Angel of Mercy & Standoff at Mustang Ridge

by Heather Graham

  He pushed the hair away from her cheek and brushed a kiss there. That was all he intended to do because even a chaste kiss between them had an edge to it. Touching her in any way always seemed like foreplay. But he didn’t pull away after the cheek kiss.

  Sophie turned a little at a time until her mouth was against his. Royce felt the groan rumble in his chest. Felt the heat start to rise. With all that heat, it was hard to believe there was a snowstorm outside.

  “I think we both know what’ll happen if this kiss continues,” Sophie said, her breath brushing against his lips.

  Yeah, he did know. For some reason it no longer seemed like such a bad idea.

  Even though it was.

  Their situation hadn’t changed, and if he got her in that bed, he’d lose the focus that he needed to keep her safe. And alive.

  “I should take a shower,” she whispered.

  It sounded like yet more foreplay, and Royce felt himself go rock hard. She waited, maybe to see if he intended to join her. He wanted that. Man, did he. He wanted nothing more than to do something about this constant ache that he had for her.

  Sophie studied his eyes a moment before she gave a slight nod. “You’re stronger than I am,” she said. And with that totally inaccurate observation, she walked away and into the bathroom.

  Hell.

  He’d known this would be difficult, but he hadn’t braced himself nearly enough for being here alone with Sophie.

  Royce stood there, debating if he should go after her. He had a dozen reasons why he shouldn’t, and he forced himself to remember each and every one of them. He needed to go through those papers. He needed to keep watch.

  And keeping watch wouldn’t happen if he was having sex with Sophie.

  Royce cursed again and wished that he had zero willpower so he could go into that shower with her. But instead, he grabbed the papers and got to work.

  14

  The water spraying on her was too hot, but Sophie didn’t turn down the temperature in the shower. She wanted the heat and the steam. Because if that heat seeped into her, she might forget the other kind of fire that was roaring through her.

  Royce’s kiss was responsible for it.

  But Sophie rethought that. She’d been burning for Royce for over a month now, and the recent kisses had just been a reminder of the obvious.

  She pressed her forehead against the warm glass shower door so the water could massage the back of her neck. It, too, became a quick reminder of Royce’s touch. So did the water sliding down her breasts, belly and well, lower. She had just fragments of memories of Royce touching her at the motel a month ago, but there had been that incident in his kitchen.

  The one where they’d practically had sex on the counter.

  Now that touching she remembered.

  And still felt it.

  The sliding water only helped her feel it more. Made her ache more, too.

  Sophie moaned, cursed and slapped off the shower. The heat and water caressing her definitely weren’t helping. Cold probably wouldn’t, either. In fact, she was afraid there was only one cure for what ailed her, and that cure was in the bedroom.

  Maybe even on the bed they’d have to share.

  Sophie got a clear image of that, too, and felt even more heat. She’d walked away from him earlier, but she wasn’t sure she’d have much luck doing that again. Her willpower was shot, and even worse, she didn’t want to get it back.

  She stepped from the shower, dried off, but she stopped when the towel was on her stomach.

  There.

  That was a reminder she did need—that she might be pregnant. Sophie managed to keep that pressed into her mind until she spotted Royce’s shirt that she’d draped over the towel rack. He’d taken it from the sheriff’s office since she had no other change of clothing there.

  His shirt made her think of the man who owned it. If it carried his scent, then she was a lost cause.

  She brought it to her face and sniffed.

  Lost cause, all right.

  Even though it was clean, it had no doubt been in his locker at work with other clothing, and the scent had transferred. Just a trace. Just enough to remind her of that blasted heat.

  Sophie got dressed in the shirt and yet another item of Royce’s clothes—a pair of his boxers. She had no other clean underwear with her so she washed her own panties and bra and hoped they’d dry soon. Until they did, she would literally be clothed in reminders of a man she couldn’t seem to forget anyway.

  With her nerves zinging, she eased open the bathroom door and spotted Royce. Yes, on the bed. He’d taken off his boots and had his legs stretched out in front of him. His dark hair was rumpled, probably because he was idly scrubbing his hand through it while he had his attention plastered to the papers he was reading.

  Everything about him was hot. That bedroom hair. His rugged face with the sexy stubble. That sensual mouth that made her crazy with heat. His hands.

  Yes, those were plenty capable of creating heat, too.

  He looked up and seemed to do a double take. That didn’t help with her nerves, and she glanced down to make sure everything important was covered. It was. His shirt went to her midthigh, and the boxers covered far more than her panties would have.

  Royce’s gaze slid from her face, to her breasts and all the way to her legs. By the time he’d finished, Sophie felt as if he’d undressed her.

  Worse, she felt as if she wanted him to undress her.

  “They look better on you than on me,” he commented.

  There seemed to be something unspoken at the end of that. Maybe something along the lines of she’d look better with nothing at all. But perhaps the ache in her body was filling in the blanks for her. This had to stop.

  Had to.

  And Sophie repeated that to herself.

  “Find anything?” she asked, forcing herself to speak. Her nerves kicked in for a different reason. Those were the papers that could get her father arrested.

  “Maybe.” His attention stayed on her for several more seconds before going back to the paper. “According to this, three people signed the land deal that was used to launder money. Your father, Travis and someone named Milton Wells. Any idea who he is?”

  She shook her head and walked closer. “I didn’t find out much about him. I did an internet search and learned he’s the head of some company.”

  “Investacorp,” Royce provided. He glanced at the phone on the bed next to him. “I made some calls while you were in the shower.”

  And judging from the way his forehead was furrowed, he hadn’t been pleased with what he’d learned. “This Milton Wells is dirty, too?”

  “Maybe not just dirty but bogus. The company no longer exists, and according to Agent Ryland at the FBI, it was likely an offshore dummy company set up to launder money and do other illegal things.”

  Oh, mercy. Nothing about that sounded good. “And yet my father got involved with them.”

  “He might not have known it was a dummy company or that they were involved in anything illegal. I need to talk to him and find out where he met this Milton Wells and how much he knows about him.”

  “I could call him,” she suggested. It would get her mind off Royce and back on to things that could actually help them out of their situation.

  “No. I’d like to keep you out of this. Ryland’s working on it, and he’s also working on getting the court order canceled for your protective custody.”

  “Agent Ryland can do that?” Sophie asked.

  “He’s trying.”

  And if Ryland managed it, Royce and she could go back to Mustang Ridge. Well, maybe. They could if they managed to neutralize the danger.

  “So what happens with my father and those documents?” she asked.

 
“If Eldon knows anything that can be used to arrest this Milton Wells, then we might be able to work out a deal to keep your father out of jail.”

  Sophie hated to get her hopes up, but she did anyway. “Thank you. After everything that’s happened, it’s generous of you to do this for him. For me.”

  Royce tilted his head, stared at her. “Hey, I said I’d do everything to keep your father out of jail, and I will.”

  “I know.”

  Her words hung between them. Their gazes stayed locked. And something changed in the air.

  Without taking his attention off her, Royce dropped the papers on the bed next to his phone, and he eased across the mattress toward her. Even though they weren’t officially lovers, Sophie knew that look he was giving her. She saw the subtle changes in him. This was no longer about the papers and the promise he’d made to her.

  This was about them.

  She didn’t go closer. Couldn’t. Her feet seemed anchored to the carpeted floor, but Royce had no trouble moving. He got to the edge of the bed, swung his legs off the side. However, he didn’t get up. He caught her by the waist and inched her toward him.

  “Just so you know,” he said, “I don’t usually do reckless things.”

  She nearly laughed. Nearly. “So, I’m reckless?”

  “No.” His cool green eyes were no longer cool. They were sizzling, like the rest of him. “You’re the woman I apparently can’t resist. Not resisting you is the reckless part.”

  He didn’t seem happy about that. Neither was she because she couldn’t seem to resist him, either. That didn’t make things even. Or right. So, yeah, this was reckless. But Sophie didn’t pull away when Royce leaned in and pressed his mouth to the front of her shirt.

  To her right breast.

  She had no trouble feeling his kiss through the fabric of the shirt. It was just as hot and arousing as if his mouth had touched her bare skin.

  Royce didn’t stop with just the breast kiss. His grip on her waist tightened just slightly, and he eased her forward. The next kiss he gave her was on her stomach. Then, lower. To her right hip bone.

  Sophie’s eyes fluttered down. She felt herself go from warm to hot. And she slid her hand around the back of his neck to bring him even closer. Not that she needed to do that. Royce was already moving in that direction anyway.

  He kissed her. Still through the clothes. And he touched her, too. His hand slid lower, over the small of her back and to her bottom, and using that same gentle pressure, his fingers lit some new fires along the way.

  “You can say no,” he whispered. “You should say no.”

  His words and breath created an interesting sensation through the cotton boxers, and the sensation speared through her.

  “I don’t want to say no,” she answered.

  Sophie wanted to shout Yes!, grab on to him and put his clever mouth right in the center of all that heat. Better yet, she wanted their clothes off and them both on the bed. She wanted Royce to send her flying.

  Royce pushed up the shirt so he could kiss her exactly the way she wanted. He went lower, shoving down the boxers and using his mouth to rev up the heat even more. But soon, it wasn’t enough. Her body was burning for him, and Sophie wanted more.

  He seemed to sense that, too, and as if they were in sync in both body and mind, his grip around her backside tightened, and he pulled her forward. Wrapped in each other’s arms, they dropped back onto the mattress.

  The kisses didn’t stop, though he moved them back to her mouth and neck, all the while adjusting their positions until the center of her body was aligned with his erection pressing hard against his jeans.

  Her breath caught in her throat. Her head went light, and it got even lighter when he pulled off her shirt. His, too, and his bare chest landed against her breasts. Another mind-blowing sensation.

  Sophie had guessed that Royce pretty much had a perfect body, and she hadn’t been wrong about that. Not overly muscled, but he was toned and tight. Yes, perfect.

  The kisses got deeper, and he used his tongue on her nipples until Sophie was arching her back and begging for more. Royce gave her more. He stripped off her boxers and made his way down her body for some of those kisses she’d been fantasizing about.

  Oh, mercy.

  Perfect, indeed.

  It didn’t take long, just a few of those well-placed kisses before Sophie wanted this to go to the next level. She wanted Royce, naked and inside her.

  She caught on to his shoulders and pulled him up to go after his zipper. He didn’t help, and for a moment she couldn’t figure out why. Then she realized he was taking his wallet from his back pocket.

  Royce pulled out a foil-wrapped condom.

  Great. She was so hot and ready for this that she’d forgotten all about the basics of safe sex. Thankfully, Royce hadn’t, and he put on the condom as soon as he’d taken off his jeans and boxers.

  He looked at her, as if checking one last time to make sure she was okay with this. Sophie was more than okay, and she hooked her arm around his waist and brought him down to her. Exactly where he should be.

  Royce entered her slowly, but there was nothing slow about her response. The sensations exploded through her. So hard, so fast. That Sophie lost her breath. She couldn’t speak—her throat had clamped shut. Couldn’t hear because of her heartbeat crashing in her ears. But she could feel. Oh, yes.

  Even though Royce started out gently, it didn’t stay that way, and Sophie was thankful for it. This wasn’t the time for gentle. She needed him. Needed this to be finished.

  Royce did his part.

  He moved deep and hard inside her, and Sophie wrapped her legs around his waist allowing him to lift her hips toward each of those thrusts. Royce had already given her a climax in his kitchen so she knew something about how he could make her feel.

  But this was more.

  The pleasure was blinding and soon unbearable.

  Royce’s gaze stayed locked on her, and he didn’t waver. Not with the look in her eyes nor with the intensity. Sophie wanted to tell him this was perfect.

  Too perfect, maybe.

  She wanted to tell him to finish her. But that wasn’t necessary, either. Royce moved his hand between them, touching her where they were already so intimately joined, and just like that, Sophie felt herself shatter.

  The raw pleasure and relief roared through her, and the only thing she could do was hold on to Royce and let him finish her off.

  15

  Royce tried not to make a sound when he used the small coffeemaker in the motel room to brew a strong cup. Sophie was still asleep, and he wanted her to stay that way awhile longer, but he also needed the caffeine to clear the cobwebs in his head.

  He sat at the desk where he’d left the papers and tried to study them again. Royce could see all the details of the sale. Could see that Eldon, Travis and this third man, Milton Wells, had clearly broken the law, but even after several whispered conversations with Agent Ryland, Royce still didn’t know who Wells was.

  Of course, the same could be said for the entire investigation. Despite the dozen phone calls and emails he’d exchanged, there’d been no breaks or new developments in the case overnight.

  Unlike his relationship with Sophie.

  Oh, yeah. There’d been a break there all right.

  Before he’d even landed in bed with her, Royce had known it would be a mistake. That hadn’t stopped him, of course, and sadly it wouldn’t stop him from making the same mistake again. He still wanted her, and having sex with her had only fueled that need. It hadn’t satisfied it at all.

  Now, the question was—what was he going to do about it?

  “Nothing” would be the right answer. With Sophie’s safety and this investigation hanging over his head, there’s no way he should be thinking
about extending this affair.

  Or whatever it was.

  But it was almost impossible to push it aside when they still didn’t have the results of a pregnancy test. That was a result that could change everything.

  He hadn’t planned on fatherhood, but he wouldn’t run from it, either. No. Just the opposite. If Sophie was carrying his child, then they would need to work out something. Shared custody. A relationship of convenience. Whatever it took to put and keep him in the child’s life. No way would he be a bitter, emotionally absent father like his own.

  However, this did give Royce a little insight into how Chet had felt about an unplanned pregnancy. It wasn’t an easy matter.

  Sophie didn’t make a sound, but she jackknifed to a sitting position. Her eyes were wild, unfocused, and her gaze darted around the room until it landed on him. Even then, it seemed to take several seconds for her to recognize him and breathe a sigh of relief.

  “A dream,” she mumbled.

  More like a nightmare. Royce had had a couple of those, too, during the night. Some about the investigation. Another about potential fatherhood.

  Sophie threw back the covers, but then immediately threw them back on when she glanced down at her naked body. “Sorry.”

  His eyebrow went up. “I’m a guy. Trust me, seeing you like that isn’t cause for an apology.”

  She made a soft sound of agreement and eased back the covers again. However, this time she grabbed her clothes and quickly started to dress.

  “If you’re hungry, they’re plowing the roads now,” Royce told her. “We could go to a drive-through fast-food place and get something.”

  “Maybe later.” She paused and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “How many second and third thoughts are you having this morning?”

  Part of him admired her direct approach. Another part of him dreaded the answer. He wouldn’t lie, that’s for sure. “A few. But not for the reasons you’re thinking.”

  This time Sophie made a sound of disagreement. “You’re thinking you crossed a line by sleeping with someone you’re protecting. A law enforcement no-no. You’re probably also thinking this complicates things. Plus, there’s that whole part about you believing I’m totally wrong for you.”