“Sounds to me like the problem isn’t you, it’s them. Both groups have only their own selfish interests in mind.”
“Basically. Despite all the political and social commotion, inside the Beltway can be a very lonely place. Sometimes, I feel as alone as I did as a little girl even though I’m surrounded by people.” She paused and cringed. “Good grief. Listen to me. I’m having a stupid pity party.” She sighed. “Sorry. I shouldn’t complain. I imagine it’s pretty much the same everywhere.”
Luke shook his head. “Not here. Small towns are different. I mean, Ramona isn’t perfect or anything, but people look out for each other. For example, Sean Burke’s wife went through a horrific ordeal recently, and folks thought she might move away. To encourage Jessie to stay, the town pulled together and built her a childcare facility, a business she’d always dreamed of owning. Heartfelt gestures aren’t unusual around here. When my parents died, the people of Ramona did everything they could to help Karla and me.”
“They protected you from people like me, I suppose.”
“Yeah. They took turns standing in our front yard with their shotguns, daring any of those asshole reporters to bother us.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously?”
He grinned. “Metaphorically speaking.”
She gave him a faint smile. “Thanks, Deputy Helpful. I guess I was just feeling all alone again.”
Against his better judgment, he framed her face with his hands. “You’re not alone, Elle.”
She peered up at him with glistening hazel eyes, full of loneliness and need. Watching her closely for any sign of rejection, he lowered his mouth to hers. Just before their lips touched, her beautiful eyes drifted shut.
And his restraint went all to hell.
* * *
I can’t believe Luke is kissing me. Despite his earlier reaction. Despite his distrust. Despite…everything.
Heat spread through Elle’s body, concentrating in strategic spots. But she wanted more, much more.
She parted her lips and touched his with the tip of her tongue. He growled deep in his throat and slid his hands from her face to wrap his arms around her in a tight embrace. When she opened her mouth, his tongue plunged inside, stroking, teasing, titillating.
She moaned with anticipation. But she didn’t get the response she desired.
Instead, Luke froze before slowly breaking the kiss. “Damn, you’re hard to resist.”
“Then don’t,” she whispered. “Remember, all I want is LAS.”
Wearing the strangest expression, he glanced away. “Right. Of course.”
“Luke?”
He gulped loudly. “I have an idea.”
He pushed back the covers and helped her slide back down. Then he stretched out beside her.
“Wouldn’t this be better without your jeans?” she asked.
“No. Just go with the flow, Elle, okay? But if you don’t like it, tell me, and I’ll stop.”
Before she could ask any more questions, he captured her lips in another bone-melting kiss. One of his hands caressed her breasts through the tank top, cupping, molding, tantalizing. Then his fingers moved lower. With a quick tug, he undid the drawstring of her pajama pants, and his hand crept beneath the waistband. With excitement burning through her, she draped her leg over his hip to give him better access. He growled again when he reached her small patch of pubic hair. She gasped as he separated her folds and stroked her center.
“You’re already hot and wet.”
“What did you expect? Now don’t you think you should lose the jeans?”
He chuckled. “Definitely not.”
Luke kissed her again, and as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, two fingers plunged inside her. His thumb found her most sensitive spot and tormented it, too. He set a rhythm that made her body sing. She pressed against his hand, wanting more but eager for what he was willing to give.
Pressure built. Her muscles coiled tighter. Her orgasm exploded with such force that she cried out. With pleasure. With satisfaction. With the joy of being alive.
While she recovered, Luke cuddled her against him. His warmth and caring surrounded her, chasing away her fear, need, and loneliness. Physically and emotionally satisfied, she fell asleep within minutes.
Several hours later, sunlight filtering in around the closed blinds announced it was morning. Elle drifted toward the light, her body totally relaxed, her mind unafraid. And she wasn’t waking up with her arms and legs stiff and aching.
At the memory of her climax, she smiled, rolled onto her back, and patted the mattress beside her. Her eyes popped open when she found it cold and empty. No Luke. Damn, I could use a repeat of last night. She sat up, swung her legs over the side of the bed, and stretched. For the first time in a very long while, she felt great.
She sniffed, but no coffee aroma greeted her. Her ears caught no sounds of movement in the house either. She tiptoed to the bedroom door and opened it silently. Soft snoring came from the living room, so she headed for the kitchen.
She found a coffeemaker on the counter and grounds in the pantry, but she was so used to her Keurig that it took her a few minutes to remember how to set up the machine. Finally, fifteen minutes later, she had two mugs of steaming coffee. She doctored hers with sugar and milk but left Luke’s black. He was a straight, black coffee kind of guy.
Still no sign of Luke, so she carried the mugs down the hallway to the foyer where she could see him in the living room. His neatly folded jeans lay on the end table next to his cell phone and gun. Sprawled on his back, he was asleep on the couch. An arm and a leg hung off the side, touching the floor. His other leg was draped over the armrest at the far end.
Her admiring gaze traveled from the stubble on his face, past the dusting of golden hair on his chest, down his muscular torso, to the huge bulge in his boxer briefs. She stared, her cheeks heating with the thought of what was beneath the form-fitting fabric.
“Are you just going to stand there and ogle my morning wood or bring me the damn coffee?” he asked without opening his eyes.
She jumped, and coffee sloshed out of the mugs onto the floor. “Oops. I’m sorry. I’ll clean—”
“Don’t bother. It’s only concrete. The new tile will hide the stain,” he said, sitting up and swiveling to face her. “But I’d love the java.”
Flustered, she tried to ignore the heat pooling in sensitive spots as she came barely close enough to hand him a cup.
He sipped and groaned appreciatively. Then he angled a look up at her, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. “Are you going to sit or just keep staring?”
Exhaling, she plopped down at the opposite end of the couch.
He chuckled. “I don’t bite. After last night, I would think you’d trust me.”
She concentrated on not letting her gaze drift downward from his eyes. “It’s not you I don’t trust.”
Chapter 12
Luke couldn’t hold back the laugh bubbling up. “Good to know. I’m glad you’re honest.”
“Unlike other reporters,” Elle said.
He tensed. “Your words, not mine.”
“Yeah, that wasn’t fair.” She stared down at her hands. “About last night…uh…thank you, and I’m sorry you didn’t—”
“Last night wasn’t about me. Forget it.”
She looked up, her eyes glistening. “Don’t tell me to forget it. You were…unselfish, kind, gentle, caring. So…” She gulped. “If I can return the favor, I’d be glad to.”
Damn. Did she really think he expected her to reciprocate? “Are you used to people keeping score with sexual favors?”
“People I know keep score with everything.”
“Well, I don’t,” he said emphatically with all kinds of unnamed emotions popping up. Why did the idea bother him so much?
They studied each other until the doorbell broke the tension.
“Hide,” he ordered, grabbing his gun from the end table and leaping off the couch.
Elle darted across the living room and raced down the hallway. Luke waited until she was out of sight before approaching the door. He stood to one side, gun ready, and listened.
“Yo, Luke, it’s me,” Sean Burke yelled a few seconds later. “Who were you expecting on this beautiful Tuesday morning?”
Luke lowered his weapon and opened the door. “What are you doing here?”
Without being invited, Sean stepped inside and pushed the door shut with his shoe. “Thought I’d see if you needed any help with your houseguest.”
Luke gave his friend a blank stare. “What houseguest?”
Sean angled his head so he could see the bedroom door in the hallway. “Good morning, Ms. Bradley.”
“She’s not…in there.”
Sean glanced over his shoulder at the pillow and sheet on the couch. “So you…what...like to sleep on the couch just for the hell of it?”
“Good morning, Mr. Burke. Coffee?” Elle said, appearing with another mug.
“Thanks.” He shot Luke a gotcha smile. “At least someone’s glad to see me.”
Luke wasn’t amused. “I don’t want you or anyone else to know she’s here. News spreads like wildfire in this town. We’ve got to keep it quiet because Carmichael’s being a royal pain in the ass.”
“No surprise there,” Sean said.
When Luke’s cell rang, three pairs of eyes flicked to the end table. He trotted into the living room and answered the phone.
“Carmichael’s out,” Deputy Clancy said. “He’s so pissed he almost punched his attorney, who was trying to talk some sense into him. But the prick was havin’ none of it. Thought you’d wanna know.”
“Shit. Carmichael’s Mercedes was taken to the station last night, so he has no legitimate reason to come on my property. Can you keep him away from my place?”
“Not for long without a restraining order.”
“Okay. Just keep him tied up for another thirty minutes.”
“We’ll try.”
Luke disconnected. Damn, he had to get Elle out of his house fast.
“We need to leave, Elle. Carmichael’s free and on the warpath,” he said, rejoining her and Sean.
“Where are we going to go?” she asked.
“To Karla’s, until I think of something else. Get dressed and repack those boxes so we can take everything with us.”
“Right.” She hurried to the bedroom.
“I have an idea,” Sean said.
“No, she’s not staying with you and Jessie. Too much risk of Carmichael hassling you.”
Sean nodded. “I’m not afraid of him, but I agree. You need to get Elle out of Ramona.”
“I know. She’s talked about a hotel, except she thinks Carmichael will track her down unless she checks into a small place. I can’t let her stay in one alone, but—”
“I’m not suggesting a hotel.” Sean shoved his fingers through his hair. “Hell, I probably shouldn’t say anything before I clear this with my boss, but what about his place in Valley Center? Would Elle be interested?”
“I thought Jake Stone was a total fanatic about privacy.”
“Oh, he is. That’s why his house is like a fortress on a hill.”
“He doesn’t know Elle at all. Why would he let her stay there?”
“Because he’s interested in her case,” Sean explained.
“Ah, I get it now.” That didn’t mean he liked it.
Jake Stone was a shadowy character. No one—not even Sean—knew much about him. Sean had gone to work for Stone’s Rogue Security agency when he’d recently decided to leave the Los Angeles Police Department. His friend had never given Luke much of an explanation other than he liked the freedom of working for a private firm compared to all the restrictions and red tape of official law enforcement. They needed to sit down with a few brews and discuss it when things calmed down.
“Let me talk to Elle about it before you say anything to your boss,” Luke said.
Sean clapped him on the back. “Sure. Whatever you say. What can I do to help right now?”
“Hang here until Elle and I are ready to go. Then you can watch my six on the way out.”
Sean chuckled. “Ya might wanna put on some clothes first.”
Luke glanced down. “Shit.”
“Yeah, a guy’s brain goes to shit when a pretty lady’s sleeping in his bed.”
“Fuck off,” Luke said and stomped away.
After calling Karla to let her know they were coming, Luke and Elle packed. He also grabbed his laptop and some files he wouldn’t want Carmichael to get his hands on if he broke in. While Sean kept watch with the binoculars, Luke parked the Ram behind the house so it blocked the view from the street and then loaded the “donation” boxes and a small duffel bag into the bed of the truck. Elle snuck into the cab while the guys created a diversion in the front yard, even though there was no sign of Carmichael. In less than twenty minutes, everyone was ready to go.
“Stay in touch, dude. Let me know what you and Elle decide to do,” Sean said.
“Right. We’ll discuss your idea. And remember, don’t tell anyone that Elle’s with me.”
“Got it.”
Luke pulled out of the driveway first with Sean following close behind. Despite being terribly uncomfortable, Elle lay across the center console to avoid being seen. With her head in his lap and her mouth so near his groin, it took all of Luke’s willpower to keep his dick under control as her offer to “return the favor” played over and over in his mind.
“Why are you so tense?” she asked after a few minutes.
He pushed the cowboy hat back on his head and peered down at her. “Tense? Well, maybe because I’m on the lookout for your goddamn ex.”
“Are you sure?” she asked with a playful lilt in her voice.
“Huh?”
She ran her hand up and down his fly and over his package. “You’re not nervous because I’m so close to this, are you?”
“Dammit, Elle. Stop. I’m driving.”
She cupped and stroked him gently. “You did accuse me of ogling you earlier, remember?”
He shifted in the seat and tried to remain focused on driving. Thank goodness there was almost no traffic on the backcountry road.
Elle’s stroking grew more vigorous, and his dick responded…naturally.
He slapped a hand over hers, lifted it off his package, and put it to his lips for a quick kiss. “Nice try, sweetheart, but you’re not returning the favor.”
She turned her head so she could look up at him. “Not right now maybe, but I will.”
Sean flashed his headlights before he turned onto the road leading to his house. Luke responded by tapping his brakes twice. A white truck, which had been behind Sean, sped up to take his place.
“So, what’re the plans for today?” Elle asked.
“I know you wanted some time to decompress, but you need to get in touch with the FBI to see what progress they’ve made on your case.”
“Will they tell me?”
“They may not give you all the details, but yeah, they should share.”
“Are they going to try to persuade me to return to DC?”
Luke shrugged. “Probably.”
“I know how to handle it. I’ll start with Special Agent Holmes. After dealing with Richard, he might be more sympathetic to why I don’t want to go home with my ex.”
“You got that right,” he said, making a right turn toward town.
“I really wish I had my laptop because all my notes about my stalkers are on there. I guess I could call my parents and have them overnight it to me.” She paused. “But damn, I don’t want to give them your address.”
“They can ship it to the Ramona Sheriff’s station.” Luke checked the rearview mirror as he said, “I’m surprised you don’t automatically store everything on a cloud server.”
She gasped. “Deputy Helpful, you’re a genius. In addition to numerous flash drives, I also use the auto-save-to-the-cloud function. Auto-save. T
hat’s why I never think about it. So, all I need now is a computer and Internet access.”
“You’re in luck. I brought my laptop.”
He checked his mirrors again before turning left onto his favorite shortcut to Karla’s apartment complex. The white truck followed but hung back.
“What’s wrong?” Elle asked.
His gaze dropped from the mirror to her. “Nothing. Why?”
“You’re frowning.”
His nape was also tingling, but she didn’t need to know. “It’s nothing.” He returned his attention to the road. “We’re almost there. Find the sunglasses and baseball cap in the glove compartment and put them on. Hide your hair under the hat.” She started to sit up to do as he’d instructed. “Stay down,” he ordered with another glance in the mirror.
With some effort, she managed to retrieve the items from the glovebox without rising above the dashboard or the back of the seat. She gave him a silly smile once she’d put on the cap and glasses.
“Now, carefully peek out the back window at the white truck behind us,” he said.
“White truck? You think it’s…him?”
“Well, it’s not Carmichael. I bet he wouldn’t be caught dead in a truck.”
“Dead maybe, but otherwise, you’re right.” She inched upward until she could see out the window. “It’s white, all right.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “There are probably a couple million white pickups in SoCal, so look for something else familiar: make, model, damage, stickers, license plate.”
“It’s not him. He’s got a California license.”
“Inconclusive. Plates are easy to steal. But I memorized it anyway, so we can have it traced. Can you see the driver?”
“Based on size and shape, I think it’s a man. But I don’t think he’s wearing a ski mask because I can’t see any sign of it near his shirt neckline.”
Luke snorted. “Wearing a ski mask here in Ramona might attract unwanted attention. Anything about him seem familiar?”
Only Obsession (Rogue Security Book 3) Page 10
