by Regina Cole
She stared out the window. “Who is he, Trent?”
Trent didn’t look away from the camera’s eyepiece. “Isn’t that something you should ask him?”
“Yes, but he won’t answer.” Mia shoved her hands in the pockets of her capri pants, which had gotten dusty from the warehouse. “So why don’t you?”
Trent laughed a little, running a hand through his dark hair. “You’ve only known him for a day and you already know what he’ll do. Damn. Okay, Mia, this is Garrett in a nutshell. He’s an ex-cop who lost someone special when a bad guy got away. So now he’s going to catch that bad guy and make him face what he’s done.”
Catching her lip in her teeth, Mia nodded. “Okay. But why me? Why’s he protecting me, and what from?”
Trent looked down at his hands. “Someone saw you with him last night. We aren’t sure about their relationship with Ford, but Garrett wanted you to stay with us today just in case. If the wrong people catch you, it’ll be history repeating itself.”
“I understand,” Mia said softly. And she did. She turned to leave Trent to his surveillance, but his voice stopped her.
“Mia…”
“Yeah?”
Trent flashed a tight smile. “Nothing. Just…here.” He scribbled something on a scrap of paper ripped from the notebook beside him. “Keep that.”
Mia tilted her head in question but took the paper anyway. Shoving it into her pocket, she turned and made her way down the stairs.
Garrett was there, looking out the tiny, dirt-streaked window by the loading bay door. He didn’t turn at her approach. “Why’d you come down here?”
Mia shrugged as she drew alongside him. “I wanted to. You seemed like you needed a friend.”
“I’ve got Trent. I’m not alone.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she twined her arms around his neck, “and you know it.”
He turned to her, big hands resting on her hips. “You don’t know me.”
“I know enough.”
His mouth captured hers then, a possessive, demanding kiss that scrambled her thoughts and fired her blood. She shoved her fingers in his short hair, pulling as best she could as his tongue swept her lips. His hips ground against hers, his thick, hot erection pressing demandingly into her belly.
Her mouth opened wider, demanding more, and he delivered. Hot sweeps of his tongue, hands wandering up to cup her breasts. He forced her backward until her ass pressed against the seat of his bike. Then he bent her backward over it, holding her neck as his lips burned a trail down the column and across her collarbones.
“Garrett,” Mia hissed as she clung to his shoulders, the vulnerable position making her nipples peak and her lower belly throb with anticipation. She couldn’t rise, couldn’t stand, could only hold on for dear life as Garrett did what he wanted with her.
And strangely, she didn’t mind at all.
Garrett didn’t know what the hell had caused the lust that had his brain locked in its grip, but he didn’t care. Sunset—and the alleged drop—was still a little while away, they had time. He’d make time. He stared at Mia, cradling her head as he bent her body over the seat of his bike. She didn’t fight him, didn’t complain at the awkward position, in fact she pulled him back down to her, forcing him to continue their kiss.
It was a chore he relished.
He gripped her tightly as he kissed her neck, devouring the sweet softness of her skin. Her legs wrapped around his, forcing his cock into contact with the deep heat of her pussy through her pants. He groaned against her skin, his teeth grazing her collarbone as he yanked her upright.
“I don’t have time for this to be sweet or tender or gentle,” he growled into her ear as he yanked the button of her pants open. “I can’t promise it won’t hurt.”
“I don’t give a fuck,” she said as she kicked off her pants then ripped the shirt over his head, tracing the lines of the shield on his chest. “I want you. Hard, fast, now.”
It was almost impossible to shove his pants down while he kissed her so passionately, tongues and mouths tangling, but somehow he managed it. And when her hands wrapped around the length of his cock, he pushed her back again, lifting her to sit sideways on the seat of the bike. His pants were around his ankles but he widened his stance as much as he could and forced her thighs farther apart.
The shine of her wet flesh and the glint of her silver clit ring made the blood pound in the head of his cock. Damn, he wanted her.
Even though he ached to plunge into her pussy right then, feel the naked heat and wetness accept him, he waited. Gripping his cock, he began to sweep it up and down her nether lips, parting them with the blunt head, pressing hard against that little silver ring and then retreating. She moaned at the torture.
“God, Garrett,” she tried to push forward, force him to enter her, but he pulled back. “Please.”
“No, not yet.” He tweaked her nipples through her shirt. “When I say. Not before.”
He crouched in front of her then and kissed that little silver ring. He smiled to himself as she moaned even louder. Trent was going to know what was up, but Garrett didn’t really give a shit. This was good enough that everyone should know about it.
He suckled at her nether lips, gathering the wetness and rubbing his face against it. She twisted and writhed, making the bike shudder beneath her. Garrett gripped the tire as he thrust his tongue inside her. She liked that, he knew. She bucked her hips against his face, proving her point.
Much sooner than he would have liked, he pulled away and dug for his wallet.
“Last one,” he said as he pulled the condom free. “Let’s make it good, huh?”
He rolled the condom over his erection, hands steadier than he thought they’d be. When he looked back at Mia, his breath caught in his throat.
Her legs were still splayed wide apart, one hand braced on the center of the handlebars while the other held her shirt high, revealing her breasts. Her hair was everywhere, her eyes bright and hungry as she slid off the seat.
“Let’s make it good,” she confirmed, turning and bending over the saddle, presenting that beautiful ass to him. “Fuck me, Garrett.”
She didn’t have to ask twice.
He gripped her hips and lifted her feet off the ground as he drove his cock deep into her pussy. She cried out, hands clawing the seat to keep herself steady.
“Keep quiet or Trent will hear.”
She looked at him over her shoulder and bit her lip.
Garrett dropped his head back, closing his eyes as he relished the feel of her tight cunt hugging his hard length. She was hotter than hell, tighter than a vise, wilder than a jungle cat. And for the moment, she was all his.
He drove into her, higher and harder, deeper and faster, again and again. Her cries came more often, louder, echoing in the emptiness of the warehouse around them. But then she moaned, almost pitifully.
“I… I can’t…reach…” she whispered, twisting her body. But the way she was hanging over the bike’s seat, there was no way she could reach down between her legs and flick that tiny switch that would make her orgasm.
Garrett thrust forward once more then withdrew from her pussy with a sigh. But he wouldn’t be gone long.
“I’ll rub your clit,” he said, fisting his condom-covered cock, which was slick from her body and the condom’s lubricant. “But you’ve got to let me in.”
“You already were—” she began.
“I mean here.” He pressed his swollen head against her back entrance, and her moan was high, thin and wanting. “I want to fuck you in the ass, Mia.”
She didn’t just agree. She fucking begged.
“Pleeaaaase,” she hissed in a rough whisper, pushing back against him. “Do it, now!”
Her pussy had been so wet, and that moisture helped him now. His cock slid into her tight hole as if it belonged there, slipping past the ring of muscle that fought him only briefly. Her pussy had been tight, but her ass? It gripped him as though it nev
er wanted to let go.
He moved slower at first, but Mia thrust back against him and he lost his head. Three thrusts, four, tight and hot and wanting and needing more, and then he bent over her back and reached between her legs, finding that tiny little ring that guarded her clit. He timed his thrusts with the movements of his hands, faster and harder and rougher until she gasped, bucking against him and forcing him inside her to the hilt.
As she writhed, he lost all control, spending himself while deep inside her. His cock spasmed and jerked, and Garrett held her close to his chest as the pleasure ripped through him, leaving his knees weak and his head light.
He rested against her wild curls, his heart roaring in his ears.
“Holy shit,” Mia said breathlessly.
He couldn’t agree more.
Chapter Seven
Mia’s heart thumped hard against the motorcycle seat beneath her, and she was grateful for how sturdy the bike felt. With Garrett’s body pressing against hers from above, she could almost pretend her brain wasn’t floating somewhere near the ceiling. Her body thrummed with pleasure, her breaths as loud as his in the silence of the warehouse.
Until several quick gunshots echoed through the space.
Mia cried out in alarm as Garrett jerked backward, cursing.
“Goddammit,” he hissed as he jerked up his pants. “Trent!”
He disappeared up the stairs before Mia could get her pants back on. She grabbed her shoes and ran barefoot up to the second floor after Garrett, loud bangs still echoing through the large building. By the time she’d made her way to the office, the shots had stopped.
“It’s the cops,” Trent said calmly from his position by the window, lowering his binoculars.
“Ford?” Garrett snapped, bending to the camera.
“No, not him. Someone I’ve never seen before. Cops stopped him before he could go into the shop, then the idiot pulled a gun.”
“Shit,” Garrett said, straightening. “No way in hell Ford’ll show up now.” He turned to the wall, hands on his hips. “Fuck!” His fist shot out, sinking into the sagging plaster. Mia stumbled backward as white dust fell.
“Easy, man,” Trent said in his low voice. “They’ll have to reschedule the drop. We’ll get them on the next round.”
Mia bit her lip as she watched Garrett’s face. His frown was pronounced, jaw tight, eyes hooded as he turned back to Trent. “Don’t have a choice, do we.”
It wasn’t a question, but Trent nodded anyway. “It’ll be fine. Let me do some checking around and…”
Mia wrapped her arms around her middle, tucking herself into the corner of the room as Garrett and Trent talked. Even though the drop hadn’t happened, and there was nothing for Garrett to have seen, she couldn’t shake the guilty feeling that was creeping up her spine. Light from the streetlamp outside the warehouse streamed through the window, a single yellowed beam illuminating the strong planes of his somber face.
She hadn’t meant for things to turn physical between them downstairs. Was he mad at her now, for taking him away from his post?
Well, he shouldn’t be. He was the one who’d gone down there in the first place.
Her body warmed at the memory of the way he’d bent her over his bike, fucking her like a wild man. Her nipples tightened, aching at the thought. He was hot, there was no denying that. But it wasn’t smart for her to get too involved with him. That was painfully clear.
Garrett and Trent finished talking and started packing up the surveillance equipment at a leisurely pace. Mia figured they had to wait out the cops still milling about in the street below. Garrett looked over at her once, his expression blank. Damn it, why didn’t he just look the way he felt? It’d make things a hell of a lot easier. She wouldn’t have to wonder if he was pissed, or still horny, or just fucking disappointed in the way things had shaken out.
Mia didn’t bother to ask if they needed help, she just did it. Garrett tried to stop her from putting a case into the duffel, but he must have been able to sense that her raised eyebrows meant “back off, I’ll help if I want to”.
Once all the equipment was bagged and the last cop car finally left, Garrett turned to Mia. “I’m sorry about this.”
“For what? Saving my ass at the race? Keeping me here with you to make sure I’m okay? Consider yourself forgiven.” Mia crossed her arms. Yeah, she was being a little short with him, but worry and fear were swirling in her stomach.
“I’ll take you back to the convention tonight, hang around through the rest of it, make sure Ford isn’t targeting you. But don’t worry, you won’t see me.”
“How do you have time for that?” Mia lowered her brows. “I thought you’d be trying to figure out if they’re relocating the drop. Won’t they have a backup plan?”
Garrett’s mouth fell open. “Well, yeah, I mean, it’s…”
“You can’t track them down if you’re babysitting me for the weekend.” Mia turned to Trent. “Talk him out of this. He can’t afford the time away.”
Trent quirked a smile, then talked over Garrett’s bluster. “Me and the other guys are going to jump on it. Seriously, we’ll be okay here. You and Garrett can head off. We’ve been doing this for a while, Mia. We’re not going to let Ford get away, not when we’re so close.”
Mia shoved hair off her forehead. “I can’t help but think I’ll be costing you guys time. Garrett, you don’t need to take me back. I’m nobody, they won’t bother me. I can take a bus or a cab or something.”
Garrett’s brows lowered and he took a step toward her. “Are you fucking crazy? Number one, you don’t have enough money for a cab back to your hotel. And two, do you seriously think I’m going to let you waltz out of here alone and hang out at a bus stop for an hour in the dark? Ford’s guy was just here!”
Mia stood her ground, staring up into his eyes. “You’re right. But I’m pretty sure the boys in blue took care of him. I appreciate the concern, but you’re not my husband, my boyfriend or my daddy. You’ve got shit to do, and I’m just in the way. I’m an adult, and I can take care of myself.”
“I brought you here, so getting you home safe is my responsibility.”
“You don’t owe me anything. I’m holding you up from what you want—no, need—to do, so let me take care of myself. I’m not going to get murdered at the fucking bus stop.”
Garrett winced visibly.
“Catching this guy is a big deal to you, so don’t let me hold you up any further.” She stepped backward, not looking away from him. “I’m going downstairs. Trent, can you let me out?”
She didn’t wait to hear Trent’s answer, just turned and left the office, her bare feet not making a sound on the stairs. Once she’d reached the ground, she pulled on her wedges and waited.
Voices floated down, one hushed and calming, the other growly and full of tension. Mia smiled to herself despite the churning in her stomach.
Why did it matter if Garrett took her back?
If she was honest with herself, which she wasn’t too often, she’d admit she didn’t really want to say goodbye to the guy. The last twenty-four hours had been so full, it seemed like a lifetime. She didn’t want it to end, didn’t want to see Garrett ride off on that bike, the one he’d bent her over and fucked her on. Even the thought that he’d be somewhere around the convention didn’t comfort her. He’d said it himself—she wouldn’t see him.
It would seem too fucking final. Better she leave on her own. Besides, with the cops swarming around, she’d be fine. Garrett could get back to his chase, and she could start groveling to her boss for missing the day’s work at the convention.
Mia sighed. Dammit. Real life was calling, and as much as she hated to answer, she didn’t really have a choice.
Garrett started after Mia, her name angry on his lips, but Trent’s hand on his shoulder made him pause.
“What are you doing, man?” Trent’s question came softly. “Seriously, what’s going on with you? I haven’t seen you act like this ov
er a woman in a long—”
“Fuck off, Trent.” Garrett shrugged off his friend’s hand and kept walking for the door. “I’m not about to let her walk out of here unprotected. Ford might have more guys around, and I can’t let him see—”
“You like her.”
Garrett froze as if the floor was made of glue. He didn’t breathe, his heart didn’t beat.
No, Trent was wrong.
“It’s okay, man. I can tell.”
“I just met her,” Garrett said angrily, whirling on his friend. “You need to keep your goddamn opinions to yourself.”
Trent smiled wryly, stroking his dark beard. “She’s nice, you know. It’s good. I like her; she’s got a temper on her just like you.”
“It doesn’t fucking matter how nice she is,” Garrett said, throwing his hands up in the air. “She’s leaving. I’m taking her back to her hotel and that’s the end of it. She’ll be glad she never has to look at me again.”
“It sounded like you guys were doing a helluva lot more than looking at one another not that long ago.”
Shit. Garrett deflated, guilt rising in place of his frustration. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. I never should have gotten so distracted, we might have—”
“It wouldn’t have changed shit, and you know that.” Trent grabbed the handles of the closest duffel bag, throwing the long black strap over his shoulder. The light-gray nylon stood out starkly against his fitted black tee. “Ford wasn’t anywhere near when that asshole got in the way. This just wasn’t our time, man, and you know it.”
“Trent?” Mia’s voice called up from the main floor of the warehouse. “You going to let me out?”
Trent nodded toward the door. “Go ahead. I’m not going to let her walk to the fucking bus stop in the dark either.”
Garrett stared at his friend. For a second, he saw the lanky kid he’d first met fifteen years ago, in the cafeteria of his new high school. His shaggy dark hair had nearly covered his eyes, his vintage Nirvana tee hanging on his bony shoulders. It was almost as if the guy in front of him now, muscled and compact like a bulldog, was a completely different person. But he wasn’t. He was still quiet, kind, fiercely clever and even more loyal. The kind of friend Garrett didn’t deserve and could never hope to repay for all he’d done.
