Cop Tales an Anthology for a Cause

by T. R. Cupak

  Nick ripped her shorts and panties down her legs with one jerk of his hand. She bent over, laying herself over the counter and he groaned. She heard the hiss of his zipper being lowered and the rustle of his clothes. Then he was back with her, his warm body cocooning hers, front to back, back to front, and he slid his hand down to her pussy and cupped her mound, holding her possessively as he began to fuck into her from behind.

  “Yes,” she gasped as he bottomed out inside her.

  At this angle, he hit everything just right. His hand on her clit drove her crazy. The feel of his hot, hard body and the smell of him all around her made her dizzy. She white-knuckled the countertop, holding herself steady as he pounded into her relentlessly.

  She wasn’t sure how long it lasted. It felt like minutes and days all at the same time. It felt like too much, like sensory overload, her already sore body aching as he filled her again. But it was also not enough, because when she felt him spill inside of her, her own climax tripping over his as she squeezed him tight, pulling him as deep as she could get him, she wanted more still.

  “Fuck,” he groaned as he collapsed against her back.

  She held them up, her breathing unsteady and her legs wobbly. “Yeah.”

  “Every morning,” Nick breathed against her ear, pressing soft kisses along her neck. “That’s how we should start every morning.”

  “You’ll get no complaints from me.” She giggled.

  “Mmm, good girl.” Nick found his bearings and began to right his clothes. “You don’t have to cook for me though, Kady.”

  “It’s just muffins. Nothing major. Besides, I usually make a batch before I go into the hospital anyway. I often take the leftovers with me for the girls, but I have a feeling with you around there won’t be many leftovers.”

  “Nope.” He scarfed a big bite of one of her muffins and moaned. “This is delicious.”

  “Thank you.” She finished wriggling back into her own clothes. “If you want, I’ll put a few extras in a baggie for you to take with you to—”

  Her offer was interrupted when a hard, loud, house-shuddering knock sounded on her front door. Kady jumped a little at the unexpected noise. Nick only took another bite of his muffin and sighed.

  “Nick?” The hair on the back of her neck stood up. “Are you expecting someone?”

  “Yep.”

  “Who?” she asked carefully.

  “Your brother.”

  Kady’s eyes went wide. She shot a look from Nick, to herself, to the door, and then shook her head. “No. No. You’re kidding right? Connor can’t be here right now.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I still have your come running down my leg, how about that?”

  Nick smiled, soft and slow, his gaze running hot down her body and making her shiver when he lowered his voice to say, “Fuck, just thinking about that makes me hard again. I like the idea of you walking around all day full of me, your panties damp from my wetness making you remember what we just did and what I’m going to do to you again tonight.”

  “Nick.” She whined his name, begging him to stop tormenting her with his delicious dirty talk. “Connor is here. Stop it.”

  “Don’t shower again, okay? I want to spend the day knowing you smell like me.”

  “Focus, Nick.” She smacked his arm. “Why is Connor here?”

  “Because I texted him to pick me up for our shift here.”

  “Because you have a death wish?”

  “No.” He finally stopped licking muffin crumbs from his fingers. “Because it’s time he accepted that I’m back and I’m going to be part of your life. He needs to understand nothing is going to keep me from you, not even him or his threats or his shitty attitude.”

  Kady softened just a little. She understood that. She’d hoped to talk to Connor herself, to try and make him understand. She hadn’t wanted him to show up at her house after she and Nick had spent the night together and while she was still flushed with her last orgasm.

  “You could’ve warned me,” she hissed when the banging continued. “I’m a mess.”

  “You’re a gorgeous, sex-rumpled mess.” Nick pulled her into his arms but she shoved at his chest.

  “Go get the door and try not to get yourself another black eye while I straighten myself up.”

  He smirked but kissed her quickly and left the room. Shit. Shit. Kady tried to smooth her hair and straighten her clothes. Even her shadowy reflection in the microwave confirmed that it had done no good. She looked like she’d just been fucked and fucked well—because she had.

  “Morning.” Nick’s voice was ridiculously cheerful when he opened the door and she rolled her eyes at what she knew her brother was going to take as a taunt.

  “You son of a bitch…,” she heard Connor growl.

  “Easy now, Con. I let you deck me once because I knew I had it coming. You swing at me again and I’m going to swing back this time,” Nick warned.

  Kady gave up trying to right her appearance and skated into the front hallway as quickly as her feet would take her. The front door was still wide open. Connor stood on one side of it, fists at his sides, his face red with anger. Nick stood opposite him, as relaxed as ever, with only a warning look in his dark eyes.

  “Connor, no.” She put herself between them, pushing Nick behind her, and she didn’t miss the flicker of disgust that shaded her brother’s face when he looked her over and then back at Nick.

  “How could you do it, Kady?” he snarled. “How could you let him back into your life? He broke your heart. He broke you and I was the one who had to help put the pieces back together.”

  “Connor. Please.” She winced at the words that were hard to hear, but were one hundred percent honest.

  “He doesn’t fucking deserve to share the same air as you, let alone your bed. But you just can’t say no to him, can you? Not even for your own good.”

  “Stop it,” she snapped at Connor when he kept going. “You don’t get to lecture me. You’re a good brother, but this is my life.”

  “If you think he won’t hurt you again, you’re wrong. Guys like him, they’ll expect you to always be there when they need you, but the reverse is never true. He’ll hurt you again, even if he doesn’t mean to. I’ve seen it. I know.”

  “I know you think you do, but you don’t. Just like I know that you’re taking your anger at someone else out on Nick and me. I want it to stop. Now, Connor.”

  “No, I’m pretty sure he’s the one I’m mad at.” Connor glared daggers but she didn’t bend.

  This was her little brother. She knew him better than anyone. She knew things he didn’t think she knew, things she’d pretended not to see because he knew he wouldn’t want her pity any more than she’d wanted his.

  “Connor, I know I’m not the only woman whose heart you’ve had to pick up again and again. But I’m not the woman who keeps choosing the wrong man, Con. You’re mad at him for letting her down and you’re mad at her for letting you down, but you’re taking it out on me and I won’t let you. Not anymore. Not when I’m happy with Nick.”

  Connor flinched as if she’d slapped him and she immediately regretted the words when his shoulders sank. “Don’t. Don’t go there, Kady.”

  “I’m sorry, but you know it’s true. I’ve stayed out of that twisted friendship you three share because it’s your life and it’s none of my business. But this, me and Nick, it’s between us and it’s not your place to stand in the middle here.”

  “So what? You want me to stay out of your life?”

  “No. Not at all. I love you, Connor. You’re my brother. But I love him too and I want, no, I need for you two to find a way to get along. Stand with me instead of against me. Please.”

  The pain on his face ate at her insides, especially when he shrugged in defeat. “I just want to protect you.”

  “That’s all I want too, Connor.” Nick spoke up for the first time. “I just want to spend the rest of my life making her happy.”

&
nbsp; She squeezed Nick’s hand when he tangled their fingers together. United. They were together. She faced her brother again with Nick at her side.

  “See. Common ground. It’s a good place to start, right?”

  Connor ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t look happy. Not at all. But he did seem resigned to the realization that he wasn’t going to win this argument now.

  “Look, I…”

  The walkie on Connor’s FSD-issued belt squawked and she winced. Connor didn’t hesitate. He reached for it and pulled it up to his mouth. He said something in a code she didn’t understand and something that sounded like gibberish came back at him in the voice of Sheila, who had been the FSD dispatch lady for as long as Kady could remember. Her brother glanced from her to Nick and his mouth thinned.

  “10/4, we’re rolling on it now.” He clicked the walkie off and then snapped it back on his belt, his gaze piercing when he looked up again. “Time to go to work, Sloan.”

  Kady looked between the two men she loved more than anyone else in the world. There was still tension there between them, and she didn’t like that, particularly not when they were about to go out on a call.

  “Nick?” She glanced up at him hesitantly but he was already pulling her into his arms and kissing her soundly.

  “I’ll always come home to you. Always,” he whispered softly and her heart melted.

  “I love you.” She hugged him tight.

  “I love you too.”

  She had begun to untangle herself when her brother growled something too low for her to make out. She glanced at him but Connor wasn’t looking at them now. She knew they’d have to talk more about it later, but for now, they’d said all any of them could say.

  “Take care of him for me.” She squeezed Nick’s hand and he smiled softly.

  “We’ll both come home safe. Promise.” He kissed her one last time and then moved out the door and past her brother.

  Connor stood there for an extra second. The morning sun lit up his golden hair. Even in his professional brown uniform, with a gun and cuffs on his hip, she couldn’t help but think he looked like a little boy playing dress up. To her, he would always be her little brother, no matter how big he got.

  “Watch his back for me?” She gave a small smile.

  Connor sighed and shot a glance over his shoulder. Nick had walked to the cruiser at the curb, as if he sensed they needed a moment alone. When Connor looked back at her, he nodded.

  “For you? Anything.”

  Kady nodded because a lump in her throat made it hard to speak. Connor understood. He might not like it, but he understood. He gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and then turned and headed down the walkway to the cruiser. He said something to Nick as he passed that made him laugh and Kady smiled a watery smile as she watched them go.

  They were going to be okay. They were all going to be okay. Because they were family and family looked out for each other. They would have each other’s backs. They would keep each other safe and protected.

  Her brother and the man she loved were partners now. Not just brothers but brothers in arms. They both carried the badge and they knew what it meant. They took it seriously and would take keeping each other safe seriously too, if not out of duty and honor, then for her.

  They’d both come home.

  Epilogue

  Five Years Later

  Nick looked around the dinner table and thanked God the same way he did every night that this was his life. He’d almost lost this before he ever even had it. He’d nearly died, but it took being shot in the line of duty to confirm for him just where he was supposed to be.

  Here. In Fate. With Kady.

  He watched as his wife dished out food and couldn’t help but smile. She only got prettier every day. She’d cut her long hair recently, saying it was too much of a hassle, but he liked the sharp little bob. It gave her a no-nonsense vibe he loved and knew fit her well as the mother of two stubborn little girls.

  Lissa and Andie looked just like their mama. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Those girls had stolen his heart with their first breaths and would break the hearts of a million boys in the future.

  He was a father. Daddy. He was outnumbered and he had his work cut out for him, but he wouldn’t give up this life that he’d chosen for anything.

  “Okay, that’s enough, girls.” Kady gave their daughters a stern look. “No arguing at the—”

  The shrill ring of his phone cut her off and Kady instantly frowned. So did he. They both knew what that sound meant. He was on-call tonight and something needed his attention. He hated to do it, especially when his girls were oohing and whispering about how Daddy was supposed to turn his phone off at the table, but Nick got up and went to answer it.

  He put the phone to his ear. “Sloan.”

  “Hey, bro. Got an issue and I could use some backup. I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

  “Connor,” he growled at his brother-in-law when he recognized the voice. “It better be an actual emergency this time or I’m going to hurt you in places that pretty little wife of yours won’t like.”

  “Ouch. Damn.” Connor laughed. “Low blow. I’m not pranking you this time, I swear. There’s a party outside town. Just got called in and they say it’s big. I’d like to have some backup in case any of the little punk kids who try to act too cool when I shut it down. Can you meet me or not?”

  Nick looked around the dining room and sighed. He wanted to say no. He wanted to stay here, inside, where it was warm and he had everything he’d ever needed. But as Kady liked to remind him, Connor was family too and family took care of one another.

  “Yeah. I’ll meet you. Give me a few minutes.”

  Connor rattled off an address and Nick hung up. Kady was already chewing her bottom lip apart and he headed for her instead of back to his chair. She turned, letting him pull her into his arms, and buried her face against his neck.

  It didn’t matter how many years passed, his job would always worry her. But she was a good wife and a great mother. She always had his back.

  “Sorry, baby. I have to go. Connor needs some backup.” He plucked her bottom lip from her teeth. “Don’t worry.”

  “I always worry.”

  “You always say that.”

  “I know.” She smiled when she pulled away from him a little. “And you always say…”

  “There’s nothing to worry about. I always come back to you, don’t I?”

  “Always,” she confirmed and he kissed her hard.

  He still loved the way she sighed into his mouth. Still loved the way her hands found their way into his hair. Would always love the way she fit against him. He only pulled back when girly laughter, punctuated by “ooh” and “ahh” and “gross, cooties” reached his ears.

  Kady hid a giggle against his chest. “Girls, tell Daddy you love him. He has to go back to work for a little while.”

  “Love you, Daddy.”

  “Love you!”

  “Love my girls.” He gave each of them a quick kiss on top of the head and then turned back to his beautiful wife. “All my girls.”

  “Love you too.”

  He gave Kady another long hug and didn’t even pretend that he wasn’t copping a feel. She giggled again and he smiled. He nipped at her earlobe playfully.

  “The girls will be asleep by the time I get back. Wait up for me.”

  “Yeah?” Kady’s eyebrows rose knowingly.

  “Yeah, and be wearing that little pink teddy I like so much.”

  “Nicholas Sloan, are you thinking about making another baby girl?” Kady whispered conspiratorially and he chuckled because she always knew him so well.

  “What can I say? I’m a man in blue who loves a girl in pink.”

  About Jess Bryant

  Jess Bryant is an avid indoorswoman. A city girl trapped in a country girl’s life, her heart resides in Dallas but her soul and roots are in small town Oklahoma. She enjoys manicures, the color pink, and her completel
y impractical for country life stilettos. She believes that hair color is a legitimate form of therapy, as is reading and writing romance. She started writing as a little girl, but her life changed forever when she stole a book from her aunt’s Harlequin collection, and she’s been creating love stories with happily ever after’s ever since.

  * * *

  Find Jess online for more info and shenanigans:

  Website: www.jessbryantbooks.com

  Email: jessbryantbooks@gmail.com

  BACKBURN | Maren Lee

  Chapter One

  Fire season was good for overtime.

  Dillon Yates loved overtime nearly as much as he loved having the money in his pocket. The more change in his drawers, the more territory he could cover and the more chicks he could bang. Because when it came to the ladies, he just couldn’t be confined to Imminence, Montana, anymore. Dillon was pretty sure he’d tapped every available, good looking woman in town (and a few not...so...good looking). He’d even shared a few ladies with Cole McDaniels, his best friend, roommate, and coworker. Dillon didn’t mind a good ol’ threesome now and again, but the same options were getting tiresome.

  So he had a plan to branch out to the “big city” of Billings for new pussy. Branching out seventy miles away required money, though, and Dillon didn’t have a lot of it as an employee of the Bounty County Sheriff’s Office.

  Yeah, Dillon was glad it was fire season. Roadblocks usually meant overtime and hazard pay, so he was excited for the money. But this particular fire was a little too close for comfort. It wasn’t very far outside of his beloved town and it had already grown to 100,000 acres. The hot, dry summer conditions were doing nothing to help. New fire crews were being bussed in from all over the West to help get things under control. Multiple helitack crews, hand crews, and Type One hotshot crews were already in place and they were sending more. Hotshot crews were made up of twenty firefighters. And those firefighters were the best of the best. The elite. If they couldn’t get this shit under control, evacuation of Imminence would be Dillon’s next order of business. He’d never had to evacuate a town before. It sounded like it would get him even more overtime, but mostly it just sounded fucking awful. He loved this town. He loved these people. He didn’t want to have to tell them to leave their homes. Where would they go? He didn’t even want to think about it.