Gravedigger (The Rayburn Mysteries Book 1)

by Ceeree Fields

  “You’re not taking my dress off?” Her voice was breathless, nothing like her normal clipped tone. Dammit, he was undoing her.

  “No.” He claimed her mouth in a kiss while settling his body over hers.

  The response on the tip of her tongue was forgotten at the taste of him. So good. Jo’s hands mapped the muscles of his back. Soft in places, rough in others. The smell of him grew darker, wilder and merged with hers. His hands inched her skirt up until it bunched under her ass. Uncomfortable.

  Breaking the kiss with a gasp, he rose to his knees. “Now let’s get your dress off.”

  The wicked light in his gaze called to Jo’s wild side as she shimmied out of the blue material.

  “Fuck.”

  The word, a whisper of reverence, bolstered Jo’s confidence. Never had she had the desire to wear garters. Never had she craved the feel of satin and lace against her skin. And never had Jo gone to four different stores looking for a blue to match her eyes to surprise someone she wanted to sleep with. The eyes he constantly complemented her on, comparing them to the prettiest arctic blue.

  Lifting her arms above her head, Jo stretched. His fingers swept from her wrist over her shoulder leaving heat in their wake. The plain hair that annoyed her twined through fingers that were magic and clung to Rhys as if wanting to hold tight to him too.

  “Jesus, Jo. You’re gonna be the death of me.” His jaw clenched and released. Sparks lit within her as his hands mapped every dip and curve cradled by the icy, blue satin bra. Warm callused hands moved down her stomach and over the matching garter belt and panties. His molten gaze followed the same path.

  “Never the death, Rhys, just—” She moaned when he tweaked her nipples through the bra. “Christ, do something dammit.” Jo pushed deeper into his heated palm.

  Too long. She’d been too long without this. Her body craved his touch. Wanted to be claimed. Owned. Seeming to sense this, he growled and began to feast. Wet kisses peppered her chest, building the heat within her to a fever pitch. His primal scent wrapped around her. The breathless pants falling from his lips stoked the flames. All her senses were saturated in him, in them.

  Mindless, she ground into him, seeking relief. Friction. Something to send her over the edge. Digging her fingers into the softness of his hair, she arched into him. Whimpers and moans a steady stream from her lips.

  Between one breath and the next her bra disappeared, his hot mouth a welcome replacement. Jo’s body begged for more. She tried to roll him to his back, but he laughed darkly sending shivers bursting through her. Clasping her hands in one of his, he shook his head. “My turn this time, hon.”

  He snarled when the garter belt didn’t immediately come loose and resorted to tearing the panties from her. She couldn’t be bothered to care. She wanted him in her. Hearing the tear of the condom wrapper, she moaned. Then he was there.

  “Jesus. I thought—” Jo gasped, his length impaled her in one long push. By no means small, he filled her to perfection. “Why the hell did we wait?”

  He rose to his knees, his muscles glistened with sweat as if oil caressed each sculpted line. He looked like a conquering warrior of old. She lost her breath at the sight of him. The calluses on his hands rubbed her thighs, pushing them further apart. Opening her. His gaze riveted to where he impaled her. Watching as he claimed her. Smiling, he looked devilish with the low light of the lamp. The hollows of his face more pronounced, lending a sinister cast. “Because it wouldn’t have been like this otherwise.”

  She wiggled, arched, and ground into him. Further loosening his control, he fell onto her. Slamming into her. Consuming her. Exactly what she hungered for. This man was perfect. Every layer she uncovered a surprise. Now that she knew he was her match in the bedroom as well, no way would she ever let him go.

  A nip to her collar bone drew a shudder from her as the hair on his chest raked across her sensitive nipples. Large hands gripped her ass as he pounded into her. She’d have bruises, but the marks marring her skin would be worn like badges of honor, showing Jo how much he craved her. This quiet bookish man was a caveman in bed. Just the thought sent her over with a gasp.

  “Jo!” he shouted as he followed her.

  Her walls spasmed around his impressive length. Until he flopped boneless next to her, leaving her body with a groan.

  “Christ, he. We really are gonna kill each other in here.”

  A brilliant smile lit his flushed face, his chest sawing in and out. “But what a way to go, hon.”

  Her body didn’t feel like hers, she felt weightless, sensitive and shivery. Wiggling around until her head rested on his chest, she bit out. “You ripped my damned underwear.”

  Jo’s prickly walls struggled to come back into place but failed with every breath she inhaled of him.

  A large palm patted her ass. “I’ll get you some new ones.”

  Her eyelids didn’t want to stay open, her speech slurred. “‘Kay. Don’t go anywhere, I want to do that again.”

  “Oh, we will. We’ve got the whole weekend and plenty of food.” His dark promise followed her into a light doze.

  She barely acknowledged the shifting bed when he left to dispose of the used condom. The warm hand that stripped the rest of her lingerie from her drew an annoyed huff. Then she was tucked against a warm chest, under silky smooth sheets, and sleep claimed her.

  Minutes or hours later, warm lips nuzzled her awake. Slowly, she opened her eyes to absolute darkness.

  In a sleepy whisper, she asked. “Again?”

  “God, yes.” His breath ghosted over her neck.

  Addicted, her body heated for him and he slipped easily into her. If Jo wasn’t already humming in pleasure, she would’ve been annoyed to want him so quickly. His stuttering breath when he pushed home told Jo, he was just as hooked.

  Happiness danced into her like bubbles from a champagne bottle and she kissed him. Christ, if she wasn’t falling in love with the man. Instead of focusing on her feelings and panicking, she concentrated on what he was doing to her.

  Lost herself in him.

  Chapter 16

  ‘Tik Tok’ blared from the hallway, bouncing off the walls. Jo silently cursed her purse as it hadn’t dulled the sound of her cellphone. A muffled groan escaped as she rolled to her side and looked at the time.

  Four in the freaking morning. They only fell asleep two hours ago. Catnaps here and there did not count when they woke up to explore each other again. She stretched, exhaustion tugging at her. A thicker thread of want and desire curled into her when her fingers brushed against him. The touch caused the combustible flare between them to spark to life. She tried not to think of it as making love, though her mind continued to pair the phrase with Rhys. It was too soon.

  The song abruptly ended, only to restart again. She knew she needed to get up and answer the call. Karma wasn’t one to give up. Muscles that Jo forgot she had, ached as she forced her body out of the bed.

  Gah! Today was her day off, dammit. The bulky drape of a robe hung from the back of the bedroom door. She snagged the plush blue bathrobe while shuffling into the hallway in search of her purse. The noise stopped again, only to restart seconds later. She grumbled as she planned Karma’s murder in her head while tugging the soft material up her arms. Another mumbled curse passed Jo’s lips when her feet tangled in the bottom of the robe causing her to trip.

  Within a matter of minutes, she held the phone in her hand. Squinting at the bright screen, she snarled into the piece of machinery instead of chucking the thing at the wall. “What?”

  “Hi, sis’, how’re you doing this morning? Me? Oh, I’m great.” Karma’s voice bright and chipper morphed into something dark and deadly. “Especially after hearing from my partner that my older sister was shot at. Then hearing that Terry was actually hit. But let’s check my phone’
s log . . .” A thick, guilt-laden silence descended as if Karma stopped to check her call log. “Nope, nothing from my dear sister telling me the damned perp all of us are chasing has a gun. Nothing telling us—”

  She growled and headed for the kitchen, needing coffee. “How the hell did Maker hear?”

  “Well, quite obviously not from you—”

  “Sullivan,” Jo bit out through clenched teeth. “Look, it’s too damned early—”

  “Oh, believe me I know how early it is. Dad’s pissed that one of his daughters got ambushed, and now we, not you, have to run combat scenarios.”

  “And you thought, what? You would share the love by waking me up?” She looked at the complicated silver machine.

  “Of course.” A long sigh and Karma’s voice moved from aggressive and angry to somewhat normal. “Look, I know you don’t believe us, or maybe just me. But even if you don’t want to call to let us know you’re okay, then the least you can do is call and give me and my partner a heads-up on a dangerous situation.”

  Guilt churned in Jo, making her slam the cabinet door in her search for the filters and grounds. “I’m sorry.” She put as much sincerity as she could into the apology.

  “Accepted. Now, on to the other reason I called. Sullivan thinks he’ll be put back on-duty next week. What about you?”

  The phone notched between her shoulder and ear, Jo almost squealed when she finally found what she needed. In no time at all the machine worked industriously, churning out Jo’s coffee. “I should be. Depends on the shrink they got me seeing, she’s the one who needs to release us for active duty. The captain is putting us on desk for right now and moving you and Maker to lead on Digger.”

  “I still can’t believe how involved your captain is in this case.”

  “Governor’s pushing, and that means the mayor’s pushin—”

  “Politics.”

  “Yeah.” Scrubbing a hand over her face, Jo willed the coffee to hurry. “So, what? You called to chew me out?”

  “No, that was just a side benefit. You can’t hit crime scenes, but can you talk to possible witnesses?”

  That woke her up as no amount of coffee could’ve. “I don’t know. Why?”

  Had someone been visiting a grave and seen something? But why hadn’t they come forward already?

  “Dad’s got a few contacts he’s going to touch base with later. He thinks he remembers someone who hung around cemeteries a lot, but he needs to make sure they’re still around and willing to talk to us.”

  “Why didn’t he tell us this before?”

  Karma sighed. “He’s not been around for me to ask.”

  “You mean recently?”

  “No, he’s been gone the last three months.” The voice on the other end became gruff. “Look, I’m just giving you a heads-up. This one is off the books because whoever we get to talk to us will disappear in the wind as soon as ‘cop’ is mentioned.”

  “Got it.”

  “Good. Sooo, have you nailed your hot man yet?”

  “Bye, Karma. Have fun on those training things with the fam.” She ended the call. Wide awake now she looked at the pot of fresh coffee.

  Not what she wanted. Smiling, she lifted the hem of the robe to her knees, darted down the hall and jumped onto Rhys’s massive bed. She tossed the robe off her shoulders, replacing the sudden cold with his sleep-warmed skin.

  “Mmm. Again?” he mumbled.

  Instead of answering, she trailed open mouth kisses down his chest.

  ~ ~ ~

  The smell of bacon and coffee woke her for the second time that morning. More alert, Jo glanced at the clock. Eleven. Much better than four.

  Pushing the nest of covers from her, she smiled at the dark smudges that marred her pale skin of her hip. Oh yeah. She loved how her man lost control in bed.

  Wait. She’d used ‘loved’ again and damned if she didn’t think of him as hers. Jo’s heart raced in panic as she realized she cared for Rhys, more than she’d ever cared for another. Fine, she loved him dammit.

  She frowned. He had better love her just as much. She would not be the only one with these feelings. Needing to move, she headed for the attached bathroom. The light came on with a flick of the switch.

  Jo froze. Sometime last night her toothbrush had found its way into the empty holder on the hers side of the sinks. Had she done it? She didn’t remember, in too much of a hurry to get back to him she might’ve put the toothbrush there.

  The entire suite could fit her apartment with room left over. How could she not have known the man was rich? Why had he not told her? What else did she still have to learn about him?

  Jo raised her eyes to the mirror and gasped. “Holy shit.”

  Her hair looked like she’d stuck her finger in a socket multiple times. Mascara smudged her eyes, and she was missing one of her diamond earrings, definitely needed to find that before she left. Groaning, she moved to the shower. The controls weren’t as complicated as she thought, and steam soon billowed through the room.

  In the process of setting her bathing products in one of the built-in shelves, a knock drew her from the shower stall. “Yeah?”

  “Just wanted to let you know I’m going to start making breakfast,” he said, his voice muffled by the closed door.

  “How long do I have?”

  “Fifteen?”

  “Make it twenty and I’ll be on time,” she countered, grabbing her toothbrush and smearing toothpaste across the bristles before tossing the tube of mint-flavored toothpaste back on the counter.

  “Done.”

  Shoving the toothbrush in her mouth, she stepped into the shower.

  Jo’s thoughts darted from one to another while she bathed. It wasn’t that she was afraid to love someone. But not even a full three months of dating? Her emotions were deeper now than they’d ever been with her previous boyfriends.

  Nerves skittered in her stomach as she rinsed the suds from her hair. With him, she wanted things she never wished for with anyone else. A home together. Someone that would understand her crazy schedule. A lover that would make her burn.

  Rhys fit all those descriptions and more. He made her laugh when it was rare to get even a smile. He didn’t tell her to choose another job when she wanted comfort. Instead, cuddling her against him while he watched television and allowing her to vent in her own time and way.

  He fit with her friends. Enjoyed the same activities. But he was smart. Could be a doctor where she’d barely gotten through high school. Apparently rich. Jo’s eyes bounced around the expensive looking cream-colored tiles, the custom glasswork encasing the shower, the light green accents in the hand-painted tiles and built-in shelves. He also shouldered a huge amount of responsibility with his brother. She understood that better than anyone.

  Family came first. The mantra was one Carl used the most.

  What would she do when he tired of her? It was bound to happen. Jo never kept anyone’s interest for long. As Aaron had said on more than one occasion, too high maintenance.

  She rinsed her toothbrush, turned the water off and stepped from the shower. She dropped the toothbrush back into the holder then took one of the fluffy cream-colored towels from the warming rack and dried herself.

  Screw it. She would enjoy this man for as long as he let her. And if her heart ended up battered, well that’s what they made vodka for.

  Cleaned up, she opened the door separating the Master Suite from the hallway and stepped through, feeling like Alice in Wonderland. His house was freaking huge. And echoey. Jo shook her head at the word but couldn’t find a different one that fit.

  A long hallway with dark wood doors led into the main house. To the right was the foyer covered in what looked to be expensive tile with a staircase that hugged the far wall. From the ceiling
dangled the most intricate chandelier she’d ever seen. Gold, cream, and off white were the predominate colors, matching Rhys to a tee.

  Curious, she poked her head into the foyer and caught sight of the sprawling den on the other side where he’d cuddled her. It helped to orient her, not well since she’d been in shock that day, but anything was better than being totally lost. Opening the door built into the staircase going to the second floor, she expected a closet but found a set of stairs leading down. Not wanting to get lost in this mausoleum, she shut the door and followed the faint scent of coffee toward the back of the house where the kitchen was.

  Two place settings at the sunny-colored, round table greeted Jo when she entered.

  He held a spatula manning the stove like a professional chef while bobbing his head and humming ‘Tik Tok’.

  “Oh God, not you too,” she moaned, filling one of the two mugs sitting by the fresh pot of coffee.

  A bright grin flashed over his shoulder before he turned back to the pancakes. “Can’t help it, the song is stuck in my head.”

  “Probably because Karma felt the need to phone me at four in the morning.” She took her first sip of goodness. Glad the rich brew was nothing like the sludge made in her precinct which she doctored heavily just so she could get her caffeine fix.

  “Why that song? And why did she call that early?”

  “It used to be the ‘Tick Tick Boom’ song, but I deleted that one and in retaliation I put Dancing Queen on hers.”

  He plated the pancakes, took the syrup from the microwave, and placed everything on the table.

  “Jesus, Rhys, it looks like a spread in a magazine.” The setting looked like something staged just for a photo shoot. Light blue placemats held crisp white plates and sparkling silverware. A pitcher of orange juice stood next to a yellow vase holding a spring bouquet of gorgeous colors. “It’s winter, where’d the flowers come from?”