by Jo Davis
Tears stung her eyes. “Sometimes there’s no reason beyond that some people are evil. They think everything is someone else’s fault, like this killer. He blames you for whatever is wrong in his twisted head, but it wasn’t your fault.” Stupid platitudes meaning nothing, she thought helplessly. After her family’s ordeal with Gray, she should know.
He gave a low, bitter laugh. “The hell of it is, I don’t have any idea how to stop him. I feel so fucking clueless while he’s dancing circles around me, murdering people.”
“Oh, Austin.” She lifted her arms to him, and he fell into the circle of her embrace, nearly knocking her over. His big body shuddered, gradually relaxing as she held him close. Tentatively, she stroked his damp hair, murmuring soothing phrases, a woman comforting a man’s bruised heart.
The connection that had taken root between them the first time they’d made love was still there, and grew even stronger. It was more than sexual. It was a connection to a man she’d never experienced before. A certainty that this man had been made for her arms, her soul recognizing his on the most essential level. God, what an amazing, incredible feeling.
She pulled back and he lifted his head, gazing at her with such raw need, her insides quivered.
“Laura,” he groaned. He dipped his head, capturing her lips with his. His tongue parted the seam of her mouth, exploring, tasting. A gentle, tentative kiss that continued as he cupped her cheek, stroking her jaw with his thumb. His fingers traveled downward, finding the vee of her blouse, brushing the curve of her breasts. Lingering.
“Don’t stop—” She breathed between kisses.
“I don’t want to. I want to make love to you again.”
The confession made her want to shout with joy. “I want that, too. I’ve wanted you forever, it seems.”
A ghost of a smile touched his sensual lips. “Damn, you’re amazing.”
“What took ya so long to figure that out?” she quipped.
That earned her a full-fledged, heart-stopping smile, one that chased the shadows from his eyes and made the butterflies in her stomach do the tango.
“I always thought that.” He touched a finger to the end of her nose, a sweet gesture. “What are we doing, sweetheart?”
“You need an instruction manual?” she teased.
“Hmm. Not for some things.”
And he kissed her again, hard this time, the way a man kisses a woman when he wants to curl her toes, turn her guts inside out. Make certain she knows whose lips belong on hers.
Oh, the man knew how to kiss. She wanted years to learn all the talents her captain had. Then she placed her palm in the center of his chest and urged him onto his back.
Scooting to the center, he arched a brow. “Plan to take advantage of me?”
“Is that a problem?”
“Not from where I’m at.”
Giggling, she grabbed the waistband of his jeans and briefs, pulling them down together. His cock half pointed to the ceiling, flushed red, hard, and ready. She quickly took off his shoes and socks, letting them fall to the floor, then finished ridding him of the rest of his clothing.
Her own jeans and top went next, joining his. Then she positioned herself between his spread thighs and grasped his silken length. She enjoyed the way he sucked in a sharp breath as she licked up one side, then the other. He was so hot, he was like a brand in her fist. A pearly drop escaped the tip and she flicked it with her tongue, loving his salty taste.
As she took him into her mouth, began to suck, he moaned, raising his hips. Encouraged, she swallowed him deeper, her single goal to drive him out of his mind. From the sounds he was making, the way he writhed on the bed, she was succeeding.
“If you don’t stop, I’m going to come,” he said, panting.
She pushed him a little more, giving him a few more good sucks before he gently urged her back. Leaning over, he rummaged in the nightstand and came up with a condom. This time she did the honors, rolling it over him. Then she straddled his hips and lowered herself onto his cock.
The joy and wonder on his face were a sight to behold. There was so little of either in his life of late that he simply took her breath away. She moved over him, riding him, and had never felt freer. Their passion built until she was bouncing in his lap, so close. So close—
She came with a cry, clenching around him, fingernails digging into his chest. Tensing, he followed her over the edge, pulsing inside her again and again. Replete, she draped herself over him and he held her close, kissing her hair.
“God, what you do to me, lady.”
“The same thing you do to me.”
“You put a smile on my face, make me so satisfied I can’t see straight.”
The smile he gave her made her pulse stutter. “That makes two of us.”
Climbing off him, she gladly let him tuck her into his side and they let their problems drift away. If only for a little while.
8
Rage chewed at his insides, a deadly virus determined to destroy its host.
“The Sugarland Police Department has no comment regarding the attack on Captain Austin Rainey, nor any possible connection to the ongoing murder investigation,” Chief Byrne informed the clamoring media.
No goddamn comment! Slick bastards, with their half-truths and stinking lies.
Rainey would pay for committing such an unforgivable sin.
The problem was time. He’d taken a couple of days off, but the boss expected him in tomorrow. His schedule had been a bitch lately. Would everyone believe his story if he called in?
Who cares? Fuck them all. Nobody had a clue who he was. Now Rainey was actually finding happiness, and that couldn’t continue.
Laura Eden, so fucking perfect. Beautiful, smart. “Goddamn you,” he moaned, voice rising to a fever pitch. “Fucking whore. You’re going to pay, too.”
Rainey, you’ll regret the day you ever stole from me.
• • •
Austin rolled over and blinked his eyes open to find himself greeted by his lover’s beautiful face.
“Good morning. How’d you sleep?” she asked.
“Pretty good. You?”
“Like a rock.” Reaching out, she combed her fingers through his hair. “How does your head feel?”
“A lot better, though I still feel kind of weird and out of sorts. I wonder if that’s normal?”
“You may be that way for a day or two. Just get plenty of rest while you’re here.” She looked concerned.
“I’m fine, really. Just a little off.”
“Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.” His stomach rumbled at the suggestion.
She smiled. “How about some bacon, eggs, and toast?”
“And coffee. That sounds great if we have any.”
“You do, actually. I snuck down there earlier and peeked in the fridge.”
“I’ll help,” he said.
Deciding to shower after breakfast, they went down together and started the coffee. Soon the tantalizing aroma of bacon filled the air, along with the rest. Once the table was set they ate companionably, and Austin felt himself perking up with every bite. By the time they’d finished, he was much more himself.
“Want to go for a walk?” he asked as they cleared the dishes.
“I’d love to.”
Once things were put away, he took her hand and led her outside, toward the back. A nice barn stood out there, and he took her to look at where the animals used to be kept.
“No horses?” The disappointment was plain on her face.
“Not anymore. Nobody’s here enough to take care of them. Maybe someday that’ll change.”
Rows of empty stalls stood sentry on either side of the barn, and he could almost imagine his favorites sticking their noses over for a treat as in days gone by.
Leading her on
, he glanced over at her. “Do you ride?”
“I’ve only done it a couple of times, through Girl Scouts. I’d love to again sometime.”
“Hmm. Let me show you something.”
At the other end of the breezeway, he took her outside again and over to a separate, smaller building. The doors were padlocked, so he produced a key and unlocked it. When he swung the doors open to show a large tarp covering something, she stepped forward in curiosity. Then he tugged at the tarp and it slid off to reveal two four-wheelers with camouflage paint jobs.
“Oh wow,” she said, smoothing her hand over one fender. “Do they run?”
“They should. We keep them serviced. Want to take them out for a spin?”
Excitement lit her eyes. “That sounds fun, but I’ve never driven one.”
He thought about that. “Tell you what. Why don’t you ride behind me this first time, and we can give you a lesson later?”
“All right. Can we go?”
He laughed at her eagerness and thought she must not get away from her stressful job any more than he did. Of course, this meant they’d have to do it more often. “Hang on for a sec. I’ll be right back.”
Jogging into the house again, he searched the kitchen for a few items. For the second time this morning, he was glad they kept the kitchen stocked with a few necessities. Sticking them in a small lunch cooler he’d found in the pantry, he left the house again, locking up behind him.
“What do you have?” Laura asked, curious.
“You’ll see.”
First he stowed the lunch box on the back of the vehicle. Then, grabbing a couple of helmets off hooks on the wall, he handed her a smaller one and helped her fasten it into place. Once he fetched the keys off another hook and wheeled their ride outside, they were ready to go.
Austin climbed on first, scooting forward on the seat to give her room. “Okay, get on behind me and wrap your arms around my waist.”
Grinning, she climbed aboard and scooted so that her front was so tight against his back, he wore her like a second skin. When her arms went around him, he knew nothing short of a major wipeout was going to dislodge her.
“I won’t go too fast,” he said. “Ready?”
“Yes!”
The engine took two tries to turn over, since the vehicle had been sitting for a few weeks. On the third try it caught, and he shifted into gear. Laura squealed as he gunned the speed a bit for effect, and he laughed. The sheer joy of it threaded through his soul, lighting places that had been dark for a very long time.
The rolling property made for great four-wheeling. He loved the wind in his face, the feel of the woman clinging to his back. Just being alive on a gorgeous day like today and having someone to share it with.
Is this love? The idea both excited and scared the shit out of him. He and Ashley had drifted apart and hurt each other so badly, getting over the loss of their marriage had taken a while. He wasn’t sure he was ready to face getting hurt again.
He drove them all over the property, keeping their speed just fast enough to be fun, taking curves gently and slowing down over the bumps. It wasn’t anywhere near the balls-out ride he’d be having if he was alone, but with his precious cargo on board he was extra careful.
Twenty minutes later he headed for the trees, to a dirt path he liked to take whenever he rode. The forest canopy formed a green tunnel and he slowed enough for them to enjoy the scenery. This was his favorite part, where the sun barely filtered through the leaves and played on the emerald carpet below. It was a world unto itself, almost untouched except for the path.
After a few minutes the trees began to thin out and the space around their vehicle opened up. Ahead of them was a slight clearing, and beyond that, a narrow stream that cut through the hills, lined by a rock bed. This was his destination, and he pulled up to the edge of the clearing near the stream, cutting the engine.
“It’s beautiful!” Laura exclaimed. “I’m so jealous that you get to come here whenever you want.”
The thought struck him that, if he got his way, she’d be coming here with him. Often.
“It is pretty incredible, huh? Hard to believe places like this still exist. Sort of like a heaven on earth.”
She slid off the vehicle and he got off as well, taking her hand. He tugged her toward the stream, where they admired the clear water babbling over smooth oval stones worn by time.
He gestured to the brook and their surroundings. “I’ve always admired the simplicity of nature. It changes and yet it stays the same. A hundred years from now this might all look different. The stream might’ve shifted or even be gone, but if nobody comes in with a bulldozer, it’ll still be breathtaking.”
“That’s a lovely thought. Poignant, too.”
His lips curved in a smile. “I’ve always envied the creatures who live here and get to stay far away from the filth of humanity. They’ve got no problems out here.”
“Unless you’re small game that gets eaten by a predator,” she teased. “Might not be so great, then.”
He laughed. “Good point. Sometimes I forget Disney didn’t choreograph this scene.”
They strolled on, picking their way along the bank. Suddenly, Laura slipped on some slick moss, but Austin grabbed her arm just in time to prevent her from a dunking.
“Nice save, thanks.” She smiled at him, a soft breeze blowing her dark hair around her face.
In that moment, he thought she looked younger and happier than he’d ever seen her. He wondered what she saw when she looked at him.
“You’re welcome.” Taking her hand again, he pointed to the flat grassy areas along the stream. “Right along there is a really good place to look for arrowheads.”
“Really? Why there?”
“Two reasons. Some get washed down from the hills after it rains, but those found along or in a creek bed were left behind from the Native Americans hunting deer or other game. The creek bed was the best place to do that.”
“Because the animals have to come get a drink,” she guessed.
“You get the prize.” He winked. “The best time to find them is after a gentle rain, when the soil is washed off the ones just under the surface. That’s probably more than you ever wanted to know about arrowhead hunting.”
“No, it’s interesting,” she protested. “I never get outdoors like this, and hearing you talk about stuff like that is great.”
“I’m glad you think so. Ashley used to completely tune me out— Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring her name into our conversation.”
She squeezed his hand. “Honey, you’re going to speak about her, and even your child. That’s normal, and I wouldn’t expect you not to.”
“You’re amazing—you know that?”
“Yeah, I am, aren’t I?”
Pulling her into his arms, he decided to show her how much he meant what he said. As he devoured her mouth she twined her arms around his neck, lithe body pressing as snug against him as she could get. Heat flared in his balls and his cock came to life, pressing against his zipper. She had to feel his arousal. No way to miss it, since she was practically riding his leg.
By the time he broke the kiss, his poor balls were about ready to strangle in his jeans. He gave her another quick kiss and then they continued on, shooting each other steamy glances now and then.
Conversation picked up again, and they talked about little things, like their favorite books and what kind of music they liked.
For such a classy woman, she was real, down-to-earth. He liked that there was no pretense about her, even though she drove a nice car and wore nice clothes and owned a condo. He got the sense that, to her, things were simply that—things—and didn’t matter much in the grand scheme.
“Ready to head back?” he asked. “We’ve gone farther than I thought.”
“Sure.”
&
nbsp; The walk back to the four-wheelers didn’t take too long, and soon their spot came into view. Austin headed for the back of the vehicle and removed the lunch box from the carrier. Then he dug deeper into the pouch and removed a blanket just big enough for the two of them to sit on.
“You’re full of surprises.”
“I try,” he said. “Shall we?”
“Pick us a good spot, my captain.”
Her captain. Damn, he liked the sound of that.
After scouting around, he settled on a spot close to the stream but far enough from the bank that they didn’t have to worry about getting wet or muddy. She helped him spread out the blanket and then they sat with the cooler next to them.
“So, what’s the surprise?”
“Nothing much, just a few treats.” Opening the lid, he pulled out two bottles of water and handed her one.
“Thanks! I was thirsty.” She twisted off the top.
“You’re welcome.” Next he set out a couple of paper plates. Then came small baggies of cubed cheese, crackers, grapes, and strawberries. Plus one squirt can of whipped cream.
Lifting a brow, she waved a hand at the can. “What are you planning to do with that?”
“Put it on the strawberries, of course.” Her smirk said she didn’t buy his innocent act. Good thing, because he was far from innocent.
They munched for a bit, enjoying their companionship. Despite the innuendo, the whipped cream did end up on the strawberries. It just so happened to end up on other places, too.
He started it by squirting some on his fingers, then holding them up so she could lick it off. His curiosity about whether she’d play the game was answered when she curled her tongue around his fingers sensually, laving every drop. Then she sucked the digits as though deep-throating his cock.
“I think I like this game,” he growled.
Another squirt to his fingers, and this time he smeared the sweet stuff on her neck. Leaning over, he sucked it off slowly, making her squirm.
