by Katie Ruggle
“He does, doesn’t he?” Otto didn’t sound annoyed. He sounded…bemused. When she looked up at him, wiping tears of laughter from her face, she saw he was watching her with banked heat and something else in his gaze—something that looked a lot like affection.
* * *
By the time they got back inside, Sarah’s nose was numb from the cold. She didn’t care, though. She would’ve stayed outside all night if it meant she could keep Otto company. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. He had to head in to work, and she had to quit clinging to him.
He walked out the door and then stuck his head back inside. “Lock the door after me.”
“I will.” The commanding tone made her shiver in a good way. Whether Otto was being sweet or bossy, she liked him. She more than liked him. Even though she knew she’d probably have to leave him, it was too late to protect her heart. It was already his.
She turned the dead bolt and then stayed there, staring at the closed door, long after the sound of Otto’s truck engine faded. Her plan of playing it safe and guarding her emotions had failed. It was time for a new strategy. Now that Aaron, Jeb, and Logan were all in jail, she could move back in with Grace, Jules, and the kids, but the idea didn’t have any appeal. As much as she was learning to love her new friends, everything inside her wanted to stay close to Otto.
Why did she have to run away from this? The thought sent a rush of terrified delight through her. She’d fallen for Otto. It was too late to stop it, so why not enjoy the time she had with him?
As the word enjoy echoed through her mind, she shivered in anticipation.
She’d do it. If she was forced to leave Monroe, then she would deal with it, but now… Now, she was going to soak up every single drop of joy she could. She started to smile. Otto was going to have a surprise waiting for him when he finished work the next morning. With a whoop that made Xena jump, she ran for the stairs. Her clothing options were limited, but she was going to find something that could pass as seduction-worthy.
* * *
Sarah lasted until almost midnight before an especially terrifying creaking sound sent her scrambling for the bunker, two dogs and one cat right behind her. She climbed into the bunk she’d been using, pulling the sheet and draped sleeping bag up to her chin. After reviewing her clothing options, she’d realized that nothing had been even close to sexy, so she’d grabbed an oversized T-shirt from Otto’s room. He’d seemed to like seeing her in that when they’d slept next to each other.
Xena and Mort jumped onto the cot, settling into their usual spots behind her knees and against her waist. Although she knew the dogs would annoy her all night with their poky feet and poorly placed bodies, it was reassuring to feel them curl up against her, their warmth and size comforting. Bob tucked himself in the curve at the back of her neck, purring almost silently. He was the quietest cat Sarah had ever known—not that she’d known a lot of cats, but she’d never heard Bob meow or make any noise, except for the one time she’d been rushing to get into the bunker and had accidentally stepped on him. He’d yowled then, and who could blame him? She still felt terrible about doing that.
She snuggled into her warm nest, deciding to wake up early so she could go upstairs and be waiting for Otto in his bed like she’d planned. That was her last thought until she woke up to a tickling sensation on her right cheek. Without opening her eyes, she brushed at it, grumbling wordlessly. She was so warm and still tired, and she didn’t want to wake yet.
A male chuckle woke her completely, and she lifted her eyelids to see Otto bent over the cot, his fingers lightly brushing her cheek and a sweetly smoldering look in his eyes.
“Hi,” she said groggily, lifting her hand to return the gesture, stroking her fingers across his stubbly face. He smiled at her, and it was impossible not to smile back. “I meant to be waiting for you upstairs.”
His smile disappeared, and he looked startled. “Upstairs?”
“Yes.” She’d been nervous about this moment, but now that it was happening, she wasn’t hesitant at all. This felt right. “In your bed.”
He swallowed, and she watched his throat, loving that she could affect him so strongly. Instead of saying anything else, she slid her fingers to his jaw and down his neck. Once she got to his shirt collar, she paused, self-consciousness finally kicking in.
“Unless you don’t want to?” Her hand dropped away from him at the thought. If he rejected her, or laughed, or did anything except grab on to her suggestion with both hands, she knew she would be completely mortified.
“I do.” His firm words pulled her out of her panicky thoughts, and she relaxed. “If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure.” Ever since she’d decided to do this, she hadn’t had a moment of doubt.
His smile was back, wider and brighter than before. “Let’s go upstairs, then. If I try to join you here, the whole cot will collapse.”
Pushing herself up onto her elbows, Sarah looked at the dogs and cat heaped on top of her. There wasn’t a single inch of clear space on the cot. She laughed. “Good idea.”
Her chuckle turned into a surprised squeak when Otto caught her under the arms and lifted her out from the heap of animals. Mort made a grumbly sound but didn’t open his eyes. Xena jumped down and slunk under the cot, the sudden movement obviously too much for her. Bob gave them both a condemning look, but he didn’t move except to twitch his tail in an annoyed fashion.
Placing Sarah on her feet, Otto pulled her against him. Immediately, her body temperature shot up as her muscles relaxed. It was a strange feeling to have two such opposite reactions simultaneously, but that was the Otto effect. He made her feel extremely safe and like she was about to jump off a cliff at the same time.
Leaning down, he kissed her, and Sarah quit thinking about dichotomies. Her lips parted and he accepted the invitation, deepening the embrace, using his lips and tongue and even his teeth to make her crazy with need. The world around them disappeared, and all she knew was Otto. When he withdrew, she made a sound of disappointment as she tried to follow his mouth.
“Upstairs.” If his raspy voice was any indication, he was just as affected as she was. “This floor will not be comfortable.”
“No,” she said absently, worried less about comfort and more about touching him. She flattened her hands over his chest, marveling at the strength living underneath the layers of clothing and skin. Once her fingers landed, she didn’t want to move them. He was so solid. Suddenly, she was desperate to see him naked—or at least shirtless. Her face heated again. Sarah had never considered herself so…lustful before.
“What?” he asked, walking her backward toward the stairs.
“What?” she echoed, dazed and overwhelmed by everything she was feeling, by the amazingness that was Otto.
He smiled his usual slow smile, although it had a wicked edge she’d never seen before. Sarah was pretty sure she loved it. “You’re blushing.”
“Oh.” She smiled back, and his eyes blazed with hunger. “I was thinking naughty thoughts.” Her heels bumped the first step, and she turned around to climb up the stairs.
Crowding close behind her, so close that it felt like he surrounded her, Otto asked, “You going to share them?”
Having him so close should’ve made her feel claustrophobic. Back in her old life, if her guards got within four feet of her, she felt crowded and desperate for space. Having Otto against her back didn’t bother her, though. In fact, it made her feel safe, because he was Otto, and he’d protect her. “Maybe.”
“Maybe?”
She loved his teasing, husky tone. He was usually so serious, and each smile or laugh felt like she was receiving a gift. “Maybe. Depends on how good you are at convincing me.”
“Oh, I’ll convince you.”
With a giggle, she slipped away and ducked through the closet, leaving the bunker door open so the animals could get
out. He followed her across the living room, up the other flight of stairs, and into his bedroom. His silent, steady progress as he stayed just a step or two behind her made her heart quicken. It felt like she was being stalked, but there was no fear involved—just a thrilling anticipation.
“Your bed really is huge.” It was the biggest bed she’d ever seen.
“So am I,” he said with a shrug. Then he went still, and he gave her a sheepish look.
Sarah burst out laughing. “Thank you for the warning.”
“I didn’t mean…” He trailed off, waving it away. “You know what I meant.”
“I do.” Now that she wasn’t being held against him, Sarah’s insecurities were returning. “I’m…ah, I’m not that experienced.”
“We’ll take it slow.” Reaching out, he took her hand and tugged her toward him.
She knew she needed to get it out before he kissed her, and her brain evaporated again. “I’m really not experienced.” He studied her thoughtfully, and she kept talking, worried about the silence that might fall if she stopped. “Having full-time bodyguards around kind of killed my social life. I mean, I dated a little in high school, but there was no one… There was really no one.”
There was another pause, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. Sarah got the impression that Otto was just taking his time, making sure that he chose the right words. “Thank you,” he finally said, before pulling her toward him and kissing her.
It was hard, but so, so sweet. Kind of like Otto is right now, she thought, giggling against his mouth. His lips tilted up in response, and all of her nerves disappeared, brushed away by desire and Otto’s smile and the complete perfection of the moment. This was right. She’d never been surer about anything.
It was all so natural. There was no awkwardness, no fumbling. Otto pulled off his shirt and eased her top over her head, and then they were kissing again. His hands on her breasts made her gasp against his mouth with wonder and delight.
He didn’t stop kissing her as they toppled down onto that huge bed, didn’t stop until he left a trail of kisses down her front. He slid her panties down her legs, leaving her naked and breathing hard and wanting more of him.
She couldn’t stop touching him, amazed at the smoothness of his skin over all of that muscle—muscle that twitched and flexed under her fingers and mouth. He was huge and strong, but she could make him groan with a single light scratch of her fingernail. It was incredible and so very arousing.
He left her for a few moments to shuck his pants and don a condom. When he returned, Otto rolled them over so she was on top, and that was a whole amusement park of joys to explore. Sarah touched him everywhere with her fingers and lips and even her tongue, until he was slick with sweat and groaning with need.
Even then, he didn’t push into her. Instead, he flipped them back over and did the same thing to her as she’d done to him—tortured her in the very best way until she was desperate. He kissed and lightly nipped her skin, his mouth and fingers discovering sensitive spots that she didn’t even know she had.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said as his lips and the air from his breath brushed against her bottom rib. “I couldn’t even talk the first time I met you. All the words were knocked right out of me.”
Her breath caught as he lightly scored her belly with his teeth. “I thought you looked like a Viking lumberjack.”
His chuckle made her insides twist and swoop. “Can’t decide if that’s better or worse than Hugh’s ninja-Paul-Bunyan comparison.”
“Both are good—and accurate.” She couldn’t stop touching him. Her fingers ran over the back of his head and neck, scratching lightly at his scalp. He shifted so they were face-to-face, his body caging hers. It should’ve felt claustrophobic, but she felt free and safe at the same time. She reached up as she pulled his head down, and their mouths met in a kiss that was wild and almost savage—and so, so sweet.
Finally, he entered her, and it was heaven.
As he moved in her, Otto watched her face, holding her gaze, giving her that complete attention that was almost as addicting as his hands on her bare skin. She kept her eyes open as long as she could, until the pleasure built too high and she had to close her eyes and let go, let everything go except for the beautiful, beautiful man connected to her.
He came right after she did, and she was entranced. It was just like when he made a joke or laughed, only even more so. She was witnessing something that very few people got to see—the secret and best parts of Otto Gunnersen.
Afterward, they lay on their sides, gazing at each other. Sarah memorized what he looked like, the angles of his cheek and jaw, his full mouth, his gentle expression and warm eyes. If she had to leave, at least she’d have this amazing memory of him. He studied her just as intently, and she wondered if he was also taking a mental picture of her.
She liked the thought of that, and she smiled. In response, his lips tilted up at the corners until it grew into a grin. There. She took another imaginary photograph, wanting to remember him just like this—gorgeous and so, so happy.
Chapter 15
“Seriously, who uses a fax machine anymore?” Grace fumed.
“The scholarship committee that wants you to fax their forms back before they’ll give those students a bunch of free money, apparently.” Sarah dipped her head, pretending to focus on the boxes of ammunition that she was stacking in the case. Grace’s annoyance was justified, but her wide gestures and pained expression were so dramatic that Sarah had to hide a smile.
Grace gave a drawn-out groan, and a small laugh escaped Sarah before she got it back under control. “But why? It’s like using a mimeograph machine. We’re beyond faxes as a civilization.”
“Why not just scan it in and use a faxing app?” Sarah asked, topping off the stack with the last, surprisingly heavy box. Standing up, she stretched out the kinks from crouching next to the ammunition case for so long.
“I tried,” Grace said gloomily, leaning against the wall. “It’s not going through. Satellite internet is just a tiny bit better than dial-up.”
“Where’s the nearest fax machine?”
“Dresden, probably.” As she spoke, Grace’s eyes widened. “Oh, this could be good!”
“It could?” Sarah blinked, startled by Grace’s dramatic change in mood. She was starting to look almost giddy.
Grace grinned, as excited as she’d been frustrated just a minute earlier. “Yes! Do you know what Dresden has?”
“Ski slopes?”
“Yes. What else?”
“Rich people?”
“Yes, and what do rich people like to do?”
“Uh…” A number of possibilities ran through Sarah’s mind—things that her father and Aaron had liked to do—but they were all slightly psychopathic. She tried to think of things that normal rich people liked to do. “Buy things?”
“Exactly!” Grace gave an excited bounce. “Dresden has shopping that doesn’t involve buying clothes at the general store.” Her gaze moved to a point behind Sarah. “No offense, Grady.”
“None taken, but you, missy, need to leave so that Sarah here can get her work done.” Grady spoke right behind her, making Sarah jump. She sent an apologetic look toward her friend, but Grace didn’t look at all abashed by the mild scolding.
“I’m leaving,” she said. “I’ll be back at… What time are you done here?”
“Four.”
“I’ll be back at four, and then we’ll go shopping in Dresden. We’ll celebrate your brother and his minions getting picked up by the FBI today. By the time we get home, Monroe will be blessedly Blanchett- and Jovanovic-free.” Blowing Sarah a kiss, Grace left the store, leaving Sarah feeling a little dazed, as if she’d been swept up in a tornado. It would be nice to shop somewhere besides Grady’s, though. She thought about getting some pretty lingerie that would make Otto go all caveman on
her again, and she flushed, giving Grady a guilty look, as if the man could read her wicked thoughts.
“Back to work, missy” was all he said.
* * *
To her disappointment, the shopping trip in Dresden was a bust. They’d barely gotten halfway there when the check-engine light had come on in Grace’s car. Both of them agreed to turn around, since the sky was an ominous gunmetal gray and neither wanted to be stranded somewhere in the wilderness between Monroe and Dresden. They’d returned to town empty-handed.
One positive was that Grady admitted that he had an ancient—but functional—fax machine in his office that he grudgingly let them use. While muttering about obsolete technology, Grace had sent her fax. She’d wanted to wait until the scholarship committee signed the forms and faxed them back to her, so she had stayed in the office while Sarah headed home.
As Sarah drove, small hard pellets of snow smacked against the windshield. An inch had already fallen and was sweeping across the road in white, frozen eddies. It had gotten worse now that she was on the other side of the pass and had turned onto the twisting, uphill road to Otto’s place. Everyone had been warned about the coming blizzard for so many days that it was almost a relief to finally have the snow arrive, except that she worried about Otto. It would make his job so much more difficult—and dangerous.
She glanced at the dashboard clock: it was just after six. Otto would be at work. She was tempted to call him, just to hear his voice and ask him to be careful, but she didn’t want to bother him. Besides, he was a grown man and a cop; he already knew he needed to be careful in snow.
The wind whipped up, pressing on the side of the car and sending a flurry of snow pellets smacking against the windows. Sarah usually enjoyed driving the twisting, scenic road leading to Otto’s, but tonight it felt as if she was going to get swept right off the side of the cliff.
The snow wasn’t thick enough to block visibility, but the wind was brutal. It howled and groaned, pushing against the side of her car so hard it felt like a giant was trying to shove her off the road. She realized she was hunched forward, her hands clutching the wheel so hard her fingers ached, and she forced herself to sit back, taking one hand at a time off the steering wheel so she could stretch them out. The car’s too heavy to be blown sideways, she reassured herself.
