shelly surprised him as she leaned her body closer to his.

  “Shelly, I. . .”

  “Just kiss me,” she demanded as she lifted her hands to either side of his cheeks and sealed their mouths together.

  His only reply was to slip his tongue between her lips and if her grip on his face was any indication, she enjoyed his response.

  ***

  Shelly couldn’t believe her own brazenness. Taking charge and going after what she wanted wasn’t a habit she had in her repertoire. Shelly was more of a stay in her lane and out of trouble kind of girl.

  But, oh, what a feeling to tell Preston what she wanted and to go after it. The reward was more than she could have ever asked for.

  His kiss was intoxicating, even more so because he was allowing her to lead and take charge. Sliding one of her hands around his neck, she used the other to slowly trail down his neck and across his chest. She gasped as he slid his hand further up her thigh. Preston was gentle as his hand rested just beyond where she wanted.

  “Preston,” she groaned against his mouth and pulled her lips away slightly. She felt inebriated as she gazed into his eyes, the hand on his chest, shaking in fear and longing. Shelly didn’t know how to voice what she wanted, what her body craved. She wanted to feel. To feel his body against hers, to feel the cool air against her hot skin, to feel him own her body, to feel possessed. Everything she wanted, she wanted with him. Normally that notion would scare the shit out of her, but in that moment, her body so close to Preston’s as his chest moved up and down against her palm, she felt it’s truth and her body craved it.

  “Is this what you want, Shelly?” Preston asked her and her body trembled as his raspy voice brushed against her skin, painting her body in his lustful craving.

  “No, I. . .,” she began only to feel Preston harden and pull back. Only that wasn’t what she wanted and she gripped his shirt in her hand to keep him close. “No, Preston, I want more. I want everything. With you.”

  It took just a split second for the blue irises staring at her to darken and intensify. The steel armor that kept Preston’s craving encased up until that moment shattered into tiny fragments around them, and her stomach scrunched, knowing that she was the reason he was letting go.

  It took just a split second, but in the blink of an eye, Shelly found herself lifted into the air, two strong hands gripping the globes of her bottom as he forced her legs to wrap around his trim waist. Shelly knew that the couch was conformable enough for what she imagined them doing, so when she asked why they were leaving the living room, she was surprised to receive a growl in response.

  “You deserve better than a couch. You should be worshipped on a bed of roses, but all I have to offer is my bed.”

  “Oh,” she said as she leaned against him, licking a wet path from the point where his shoulder met his neck and up to his ear. “A bed sounds nice.”

  Her body bounced as he released Shelly onto the soft duvet.

  “I want to spend however long I have worshipping you,” he told her as Preston glided his hands down from her waist to her ankles, then back up, landing deft fingers on the button of her shorts. “But I can’t promise that I will be soft and gentle. I have something built up inside of me, ready to unleash.”

  She was curious why a man like Preston sounded like he hadn’t been with a woman in a while, especially because he looked like a Sheriff that walked off the pages of GQ. But she herself hadn’t been with a man in years, not since the break up with her model boyfriend, Kolton.

  His body shook as he leaned over Shelly,
and she worried that he was going to restrain himself. Shelly wanted all of him, every shattered piece.

  Supporting her body with her elbows, Shelly rose up on the bed until her face was a mere inch or two from Preston’s. Her eyes searched his heavy-lidded ones and found them swirling in hunger for her.

  “I don’t want gentle. I want all of you, Preston.”

  One of his arms wrapped around her waist as he hauled her further up on the bed and settled his body between her thighs. He possessed her mouth with his lips, resting his large frame against hers. She wanted to trail her fingers across his muscular back, but Preston clasped her hands and brought them above her head, where he restrained her wrists in one of his large hands.

  Preston pressed a small kiss on the corner of her mouth before leaving a path of kisses down her jaw, then neck, and between her chest, his lips only stopping when they reached the V of her shirt.

  “God, I need to look at you,” he growled. “Can you keep these up here?”

  Shelly nodded as she gripped the duvet in her hands to keep them in place. His stare was burning a hole through her clothes, searing her skin along the way as he took in her body. She was of average height but curvy, and Shelly knew how to dress for her body, but when the clothes came off, she became self-conscious. Years of shame and ridicule from her exes had left her self-esteem broken. But no one had ever looked at her body the way Preston was. He wasn’t just looking at her, he was memorizing every inch of her body, from the tips of her toes to the scar at the top of her forehead.

  His hands went to the hem of her T-shirt, and without saying a word, Preston looked at her for permission, which she granted with a nod. Shelly was glad that she had the forethought to shower and shave this afternoon and wear some of her more expensive lingerie. She wasn’t sure if Preston would appreciate it, but it made her feel good and sexy.

  “Fuck, you’re absolute perfection. A god damn angel lying on my bed,” he told her as he tossed her shirt haphazardly onto the bed. Claiming to need a better view, Preston stood from the bed and turned on the nightstand lamp, bathing the room in a soft yellow glow. Her breasts heaved and fought against the confines of her yellow lace bra as she laid in silence, waiting for Preston to return to her body. But he seemed just as entranced by her as she was of him. He stood frozen, his eyes moving back and forth as they committed her to memory.

  “I need to see all of you,” he growled as he stalked back toward the bed. Preston’s fingers glided up her thighs until they landed on the waistband of her denim shorts, where he again silently asked for her permission. Shelly wasn’t sure if it was the officer in him or just good manners, but no man had ever asked her consent in the bedroom except for doing the actual deed. Preston was raising the bar and ruining her for all other men. He was making sure that she knew that she was the one in control the entire time, and that was sexier than any undergarment she could have worn for him.

  Swiftly Preston slipped the shorts off her legs, tossing them in the same direction as her shirt.

  “Preston,” she moaned as he lightly traced an invisible path from her knee to her upper thigh. Her body ached for him and she was torn between wanting him to rush things along or to wait and savor his touch.

  “I’m a lucky bastard,” he murmured as if to himself, but Shelly found herself squirming on the bed at the sexy tone of his voice.

  She tried to pull her legs together, the need for friction becoming too great as his other hand glided up the outside of her opposite leg, landing on her waist. But he settled his hands on her hips to keep her in place.

  “What do you want, Shelly?”

  She didn’t know how to respond. No one had ever asked her before. In her past, the men had used her body for their own enjoyment, never considering what needs or desires she may have had.

  “I. . .I don’t know,” she replied innocently.

  “Are you sure? I mean, do you want me to touch you here?” he asked as he guided one of his hands up toward her breast, squeezing the mound until her nipple pebbled beneath his touch. “Or would you rather I touch you here?” Preston added as he slid his palm between her legs, right where she craved him most. Shelly’s body instantly responded, wetness pooling at her center as her back arched.

  “Yes!” she cried out to Preston’s answering chuckle.

  Her hips bucked against his hand as Preston stroked her center covered in lace. Shelly closed her eyes as she focused on the feel of Preston’s fingers. Suddenly she felt him draw down the cup of her bra before sealing his lips around her nipple. His tongue swirled around the sensitive skin as a moan escaped between her lips.

  “God, I bet you’re just as sweet as your skin,” he murmured against her chest.

  Shelly watched as her nipple was left cold and exposed to the evening air as Preston slipped toward her core. She should have expected him to strip away her panties, but as he drew the yellow fabric down her legs, Shelly felt her body go on alert. She felt open and vulnerable and exposed as he spread her legs apart, taking in her sex with an expression she couldn’t name.”

  “Such a pretty pussy,” he stated as he glided a finger through her slick folds. Her body felt as if it was on fire and there was only one way to extinguish the burn, but Preston seemed to enjoy torturing her as he brought his wet finger to his mouth. He closed his eyes as he savored her juice on his tongue and she had never seen anything more erotic.

  Preston's eyes burst open in a fraction of a second; flames flickered in his heated stare. “Fuck,” he growled before launching himself at her center. Shelly should have been shocked, but instead, she found herself responding in earnest. As his lips and tongue suckled at her swollen folds, Shelly latched her hand into his hair, holding the dark blond strands between her fingers as she rocked her body against his mouth.

  Shelly had never been as bold as at that moment. Her body was building and growing in need as he swirled his tongue around the sensitive bud of her clit.

  “Preston,” she cried as she flew closer to her peak. He sensed her want and guided a finger deep within her channel as he rubbed her swollen pearl with his thumb.

  “Oh. Oh!” Her cries ricocheted around the room as she exploded by his touch. Preston had sent her careening over the crest of her orgasm and left her floating into oblivion as her body tried to piece itself back together.

  Sighing, Shelly said, “That was. . .”

  “Oh, sweetheart,” he stated. The corners of Preston’s mouth tilted up in a salacious grin and Shelly felt her muscles tighten up all over again. “I’m just getting started.”

  Chapter Eight

  Preston couldn’t believe his luck as this angel willingly gave herself over to him. He didn’t know what caused her to change her mind, but he wasn’t going to give her up even if the house burned to the ground around him. Shelly was an enigma that he couldn’t wait to solve as he unraveled each delectable piece.

  The yellow lace she wore reminded him of a Christmas ribbon that needed to be untangled before he could savor the gift inside. And what a gift she was. Her skin reminded him of the most delectable morsel of chocolate against the stark white duvet on his bed. He had already tasted how sweet she was and he wanted to spend the rest of the night taking pleasure in her flavor.

  Boldly, Shelly slowly glided her foot from the back of his short-covered thigh up to his backside, tugging his body closer to hers. Reaching over his shoulder, he yanked his T-shirt over his head and threw it into the room. Soon his chest would be resting against hers, Shelly’s soft, warm skin converging with his. He almost groaned at the thought.

  The erection tucked into his boxer briefs strained within its confines, pulsating with need. It felt like heavy bricks between his legs and Preston sought relief and could only feel satisfaction from Shelly and Shelly alone.

  Her hands had come apart from their placement above her head, but he couldn’t fault Shelly. He had been just as lost in the feelings of the moment as she had been. One of Shelly’s hands clenched the bla
nket beside her, and as her gaze seared his chest, he knew she was doing her best to hold herself back.

  “Touch me,” he commanded and her hand quickly shot out to stroke the ripples in his abdomen.

  A rumble sounded in his chest at the feel of her delicate fingers tracing indistinguishable lines on him. Her fingers stopped their movement, and he looked down to find her hand hovering just above the button of his shorts, silently asking for permission, just as he had earlier.

  “Take them off.”

  Shelly sat up on the bed, bringing her face inches away from his chest. Preston watched her trembling fingers unlatch the button of his shorts, then tug the zipper downward. He reached for the waistband of the shorts and boxers, only to have her shake her head.

  “No, I want to do it.”

  She slowly guided the shorts downward with a tender touch until they fell in a pool at his feet. Her eyes bulged as she noticed the sizable swell behind the black cotton. Preston stood there anxiously awaiting her next move, praying that she’d release him sooner rather than later.

  Surprising him, Shelly licked her lips as she trailed her fingers back and forth along the waistband, dipping her fingers beneath the elastic with every pass. The tip of her pointer stroked against the head of his cock, poking through the top.

  After what felt like hours, she slowly guided the boxers down his legs, where he kicked them free. His dick bobbed in front of her body and Shelly surprised him as she wrapped her diminutive hand around the shaft, drawing out a hiss from behind his teeth.

  “It’s so hard,” she whispered to herself, but Preston could hear the words above his own heavy breathing. A bead of moisture escaped the slit at the top of his mushroom head and Shelly gave him the most sensational feeling of pleasure as she rubbed her thumb across the warm liquid and spread it around.

  “Can I?” she asked as she shifted her eyes toward him, stroking her hand up and down his hardness. But she didn’t wait for his answer as she leaned forward and wrapped those delectable lips around the tip, her eyes never leaving his.