"Are you gonna help me?" he whimpered.
"Yes, honey. Be still. The paramedics are coming." She cupped his face in her palms. He was shifting, and she wanted him to hold steady. "Does anything hurt?" She glanced down his torso and legs. They were stretched out straight and didn't look broken. Same with his arms, but you couldn't tell for sure until he was X-rayed. She slid a hand carefully under his head to feel for blood, but didn't feel anything hot and sticky.
"Am I gonna die?"
"Oh, no, honey." Oh, God, oh, God. "You're gonna be fine. I promise you. Help's coming." Hurry up.
His eyes started to close.
"Sweetie, what's your name? Can you tell me?" She didn't want him to go to sleep or lose consciousness.
"Bradley," he whispered.
"Wow, that's a big name for a little boy. How old are you?"
He paused, as if trying to remember. "Six," he finally announced. "And three quarters."
She smiled at him. Please God, let him make it. "You're not such a little boy after all, are you? You're grown up to know what three quarters means." It felt like it'd been hours. Finally, the paramedics crashed their way through the cornfield to them. She immediately backed off, but kept eye contact with Bradley. His gaze was ferociously needy. She covered her mouth with shaky fingers to stifle a sob then quickly bared her teeth in a smile to comfort him. "It's all right, it's all right," she said, again and again.
The medical personnel got an oxygen mask on him and an IV started, then transferred him to a stretcher and began to make their way out of the cornfield. Having put her tank top back on, she followed.
Just before they put him in the ambulance, she squeezed and kissed his little hand. "It'll be okay now, Bradley. You're a brave little boy. They'll take care of you."
Thankfully, Pete came out of the field on the other side of the road, helping to carry a stretcher. Her heart turned cold. This one, also a little boy, wasn't moving and his eyes were not open.
The paramedic glanced at her and said quietly, "He's alive." Then he jumped in after the boy, closed the door, and the ambulance peeled out, its siren blaring.
A second later, her knees gave way. She folded to the ground, covering her face with grimy hands.
"Share, are you all right?" Pete squatted next to her.
"I'm fine," she said shakily. "It's just a reaction. Oh, God, what happened?" He helped her to stand but kept his arm around her waist in case she buckled again.
"Guy in the pickup was drunk, lost control, and hit the SUV on the driver's side."
She glanced over at the large vehicle. Its front end smashed almost flat on the driver's side and all the air bags had deployed. How in the hell were the kids thrown? Then she spotted the pickup driver. Unbelievably, he was arguing with a deputy. Their voices carried clearly.
"I'm not drunk. I had one beer." Hands cuffed behind him and shoved back against a squad car. "Maybe three, but I'm not drunk!"
"Shut up."
"It's not my fault."
"How do you figure that?"
"They pulled out in front of me."
"And you were speeding and too drunk to stop in time?"
"Yeah." He didn't sound repentant at all.
Sharon had heard enough. Her father drank too much and nothing was ever his fault. This son of a bitch drove drunk and caused an accident that could have killed children. For the two kids to end up so far from the SUV, he must have been going very fast, considering their auto had practically been at a stand still.
Her breath came in short gasps, and her heart thumped in her throat. She moved toward him. Someone grabbed at her arm. It must have been Pete. She shrugged him off and kept going. "You asshole. You bastard. Who the hell do you think you are to be so irresponsible?" she screeched. "What if you'd killed them?"
"Share, honey, leave it be."
"Kids are supposed to be protected. A guy like this doesn't belong on the road." She yanked her arm away from him. "That's the trouble with men like him. They think they have a right to do whatever they want and hurt anyone in their path."
"We've got him, honey. He'll go to jail."
She stalked right up to the worthless piece of shit. The worst part of it was that he physically resembled her father, especially as she'd seen him today. Skinny, ill-fitting clothes, too-long hair. She stifled a sob. Part of her knew she was attacking him because of that, but he still deserved it. "He'd better go to jail," she snarled, nose to nose with him.
"Lady, get out of my face!" He tried to twist his shoulders to push her away.
She raised her hands, but before they landed, Pete picked her straight up in the air, and turned her around to face the other direction. "Hey," she barked.
He bent his head close and whispered in her ear, "Share, calm down. We've got him. He's toast."
Chapter Seven
Pete admired her tactics. She'd insisted on going to the hospital to check up on the kids. The two thrown from the SUV were holding their own, although in serious condition. She knew how to bypass the ER admittance desk, casually walking through as if she belonged. The woman had cojones. Even though he was in uniform, he followed her lead, enjoying just watching her operate. By the time she'd assured herself of the two boys' well being, he was off duty.
Pete let them in through the front door of his house. She wandered into the living room, lit by the table lamp he always kept on, and distractedly drifted fingertips over furniture and across the spines of books on the shelves. She gazed at photos of his family. He hoped she noticed not every sibling had a svelte figure.
She turned and stepped into his arms, offering her lips, still sweet and salty from her dried tears.
He covered her mouth, teased her lips open, and waited tentatively to learn her mood, to learn how she wanted this to go. Sweet and loving, or fast and hot? Her fingers fisted on the back of his shirt, tightened, then she opened her mouth and sucked him home. She wanted all of the above.
Cupping both hands in her hair, he angled her head, ravishing her mouth. He was very aware of his height and breadth towering over her slenderness. Her soft, full breasts crushed against his hard chest. Shit, he still had his duty belt on. A man can't make love with all his equipment in the way.
"Just a minute, Share. Let me take this off. Don't lose the mood." He quickly unbuckled the belt.
"Your gun?" she murmured.
"I usually keep it on top of the fridge, but this'll work for now," he said as he placed it on the top of the bookshelf. "I need to see you, darlin'." He trailed his fingers down her back to her waist then lower to cup her ass and press her hips against his stiff dick.
Her head rolled back submissively, her mouth open on a moan.
His brain spun wildly when she rocked over his cock. Oh, yeah. She didn't have many clothes on, just the thin pants, tank top, and underwear. He pushed his fingers inside the elastic waist, inside the band of her panties, and slid them down and off her hips. Goddamn. Her bare ass, firm and round, filled his palms. He squeezed.
"Oh, Pete, my turn." She headed for his shirt buttons, flicking them open from the waist up.
He enjoyed her hands as she took time to caress his skin between every button. Her fingers became more and more bold, tugging on his chest hair, plucking and strumming his nipples. She worked them as a man plays with a woman's nipples. He was totally into it, the spearing pleasure finding its way deep into the base of his cock, into his balls.
He slid her top and bra straps off her shoulders, trapping her arms tightly to her body. It freed her breasts, those beautiful, full, luscious breasts. He lifted her, bringing her nipples closer to his mouth. "I'd rather do this to you." The tip of his tongue swirled over the deep rose, distended skin. Her breath came fast. "Christ, why are we out here?"
"Where should we be?" She was affected too, her voice a whimper.
He met her gaze. Her eyes sparkled then fell to half-mast inviting a kiss. "I'll show you, you little tease," he responded.
She shrie
ked as he hoisted her, tossing her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. She felt so right, almost naked compared to his clothed state. Her pants were dangling off her knees, and his hand landed firmly on her ass. Her smooth and sexy buck-naked ass.
***
The backs of her knees hit the side of the bed, and Sharon bounced as he came down on top. Before becoming too heavy for her, he rolled to his side and wrangled her down with a strong, uniform-clad thigh.
"Share, you wouldn't believe how much I wanted to get you here—in my clutches, heh heh," he chuckled wickedly. His fingers skimmed from her waist to palm her breast.
That gentle weight—her breath hitched, catching on a moan and her heart opened to him like a field of flowers turning to greet the sun. She closed her eyes and arched up into him. Her breasts were sensitive. He tenderly curved his fingers around her soft flesh, holding her in a delicate embrace.
"Kiss me," she begged.
His lips tipped in a lopsided smile. "Yes, ma'am." He took her mouth with the same lightly passionate touch as his hand on her breast, as if he intended to leisurely enjoy her.
Her skin simmered from the moist trail of his tongue. "Pete." She clutched his shoulders, cupped his nape, shivered at the warm swipe of his tongue over and around the shell of her ear.
He delicately pinched and rolled her nipple between his thumb and finger.
She lost her breath in the sensations heating her belly.
His lips wended their way to join his fingers at her nipple. He stilled over her breast, his fitful, scorching breath on her bare skin bathing the sensitive nub. He nipped a gentle, firm compression of his teeth on the tip of her breast.
"Ahh." Her head spun, dazed by the pleasures.
His steamy mouth had completely wetted her skin, and he blew a whisper of breath over her nipple. She shivered, arched, and slid her fingers through the dark strands of his hair to hold him to her. "Oh, Pete," she moaned.
He nuzzled between her breasts, licking and nibbling at her while pushing her clothes completely off and tossing them on the floor. Then he leaned over her, staring reverently at her breasts. A flush heated her skin; her heart stuttered. She'd been proud of her breasts since the implants, but a thought flitted through her mind. Would Pete have cared for them before? She'd been lucky, though. The stitches perfectly hid in the creases underneath, and her skin, as well as her nipples, had retained sensitivity.
Instead of kissing her breasts, as she'd expected, he brushed her lips with his tongue.
"You're so beautiful," he whispered over her. "Not just your breasts. You. Your eyes, your mouth."
It was as if he knew her fears. Oh, God, he's so sweet. She touched her tongue to his, setting off a passionate firestorm.
***
Their lovemaking was fast and intense. Pete got himself out of his clothes and into a condom. Stretching his bigger body over her slender one, he nudged her thighs open and rubbed his cock head in the juices coating her cunt. God, she was so ready for him. Then he slid hungrily and greedily inside her. "I'm sorry." He groaned the words. "I want you so bad. Next time I'll take more time." Jesus, her pussy's fine. It held him, pumped and massaged his dick. Heat from deep inside his belly rippled through his veins and nerves. He found her neck, sucked the delicate skin between his teeth. Wanted her lips. Found them. Took them fiercely. Groaned into her open mouth.
He felt it coming, felt it rip up hot through his cock, boiling, thick, explosive. "Jesus." His spine stiffened, thigh muscles tightened, and he released deeply inside her sweet, hot sheath. "Oh God, baby," he gasped.
When he finally came back to earth, he rolled to his side, pulling her along. Her head rested on his shoulder as he ran his fingers through her hair, through the curls, straightening them. He panted, his chest expanding shakily. She quivered. It certainly couldn't be him trembling like that. Holy… Being inside her had been electrifying. Was it trite to say it was the best he'd ever had? But it was. Her body was the sexual home he'd never had before. Something amazing had just happened between them. She had to have shared it too. Exhausted, he needed to close his eyes just for a second, keep her close to his side, to cuddle her.
Seduced by the soft bed and darkness, they dozed nestled together like puppies, his head nesting on her hair.
***
Sharon awoke. Where was she? His body blanketed her, his heat sizzling along her spine. Hard knees and hard thighs nudged the backs of her legs, and a rigid cock nestled against her ass. Oh, right. Now she knew where she was. With Pete. One side of her mouth tipped up in a private smirky smile. They'd done it once, fast, then passed out, but boy had it been a good one. It seems she'd wanted him as much as he'd wanted her, and it hadn't taken long for either of them to come.
She scraped her teeth across her lower lip. It was still dark inside the bedroom, but brightening outside. She could see the dim outlines of furniture.
He rustled in his sleep, nudging his hips against her backside and reminding her, as if she could forget, she wanted more of his wonderful cock but even more than that, just lying in his arms felt safe. She rolled to face him, and he surprised her with open eyes and smiling lips. Dare she allow herself to feel so sheltered? With anyone?
"Sorry I passed out," he murmured.
"It was a big day. Lots going on. We were both drained," she responded.
His grin widened, triggering her answering one.
She snuggled against his chest and ran her palm over the bulge in his upper arm. Squeezing it, she asked, "Do you work out?"
"Yeah," he murmured sleepily. "Mostly I run, but I lift weights too."
"Tell me about your family. You have a lot of brothers and sisters, don't you?"
He traced her collarbone with a fingertip and chuckled. "Oh, yeah, I have eight."
"Eight!"
"Yeah. I was the fifth, right in the middle."
"What in the world was that like growing up? I can't even imagine a house full of kids like that."
"It was chaos. Of the best kind. We fought, wrestled, and raced our horses like lunatics."
"Horses? Did you live on a farm?"
"A ranch outside Flagstaff, Arizona."
"You're a cowboy!" She smiled appreciatively. Closing her eyes, she stretched her neck in reaction to the gentle fingers tracing invisible lines on the rounded upper curves of her breasts.
"Yup, ma'am, I'm a bona fide cowpoke."
"How in the world did you get here to Iowa then?" She ruffled her fingers through the dark hair at the center of his muscled chest.
"Well, honey, I wanted to go into law enforcement and was accepted at the University of Nebraska. After graduating, I worked in Lincoln for five years before coming to Parkersburg. A little lower, a little slower," he intoned when her hand hovered over his belly button.
She grasped his cock and balls together in one hand, gently massaging them. Kissing his chest, she purred, "Where are your condoms? I think you're gonna need one."
He reached behind him to pull one off the nightstand then rolled back drawing her closer, running his hands around her sides and back before tucking them around her ass and pulling her belly against his cock.
Giggling, "By George, I think you're ready." She took the packet from him, tore it open, and slowly and agonizingly sheathed him.
He was able to plunge inside her easily. She was as ready for him as he was for her. Her giggle died on a groan when he rolled to his back, and she ended upright, balanced on his cock, his fingers grasping her hips.
She leaned back so his penis rubbed fully against her G-spot. "Oh, God, that feels good." She moaned the words, writhing, her eyes closed in ecstasy.
"Glad to be of service, ma'am." His eyes closed, too. He guided her up and down on his cock, leisurely at first, then faster as their breathing became short and strained.
She couldn't stand another second of the wonderful agony and slid her fingers to her clit. The little nub was so tender that she came with a mere touch, doubling over in the pleasur
e. "Pete," she wailed at the delicious feeling of his throbbing cock pumping into her.
He pulled her all the way down to lie on top of him, her head over his heart. It had never been like this before. Oh, she'd had pleasure with other men, but she'd never allowed any of them to know as much about her as Pete did. She'd always feared their reaction if they knew the truth about her family. Not so with Pete. He must have been appalled, but he'd been nothing but sensitive and nonjudgmental.
She kissed the center of his chest in gratitude. "Thank you," she murmured.
"You're welcome, but what for exactly? My manly prowess?"
Shaking with silent laughter, she said, "Yes, of course your manly prowess." Raising her face to his, she took his lips and lost herself in the kiss.
He cupped the back of her head, cradling it while he nipped and sipped at her mouth.
I could do this forever.
He rolled her onto her back again, held her tightly, and touched his lips to her cheeks and eyes, brushing them down her nose. "Go to sleep a little while longer. It's not quite morning yet. I'll make sure you get to work on time," he assured her.
Chapter Eight
Sharon was in the lab sterilizing instruments when the intercom buzzed. She dried her hands before answering the phone. "Yes?"
"Pete Rayne is up front to see you, Sharon."
"Pete? Okay, I'll be right there." Her lips lifted in a little Cheshire cat smile. Last night had been wonderful. They'd held each other and made love most of the night, and she wasn't even tired. Well, maybe just a little. If she wasn't careful, she could start feeling something for the man. His showing up here at her work might be proof he cared, too.
When she rounded the corner into reception, she gasped at the sight of the white bandage over his forehead. "What happened, Pete? Are you all right?"
"Can we go outside and talk for a bit?" His voice strained.
She glanced back at the reception desk, where the two person office staff was watching them closely. "I'm taking a break. I'll be back in a few minutes."
The Keeper Page 4
