by Karen Cote'
Desire surged and she blindly sought the buttons of his shirt and hungrily began unfastening them, needing to feel the smooth skin of his chest. This time she anticipated the t-shirt beneath and simply ripped both shirts from his pants and slid eager fingers up the warm skin beneath. She luxuriated in the silky hair.
Wanting a part of the discovery expedition, Jet’s hands found their way into Lily’s silky top to stroke her breasts. Her nipples pebbled in response and in the vague mist, she reveled at the ultra-sensitivity. He moved aside the material to pantomime a kiss of promise to other parts of her body.
Lily’s excitement bubbled over and she pushed against him for relief. Raw female satisfaction curled her toes at his animalistic response and she whimpered into his mouth.
With breaths mingling in ragged succession he whispered, “I can show you the bedroom now.”
She moaned her acquiescence and they’d made it halfway down the hall when Jet’s doorbell rang. He cursed when the insistent sound turned to knocking. Taking a deep breath, he released her and looked down at the un-tucked uniform.
“Better leave my shirt out,” he grimaced. “I’d hate to embarrass whoever it is.”
Shaking his head, Jet trekked back up the hall while Lily adjusted her top and slowly followed.
At the opening of the door, the first thing Lily noticed was a bright orange head standing eye-level to Jet. Whereas she’d never seen him before she did recognize the woman beside him. Peachy. Who better than the woman from Jet’s office?
“Hi, Jet,” the man spoke, curiously eyeing Jet’s disheveled uniform. Humor replaced curiosity at catching sight of Lily. “I tried reaching you on your, cell but you didn’t answer. We saw the blazer in the driveway.”
“Is there an emergency?” Jet asked.
“No, but I left my car keys in your office earlier and it’s locked. If you give me your keys, I can be back in no time.”
Jet hesitated and then shook his head. “It’s alright, Nathan. I’ll follow you over. I need to take the blazer back anyway and pick up my truck.”
From Lily’s vantage point, she could see Denie boring a hole through Jet with her bright blue eyes. Couldn’t Jet feel her animosity? Intrigued, Lily pondered if there was an unrequited feeling for her boss. Why not? Everyone else was on his bandwagon and it explained her attitude that first time Lily had met her.
“I’ll get my things together,” Jet stepped back into the room.
“Isn’t it rude not to introduce me?” Nathan asked with a meaningful glance at Lily.
“Intruding’s not bad enough?” Jet scowled, but made the introductions. “Technically, you’ve already met via phone. Lily, this is Nathan. He’s the person who answered your 911 calls. Nathan, this is Dr. Lily Delaney.”
Lily smiled and moved forward, extending a hand.
“It’s embarrassing the amount of raucous I caused.”
Nathan’s return greeting was equally friendly. “Raucous?” he queried. “You were right to call in. I would’ve been scared out of my jeans if someone tried breaking into my house. Although if I’d known the person calling was a hot blonde, I would’ve rescued you myself.”
“You’re a jerk, Nathan,” Denie muttered and turned to Lily. “Hello, Dr. Delaney.” Her tone was surprisingly cordial. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Why don’t you two go on to the station?” Jet broke in. “I need to take Lily home and I’ll be right there.”
“Sure thing, Jet,” Nathan said. He performed a mocking bow in front of Lily. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Lily.”
Denie scoffed in disgust. “I’ll wait in the car.”
She waved at Lily and with a grin, Nathan followed.
After straightening his uniform, Jet strolled over to Lily and tilted her chin up. A hint of the previous fire liquefied her limbs when he bent his head to bestow a soft kiss on her lips, lingering for a few moments.
He whispered against her mouth, “You know we’re not finished here don’t you?” Lily shivered at the husky timber and was thrilled at his obvious reluctance when he released her. “I’ll take you home.”
* * * *
It was almost midnight when Lily’s doorbell rang. She hesitated, already knowing who it was. Given the threat he’d promised earlier combined with the lateness of the hour, she knew what would happened when she answered it.
Her breath caught at the very sexy sight of Jet leaning lazily against the wall, ankles crossed and hands stuffed in blue jean pockets. His red shirt was open at the neck, exposing a tanned throat and a glimpse of dark hairs.
Shadows from the light hid the top portion of his face leaving only his jaw and the masculine line of his lips visible. She watched them move and the soft tone feathered along her spine.
“Invite me in.”
Her heart beat a heavy staccato. “J-Jet…”
He just shook his head and with a determined push of the door, overrode her weak protest. Her lack of resolve showed how far she’d fallen for him and despite the complications, resisting him was beyond her. She wanted this. No, I need this. She needed to be with him again. Things would fall into place. They had to. She released her grasp on the door and let it swing shut.
He didn’t give her an opportunity to change her mind as he wrapped a hand behind her head and drew her inexplicably toward him. There was no need for a warm up; the kiss was hot at the onset. He walked her backward, keeping his mouth on hers. Drugged by emotion and sensation of floating, she hadn’t realized he’d picked her up until he was lowering her onto the stairs. She looked up in question.
“Have you ever made love on the stairs before?” He muttered against her mouth. “I can’t wait a second longer.”
He didn’t even wait for her answer. Strong hands moved to the waistband of her silk boxer shorts and propelled them down her legs. He released her mouth and gently turned her around and excitement barreled into her at what he intended. Her blood pumped heavily through her veins in anticipation as she planted both knees and hands on the stairs for balance. For the first time, Lily appreciated that someone had the presence of mind to carpet the stairs.
Jet moved behind her and the eroticism of the moment was palpable. She heard the slide of his zipper before something hit the floor by her knees. A condom package. He shifted her into position and began easing in his penetration. Her tender walls quivered at the pressure of complete fulfillment and Lily arched her back to better receive the hot intensity.
Jet let out a guttural groan and moved his hand around to her stomach, dipping lower until his nimble fingers found her nub. With his dancing strokes petting her, he spread her thighs wide to accommodate the rest of his length and the pressure turned to pleasure. Lily hungrily arched for more. With another thick groan, he withdrew and returned to thrust harder. Her eyes rolled back at the building waves of tension. She braced her hands for leverage against the stairs and increased the rhythm. It pushed Jet over the edge.
“Oh, baby, I’m coming,” he gritted through his teeth.
His loss of control was all Lily needed. A vague awareness of his shudders added combustion to her own spiraling sensations. His hips ground in and he rode Lily along until the blackness shrouding her vision rescinded.
In choppy breaths, she leaned her head against hands still pressed against the stairs. It was only as the beating of her heart slowed that Lily became conscious of other things. Such as, Jet’s arm beside her head, the stairs digging into her knees, her butt in the air.
“This would make a great photo opportunity for someone,” he said wryly.
Lily giggled and Jet winced at the sensitive pressure of her mirth and withdrew, caressing his hand down her back and hip.
“Are you okay?” he asked, and Lily smiled at the concern in his voice.
“I think so,” Lily gingerly tested her stiff knees. She looked for her boxers and found them a couple of stairs down.
“I wouldn’t bother getting dressed.”
Lily g
lanced up at Jet’s hooded look and was startled at the mixture of desire and humor.
“Did you think I’d do you on the stairs and just leave?” He shook his head. “I told you I wanted you on a bed.” Then more softly, “And we’re far from finished.”
Chapter Eleven
Daylight streamed through the windows. Lily stirred, but the tightening of a possessive hand on her stomach arrested her movement. She hadn’t slept all night and tossed a cursory glance at the cause next to her. She smiled, recalling the passion-filled night and the amount of times she’d climaxed mixed with unbearable moments of sweetness. Moments she’d cherish to her grave.
The warmth of his hand teased an ache into her still flat stomach and a maudlin thought occurred that this might be the closest he’d ever get to his child. If she had any say, that wouldn’t happen, but the decision would ultimately have to come from Jet. A conversation they needed to have and soon.
Her mouth tilted at noting the gun on her bedside table. That wasn’t a sight she encountered every day, but it was part of his life. He’d also emptied his pockets and beside the gun were some dollars and change. The levity of her thoughts remembered some saying about two cents worth when she noted the other coins. A quarter, a dime, and two pennies. Thirty-seven cents. Of course, what else? Regardless of whether or not Jet was her guardian angel, he’d certainly played a part in another miracle. Her own child. She joined her hand on top his and stroked it.
At the contact, Jet nestled his head deeper into her neck and Lily raised her other hand to the silky softness of his hair. He appeared relaxed, but she didn’t think he was sleeping either. He was probably afraid she’d start talking, which of course she did.
“Jet?”
“Hmm?” His response was lazy, but not discouraging.
“You did say you had a mother didn’t you?”
He snuggled deeper into her neck. “No. I was cloned from an intelligent life force with great detective skills.”
She playfully slapped his arm. “Come on. I still know very little about you and you know practically everything about me,” she complained.
He groaned, but she could feel him smiling. He let out a long-suffering breath.
“Okay, in a nutshell, my sister and I were raised by a single mother and widowed grandmother who have both since passed.”
Lily couldn’t let him get away with just that. “What about your father?”
He raised his head to look at her. “My father ran off with another woman before I was born. He died before I got a chance to beat the crap out of him.”
Lily’s heart skipped a beat. “You must’ve resented him.”
He returned to snuggling into her neck. “Maybe, but our mother worked hard to prove how much we were loved. So don’t worry, I grew up in a warm and secure environment.”
“Still,” Lily probed. “It must’ve been difficult without a father.”
He shrugged. “We suffered financially, but we all pitched in to get by. And in actuality, I did have a type of father figure.”
“Celeste’s father,” Lily stated.
He raised his head again. “Someone’s been talking again.”
Lily shifted uncomfortably not wanting to get Cheryl in trouble for gossiping. Jet took pity on her.
“He came to my football games, showed me the ropes of life, and kept me out of trouble which was rare by the way.”
She chuckled, doubting that statement. “When did your mother die?”
“The summer between my junior and senior years. We’d lost my grandmother a few years before and then they diagnosed Mom with a rare liver disease. If it weren’t for Sy, I don’t know what would’ve happened to Cheryl and me. With his help, I was able to continue school and received an academic scholarship through the University of Springfield. Sy was a rock that enabled me to get into the academy and join the police force in Kansas City.”
Lily absorbed this information and then lightly asked, “Why did you move back here?”
“Several reasons,” he shrugged, but his restlessness of the conversation became evident as he began trailing kisses beneath her chin. “Violence, gang wars, etc… So when the opportunity arose to move back here, I took it.”
“The situation of marrying Celeste?” Lily asked.
His laughter was muffled. “My sister and I are going to have a long talk. How much did she tell you?”
“Not very much,” she answered honestly. “What happened?”
He sighed and turned over on his back with a yawn. “It didn’t work out.”
“Oh, thanks,” she said sarcastically.
Dark lashes hid his expression as he studied her. Then, “It’s the typical drama of two people having to get married.”
“She got pregnant,” she stated as a prompt.
His eyes flickered. “Yep.”
The answer was frustrating in its brevity.
Did she dare push him? “And, then what happened?”
“Lily,” he warned and sat up, but Lily’s hand halted him. He looked down at her fingers against his dark skin. After a moment, his answer was blunt and abrupt.
“She miscarried, okay?”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly.
“Don’t be. It was sad for the baby, but it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me.”
He said it so hard and cold Lily felt the room shift.
“You don’t mean that.” Her voice was faint with disbelief.
Jet did get out of bed then and grabbed his pants.
“You have no idea how much I mean that Lily.”
“Was that why you divorced?”
She sat up, pulling the blanket protectively over her. He pushed bare feet into his tennis shoes without answering. Lily tried again.
“Was Celeste as relieved about the baby as you were?”
He straightened and put his hands on his hips, nostrils flaring.
“No, she wanted the baby.” He ran an impatient hand through his hair. “Lily, I can’t talk about this.”
Lily compressed her lips and his closed look told her not to pursue it.
“What if I had been pregnant?”
“You weren’t,” he said flatly.
“But what if I were?” she persisted. “Would you have asked me to get rid of it?”
“Why are you doing this?” he asked the ceiling.
“It’s a legitimate question. I’m curious as to how you would’ve handled it.”
He wearily rubbed his neck. “I don’t know, okay? It’s complicated. I wasn’t even going to get involved with you at first, sexually or otherwise. But after we did and then having to consider a pregnancy…” he shrugged. “That’s one harsh reality we don’t have to face because the bottom line is you’re not pregnant.”
She chewed her lip. “And now?”
“And now, I told you how much I want you.” He leaned down toward her. “Unfortunately I can’t prove it at the moment as I have to drive back to Kansas City.”
Her eyes widened. “Again?”
He paused. “It’s a favor for a friend, but I’ll be back tomorrow night. I’ll call you.”
He pressed his lips to hers and scowled at her lackluster response.
“The next time you won’t get away with that,” he whispered, brushing his lips over hers once more before grabbing his socks and keys. “I’ll lock the door from the inside.”
With one last look over his shoulder he was gone, the light tread of his easy walk taking him down the stairs.
After he left, Lily stared unseeing at the ceiling. Want. Not love. She knew it was stupid, but she’d had some hope that his feelings ran deeper than sexual attraction. But even if they had, his outright rejection of a child had her reeling. What had happened to make him detest the idea of having one of his own? Something his ex-wife had done? Whatever it was, he’d made it more than clear that a baby wasn’t in his plans. He might even go as far as asking her to have an abortion. It’d be either that or he’d end up hati
ng her and hope the baby never made it to term. It wasn’t the opinion she’d had of him, but his loathing of his ex-wife’s pregnancy and the hard attitude regarding the miscarriage was unmistakable.
* * * *
The next morning, Lily was reminded of it again as she swiped the perspiration off her forehead. This time the nausea had hit as soon as she’d gotten out of bed. Waiting for the green haze of death to pass, she flushed the toilet and went to the sink to sluice cold water over her face.
She looked in the mirror expecting some change, but there wasn’t any. A hand strayed to her stomach and a delightful beam of joy filled her. She was going to be a mother. Regardless of how it happened, the knowledge and promises offered was thrilling in its intensity.
A shadow dimmed her pleasure at the thought of Jet. He’d called several times since leaving yesterday, but she hadn’t answered. His last message had been fairly irate at her avoidance.
What was there to talk about? She wouldn’t be here much longer. Time spent with him only brought pain and guilt so why beat herself up with useless conversation and meaningless sex? Meaningless for him anyway.
Nevertheless, since Jet was due back tonight she couldn’t avoid him forever, but she could postpone the confrontation. The neighboring town garage sales provided the opportunity and as a result, it was almost evening when she made her way back home. When she turned into the driveway, her heart skipped a beat at seeing a vehicle parked there.
It wasn’t Jet however, and fear raised its ugly head at the unrecognizable black Jeep Cherokee. Then a familiar tall and distinguished man stepped out.
“Fred!” she breathed and fell back against the seat. She inhaled a huge mixture of confused ire and irritation before opening the door.
“Hello, Lily,” he greeted, his eyes skimming her jeans and t-shirt. “I got your message.”
He shifted uncomfortably when she didn’t respond.
