Last of the Red-Hot Heroes

by Tina Leonard

  Good. He wanted her as hot for him as he was for her. He took her other nipple in his mouth, sank a palm into her ass cheek, under the thin satin of the panties. Nearly ripped apart with the sudden hunger urging him to crush her to him, turn her over and press her down into the bed to ride her until she cried his name.

  “You promised you’d be very still,” she said, gasping against his mouth.

  “No, I didn’t,” he said, sweet blackness driving out all rational thought. “And if I did, I’m about to break that promise.”

  He had to get inside her, had to feel her around him.

  He couldn’t believe it when she broke away.

  Declan waited, watching her.

  Slowly, Harper pushed her panties down, and he saw what the moonlight hadn’t revealed the other night. She was beautiful, mind-bendingly beautiful, and he was going to die if he didn’t take her.

  “Harper—”

  “Hang on,” she said.

  He was hanging, just barely. She moved on top of him again, gazed down into his eyes. She was killing him, he didn’t know how much longer he could go on with the sweet torture of her so close, and yet so far from him.

  And then she closed her small hand around his erection, guiding it inside her, sliding her hot tightness down the length of him until he was fully inside her. Mad, fiery lust tore through him; taking her hips in his hands, he ground her against his groin, driven by the need to feel himself deep inside her. Fully possessing her.

  His shoulder could go to hell—he wasn’t about to deny himself the pleasure of taking her body the way he needed to. Slowly, he moved her hips so that she felt the full length of his desire for her, over and over again.

  “Declan,” she said on a gasp, “you’re not supposed to move your shoulder.”

  “You come for me, and I won’t move it again,” he told her, moving her hard, tight against his groin. She gasped, and he stopped, sliding a nipple into his mouth, lightly biting it so that it peaked hard in his mouth. Gently he moved her hands, placing them on either side of the wall, bracing her for what he was about to do to her.

  He found the sweet swell of her clit, massaging her slickness into it as he suckled her nipple. She gasped again, more of a mewl this time, rising up on him nearly to the top of his shaft, sliding herself slowly down him again. He held her clit, teasing it, feeling her tightening against his hardness. Lifting up her hips, he slipped two fingers inside her, massaging the tip of her clit at the same time. “Come for me, baby girl,” he said, drawing her nipple inside his mouth again, and she bucked, riding him wildly before suddenly tightening on him so hard he had to shut his eyes against the pleasure. She cried out his name, gasping against his chest, forgetting all about his shoulder.

  He kissed her shoulders instead, holding her to him, keeping her hot wetness surrounding his eager hardness.

  “Declan?” she murmured.

  He knew what she was asking. “I’m not about to let you go that easily, beautiful. I’ve waited a long time for this.”

  Slowly, gently, he rolled her over, his erection deep inside her, pinning her to the bed. Kissing her, demanding her mouth against his, he moved inside her, letting her feel how much he wanted her. She cried out, wrapping her legs around him to take him deeper inside, but he wanted more. Gently withdrawing despite her protests, he took his sweet time kissing each breast, her neck, the soft pale skin between her breasts, before kissing his way to her flat stomach. He loved the smell of her, the softness of her, the way she sobbed his name, asking for him to come back inside her again.

  He moved lower still, gently tonguing her clit, the way he’d fantasized about doing since they’d made love the other night. She let out a surprised cry, saying his name over and again as he teased her into begging.

  “Declan,” she said, her voice breaking, pleading.

  He suckled the nub slowly into his mouth, his own erection practically exploding as she begged him for release. Sliding a finger inside her, he licked her bud into tight hardness, stroking inside her hot wetness, knowing he’d be inside her soon, just as soon as she gave him what he needed.

  “Don’t stop,” she murmured. “Declan!”

  She tightened up on him with a cry, and he could feel her muscles tightening with her climax as she begged him to get inside her.

  He did, entering her moist heat, driving deep, grinding his teeth against the pleasure when she wrapped her legs around his waist, taking him deeper inside her still. Hot desire roared through him, pounding him, driving him into her sweetness, over and over as she held him to her.

  He couldn’t get enough of her, her body, the way she held him. It was all there, everything he’d been missing all of his life. He wanted more, he wanted it every day of his life, for the rest of his life. He was never getting over this, because he’d waited forever to find it.

  “Come inside me, Declan,” she whispered, shredding the last bit of self-control he had, if he’d ever had any where Harper was concerned. He rode her, desperate to stay inside her as long as he could—but his body finally gave in to the pleasure, taking him apart as a roaring climax ripped him apart, collapsing him into her arms.

  Holy hell, he couldn’t catch his breath. His heart was on fire. His body was a prisoner of hers, and a happy prisoner at that.

  He was never going to be able to let her go. Kissing her neck, he rolled onto his back, tugging her up onto his chest so she would lie against him, his heart hammering under the comfort of her body.

  No, there was no escaping this.

  And he didn’t want to.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “That’s what you get for not playing the game properly.” Harper rebandaged Declan’s shoulder efficiently, making sure she didn’t hurt him. “As I recall, you promised to lie still and let me do everything.”

  “If you came.”

  She raised a brow. “As I recall, I did.”

  He smiled, clearly unrepentant. “But not as many times as I wanted you to. One day, I’m going to make love to you, and we’re going to do it my way.”

  “Which is how, exactly?”

  “You’ll have to hang around to find out.”

  She put away the bandages. “You’re not going to heal if you keep tearing your shoulder open.”

  He pulled her down into his lap so she straddled him as he sat in the ladderback chair she’d assigned him. “Move in with me. You and Michael.”

  Her eyes went huge. “Why?”

  “So I’ll know you’re safe. So I can keep an eye on you.”

  “I’m not in any danger.” Harper held his gaze. “I can’t move in here with Michael. I don’t want to confuse him. He’s been asking questions about his father.” She took a deep breath. “Lots of questions, in fact.”

  “Any answers?”

  She shook her head, wishing so much that things had happened differently between her and Michael’s father. “None that I can tell him that wouldn’t hurt him. But I can’t confuse him by having a relationship right now.”

  “I’m not asking you for a relationship.”

  She studied him, denying herself the chance to run her fingers through his hair, feel his warmth. “What, then?”

  “You move in here, let me protect you. Keep an eye on you both.”

  “That’s tempting, except for sleeping in the same bed.”

  “You and Michael can have one of the back rooms. Or he can have his own room. There’s no reason for you to stay at the Bungalow anymore.” He engulfed her hand in his big warm one. “If you move in, the crew of nurse bodyguards that has attached themselves to me will feel comfortable going back to their own families.”

  “Why?” He tugged on jeans, and she guided him back to bed so he’d rest his shoulder. She was surprised by how willingly he did what she wanted. Her body still sang from his touch, and there was nothing more she’d like than to stay here with him.

  There was just no way.

  “Because I’ll say you’re taking care of me.�
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  “I think they’re making sure nothing happens to you,” Harper said. “Steel’s not sitting here with a handgun because he’s asking your advice on gardening.”

  Declan waved a hand. “He’s the sheriff. He’s always armed.”

  “Trace and Saint were, too, Declan,” she said softly. “Not bothering to hide it, either.”

  He cupped her face with his palm as she sat on the bed next to him, staying close to the edge so he didn’t drag her back into it to convince her to do exactly what he wanted. “They’re a little on edge,” Declan said. “I’d feel better if you were here where I can keep an eye on you.”

  “You’ll keep tearing your shoulder open,” she said, keeping her tone light. “You’ve just proven that you’re not interested in lying still.”

  “True.” His eyes took on a dangerous glint. “Where you’re concerned, I’m very open to risk. But Michael will be here, so I promise you, you’ll be safe as a nun. Both with me, and from anyone else.” He looked at her. “I’d feel much better if Michael was in my house, even if you don’t agree to stay.”

  She drew back. “What are you saying?”

  He studied her. “What do you remember about the night I was shot?”

  “That you convinced me that having sex in a hammock was a good idea.”

  “And it was.” He nodded. “We’ll have to do that again sometime, but I want to be better prepared. Much better prepared.”

  “I’m never going to the creek again.” She shrank a little inside. “I had a nightmare last night about you being in the water—”

  “Sh,” he said, pulling her to him. “We’re not going to talk about that.” He kissed her and she leaned into him, wanting to be in his arms. “Stay one night, Harper.”

  “You don’t know what you’re asking. There’ll be toys and books everywhere, and noises you’re not used to. You’ll never really rest, because no matter how good Michael is, kids still make noise.”

  “So do Trace and Saint and Steel. Trust me, you and Michael and Toad will complement Gypsy’s and my routine much better.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’ll stay one night. One. Just to give the guys a break.”

  “Good.” He nodded. “We’ll start with that.”

  He was incorrigible. “You’re not really worried about anything happening to me. You’re just trying to get your way, a typical Outlaw move.”

  He picked up her hand, pressed it to his lips. “Humor me. Stay here.”

  He was making her nervous. She sensed he knew he was working his way into her heart, and that she was falling.

  It wasn’t fair. She hadn’t been totally honest with him. Partly because she hadn’t expected this, nor to find herself falling for him. Partly because she was very protective of her son.

  But he loved Michael, too. She knew that.

  She was going to have to share her innermost fears and worries—and it wasn’t going to be easy.

  “Declan, I heard from Michael’s father,” she said slowly.

  His eyes went hooded. He looked relaxed, but he wasn’t that at all. She knew him well enough to recognize he was tense, waiting. “And?”

  Harper took a deep breath. “Much to my surprise, he wants to meet my son.” She inhaled a deep, calming breath, but there was really no way to calm the unease inside her. “In fact, he’s on his way to Hell.”

  * * *

  “Does it seem to you,” Trace asked Saint as he and Steel drove to Redfeather's for a quick dinner pick-me-up while Harper entertained Declan—“that there’s been an awful lot of skinny dipping going on in Hell lately?”

  “You mean more than usual?” Steel asked from the backseat.

  “Does seem like some people are spending more time in town than at the Honky-tonk,” Saint agreed. “But it’s the heat of summer. Makes folks want to shed their clothes.”

  The three of them should make for a pretty fierce team of detectives—if they focused. Trace drummed the steering wheel, deeply bothered by what had happened to his buddy. “If you had to put money on who pegged Declan, who would you guess, Steel?”

  “Well, I wish like hell I thought it was a random hunter that made a mistake, but I’ve lived here too long to think that,” Steel said. “Still, I don’t have enough facts to make an educated guess.”

  “Couple inches more, and it would have shiskabobbed his heart,” Trace said. “If I ever find out—”

  “Now, son, you need to let the law handle this,” Steel said. “You’ve got all these kids you and Ava are having. They don’t need daddy in jail. Besides, it’d be a real pain in my ass having to look at you every minute of every day. I like my jail cleaned out and empty. That’s the one place I have any time to myself, except for Eli’s occasional sleepover. And heck, these days his snoring’s just background noise. You don’t do anything to mess up my perfect world, Trace. Leave the reconnaissance to the professionals.”

  “Speaking of noisy kids, Cameron and I are expecting,” Saint said, surprising Trace.

  “That’s awesome!”

  “Congratulations,” Steel said. “You finally hit the target. Was beginning to wonder about you.” He laughed at his ribbing of his friend. “It’s funny what happens when a couple of new women come to town. Babies all over the place. We’re going to have to speed up the elementary school building, start looking over teacher resumes.”

  Trace grinned, pleased for his friend. He knew how long Saint and Cameron had been trying to conceive. “I assume you haven’t made the grand announcement yet,” he said to Saint. “When does that happen?”

  “Tonight at Redfeather's. Cameron wanted everyone to know at once. She said Michael staying with us brought her good luck. Woke up her ovaries and made them jealous or some nonsense.” Saint shook his head. “All I know is, I’d like a son like Michael. Or a daughter like Michael. He’s a great kid.”

  “Do any of us know anything about Michael’s father?” Steel asked.

  “No.” Trace glanced into the rearview mirror. “Is he on your short list?”

  “No,” Steel said slowly, “I never thought about it until just this second.”

  They all sat silently for a moment.

  “It doesn’t work,” Saint said. “Harper always said that Michael’s father wasn’t interested in being a father. Doesn’t sound like the jealous type to me.”

  “What if Harper wasn’t exactly telling the whole truth?” Trace asked, parking at Redfeather's.

  “Jesus,” Steel said from the back seat. Saint and Trace turned to look at him. “Do you realize what a horrible thing you’re thinking? I mean, we gotta consider all angles, but you’re really thinking out of the box here. That would make Michael’s father an attempted murderer.”

  “And it would make Harper a little less than the sweet, tough woman with the face of an angel we’ve thought she is. That doesn’t really square for me.”

  “Don’t breathe one word about this to Harper. Or Declan.” Trace eyed them both. “I’m probably way off base. I’m always off base. But I have this naturally suspicious mind, and all I’m saying is, let’s check him out. Surreptitiously. You’ve got connections, Steel.”

  “Yeah.” Steel opened his door. “Don’t breathe a word of this, especially not to my lady. This is exactly the kind of thing that could ruin a budding relationship.”

  “Yours?” Saint asked. “Things finally starting to bud for you and our illustrious mayor Judy?”

  “I meant Declan and Harper, wiseass,” Steel said.

  They went laughing inside Redfeather’s, their home away from home, to ponder the fate of Hell over a couple of beers. But Trace caught Steel jotting a couple of notes in his pad once they got to the cracked leather booth, and he knew the sheriff was as perturbed about Declan as he was.

  * * *

  “Come on,” Declan said. “You know you want to, babe. It’ll be fun. Take your mind off of things.”

  Like an ex-boyfriend riding into town to change her life.

&nbs
p; “I’m pretty sure Steel and your partner brothers wouldn’t like us doing this,” Harper said. But she helped him to his truck, anyway.

  He couldn’t worry about Steel and the Outlaws. There were things he needed to do to get right with this woman. “Where’s Michael right now?”

  “Cameron’s going to meet me at Redfeather's with him in about an hour.”

  He looked out the window. “Let’s go eat with him.”

  “You’re supposed to be resting. It’s not going to look good if we go to Redfeather's. I’ll never be trusted again to be your nurse.”

  “I don’t need a nurse. I’ll buy you dinner. And Michael, too.”

  He felt gruff, out of sorts, knew he sounded like it.

  “Is something wrong?”

  Of course something was wrong; everything was wrong. He knew what was bugging him. Wasn’t sure how to put it into words that wouldn’t sound weird and possessive.

  What the fuck. He probably was weird and possessive.

  “When did this happen? This message from Michael’s father?”

  Harper glanced at him. “So, Redfeather's?”

  “Yes.”

  She turned onto the road into town. “He’s called a few times since I’ve been in Hell.”

  “You never mentioned it.”

  “I didn’t want to. Didn’t want to get my hopes up.”

  Just great. She had hopes. His shoulder started to ache worse, annoying him further, as if his sudden irritability could foster an even worse mood. “I didn’t know. I thought he’d just disappeared into the black hole that sucks up deadbeat dads.”

  She let out a long sigh. “He did. But we were really young when I got pregnant. I’ve always left the door open in case he wanted to see Michael.”

  Asshole. What an asshat of the prime variety. What man didn’t want to see his son? A son like Michael? Declan wanted to kick his ass just on principle. “What’s his name?”