Leather, Lace and Rock-N-Roll

by Mia Dymond

  Max grunted. “What now?”

  “If we tell Rachel, then you-know-who gets in on the action.”

  Although he felt Steele’s pain, Hawke responded with ease. “We don’t have a choice. She’s in as much danger as Rachel. He could focus on her just to torture Rachel.”

  Steele wouldn’t give up. “I vote Sterling tells her.”

  Max stopped poking buttons and glanced over his shoulder.

  “Hey,” Steele continued, “you’re the one who calls the shots. It’s all about rank, Captain.”

  Max released a heavy sigh. “Why the hell are you nervous, Steele? You have five sisters. She’s a woman. A tiny, loud-mouthed female, full of hot air.”

  Hawke, for one, refused to answer. No way in hell would be challenge Cameron. He wasn’t surprised when Steele didn’t respond either.

  Max shook his head. “I’ll take care of it.”

  “What about the package Cameron grabbed from the office?”

  “I put it upstairs in the master bedroom. Figured you could use it for show and tell.”

  “Any suspicious activity around the mail room?”

  “None. Surveillance hasn’t revealed the courier either. The clerk says all packages received for shipping are accounted for. Other than yesterday, Rachel’s tubes are delivered by U.S. Mail. No one other than the usual contracted couriers have picked up or delivered packages to the building.”

  “How the hell is the son-of-a-bitch slipping by us?”

  “Easy. An inside job.”

  “No.”

  “We’ve already eliminated Rachel, Hawke.”

  “Then who? We’ve checked everyone in the building. Other than a few extramarital affairs and a couple serious bondage fetishes, everything appears normal.”

  “We know the tubes never leave this building by U.S. Mail.”

  “So how is Diego’s courier getting them?”

  “That’s the million dollar question.”

  “Security is amazingly tight. Rachel’s clientele makes that non-negotiable. Someone inside works for Diego.”

  “I don’t know, Captain. Shadow slid in and out pretty easily. You didn’t see him anywhere on the tapes. It’s probable that Diego’s guy could be just as good.”

  “Either that or sheer damn luck.”

  Max nodded as his cell phone rang. Hawke glanced at Steele who smirked and loaded equipment back into a black bag.

  “Rachel’s ready to come home,” Max told them as he disconnected.

  “Shadow’s alive?”

  “And well. He’s waiting in the nurses’ lounge.”

  “You guys head to the hospital. I’ll finish up here and head to the suite.”

  ***

  Just as Max suspected, reporters and news vans waited like a pack of vultures waiting for their next meal outside Rachel’s front gate. He released a heavy sigh and stopped the Suburban a few feet from the house. As usual, news traveled at the speed of light. Although irritated as hell, he was semi-relieved to remember the gates opened by electronic code. Now the only problem was how to prevent uninvited guests before the gates closed.

  He glanced at Hawke in the rear view mirror, thankful that notoriety allowed a few advantages. Namely, an agent to do the dirty work. “Not a problem.” Max punched a button on his cell phone. “Huntington, send Diablo PD to Rachel’s house.”

  Exactly ninety seconds after his call, patterns of red and blue flashed in the early evening light and ear-piercing sirens filled the silence when several squad cars arrived to work crowd control. Max exited the vehicle and spoke to each officer before he returned and drove to the gate.

  “After I open the gates, the black and white will keep anyone from entering behind us.”

  The gates buzzed and squeaked open to allow the Suburban inside. Max stopped at the end of the drive and entered another code into an additional keypad. The gates squeaked closed. Assured the policemen would clear the area, he parked in front of the house.

  He tilted his head to look out the front windshield. “Too many damn trees.”

  Rachel sighed. “Cameron wouldn’t let me thin them out. She’s big on not disturbing the environment.”

  Max bit his tongue, tempted to chase the feisty little tomcat up one of them. He glanced back into the rear view mirror. “Doesn’t appear to be anyone in the branches. Are we going inside?”

  He waited for Hawke’s argument, relieved when he nodded in agreement. Max exited the vehicle and opened Rachel’s door, offering an arm for support.

  “Turn off the alarm, then let me go inside first.”

  Rachel’s ice-cold fingers burnt his skin as she grasped his arm and eased herself to the pavement. He motioned for Hawke to get out while Rachel limped to the front door.

  Piercing sirens echoed in the early evening stillness until Rachel entered the code to quiet them. Max took a cursory look around, now convinced no one else was inside. His eardrums throbbed and threatened to bleed. At least now she had a decent deterrent in place.

  “Coast is clear.”

  Hawke and Rachel headed for the living room while he shut the door and re-armed the system.

  “Guess you figured out we re-vamped the system,” he told Rachel once he entered the room. She gave a small smile and sat on the sofa. “We need to review the plan,” he told them.

  Hawke gave him an irritated go-to-hell look. “Now? She needs to rest.”

  “Won’t take long, there’s not much to it.”

  Rachel grasped Hawke’s hand. “Go on, Max.”

  “Until we figure out what exactly happened, nobody goes anywhere alone.” He gave Hawke a guarded glance. “I may have to call for backup.”

  Rachel gave him what he figured out to be a genuine, honest smile. “Whatever you think, Max. I don’t want either of us hurt again.”

  Max raised an eyebrow. That was easy. Maybe she could teach Hawke a thing or two.

  “I’d like to go lie down now.” She stood from the sofa and Hawke took her by the elbow. “The master bedroom is at the top of the stairs.”

  Max watched, almost envious, as Hawke followed her upstairs. Envious? He shook his head. No, he just needed a roll in the sack.

  Max eased himself to the sofa, stretched his legs in front of him, leaned back against the sofa cushions, and dialed his cell phone. “Steele, you and Shadow head over here in the morning.”

  “Did he tell her?”

  “Doesn’t matter. If he hasn’t, he has until you two get here to do so.”

  ***

  As soon as they were behind a locked door, Hawke finally allowed himself to relax.

  He drew Rachel into his arms and squeezed. “I think we’re finally alone.”

  She rested her head against his chest. “Don’t you ever get tired of all the attention?”

  He considered her question carefully. At one time he would’ve said no. He’d played his current role so long it became second nature. But now, he wasn’t so sure.

  “I guess I don’t really think about it.” He smoothed her hair with his hand. “I’ve always been a show-off.”

  She tickled his skin with her lips as she planted small butterfly kisses across the smooth surface of his chest. “You’re still a show-off.”

  He groaned and pressed her body flush to his, running his hands down her back until they rested on her slender waist. She had him strung tight. Painfully tight. But he was bound and determined to wait and let her come to him, free of any insecurity.

  “Rachel,” he whispered, “are you sure about this?”

  “You’re not?”

  “Your thigh—”

  “I’m not in any pain. But if you want to wait …”

  He put a stop to that thought. “Hell, no! I just want to be sure you’re up for this.”

  Her eyes sparkled a very clear invitation. “Without a doubt.”

  His heart rolled over at her admission and he gave her a cocky grin. “Good thing, because I don’t think I can take much more hesitation.�
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  “No hesitation this time, Hawke,” she promised, stepping out of his embrace.

  Fire sizzled his insides. They were truly alone, behind a locked door, away from prying eyes. Oh, and a sick lunatic terrorist. And, despite his deception, Hawke would claim her. Growling low in his throat, he reached for her to quench his unbearable need to feel her against him.

  With a gentleness he certainly didn’t feel, he molded each of her curves to the indentions in his body. “You’re so soft,” he murmured.

  Her fingers worked to peel his shirt over his abs until it hung around his neck. “You’re not.”

  Hawke stood literally stiff as a board when she ran her hands across the smooth, defined muscles of his chest, down the steep stairway of his abs, and finally across the span of his hips. His conscience cleared its throat several times to con him into questioning his motives. Again.

  For half a second he allowed himself to listen. He knew damn well he was headed for a trainwreck, but her touch intoxicated him and he was too far gone to rationalize. He even considered yanking the emergency brake until she squeezed the now very noticeable bulge between his legs. His hips jerked and he swallowed hard. Screw morality.

  Oxygen left his brain as he yanked his shirt over his head, threw it to the floor, and fought to steady his breathing. He traced her jaw with his knuckles then lowered his head. Just a taste. A sweet, gentle nip of her full, pouty lips.

  When their lips finally met, her breathy sigh filled his senses and sweet and gentle went straight to hell. He devoured her like a last meal. In a lust filled frenzy, he tangled his fingers through her hair and angled her mouth to fit firmly to his. Once he locked her in position, he coaxed her mouth open and dipped his tongue inside to meet hers.

  With iron restraint, he forced himself to slow down. Savor her sweetness. Show her how good he could make her feel. Convinced he was now in control, he slid his tongue along the length of hers. Her soft moan escaped the heated kiss just before she wrapped his tongue with hers and sucked. Hard.

  Sweet Jesus.

  Hawke lifted his lips from hers and eased his hands under her top to massage the hollow of her stomach. “You have on way too many clothes.”

  Rachel took a step back, unbuttoned her top, then shrugged it off each shoulder until it fell to the floor. She gave her head a slight shake and the auburn strands of her hair fell easily back into place. She shimmied her hips and the skirt dropped to the floor.

  Hawke stood hypnotized as he took in the sight of her plump creamy breasts squeezed by a lacy white bra that lifted them until they threatened to spill over the top. His touch had excited her. Her nipples, now peaked, fought the restraint of their barrier.

  He forced his eyes lower to the scrap of fabric she called underwear. The white material, most likely silk, hung by a string from each hip and covered her just enough to tease him with what was beneath. His dick demanded he shove the obstacle to the side and penetrate her. Hawke looked up into her soft, hooded eyes and reached for her.

  Rachel dragged her tongue across her bottom lip as she stepped further away until she bent to sit on the edge of the bed. She leaned back, propped on her elbows, and crooked her index finger. He didn’t need further encouragement, he stood in front of her in less than a heartbeat.

  He bent to place his lips to the top of her collarbone while he released the catch of her bra with one finger and moved a hand to cup her left breast. Her breath quickened when his thumb found the rigid nipple and rolled it between his fingers.

  Hawke covered her tender skin with tiny kisses while his mind flashed back to his first encounter with her breasts. The force of her unexpected orgasm had nearly knocked him on his ass. His heart pounded, pumping a mix of blood, adrenaline and pure unadulterated sexual need through his veins. Intent on giving her a repeat performance, he moved his lips lower until they finally circled one, heated, pebbled nipple. Hot, white lightening burnt his body when she thrust further into his mouth.

  “Hawke,” she gasped.

  Her response fueled his desire, his need to claim her pushed to the point of no return. He released her nipple and moved to the other, this time swirling his tongue around the point, gently suckling as he played. Breathy whimpers left Rachel’s throat and she lifted her hips to grind against his denim-covered crotch.

  Guided by her reaction, Hawke released her nipple and eased her hips away from his body. He planted a kiss on each breast, knelt on the floor in front of her, then stopped short. Even incredibly aroused, he was severely pissed off by the freshly stitched wound.

  Rachel sat up. “Hawke?”

  He hesitated. This was his prime opportunity to call a time out and spill his bloody guts. But when he looked back up into her deep brown eyes, the devil danced in the depths and he knew he couldn’t.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” he murmured. And, God help him, he meant every word.

  A sly smile split her lips, just as cunning as the look in her eyes. “Then be careful.”

  His hand actually shook as he ran his thumb across the top of her panties and down the sides until he tickled the sweetness between her legs. Her hips thrust again, this time completely off the bed and into his hand.

  “Patience, honey.”

  Her stomach muscles quivered against his lips as Hawke placed a kiss just above her belly button. He hooked his fingers through the straps of the panties and slowly slid them down her hips.

  “Lift up, Sweetheart.”

  She raised her body and allowed him to pull them completely off. The scrap of silk soon lay pooled with his t-shirt next to the bed.

  Hawke released a slow, heavy breath. The bare, pink flesh before him had his name written all over it. He trailed a finger across the honeyed treasure. Soft, smooth, and very, very wet.

  His heart skipped a beat. This was what he wanted. Rachel. Naked. Lying in wait. For him. His zipper bit his erection. He knew as soon as he released the savage beast, neither one of them was safe. All the more reason to make her wait.

  He leaned forward and gave her clit a very quick flick of his tongue before looking back into her eyes.

  Her smirk greeted him. “Surely you can do better than that.”

  He lifted both eyebrows at her challenge and gave her what he knew to be his just you wait smile. He placed a hand on the inside of her thigh, eased her legs further apart, and once again lowered his head.

  Hawke didn’t waste any more time with slow and easy. With his face now buried between her legs, he latched his lips around her now swollen clit and tongued the slippery flesh until he found just the magic spot. She moved her hips beneath him.

  “Oh yes,” she gasped, “right there.”

  Hawke moved his mouth enough to allow one finger to penetrate her. Heat, raging and iron-hot, met his intrusion. Her inner muscles clamped down hard and sucked him further inside.

  She wound her fingers through his hair and pressed his mouth closer. “Don’t stop,” she moaned.

  Hawke resumed the attack on the flesh squeezed between his lips while his finger caressed the greedy muscles inside her body. Sweat coated the back of his neck as he worked to push her over the top. Tiny, desperate whimpers filled the air until finally, she screamed his name and locked down on his finger in a tight vise. Moisture seeped from her body.

  He breathed one last kiss against her, removed his finger and then glanced up at her.

  Her breasts bounced with her labored breathing. Her cheeks were flushed. Her eyes opened wide.

  Hawke tilted his head to the side. “Surprise?”

  Her cheeks darkened. “Do you think Max heard me?”

  He snickered and stood. “Hell, I hope so.” He lowered his zipper to give his cock some much-needed space.

  Rachel buckled her legs around his and pulled him closer until she had an up-close-and-personal view of his now very determined soldier. She bit her lower lip and reached to widen the opening of his jeans. Then, with a sultry gaze, she lowered her head, placed her mouth ag
ainst his boxers, and released a long, hot breath.

  His cock screamed and jumped. His vision clouded. He locked his knees to keep from falling to the floor.

  She gave a soft giggle and then tugged at his waist to remove his pants.

  He moved his hands to cover hers. “Rachel, wait.”

  She gazed up at him and that damn fuck-me smile sucker-punched him right in the gut. “Change your mind?”

  He widened his eyes. “What? Hell, no! I’m just cocked and loaded and—”

  She leaned forward and blew on him again, this time molding her lips around his dick.

  “Aw shit,” he groaned.

  “And what?” she prompted.

  He shoved his jeans and boxers to the floor, kicked them to the side, then fisted his hands in her hair. “I forgot.”

  She winked and wrapped her slender fingers around his shaft. “That’s what I thought.”

  He groaned again and pushed into her fist. Rachel tightened her hold and allowed him to slide easily in and out of her grip. He set a slow pace, hoping to hell she wouldn’t get any bright ideas about pushing him any further. This rhythm was manageable but only without her further participation.

  Hawke continued to thrust, confident her own need would spiral out of control before he would have to stop. And then things went totally haywire. Somehow in mid-thrust she managed to free her hands and replaced them with her lips. Very intelligent, this woman.

  Hawke stood motionless in her grip, totally in unfamiliar territory. Sweat droplets popped from the pores on his forehead as her tongue circled his head and then flicked the skin beneath. Short, electric pulses climbed his vertebrae one at a time. His libido begged for surrender.

  Rachel fisted the base of his cock and stroked, the motion pulling him further between her lips and deeper into the recess of her mouth. His hips followed along.

  “Ohbabyplease …”

  Rachel tightened her hold and seemed to ignore his desperate plea. Probably because he couldn’t speak a complete sentence.

  A wave of panic rolled through him, giving him at least three seconds of sanity.