SiNN

by Tina Donahue

  He’d imagined Jake’s pleasure to be his, the thrill of her narrow channel hugging, squeezing his rod. He’d coveted her moisture glistening on Jake’s shaft as the man had pulled back, releasing himself until only his crown remained inside, then plunged into her once more.

  The footfalls resumed, their advance recorded on the hardwood floor that creaked beneath the individual’s weight.

  Given the sounds and the length of the strides, they belonged to Jake, not Lea.

  He entered the kitchen, his naked feet slapping the Mexican pavers. Toby kept his attention on his laptop’s screen, his thoughts on the front room. Lea bent over the sofa, Jake taking and using her from behind.

  Toby’s erection strained against the confinement of his briefs. His balls hurt like they had when he’d been a virginal teen and couldn’t masturbate enough to calm down. He wanted to readjust his weight, but refused to move, not wanting Jake to notice him.

  Yeah right. Like he was as invisible in this room as he’d been out there when they’d been going at it like two porn stars.

  Fuck. What was he going to do for the rest of this night and tomorrow and all the other days here? More importantly, what were they going to do? Toby wasn’t certain he could take another Jake and Lea show.

  Yawning, Jake stopped short of the kitchen table.

  Toby didn’t look up. In his peripheral vision, he saw Jake scratching his ass, so fucking at ease with what he’d just done, so casual about every goddamn thing. From the beginning of their partnership, Toby had admired Jake’s mellow attitude, wanting to be more like him. Never the cool kid, teenager or adult, he knew he was too uptight and kept trying to change.

  His most recent attempt had occurred last week on his first date with a pretty young woman he’d met at a conference. At the time, he’d tried to emulate Jake’s effortless charm, telling himself that was how he wanted to be.

  Tonight though, all Toby continued to experience was mounting irritation. Was Jake actually going to deliver Lea’s invitation that they all get it on, fucking their brains out with no regard to the future since she’d clearly given up on it?

  Was he going to say that Lea desired him as much as she obviously liked Jake? Toby frowned. Did he want that? Would he believe it?

  On a new yawn, Jake asked, “Where are your plates and utensils?”

  Toby glanced up, instantly noticing Jake’s cock, still damp with Lea’s moisture, the evidence of her lust. “My what?”

  “Stuff you use to help you eat,” Jake explained, pushing his fingers through his hair, dragging it away from his face.

  His hair was too fucking long for a marshal, his damn attitude too pissing blasé. “You’re going to eat?” Although Toby hadn’t meant it to, his question sounded like an accusation.

  Unfazed, Jake went to the refrigerator, its mahogany façade identical to the cabinets. “Yeah. I’m probably going to breathe on occasion too.” He opened the door, peering at the jugs of milk, bottles of juice, designer water, beer and no end of food. “I understand it’s necessary to stay alive.”

  “Like fucking is?”

  “Nope.”

  He pulled out a tray of cold cuts and cheese Toby had thought to get, stocking the fridge to bursting once he’d known they’d be bringing Lea here, staying with her for a few days. Not forever. Just a short period of time.

  Placing the tray on the rustic table, Jake looked at him. “Fucking’s for pleasure. You should give it a try sometime.”

  “You should put some of your energy into protecting her.”

  Jake nibbled on a slice of hard salami. “We’re here, aren’t we? I saw you setting the security system the second we arrived.” He finished the meat and chose a wedge of cheddar cheese. “Did you think we’d be hanging out on the roof all night dressed like ninjas, Uzis drawn, ready to fire on whatever the hell approached?” Jake grinned. “That’s only done in the movies. Right?”

  Toby pushed back in his chair and spoke quietly, so Lea wouldn’t hear, “What you’re doing with her is nuts and even you must know it.”

  Jake’s grin disappeared. He popped the wedge of cheese into his mouth and talked around it. “Lea’s not complaining, so why are you?”

  Toby spoke through his teeth, “I don’t want anything to compromise this operation, her safety or our careers.”

  Jake studied him a moment, then focused on the food, choosing a slice of prosciutto.

  “You want her as badly as I do,” Jake said, continuing before Toby could deny it with his lie. “She’s like no woman you’ve ever known. Believe me, I understand. It’s not just the way she looks, which is fucking amazing. She’s a good person, as lonely as both of us have been, her past as fucked up. Maybe that’s what made for such a fast connection between her and me—and you. I don’t know. I don’t goddamn care. In a few days, she’s going to be gone. I, for one, want what she has to offer while she’s still here.”

  “Of course you do,” Toby shot back. “You’ve already proven it.”

  Jake accepted the rebuke with a shrug. “Just so you know, I also want to make her feel safe beyond what our promises, badges and our weapons can do. If you don’t, that’s your decision. I respect it.”

  He returned to the refrigerator, pulling out two bottles of Corona, Dijon mustard and a jar of pickles, placing the condiments on the tray. Finding napkins and the bottle opener in a drawer, Jake tossed them on top of everything else. With the tray and beers in hand, he headed out of the kitchen, stopping at the doorway.

  “It’s all right for you to be human,” he said quietly. “We’re not super heroes, Toby. Even if we were, that’s not what Lea needs tonight or during the few days she’s with us. She wants us to care. To give her a sense of belonging. The kind you and I never really had.”

  Toby’s jaw tightened. He struggled to keep himself from saying something sarcastic or tearing into Jake for bringing up his past. Toby never should have shared it. That time of his life was over, done with, having nothing to do with now.

  At his silence, Jake added, “Do yourself a favor, loosen your tie, relax and think about what I’ve said.” With no further comment, he padded back toward the front room.

  Lea.

  She heard Jake’s approach, disappointed but not surprised that Toby wasn’t with him. Although Lea hadn’t heard the particulars of their conversation, she recognized the terseness in Toby’s words and appreciated the smoothness of Jake’s responses.

  He wouldn’t leave her tonight. He’d be at her side as long as she wanted.

  Already that was more time than Lea knew Jake could possibly give. Her craving for him was already bone-deep, contradicting the few hours they’d been together. A part of her understood how the uncertainty of her future made her hunger for his solid strength. However, it was also more than that.

  For a big guy, so used to giving orders, he’d been amazingly tender after they’d made love, as though she really mattered. He’d stroked her breast, his touch searching, not clumsy with fatigue…loving, not randy. As he remained inside of her, he’d left a trail of kisses on the back of her neck and shoulder, then asked if she was okay, his tone sounding genuinely concerned.

  Before he left for the kitchen, he’d cupped her face in his palms, kissed her forehead gently and murmured, “I won’t be gone long. No more than a few minutes. All right?”

  He knew how she worried and seemed to want to put her at ease.

  Her heart beat triple time in expectation and longing as he came around the sofa.

  His hair was mussed, wayward locks hanging over his forehead and grazing his stubbled cheeks. His tattoo—so virile it weakened every part of Lea—was still no match for the rest of his lean, muscled body. She wanted to lick his dark nipples, to squeeze his well-toned pecs, press her mouth to his pendulous sex and hairy thighs, run her fingers up his sinewy calves.

  It took all of her will to remain as she was, glad that she had.

  Jake wore a look of pleasant surprise at how she’d po
sitioned herself for his return. With her back against the sofa, she had one arm stretched the length of the cushion, the other draped over her head to fully expose her breasts. Not wanting to keep the rest of herself hidden from him, she’d parted her legs, bending the one farthest from him at the knee.

  Immediately, his interest dropped to her cunt, damp with his ejaculate. A stirring reminder of what they’d done. A promise of what they’d continue. At least for a few days.

  Uncertainty and melancholy edged close. Lea pushed both emotions aside, determined to enjoy her time here. Lowering her arm, she ran her fingers over her thigh to her cleft, slowly drawing her forefinger up its length. Her clit was still wonderfully sensitive, her opening still stinging from his cock’s size.

  Jake placed their meal on the end table, then dropped to his knees beside her, brushing her hand away. “My job,” he murmured.

  He did it so freaking well, stroking the soft petals between her legs, his fingers exploring all that he’d already had, all that he’d claim again.

  She sighed in response, proving she was a woman in serious lust.

  He did her one better, kissing Lea deeply, tenderly, with what felt like affection, not merely passion.

  It was the most loving gift any man had ever given Lea. Moved beyond words, she rested her hand on Jake’s cheek, running her thumb over his bristly jawline as their tongues played with each other, both of them wanting to control the kiss.

  Jake wouldn’t allow her to have the upper hand. He filled her so completely Lea was hard-pressed to produce a moan that either of them would hear. She surrendered without pause, as she knew she would, giving him all that she had, precisely what they both desired.

  At last, Jake brought his hand from her cleft to her belly, placing his damp fingers on the gentle curve of flesh. Pulling his mouth free, he pressed his cheek to hers and whispered, “Hungry?”

  She smiled at the innuendo in his question. “I could eat.” Turning her face into his, she kissed his temple and added, “Just as soon as I dip your cock in the mustard.”

  He laughed. “That’s not going to happen.”

  “Why? You chicken?” She ran her fingers down his hot, hard torso. His muscles jumped beneath her touch. “Scared it might sting?”

  “Only for you when I fuck you again. And I will. Hard and long. ‘Til you can’t take any more.”

  A pleasurable shiver crept up Lea’s spine at the scene his words created. Jake using her until she begged for a bit of rest, with him not granting it, probing all of her openings with his cock and fingers.

  She breathed, “I had no idea you were such a prick.”

  His shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “Believe it.” Reaching over, he pulled the cocktail table closer. Its legs scraped against the floor, causing the beer bottles to hit each other with a faint clink.

  In the kitchen, a cabinet slammed, followed by another.

  Lea glanced that way, then looked at Jake. He was regarding their food as though the racket hadn’t happened. Speaking quietly, she asked, “Is Toby all right?”

  Another slam. This time, it sounded like a drawer.

  Jake shrugged. “Maybe he can’t find the stuff either.”

  “What stuff?”

  “Plates, utensils.” He opened both Coronas, handing her one, then dropped a napkin on her thigh and the next on his. “I gave up looking for them.”

  She took a sip and swallowed. “What did Toby say while you were in there?”

  Jake bit into a slice of provolone, chewed, then washed the food down with a swig of beer. “He was working on his report.”

  About her? Probably. Sucking her lower lip, Lea peeked in the direction of the kitchen, then turned to Jake and kept her tone subdued, “Will he mention what happened between you and me?”

  Surprise flickered across his face. “Toby may be by the book, but he’s also the most loyal man I know.”

  “You care deeply about him.”

  Jake’s beer bottle stopped short of his lips. “We’re partners, Lea.”

  His dismissive tone and neutral expression didn’t fool her. She sensed Jake worried about Toby as much as he did about her, no matter his casual attitude. She suspected the two men were as close as siblings.

  Wanting to ask Jake about his past, figuring he’d dance around it, she instead concentrated on Toby, eager to know about him too. “What’s his story?” When Jake didn’t answer immediately, Lea added, “He’s obviously wealthy, thanks to his mother. I mean, just look at this place.”

  “Yeah, it’s really something,” he mumbled. “Too bad that’s all she gave him.”

  His disdain surprised Lea. “They weren’t close as he was growing up?”

  Frowning, he dug his thumbnail into the edge of his bottle’s label, trying to peel it off.

  “None of my business?” she asked.

  Jake sighed. “It’s personal shit.”

  “You’re right. I should ask Toby.”

  “Hold it right there.” Jake clamped his free hand around her wrist, keeping Lea from continuing to her feet. “Not a good idea.”

  Of course, it wasn’t, but Lea figured it might prod Jake into telling her what he knew about the man. “If he doesn’t want to talk, that’s cool.” Leaning over, she put her beer bottle on the cocktail table. “I’ll come right back in here.”

  That didn’t get Jake to loosen his grip. With his attention darting between the kitchen and her, he said, “His mother wasn’t around, all right?”

  Lea sank to the floor. “Why? She clearly had the means to take care of him.”

  Bringing back his hand, Jake selected a thin roll of turkey. “Means doesn’t translate into willingness, at least for her. Toby lived with his dad and only saw her when she wasn’t filming, which wasn’t often.”

  “Filming?”

  “She was a movie star. Maybe they call it a film star now.” Jake lifted his shoulders as though he didn’t know or care. “Won an Oscar for To This I Bring and Dead Man’s Cove. Maybe others, I can’t recall.”

  Lea couldn’t hide her surprise. “Rebecca Holmes was Toby’s mother? I didn’t even know she had any children.”

  “Exactly.” Jake opened the Dijon, dipping his roll of turkey into it. “When he graduated from high school, he asked her to come to the ceremony. She hadn’t made any of his other stuff, Little League and things like that, but she promised him she’d be there when he got his diploma.”

  Shaking his head, Jake put the jar of mustard on the cocktail table. “She never showed. Said she’d been in a minor car accident and had hurt her back and was in too much pain to walk or sit up. Toby later found out she’d gone under the knife for an overhaul on her looks and the surgery wasn’t as good as she’d hoped. She didn’t want her fans to see her looking less than perfect, so she blew off her son instead.”

  Oh no. Lea thought of Toby in the kitchen alone, writing his report, refusing to come into this room and take a chance on what she knew he wanted. With a mother like that, no wonder he was so cautious with people and comfortable with rules. When it came to protocol and directives, he knew exactly what to expect. “How awful for him.”

  “He was better off without her. It was her loss. Not his.” Jake licked a smear of mustard from his finger. “He’s a good man. Professionally, he’s one of the best deputies I’ve ever known. Even better than his father.”

  “His dad’s in the service too?”

  “Was. He’s retired now.”

  “Thanks.” Taking a wedge of cheddar cheese from Jake, Lea nibbled on it, unable to stop her gratified moan. Unlike the processed crap she was used to eating, this was the real deal. Creamy, sharp and expensive. “How in the world did a marshal end up with Rebecca Holmes?”

  “The usual way. She met him while doing research for one of her films. They divorced shortly after Toby’s second birthday. When she remarried the following year, she had his dad take full custody. Said her film schedule made it too difficult to have a kid around.�
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  “Poor little guy.”

  His broad shoulders lifted in another shrug. “It happens.”

  “Did his dad remarry?”

  “About a year after his mom. Had several kids too. All boys.”

  Lea had a fair idea of what that meant. “Toby got lost in the shuffle?”

  “He managed. He’s good at being on his own.”

  No, he wasn’t. Not anymore than Jake. He was as lonely, as wanting as Toby. Unable to help herself, Lea eased back his hair, then rested her fingertips on his cheek.

  He paused in mid-chew and finished his bite slowly.

  Leaning close, she murmured, “What’s your story, Jake?”

  Wariness darkened his expression. He regarded the tray of food, opting for grabbing the jar of pickles rather than answering her.

  Lea brought back her hand, figuring she should stop being so nosy, but couldn’t. She ached to know about him. What had made him the man he was. What could soothe his damaged heart in the short time they had.

  “Did your mom divorce your father?” she asked. “Did she give up custody of you too?”

  He smiled. It looked both amused and sad. “Not even close.”

  “She raised you then.”

  Putting the top to the side, Jake pulled out one of the spears. It crunched between his teeth. “She gave me everything she could.” He chewed and swallowed. “Everything my stepfather would allow. When she returned to the reservation, she had their marriage to worry about. It wasn’t easy for her.” He took another bite of the pickle. “It isn’t easy for a lot of people there.”

  Lea could only imagine the poverty, along with the outrage and hopelessness accompanying it. She’d felt her own growing up in foster care. At times, she and Danielle hadn’t had enough to eat even though the state required it. Rarely had they had anything pretty to wear. Always they lacked a parent’s protection and love.

  Touching his tattoo, she asked, “What about your biological dad? Didn’t he help at all?”

  Jake looked at her, but said nothing.

  Lea sensed he was trying to gauge her reaction, what she might think if he told her about himself. Her first thought was to coax him to do so. Her next was to wait until he was ready.