by J. E. Parker
A cocky grin spread across my face. “That’s it, sunshine,” lifting her once again, I slammed her down once more, “scream for me.” Wrapping my hand in her hair, I tugged at the strands. Shelby screamed again, and I attacked the soft curve of her throat. Lips, teeth, tongue—I gave her everything I had as I licked, nipped, and sucked her delicate flesh.
Her fingers tangled in my hair. With a rough jerk, she pulled my face from her neck and looked me in the eyes. “I need…” She bit down on her bottom lip as I continued to impale her in quick, jarring thrusts. “Need you on top of—”
I didn’t let her finish speaking before I tossed her back onto the bed. Following her down, I lifted her legs higher around my waist and leaned over her. Pressing my chest onto hers, I gave her a second to adjust to our new position.
“Like this?”
She nodded; a bead of sweat dripped from her brow. “Please, Tony—” My hands gripped her outer thighs as I pounded into her. “Yes!”
Her fingertips dug into my back, cutting my skin, and marking me.
I released one of her thighs and snaked a hand between our chests. Tweaking a nipple between two fingers, I watched with disbelieving eyes as Shelby jerked against me, and thrust her hips into mine, matching me stroke for stroke.
She’s so damn perfect. How did I get this lucky?
Her tight pussy began to flutter against my cock, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before she exploded. “Tony,” she gasped, pressing her sharp nails deeper into my skin, “I’m about to… about to….” Her entire body tensed and her hands dropped to my ass. “Oh God!”
The base of my spine began to tingle, and I knew it was about to be over for me. Normally, I’d be pissed that I was about to come so quickly but I wanted to go over the edge with her; I wanted us to come together.
“Anthony!” Her accent had become even thicker. I internally smiled at the realization. “I’m there!”
Releasing her nipple from between my fingers, I slipped my hand down her fabric covered belly and pressed a thumb to her clit. That’s all it took. One small touch and she went off like a rocket.
Screaming. Jerking. More screaming.
My balls clenched and my cock pulsed. Not able to hold back any longer, I spilled into the condom as Shelby’s pussy clamped down on me like a vise grip. Thrusting while massaging her clit in short, quick strokes, I pulled every ounce of pleasure that I possibly could from her.
When her body went lax, and her eyes slid closed, I removed my hand and slowed my thrusts. Pushing her sweat-slicked hair out of her face, I kissed her forehead and pulled out of her. I could’ve stayed in her all day, but I didn’t want to hurt her. I already knew she’d likely be sore. It was obvious she hadn’t had sex in a long time, and my cock certainly wasn’t small.
“You alright, baby?”
“Mmmm.” It was the only response she gave.
I climbed off the bed and walked into the master bathroom that adjoined my bedroom. After disposing of the condom, I grabbed a washcloth from the linen closet and soaked it with warm water.
Feeling like I was walking on air, I moved back into the bedroom. Shelby was still laying in the same spot I’d left her; her eyes were still closed. Standing beside the bed, I slipped the warm cloth between her legs and cleaned her as gently as I could.
“Baby,” I ran my finger down the side of her cheek, “you asleep?”
One side of her mouth quirked up. “Almost.” She yawned. “You exhausted lil’ ol me.”
I pulled the blanket over her. “Go to sleep. When you wake up, we’ll go pick up Lucca.”
One of her eyes slid open. “I have to go back to work.”
That wasn’t happening.
I shook my head. “Maddie said for you to take the rest of the day off. She said she had it covered.”
Shelby snorted. “That little shit.” Yawning again, she snuggled against my pillow. “When I wake up, I fully expect you to feed me, stud muffin.”
I tossed the cloth in the general vicinity of the bathroom and climbed into the bed beside her. Pulling her into my arms, I pulled the blanket over my lower half. “Rest, baby.”
For once, Shelby didn’t argue.
Within seconds we both drifted off to sleep.
19
Anthony
“Tony,” Shelby spoke my name from across the restaurant booth. “What’s the matter with you?”
I fisted my hands under the table and tried to get a handle on my temper. I didn’t get pissed often, but at that moment I was ready to start ripping heads off. “Just give a minute, baby.” My voice was tight; my anger clear.
Taking a deep breath, I looked toward the bar along the back wall of El Acapulco where three uniformed officers from Toluca PD were sitting. All three were drinking, but I didn’t give a shit about that because they weren’t on shift.
No, what pissed me off was the way they’d leered at Shelby the moment she’d stepped foot in the restaurant. I’d been outside on the phone with a guy from the station walking him through some paperwork I’d filled out earlier in the day when I saw the entire thing transpire through the window.
The first stooge, Officer Ryan of all people, had elbowed the other two idiots, Officer Reynolds and Officer Miller, in the sides and pointed in Shelby’s direction. When they saw who he was gesturing to, they all raked their lecherous stares over every inch of her body. It made my stomach roll and my anger flare.
Motherfuckers. I should beat the shit out of all three of them.
Shelby hadn’t seen them, but it still pissed me right off.
They had no right to look at her that way.
“Anthony,” Shelby hissed, softly kicking me under the table. “For Pete’s sake! What is the matter with you?”
"I'm fine, sweetheart." I needed to get it together. "Just saw somebody I didn't want to see."
Shelby furrowed her brow and looked around the room. When her curious gaze fell on the three stooges, her eyes lit up with understanding. "If you're talking about those fools over there, I can't blame you." She curled her upper lip in disgust. "Are they drinking while in uniform?"
"They're not on duty."
"Yeah, but still. That just seems, I don't know... wrong."
I couldn't argue with her there.
Reaching across the table, I took one of her hands in mine. "Ignore them. I don't want them to ruin our night."
Her other hand covered mine. "Our night?" She asked, a lopsided smile taking over her face. "You make it sound like this is a date."
I looked from her to Lucca, who was sitting in a high chair at the end of the booth, sucking on a lemon.
Gross, little dude.
"It is." Her eyes sparkled. "Might as well get used to it, Shelby. Far as I'm concerned, you're mine. Especially after everything that happened today."
She looked at me with questioning eyes. "There are so many things wrong with that statement; I don't even know where to begin."
Picking up a glass of water from the table, I took a drink. "Yeah? How about you start by telling me what you think is wrong with it."
"Welllll," she replied, dragging out the word. "For one, I’ve already told you that I’m not interested in dating. The only man I’m concerned about is," she nodded to Lucca, "sitting right there."
Shelby was fighting herself. I believe part of her wanted to push me away while the other side wanted to dive into my arms. She was confused and was doing the only thing she knew how to do.
She was fighting me, fighting us, every step of the way.
It was alright, though. I was a patient man, and I’d wait forever if I had to.
"I have officially sworn off men.” I raised a brow. Sure as hell didn’t seem like she’d sworn off men a couple of hours ago when she was busy screaming my name. Reading my thoughts, her eyes narrowed. “Don’t you say a single word.”
Chuckling, I held up my hands in a placating manner. “My lips are sealed.”
“Anyway,” she continued, �
��I've had terrible luck with men in the past. Doubt that's changed. Besides, haven't you heard? I’m the town’s resident Miss Priss. Nobody around here is good enough for me.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m destined to be an old cat lady who dies alone. At least, that’s what most people around here say.” She forced a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “You shouldn’t want anything to do with me, Tony. You could do a hell of a lot better."
To anyone else she wouldn't appear to be affected by those words, but I could see the truth in her eyes. Knowing what people said about her, cut her deep. It tore me up on the inside. I would've rather cut my arm with a dull knife covered in anthrax than see her be hurt. Shelby may act like a hard ass most of the time, but internally, she was soft, almost vulnerable.
"Better than you? I don’t think so, sunshine. You’re perfect in my eyes."
She shook her head slightly. “I’m far from perfect. If anything, I’m tainted.”
I froze.
What. The. Fuck!
"Pardon me?" I asked, my voice hard. When she didn’t reply, I continued. "Shelby," my tone was lethal, "you've got about three seconds to explain that."
Leaning back in the booth, she dropped her hands to her lap and stared at me with hard eyes. "And what if I don't?" The challenge in her tone didn't go unnoticed. "What are you going to do, Detective Moretti?"
Detective Moretti... she was doing her best to distance herself from me.
Push all you want, sunshine. I’m not going anywhere.
After glancing at Lucca to make sure he wasn't affected by the thick air surrounding us, I leaned forward and placed my arms on the table. "What happened to you, Shelby?" Her brows furrowed and her lips pinched into a thin line. "Just tell me, sweetheart," I continued, "what caused you to have such a shitty view of yourself?"
It was a stupid thing to ask, but I was tired of dancing around the subject. I didn’t know what had taken place in Shelby’s past, but I knew it had to be bad. She was strong as hell, but she had shitty self-esteem.
Shelby’s face dropped at my question and the pissy look she'd been sporting slipped away. In its place, a look of pain settled over her gorgeous features.
My guts twisted at the sight.
"Anthony," she paused for a moment, "if I told you everything that's happened to me, I wouldn't be the only one calling me tainted. If you knew the truth about who I was, about what I’ve been through, you'd understand." She shook her head. "And you'd see exactly how scarred, how broken, how fricken damaged I am." She wasn't any of those things. "And trust me when I say you wouldn't ever call me sunshine again."
My head was about to explode.
"Baby," I said, exasperated, "I’ve already told you this once, but I’m going to tell you again. You are not your past." What would it take for her to understand? "I don't give a shit what you've been through or what's happened to you. None—and I mean none—of it will change how I see or feel about you."
Shelby’s face remained pained but her eyes flickered with an emotion I couldn’t read. Hope, maybe? “You can’t mean that.”
“The hell I can’t.” Anger nipped at every nerve in my body. I needed to make her understand how special she was. If I could make her see herself through my eyes, she’d never doubt herself again. “You want to know what I see when I look at you?”
She hesitated before offering a jerky nod.
This is your chance, Moretti. Don’t blow it.
“I see perfection, Shelby.” Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to reply, but I kept speaking, cutting her off. She probably thought I was mocking her, but I wasn’t. “The first time I saw you, you were standing in the middle of one of the most corrupt police stations in the entire state, prepared to go head to head with two men twice your size; and all because you thought they weren’t doing their jobs and protecting the people you care about.”
Her gaze shifted to Lucca, who still ignored us. Oblivious to the storm brewing around him, he chomped on a second lemon slice like he didn’t have a care in the world.
“I also see a loving mother who works her ass off to provide her son with a childhood that is the opposite of the one she suffered through.” It was the truth. The night I had dinner at Shelby’s house it was evident that she was doing everything possible to create a good life for him. He had toys, books, nice clothes. Her home was warm, clean, and her fridge was full of food.
“I see a selfless woman who barely has enough money to make ends meet yet she feeds a homeless man dinner every night so that he doesn’t go hungry.” It was one of the most selfless things I’d ever seen. Not many other people cared enough to do something like that. Most would’ve shunned Felix, writing him off as nothing more than a bum.
“I see a brave woman who works in the trenches, fighting for those who need her the most. Abused children, battered women, teenage runaways,” I paused. Taking a breath, I steadied my voice and continued, “Doesn’t matter who they are or what their story is, you work tirelessly to save them all. Do you have any damn idea how special that makes you?” I don’t think she had a clue. Most people didn’t give a shit about anybody but themselves. But Shelby? She cared about everyone around her. Even the people who society had written off. In fact, those were the people that my girl helped the most. Her heart was so big I didn’t know how it fit inside of her chest.
Overwhelmed with pride, I needed to tell her how I felt, even if it made me look and sound crazy. Taking a breath, I curled my fingers around the edge of the table and looked her directly in the eyes. “Want to know what else I see, sunshine?”
Her answer was swift. “Yes.”
“When I look at you, I see the woman who is meant to be my wife.”
She sat there like a mute, merely staring at me with wide eyes.
Needing to drive my point home, I pointed at Lucca. “I don’t know who Lucca’s father is and I don’t give a shit either.” Though I was sure as hell going to find out. It was obvious the guy wasn’t in the picture, and I needed to know why. Even if his absence made it easier for me to claim my family, I still had to find out what I was dealing with. “Like you, he is mine.”
And he was.
It didn’t matter that Lucca didn’t have my blood running through his veins. Like his mama, he was always meant to be mine. The day that Shelby became my wife, he would become my son.
“Anthony,” she replied, staring at me with unblinking eyes. “You have lost your godforsaken mind. I realize I’ve got a few screws loose but you’re nuttier than a squirrel turd.”
And the sass is back.
Steeling my features, I stared at her for a minute before replying. “Nuttier than a squirrel turd?” I ran a shaking hand through my hair. “You’re something else, you know that?”
Shelby rolled her eyes and continued to look at me like I was nuts.
I reached across the table and entwined her fingers with mine for a second time. Her gaze dipped to our connected hands. “I don’t understand you.” Her voice was so low I barely understood her. She lifted her head, and cautious eyes met mine. “You knock me off kilter.”
Welcome to my world, baby.
“It’s like,” she hesitated, “I don’t know which way is up with you. One minute you’re making me laugh and the next I’m ready to strangle you.” Squeezing her hand tighter, I silently urged her to continue. “Then you spout all this stuff about me being your wife and Lucca being yours. Do you have any idea how crazy that sounds?” She shook her head slightly. “Truth be told, I want to believe you,” she paused for a moment, “I really do. But the last man I trusted almost killed me. I can’t let that happen again.”
Whether she meant that figuratively or literally, I didn’t know, but I was sure as hell about to find out. Jaw locked, my chest tightened. “Shelby,” I somehow spoke through the anger enveloping me, “you talking about Lucca’s father? Did that son of a bitch hurt you?”
Determination spread across Shelby’s face, and her eyes lit up with a fierceness I’d ne
ver witnessed before. “Lucca doesn’t have a father.” She offered no further explanation. “Now,” she looked around the restaurant, trying her best to change the subject, “where the hell is our waitress? I’m feeling stabby, and unless I get food in my belly, I may hurt someone.” I chuckled at the way she swerved to avoid talking about Lucca’s father. “What? I’m starving. I can’t help it—” Her gaze moved past me, and her eyes narrowed. “You’ve gotta be shitting me.”
“Well look at what we have here,” a male voice said from beside me. I looked to the left and recognized the man from the diner immediately; the same one that Lucca favored looks wise. Just like last time, my hackles rose, and every possessive instinct ingrained in me washed over me like a tsunami.
What the hell is this guy’s name? Harold… Harry…
“It appears as though my favorite little pain in the ass is on a date,” he continued, taunting Shelby. Pulling my hand from hers, I was a second away from standing up and dealing with him, but Shelby beat me to it.
Should call her Firecracker in addition to sunshine.
“Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit,” she replied in a dry tone, “if it isn’t the biggest jackass this side of the Mississippi.” Leaning to the side, she looked past him. “Where’s Maddie? I need to talk to her. She knows she isn’t supposed to bring you inside.” She paused and her lips tilted heavenward. “Pretty sure it’s against health code to bring a dog inside a restaurant.”
The guy’s eyes narrowed. “Aren’t you a regular comedian.” Looking over at me, he pointed down at my girl. “If you’re planning on keeping her, I suggest you buy a muzzle or something. Chick has a mouth on her, man.”
My ire rose, and I stood up. Less than a foot separated his chest from mine. My fisted hands twitched at my sides. It didn’t matter that she had a mouth on her, he didn’t need to speak about her that way. I hadn’t been lying when I told her I’d deal with anyone who talked bad about her in front of me. Cop or not, I’d break half a dozen laws to defend her.
