by J. H. Croix
“Slow down,” he said.
I shook my head and rocked my hips against him.
His mouth hitched at the corner. “We can't go slow?”
I answered with another restless roll of my hips. I loved that he let go and let me take over. He released his grip on my hips, one palm sliding down my back while he toyed with my nipples with the other. He let me set the rhythm as I rode him. I rose up and sank down again and again and again. I couldn't get enough of the delicious stretch of him inside. I was on the edge for too long, pressure coiling tighter and tighter inside. I swore, and he reached between us. With a swirl of his thumb across my clit, I flew apart, pleasure raying through me. My channel clamped around him. He gripped my hips tightly, only now taking control, and held me down. I felt the heat of his release inside of me as he went taut, my name a rough cry.
My head fell into the dip of his shoulder as I tried to catch my breath. I felt wild and out-of-control, the only thing anchoring me the feel of his pulse pounding as hard and fast as mine.
Chapter 19
Dallas
I held Audrey against me, savoring the feel of her lush, warm body. I could've stayed there forever. We both lost control this time, and I didn't give a damn. After a few minutes, the timer went off in the kitchen, and she lifted her head. Her lips were swollen and puffy, her eyes still dark, and her hair a tumbled mess. Damn. She was the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen.
“I have to check on the lasagna,” she said softly.
“So you do.”
She slowly lifted herself, and I instantly missed being buried deep inside of her.
Not much later, we were sitting at the table, the fire flickering while we ate dinner. I considered what Russ had said today, that perhaps I could make room in my life for more than work. The crux was there was only one right woman, and I’d known that for years. She sat across from me just now. I simply had to figure out if I could bridge the chasm between the limits I’d set for myself and what I wanted.
***
The following morning, I woke before Audrey and reluctantly rolled away from her. Climbing out of bed, I had an almost visceral reaction to how much I wanted to stay there with her curled up warm and soft against me. I took a quick shower, forcing myself to go downstairs and get to work. Work would help me straighten out my head, or so I thought. With a fresh cup of coffee, I dug into the wall of emails updating me on the investigation since my interview the other night. My team had made another arrest in Connecticut. This was how investigations often played out. It was like dominoes. We’d catch a break and more would follow.
I was restless and antsy. Work usually kept me focused, yet I remained distracted. Audrey and my feelings for her were sending me in loops in my mind. Not long after I was up, I heard the shower running upstairs. The moment I heard her footsteps on the stairs, my body was on alert in anticipation. She came around the corner of the stairs into the archway and looked across the room. Her dark hair was damp, her cheeks rosy from her shower.
“Good morning,” she said.
Molly's claws clicked on the hardwood floor when she trotted across the room, rubbing her head against my leg as I petted her. She wiggled madly, her tail thumping against the chair.
“Morning Molly,” I said, flashing a grin toward Audrey. “Nothing like a morning greeting from a dog.”
She laughed softly. “I smell coffee. Is there enough for me?” she asked.
“Of course.”
She turned away, passing into the kitchen and calling Molly’s name. Whether or not Molly actually knew it was her name, she understood the tone and immediately walked into the kitchen. I heard Audrey getting food for her. I tried to keep my attention on the screen, but my body was already on alert just having Audrey nearby. She returned to the dining room, sliding into the chair across from me where she’d set up her own computer. I glanced over.
“What's the status with your job anyway?” I asked.
“Well, I had the month off either way, so I figured I'd deal with it when I get back. Like you, I'm checking email here and there.”
I’d never had a chance to talk with her about her legal career. I knew the basic details in passing from Thea, but I’d never inquired further. Not because I wasn’t curious, but because feeding my curiosity about Audrey had been off limits for me.
“All I know from Thea is you’re an Assistant Attorney General in the New York City office. Which division?” I asked.
She took a sip of coffee, swiping her tongue across her bottom lip and promptly distracting me. “I’m assigned to the Environmental Protection Bureau. I stay busy cracking the whip at businesses cutting corners,” she said with a quick grin.
“I bet you’re damn good at it. You never were one to back down from a fight.”
Her smile widened. “I’ll take that as a compliment. It’s funny. It’s easy to think this work isn’t as difficult as the more hard core criminal stuff, but white collar crimes are nasty, and they fight dirty. I don’t mind. I like buckling down for a long paper fight,” she said, lifting one shoulder in a light shrug.
“So you like it then?”
“I do. My job isn't quite as glamorous as the defense attorneys who can charge a fortune. But I prefer to try to make a difference. Most of my cases are definitely the little guy fighting the big guys,” she explained.
I suddenly had a ton of questions, realizing the wall I’d put up around hearing anything about Audrey had left too many blank spaces. She took another sip of coffee, and all I could do was watch her full lips close over the edge of the mug, her tongue swiping across her lips again when she set her mug down. My cock stiffened, and I shifted in my chair.
“How about you? Do you like your work?” she asked.
“I love it. It’s my life,” I said quickly.
As soon as I spoke, I realized my words were pure habit. I did love my job. I was damn good at it, and that meant something. Yet, Russ’ comments rustled in my mind.
Audrey was quiet for a beat and then nodded. “So you say. Thea worries you work too much.”
“Perhaps I do,” I managed with a shrug, beating back the emotion tightening my chest.
Audrey’s phone rang, breaking into the conversation.
I forced my attention back to my computer while she took a call from what sounded like something related to her various wedding cancellations. Molly curled up on the floor where the sun fell through the windows. I settled in to work, as did Audrey after she finished her call. The morning passed quietly. At some point, I heard Audrey’s breath draw in sharply as I was returning from the kitchen with another coffee refill.
I glanced to her as I sat down. “Everything okay?”
She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before glancing back to me. “It’s Matthew. He wants to argue about some of the wedding charges. Not exactly a surprise. He's also emailing and saying he wants to talk again. He didn't feel like it was fair you were there the other night.” She rolled her eyes. “He's such a jerk. I wish I’d paid attention sooner. It sucks that it took him screwing one of my bridesmaids to get through to me.”
Aside from swearing up-and-down about what an asshole Matthew was, I didn't have much to offer, so I nodded. “Need more coffee?” I asked when she lifted her cup and set it down upon noticing it was empty.
“I can…”
The ringing of her phone interrupted her.
“You get that. I’ll get the coffee,” I said, standing quickly and snagging her mug.
When I returned to the dining room, she was on the phone arguing with Matthew.
“Matthew, don't…”
I didn't know what he said, but I could hear the muffle of his voice, loud enough it was clear he’d raised his voice. Inside of a millisecond, I was furious. I reached over and snagged the phone out of her hand.
“Dallas!” she hissed, her eyes flashing.
I shrugged. I didn't give a damn if she was pissed. I lifted the phone to my ear.
; “Leave her alone,” I said clearly.
I ended the call and blocked the number before handing the phone back to her.
“I thought you blocked the number,” I said.
She nodded tightly. “I did. He's calling from a different number now. I can handle this, Dallas. Let me handle it,” she said firmly.
I stared at her, thinking I didn't want to let her handle any of it alone. Realizing I didn't have a right to make that demand, I recalled all the times Thea told me I could be high-handed. Right now, I didn't care to be anything other than that. I told myself I would feel the same way even if I hadn't been buried deep inside of Audrey last night. Yet, that was a fucking lie, and I damn well knew it. I didn't answer her. I simply nodded and sat back down at my computer.
Chapter 20
Audrey
I rounded the corner, heading into downtown Haven’s Bay. Thea had put me in touch with Julie, an old friend from high school. Julie was ever practical and not prone to drama. I figured it might be nice to grab a bite to eat and relax. I also needed a break from Dallas. Or rather, a break from how confused I felt about him. He’d totally pissed me off this afternoon when he got all high-handed and took the phone from me. I needed to handle Matthew myself. Yet, I also sort of savored how much Dallas cared about it. I kept reminding myself I needed to stay clear-eyed about what was happening with us. It was just an interval in time where we were letting ourselves explore this crazy chemistry between us. It would burn out soon.
I scanned the familiar landscape as I approached downtown. Christmas trees were decorated in yards with lights everywhere. The holidays made me feel nostalgic. While I didn't miss Matthew per se, I missed the idea of what I’d thought I was going to have with him. I wanted to be settled down, to feel like I had a touchstone in my life. I’d made the mistake of letting Matthew’s initial charm blind me to so many other factors that so clearly showed we weren’t right for each other.
I kept telling myself it was okay to let this play out with Dallas because there was an end date on it. He would go back to Boston, and I would return to my life in New York. The way he was acting about Matthew made no sense. If all we could have was sex, I didn’t see why he’d have such a strong reaction to Matthew.
I pulled into Emile’s, pausing to spin in a circle once I stepped out of my car. Emile’s was in the center of downtown Haven’s Bay, across the street from the old town green. Haven’s Bay was lovely with its stately old homes and tall oaks and maples dotting the downtown area. Lights were hung festively with red ribbons twined around the light poles.
We’d had a windy, snowy night, leaving more fresh snow on the ground. The skies had cleared this morning, and it was cold and crisp. My boots crunched on the snow as I walked across the parking lot and pushed through the door into Emile’s. I hadn't been here in years.
I was hit with a wave of nostalgia as I looked around. It was exactly as I’d remembered. Emile’s was housed in an old cape style home. The hardwood floors gleamed with light falling in through the tall windows. Wooden tables were scattered in the middle of the main room with a coffee bar on one side, a liquor bar on the other, and a deli counter and kitchen in the back. From the mornings into the afternoon, it was a coffee shop and deli, and then in the evening, it was a bar. Leave it to small-town Maine to have a coffee shop, deli, and bar all rolled up in one. I waved at Emile who flashed a grin and a wink and kept on chatting with a couple of the guys at the deli counter.
Julie waved me over from a table in the corner. She stood and wrapped me in a quick hug before sitting down. I slid into the chair across from her, pulling off my gloves and sliding out of my jacket.
“Wow, you look great,” I said. “You look the same as you did in high school.”
Julie laughed. “Trust me, if you saw me in a bathing suit you wouldn't say the same thing. Two kids do remarkable things to a body.”
I shook my head. “Cut it out. You look great.”
“So do you,” she said with a grin.
Julie had honey blond hair, blue eyes, round cheeks and a wide smile. She'd always been a down-to-earth friendly person. It had made perfect sense for her and Russ to end up together. They both had easy-going personalities and were family oriented. I couldn't imagine Haven’s Bay without them.
“So how are the kids?” I asked.
“They’re awesome. Some days they make me tired, but I wouldn’t trade my life for anything. Little Russ will be in first grade next year, and Anna just turned four. I'm relieved to be done with the terrible twos and threes,” she said with a laugh.
A waitress came to take our order. Julie caught me up on all the happenings in Haven’s Bay. Her husband Russ was a good friend of Dallas’. He ran his family's timber and commercial fishing businesses. Julie had taken off a few years after she had the kids, and she was now finishing up college after-the-fact. She’d gotten pregnant when she was a junior in college. It hadn’t been planned, but they'd gone with it.
When it came to her asking about me, I paused for a second, wondering what to say. I knew from her friendly call that she'd heard the news about my engagement, but she’d promised not to pry. That itself made me feel like I could talk with her.
“All things considered, I'm okay. I wish I’d broken things off sooner. Mostly I'm embarrassed. It sucks to realize Alyssa was screwing around with Matthew behind my back, but I’d rather know now. Honestly, I was so busy with work, he was so busy with work, and everything was crazy planning the wedding, I wasn’t paying attention. I thought it would get better when things slowed down. But…”
Julie nodded, her mouth twisting in a rueful smile. “Well it's better that it happened now rather than after you got married.”
“Trust me, I know. I've thought about that a lot since it happened. It sucks, but I’m moving on. I don’t have much choice. My pride took a hit, but I’ll get over it.”
Ever since I’d spoken with Matthew at dinner a few nights ago, I’d managed to forget the embarrassment and how small I’d felt after finding him with Alyssa. Somehow seeing him had brought everything into sharp focus.
“How long will you be up here?” she asked.
Our waitress swung by to serve our sandwiches. After we were settled in again, I met Julie’s gaze. “Well, when everything blew up, my plan was to come up here and stay for the month. We were supposed to be in Italy on a skiing trip. I don't want to go back to New York right now because then I'll have to face all of our friends. It's not a big deal, just a headache. I'm sure my parents would like me to come down there for Christmas, but then it’s facing all of them feeling bad about what happened. I'd rather just do what I planned and take a break up here before I pull my life back together. Only thing was I didn't know my dad had asked Dallas to stay for the month. So, I have company.”
I felt my cheeks heating. The second Dallas passed through my thoughts, I recalled the feel of him buried deep inside of me as I came apart in his arms.
Julie took a bite of her sandwich and eyed me thoughtfully. When she finished chewing, she took a sip of water. “You know what Russ thinks?” she asked.
“Uh, no. What does he think?” I asked with a laugh.
She smiled a little. “He thinks Dallas has a thing for you. I know you used to have a thing for him.”
My cheeks were burning hot now. I could hardly contain the rampant curiosity about what Russ thought. Julie was one of my other close friends back when we were growing up. Thea and I might have been best friends, but I could never have confided in her about my mad crush on her older brother. Yet, I had confided in Julie. She never knew about that fateful afternoon when I tried to seduce him. But she definitely knew I had a thing for him. Plenty of girls did. He was crazy hot and sexy. Even more so now.
I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Seriously you're gonna go there?”
She leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Why not?”
I leaned forward as well. “Because I just broke up with Matthew. We were together f
or two years. I can't turn around and start up with somebody else right away,” I hissed.
Of course, I wasn't sharing the fact I already had. But Dallas and I were just burning off some chemistry. Nothing more, so I reasoned it didn’t count.
Julie didn't miss a beat. “So what? You just caught Matthew screwing one of your friends. The best revenge is to turn around and shove it right back in his face. Plus, if I read between the lines accurately, you and Matthew probably haven’t had sex in months, so don't go acting like it's some big betrayal,” she said with sly grin.
I rolled my eyes, leaning back in my chair and taking a sip of water as I looked over at her. “So maybe I had a thing for Dallas back then. Who didn't? My God, he was older and he was so hot. Now he's Mr. FBI agent I don't do relationships.”
“How do you know that?” she countered.
My cheeks got even hotter. I shook my head again. “Julie, it's not a good idea.”
“Why not? He's hot as hell. Russ thinks he needs to get his mind off of work anyway. How would a little fun hurt either one of you?”
I’d forgotten how persistent she was. I simply shook my head. “Fine. You've made your point. Can we move on now?”
Julie rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Okay, just one more thing. Dallas is a good guy. No matter what he says, he's got a heart of gold.”
Thankfully, she dropped the topic after that. Later that evening, I returned to the house. I'd been out longer than I planned, and it had started snowing again. It was dark, and the roads were slick. I walked inside, knocking the snow off my boots and hanging my jacket on the hooks by the door. Molly spun around my legs. I knelt down to greet her before she raced back upstairs. I could hear her jumping from the floor onto the bed in my old bedroom. She’d clearly decided that was her favorite place to be.
Dallas stepped into the entryway. His features were tense, and he looked almost angry.
