by Tess Summers
He was going to have to tell her about that. Soon.
But not tonight.
With his heel, he nudged the door closed and walked to the side of the bed where he gently set her feet down on a plush, cream throw rug.
He glanced at her made bed—throw pillows of varying sizes strategically placed—and briefly noted the rest of her room. It was a habit that came from years of constantly surveying his surroundings. Her bedroom was immaculate with expensive-looking cream colored shaker furniture and lime green and cream bedding. It was decorated much like the rest of her home, classy and elegant with touches of bold color and décor. Kind of like the woman herself.
He kissed her softly and a contented sigh escaped her lips when he pulled away.
“God, you know how to kiss,” she purred, arms still looped behind his neck.
“Among other things,” he added, sliding his hands down to grab her ass.
“Oh, yes. You do other things very well too.”
Something had changed between them like he knew would happen after they’d had sex. His feelings for her were not fueled by a lust-infused haze. He wanted to hold her close and worship her body, slowly and sensually. She must have felt the shift too because she began to place deferential kisses on his neck and chest.
“You smell so good,” she murmured between kisses.
“Eau de Sex,” he teased and began to unbutton her blouse with care. He pulled the fabric apart to gaze at her when the last button unfastened. Her tits were spilling out of her black lace bra from when he had ordered her to show them to him earlier. Her stomach was toned and tanned, and her waist narrowed then flared at her hips, producing an hour-glass figure to drool over.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he whispered in awe.
She smiled and looked down like she was suddenly shy, eliciting an animalistic response from him. He was an alpha male, through and through, but he’d never felt so primal an urge to both revere and dominate a woman. Make her his, own her—body and soul—and make damn sure she knew it. He wasn’t going to leave her with any doubt who she belonged to.
Unbuttoning her skirt, he tugged it down her hips until it fell in a heap on the floor, then moved his hands up her back to unsnap her bra and pull it away, dropping it next to her skirt. He held her fingers as she daintily stepped over her discarded clothing. He couldn’t resist twirling her around, slowly to admire her naked body.
She was fucking mesmerizing.
He sucked in a breath through his teeth and felt his dick getting hard again.
“Jesus Christ, Cassie. You are perfect.”
There was no argument from her, which he appreciated, she just stepped toward him and rubbed her bare breasts against his shirtless chest, his cock pressing against her belly.
With one arm around her, he tossed her throw pillows on the floor and pulled back the covers. Luke directed her to the bed, and she wiggled between the sheets, making a production out of making room for him. Sliding beside her, he pulled her tightly against him.
“I think we should call in sick tomorrow,” he murmured against her hair. He felt her stiffen, then she took a deep breath and snuggled in closer against him.
“Okay,” she agreed softly.
He stroked her back until he felt the rhythmic breathing of her sleep. His eyes began to grow heavy, and he hugged her close. He was in deep.
Cassie Sullivan was like no woman he’d ever met.
Chapter Nineteen
Cassie
I think I’m in love with Luke Rivas.
There was no other explanation why Cassie not only agreed to call off work but actually wanted to in order to spend the day with him.
That shit didn’t happen, in the history of ever.
It was still dark when she gingerly inched back under the covers after sending emails from the computer in her home office, canceling appointments and rescheduling meetings. The sexy SWAT Sergeant was still asleep, naked in her bed. His hard body was warm, exactly what she needed after sitting in her chilly office, and she burrowed next to him.
She felt his arms wrap around her. “Where have you been, beautiful?”
“Just clearing my schedule today.”
He was slowly stroking her hair now. “So, does that mean I have you all to myself for the entire day?”
“I’m yours if you want me,” she teased.
“Oh, Cassie, you have no idea,” he murmured against her hair. “I might not give you back.”
That made her smile. Then frown. What the hell was wrong with her? I’m yours if you want me? ‘He might not give me back’ like he owns me? That excites me?
Yeah. It did.
She’d gone on five freaking dates with this guy, had sex with him once, and she was calling in sick to work—something she never did even when she was sick. This was so not her.
As his hand moved up her side and began to caress her breast, she realized that might not be such a bad thing. He massaged her breast and squeezed, pushing her tit up to his waiting mouth. His tongue swirled around her nipple, sucking the peak until she moaned. His focus was completely on her. When she tried to reciprocate, he pinned her to the bed.
“Let me concentrate on you, doll,” he growled in her ear.
She arched off the bed, parting her legs involuntarily at the mere thought, and moaned, “Ohhh.”
She’d never had a lover place so much emphasis on her gratification. It was strange and wonderful. She’d had partners satisfy her, but she’d never been with someone who seemed to get as much pleasure giving as he did receiving. It was as if her body was Luke’s only concern, and he wouldn’t let her worry about anything but what he was doing to her.
And what he was doing to her was mind blowing, like he’d been making love to her his whole life. He was that attuned to how her body responded to his touch. If she thought he ruined her for any other man before, she was completely wrecked beyond repair now.
It terrified her to allow herself to be vulnerable and not in control all the time, but there was no one she’d ever trusted more. She remembered how content she was last night, snuggled against his hard body. He’d held her so close as if to say, I’ll take care of you. She had never felt safer in her life.
His whole demeanor screamed there was nothing he was afraid of. His confidence in being able to deal with anything thrown his way was a source of comfort. She knew he’d always protect her and not just physically. He would treat her heart with care, too.
She’d dated plenty of alpha males, but there was something about this one that had her wanting to submit to him. That also had never happened before. All of it was new and exciting, and scary as hell.
In love after five dates? The sheer premise was ridiculous.
But God help her, she’d never felt like this before, and if this wasn’t love, then what the hell was it?
****
Luke
He could still taste her sweet pussy as he watched her once she’d fallen back asleep after their morning sex and felt a little melancholy.
Why hadn’t he been more cautious before he met her? If he had, he’d be free to imagine a future with her. As it stood, his marriage was like an albatross hanging around his neck. Worse, he didn’t foresee a way to remedy it for another four years when he could get an uncontested divorce. He and Cassie weren’t even close to having the marriage and kids talk, but he assumed she wanted children someday. Probably before she was thirty-eight, the soonest he’d be able to marry her, assuming he was correct about how old she is. Not to mention, he didn’t want to wait until he was thirty-nine before becoming a dad.
He had a lot of regrets about how stupid he’d been with Adriana; how could he not? After she’d duped him and stolen everything, he felt anger and embarrassment, coupled with distrust of the female species in general. It had been humiliating having to file a police report. He was a cop for Christ’s sake, he should have known better.
What was coursing through his veins right now felt more like hopelessness and ang
er at how unfair it was he’d finally met someone he’d been waiting his whole life for, and Adriana was still ruining his chance for happiness.
At the time, the idea of becoming a father was all he could see, hear, or care about. Finding out he wasn’t ever really going to be a dad was what crushed him the most. Looking back now, he could only shake his head at his impatience and gullibility.
That bitch was still affecting his ability to be a father. Whether it was with Cassie or someone else. If he were being honest with himself, only Cassie would do. Although he was sure he could find a woman to take the job who wouldn’t care if he married her, that wasn’t the type of woman he wanted to be the mother of his children, and it wasn’t how he wanted to do things. Dating, engagement, marriage, babies. Call him old-fashioned, but that’s what he wanted—in that order.
He hadn’t done it right the first time, and it never sat well with him.
Holding Cassie against his chest as he languished in the misery of his own making, he came to a decision. He was going to try serving Adriana with papers again, and if she still refused to sign, he was going to Mexico himself. The cartel be damned.
He looked down at the beauty in his arms. Some things were worth waiting for.
And worth the risk.
Chapter Twenty
Cassie
She woke to Luke’s body pressed against her back, his fingers stroking her stomach while he kissed her shoulder. When he noticed she was awake, he softly asked, “Baby, I gotta go take Rex for a run. Do you want to come?”
She rolled onto her back and opened one eye to look at him.
“Do we have to run? Can’t we just walk?”
That made him laugh out loud, and he leaned down to kiss her forehead.
“We can walk.”
“Great. I’ll even buy breakfast.” She sat up and swung her legs to the side of the bed. “Okay, give me ten minutes.”
Her hair was pulled up, she was dressed in her grey yoga pants, baby pink t-shirt, and Skechers walking shoes, and they were sitting in Luke’s Jeep fourteen minutes later.
“I really didn’t believe you when you said ten minutes,” he teased.
She shrugged. “I’m only high maintenance some of the time.”
He leaned over the console and kissed her cheek. “But you’re beautiful all the time.”
She gave him an impish grin. “I would say, you should see me in the morning, but I guess you already have.”
“I certainly have and let me tell something.” His expression and tone were somber. “You are gorgeous when you’re sleeping.”
“Did you creep on me while I was sleeping?”
He put the car in reverse, backed out of his parking space, and deadpanned. “I like that you’re a heavy sleeper. You didn’t even stop snoring when I felt you up in the middle of the night.”
“I don’t know if I’m more upset you’re lying about me snoring—which I do not do, by the way—or that I slept through getting fondled by you.”
They were pulling into traffic when he replied, “I’m just teasing-about feeling you up. Trust me, doll, you wouldn’t sleep through that. The snoring, however…” He was grinning ear to ear.
Cassie smacked his arm. “Shut up! I do not snore!”
“You know what they say about denial.”
“Keep it up, and you’re buying your own breakfast,” she warned.
“Okay, okay! You were dead silent all night. Like a delicate flower, perfectly still.”
“Now that, I believe because I am a delicate flower.”
He slid his hand between her legs, rubbing where her legs met in a V. “Delicate flower indeed.”
She bit her bottom lip and opened her legs slightly, whimpering, “Ohhh.”
He smirked and continued moving his hand up and down between her pussy lips.
“You probably should stop,” she whispered, “or I’m going to have a wet spot between my legs.”
“I could clean you up with my tongue if you’d like.”
She spotted the tent in his pants and squeezed his bulge. “I think we’d end up making a bigger mess.”
He was slipping his hand under her waistband when she heard a “Whoop whoop,” and noticed red and blue lights behind them. He casually withdrew his hand from her pants and adjusted himself in his jeans as he pulled the Jeep over to the right. The police car pulled in behind them.
Luke kept his hands on the wheel as the officer took his time walking to the driver’s window. Normally, Cassie was a bundle of nerves when she was pulled over, but Luke simply waited patiently, his expression almost bored, until he muttered, “Shit. I don’t know if I have my ID.”
Now she was worried. The good-looking blonde approaching the car had the typical cop look—short haircut, mirrored sunglasses, muscular build, and judging by his scowl, he was the no-nonsense type.
“Good morning, sir. Do you know why I pulled you over?”
“Because you smelled donuts?” Luke laughed and brought his arm up to grasp the man’s hand.
“What’s going on, Sarge?” The man asked with a laugh. His dimples were adorable.
“I didn’t know you were working days, Corey. Just on my way to take Rex for a run.”
“Walk,” Cassie muttered under her breath.
Luke looked at her and chuckled. “I mean walk.”
“You off today?”
He gripped her thigh. “Yeah, took the day off to spend with my beautiful girl.”
The handsome, young officer leaned down, tipping his sunglasses down his nose to appraise her from where he stood. “Smart man.” Then reached across Luke with an outstretched hand. “Corey Young, ma’am.”
“Cassie Sullivan. And please, don’t call me ma’am.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he chuckled. She raised her eyebrows, and he laughed nervously. “Sorry, I probably can’t promise you that.”
“Your mama raised you right,” she smiled. “I get it.”
“Reinforced by my training officers at the academy.”
She leaned over and patted Luke’s cheek. “San Diego’s finest have such manners,” she cooed.
The look he shot her suggested his thoughts were anything but polite.
Officer Young must have noticed the feral look too because he coughed and said, “Well, I’ll let you two be on your way.”
“Thanks, Corey.”
The young, uniformed man hesitated before walking away. “And Sarge?”
“Yeah?”
“Try to keep it between the lines from now on.”
Luke grinned unabashedly. “Sure thing, man.”
Young tapped the hood and walked away without another word, and Luke had his hand between Cassie’s legs again.
“See what you made me do?” he murmured
“Nope.” Cassie shook her head and pushed his hand. “You’re not blaming me for your poor driving.”
He sighed dramatically and pulled his hand back to put the car in drive. “Fine. But I am blaming you for the huge hard-on I’m always walking around with.”
“Blame?” she giggled. “I’m not taking the blame—I’m taking the credit for that.”
He glanced at her several times with a smile as he drove, finally shaking his head in defeat.
“You’re something else, Cassie Sullivan.”
****
Luke
Their walk was fun and easy. Rex loved Cassie to the point Luke was a little jealous of how much his dog paid attention to her instead of him. She giggled when she noticed Luke’s frown at Rex’s focus on her as they walked along the beach.
“He associates me with Zona.”
“No,” Luke shook his head, “he’s a smart dog and recognizes a beautiful woman to fawn over when he sees her.”
“You trained him well,” she teased. “Is he your wingman?”
He stopped walking and gripped her around the waist, his hands sliding down to cup her ass and pull her against him.
“I don’t need a wingman. N
ot anymore.” He dipped his head to kiss her, the waves crashing onto the surrounding shore.
Shit.
He pulled back and looked down. “Too soon, too fast?”
She hesitated before shaking her head. “Normally, I would say yes, but it doesn’t feel like it’s too soon. Is that crazy? We haven’t even been dating, what, two weeks?”
He shook his head. “It’s not crazy. When it’s right, it’s right.” He wanted to say so much more but opted to hold off.
One side of her mouth went up. “How am I supposed to know if it’s right? I’ve never felt like this before.”
Luke kissed her cheek by her ear before murmuring, “That’s how you know it’s right.”
Arching back to study his face, her blue eyes serious, she curved his cheek in one hand and whispered, “I think I…”
He waited, and when she didn’t finish her thought, he prompted her. “You think you…?”
She blinked and her face relaxed. With a pat on the cheek, she gave a fake grin. “I—I think—I think I’m hungry.”
That was not what she was thinking, but he’d let it go. For now. He tugged her hand and started walking.
“Well, let’s get Rex home and fed so we can go to breakfast.”
The look of relief that he was dropping it was apparent on her face.
Don’t get too comfortable, baby doll. This discussion is far from finished.
****
Cassie
Luke took her to a little diner down the road from his house. After the waitress in a tight, pink uniform took their order, he turned his attention back to Cassie.
“Are we counting today as a new date or a continuation of Date Number Five?”
“Does it matter?” she smirked.
“For some reason, it does.”
“Why?” Cassie felt a twinge of panic but tried to keep her voice light and teasing. “Are you planning on breaking up with me on date eleven now, instead of sleeping with me?”
He placed his hand on top of hers on the oak resin tabletop and squeezed. “I don’t see that happening any time soon.”
“But you do see it happening?” She hated how needy she sounded.
