by C. A. Harms
“You stay right here,” I said. “I’ll get the phone and the door.”
I pushed up off the couch and stepped back, taking one last look before walking away, irritated at the interruption.
I grabbed my phone from the table and walked to the door, pulling my wallet out of my pocket. I was hungry, yes, but I could wait to eat if I got to devour Elle instead.
I yanked open the door, and the kid looked up at me, appearing a little frustrated himself. His expression changed as he took in my appearance.
“Here you go,” I said, thrusting three twenties in his direction.
“But it’s only—”
I stopped him as he tried to hand back some of the money. “Keep the change kid,” I said before taking the bags, spinning around, and kicking the door closed behind me.
I smiled when I found Elle still lying on the couch, just as I’d directed. Knowing she was so willing to give me what I’d asked pleased me extremely.
I walked to the kitchen, placed the bags on the island that separated it from the dining area, and turned back to her.
My phone began ringing again, and I finally looked down to see Knoxville’s name flash across the screen.
“What?” I said, my voice laced with annoyance as I answered.
“What the hell, asshole?” Knox greeted me. “You can’t answer your damn phone?”
“I’m with Elle,” I said, knowing he’d fill in the blanks.
“Well,” he said, and I could almost picture his smug grin. “I guess I understand, then. But I do have one question.”
He paused for a minute, and I knew whatever the asshole was about to say, it was going to irritate me.
“Is she as hot naked as she is in those skimpy-ass dresses she wears? I bet those fucking legs of hers feel amazing wrapped around you as—”
“Enough,” I growled, my shoulders tensing and my jaw flexing as I thought of beating the shit out of him for even imagining those things. His deep chuckle made me want to knock his ass out even more. He had gotten to me fast, and we both knew what that meant.
“Wedding bells, brother,” he said, his voice laced with humor. “Mom meet her yet?”
“Yep.”
“Then you know it’s a done deal,” he said, clearly loving that he was able to hold this over my head. “You got Mom planning your future just like she is Ashton’s. Wedding and babies. You both are screwed.”
“You gonna tell me why you called or just keep talking shit?”
I looked back at Elle, who was giving me a curious stare.
I mouthed the word brother and she started to sit up as if he could see her through the phone.
I shook my head and she paused. Knoxville continued to taunt me, something about diapers and car seats, but I ignored him.
I lifted my hand and pointed at her, motioning for her to lie back down. She hesitated before doing it.
She was so unbelievably fucking beautiful and willing to please me.
“Hurry this shit along, Knox,” I said, totally done with his crap “Say what you called to say or I’m hanging the fuck up.” I had more pleasurable things to attend to, as I was sure he could guess.
“Just wanted to tell you Dad will be home tomorrow, and Mom invited us all over for dinner. You should bring your girl.” I knew she wouldn’t be able to come because she’d have to work, but I wished I could show her off to my father.
“Got it, man,” I said, ready to get back to business. “We done?” My body shook with the need to feel Elle.
“Enjoy, brother. We’ll talk tomorrow,” he said before laughing and ending the call.
I wasted no time moving across the room and stood at the side of the couch, looking down at Elle.
“Is everything okay?” she asked softly.
I nodded, holding my hand out to her. She placed hers in mine and I gave it a soft tug, helping her from the couch.
As I pulled her body in tightly to mine, I could feel the exposed skin of her abdomen pressed to my own exposed flesh.
“I’m gonna need you to make one phone call.” She arched a brow, giving me a quizzical look. “You need to call your parents and tell them you won’t be home tonight.”
“My parents went back home this morning,” she said, “so no one will be waiting on me to come home.”
“That’s a real good thing, sweetheart. Because you’ll be needing to sleep in and recover after a long playful night with me.”
She tilted her head back, her eyes hazing over with desire, and I covered her lips with mine. Everything between us was about to change. Though I knew she was mine prior to tonight, what we were about to share would just confirm that we were meant to be.
Our first time together was fucking amazing, but it was rushed and it wasn’t nearly enough. This time would be better. I would show her the things I should have shown her then.
SHANELLE
I was spent, weak, and even breathing took concentration. But Beckett didn’t let me give in to the delirium that had overtaken my body. Instead, he used his strong legs to support my weight as he pressed me against the wall of his bedroom, and each thrust of his hips pinned me there.
The man was a machine.
He was incredible, giving and demanding at the same time. He possessed me and it felt amazing.
His hardness pushed into me so deep, I swear I could feel him everywhere. Deep moans of pleasure ripped through him as he continued to move against me, our bodies slick with sweat.
“Yes,” I whimpered as he slammed forward.
“Mine,” he whispered into the crease of my neck. “You are mine.”
I couldn’t deny it. I was his now and, I had a feeling, forever. Because Beckett had rearranged my world and it would never be the same. He’d quickly become my hero, and I knew I’d never find another that would give me the things he did. He consumed me with each word and each kiss. And now he was slowly finding a way to consume my heart.
I woke to a soft tickling along my cheek. I reached up to rub away the sensation, and my fingers came into contact with a strong hand instead as it caressed my cheek. I carefully opened my eyes to find Beckett lying beside me, facing me. His silly grin made me smile wide.
“Good morning,” he said is a husky, sleepy voice. “How’d you sleep?”
“Like a baby,” I replied with a sigh. “That is, when you finally let me sleep.” Not that I was actually complaining, because last night and well into this morning was one of the best times I’d had in ages, and I don’t mean just the sex. The cuddling was pretty great too.
“I warned you that you’d need to sleep in after I was done with you.” He chuckled as he rolled onto his back and the sheet slid a little lower, exposing his abdomen and the sexy little dip on each side near his hips. I couldn’t help staring because oh my hell it was hot.
“You like what you see?” He interrupted my dirty thoughts about tracing those amazing little dips with my tongue. I lifted my gaze back to meet his, almost whimpering at the feeling of loss I felt the moment I took my eyes off that V at his waist. But Beck’s knowing smirk made up for it. Until then, I’d never thought of a man’s jaw as sexy, but Beckett definitely had a strong, sexy jawline that needed to be kissed.
So that was exactly what I did.
I moved in close, bringing my naked body up against his side as I kissed along his jaw, from his chin to his ear as his heart beat rapidly beneath my palm on his chest.
“Elle,” he whispered, and instead of responding, I laid my cheek against his shoulder and closed my eyes. When he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer, I felt as if I was exactly where I needed to be.
“Tell me something about when you were younger,” I whispered after a long silence. I wasn’t sure if he’d fallen asleep again, because his breathing was so even, but I wanted to hear his voice.
“What do you wanna know?” His words vibrated through my hand and my face.
“You have two brothers, right?” I asked, realizing how little w
e actually knew about one another.
“Yeah,” he said as he skimmed his fingertips over my shoulder. Involuntarily my eyes dropped shut from the soothing touch. “Ashton owns and operates Montgomery Enterprises. In fact Lex is his assistant.”
“I love that guy,” I said with a bright smile. “He’s so funny, and comforting in a weird way.”
“Yeah, he’s a real treat,” Beckett added sarcastically. “Knoxville is the middle brother at only eleven months older than me,” he said, moving on quickly.
“And how old would that be?” I asked as I lifted my head and rested my chin on my hand, looking up at him.
“I’m twenty-six,” he said with a grin. He moved his hand down my back, and though it tickled slightly, I refrained from wiggling away. I loved the feeling of his hands on me, and I didn’t want him to stop. His caress made me feel as if I was precious to him.
And that was a perfect thought.
“I’m impressed,” I added after realizing I had yet to respond. “I would have guessed thirty, maybe older.”
“Should I be offended?” he asked, pausing his hand at the dip just above my ass. The sheet had slipped down and now barely covered the space his hand lay above. “Do I look older than I am, Elle?”
Before I could answer he slipped his hand lower and cupped my ass. I shrieked and attempted to move away, only he wouldn’t allow it. He squeezed a little tighter and pulled my body against his.
“I just meant your position as a detective would have made me think you were older,” I attempted to clarify. Only he didn’t buy it. He continued to look at me with an arched brow, and I could see the mischievous look in his eyes. He was planning something.
“I’m a determined man. It runs in my blood,” he whispered, and I stopped attempting to wiggle free from his hold. Instead I curled in closer to him, trying to eliminate any possible distance between us. “When I want something I go after it, and not much can stop me from achieving the goal I set. I wanted to be a detective and I got the job. Yes, it took a lot of long hours, hard work, and dedication, but I achieved it. At times I felt like I may not get there, but I continued to push myself hard because I love a challenge. It keeps me motivated.”
When he offered me a wink, I knew he’d also labeled me as one of those challenges he loved to claim he defeated. He was cute, but he was definitely a cocky bastard.
BECKETT
I had dropped Elle off at work earlier, and getting through the day was hell. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at the clock as many times in one day as I had in the last six hours.
I fully intended to be waiting outside the hospital for her when she got off, but that plan was cut short when I got a text from her a couple hours before her shift ended.
Elle: Going home on subway, bad day, need to be alone.
Now anyone that knows me well understands I don’t handle a brush-off well. If you tell me not to do something, I’m gonna do it anyway just to prove I run the fucking show. So if someone I care about deeply leaves work early and tells me she needs to be alone, well, I’m gonna get in my car and drive to her apartment. “Bad day” meant something went wrong, and “need to be alone” meant she needed time to sit around blaming herself for not being able to fix whatever happened.
I thought she was too hard on herself, but I understood and accepted that her need to fix things for everyone was part of who she was. But that didn’t mean I would allow her to blame herself and feel bad about things she couldn’t change.
As the elevator climbed to the fifth floor, my nervous energy only grew. I knew I was taking a chance just showing up here. She could refuse to see me, ignore my excessive knocking until I finally gave up and left, but I had to make the attempt. That’s what someone should do when the woman they cared for was hurting, right?
To my surprise the door came open after the very first knock and Elle practically knocked me over as she threw her arms around my neck.
“You came,” she said as she held me close and I did the same.
“Couldn’t stay away,” I confessed, because it was true. It would take a hell of a lot more than some text to keep me from seeing her. “Now why don’t you tell me what happened.”
She shook her head, which was still buried against my chest. “I don’t want to go over it again. It’s too hard,” she said as she shuddered with sobs.
I backed her inside, closed the door, and flipped the lock while doing my best to hold her close. I moved us to the couch and took a seat, then gripped her waist and pulled her into my lap when she tried to sit next to me. I wanted her as close as possible. I wanted to give her the comfort she so willing offered to those around her. It was her turn to break and let someone hold her up.
“I know you said you can’t, baby,” I said as I pushed her hair back from her face and tucked it behind her ear.
When she lifted her head and our eyes connected, a deep ache penetrated my chest. Her eyes were so red and swollen, she looked as if she’d been crying for hours, which pissed me off because I should have been there when she shed the first tear.
“Talk to me, Elle, please.” I was aware of how hoarse my own voice sounded, but I didn’t care that her sadness was affecting me to the point that I, too, felt raw. I’d own the fact that Shanelle Kramer was now my number one priority, and damn it, when she fucking hurt, I hurt. “Let me listen. I’m not saying that will fix whatever it is that has you upset, but maybe it will help relieve just a small amount of the pressure you’re feeling. Lean on me, sweetheart. It’s why I’m here.”
I hadn’t meant for my words to make her cry again, but they did.
“There was an accident,” she whispered as her lower lip trembled. I wanted to pull her close and hug her tight, but I refrained. She was ready to talk, and I knew that would only distract her.
“The woman was unconscious when they arrived, and they rushed her straight into surgery. She had heavy internal bleeding.” She wiped away her tears with a hand. “I heard over the scanner that a second ambulance was arriving with another victim from the same crash, so I stood back to help as soon as it arrived.”
She looked down at her hands, twisting them nervously, as if she needed something to do to get through this. I waited silently, allowing her to regain the strength she needed to push through this.
“It was a little girl,” she continued. “Four, I think. She was scared and she just wanted her mother. She cried for her so long, and each cry felt like something sharp stabbing me in the chest.” She lifted her head and looked directly at me as her tears fell heavily. “I just wanted to take her to her mother and let her hold her little girl tightly. I wanted to hear her mother assure her that everything would okay, but I couldn’t and it was heartbreaking.”
She tried to continue, but each time she’d open her mouth to speak, she took in a deep breath as if she just couldn’t get enough air.
“Slow down, Elle.” I rubbed at her leg, hoping to soothe her. “Take your time, babe.”
She closed her eyes, taking a few minutes to just take deep breaths through her nose and release them from her mouth.
“Her mother died before the surgery even began,” she whispered, her eyes still closed as her lower lip trembled. Tilting her head back, she looked at the ceiling. “I listened to that little girl cry for her mother and knew she’d never see her again, and it killed me, Beckett.”
She lowered her head once more, her eyes locking on mine yet again. “They told me to soothe her the best I could until they were able to reach her family.” Shanelle laced her fingers through mine. I think she needed the closeness, but honestly I needed it too. “She had a small cut and a bump on her forehead, but other than that, she looked untouched. It was crazy, though, considering just how battered her mother was. But they wanted me to occupy her and attempt to keep her calm.”
“So what did you do?” I asked, knowing Elle had offered this little girl all she could. That was just who my beautiful girl was: kind, sincere, and so deeply caring.
Even though she’d been aching for a woman and child she didn’t know, she tucked that pain away.
“I sang to her,” she whispered. “Right there in the middle of the trauma center, doctors and nurses buzzing around like crazy, I sang to this little girl like she and I were the only two in the room.”
She nodded when I only stared back at her. I’d like to say her actions amazed me, but they didn’t. Because I already knew just how amazing and truly giving Elle was. It didn’t surprise me that she would do such a thing without caring for a second who heard her or how ridiculous she may have sounded.
“It was crazy, I know,” she said as if she’d done something wrong.
“No.” I leaned forward, taking her face in my hands and forcing her to look at me. “Not crazy, Elle. That was beautiful.”
Yeah, I was now the guy that got fucking choked up at the thought of my woman trying to comfort a little girl who’d just lost her mother. I was also that guy who didn’t give a shit if the woman he called his own saw that he now had unshed tears in his own eyes.
“You’re amazing, Elle,” I said. “You’re so generous, and god damn it, baby, you did a beautiful thing for that little girl. You soothed her the best way you knew how, and that right there shows how stunning you are.”
“I don’t know if I can do it anymore,” she confessed, and I was sure it was only her emotions talking because I knew this girl loved being a nurse.
“You’re upset, so that feeling is understandable,” I assured her, but she shook her head.
“I don’t want to work in trauma anymore,” she replied, looking completely sure and confident as if she’d been thinking about this for a long time. “I just want to work someplace where I can take care of patients and offer what they need without worrying that each time the door slides open, it’s gonna be another person or family I have to watch fall apart. My heart can’t take it, Beck. It can’t. Not anymore.”
“Okay.” I nodded as if it was that simple, and it was, because if that’s what Elle wanted, that’s what she’d get.
