Jacked (39 page)

I could actually describe it now, put a name and reasons to what I’d been lacking.

Why Nikki and I would never, COULD never work out. She could never understand the stress that came with my job. She could never empathize, not that I needed her to, but the girl had zero compassion.

Erin wasn’t just another naked woman on top of me. She was a kindred spirit, just as jaded, but maybe not quite as ruined.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” I whispered, combing her hair off her face, hating that that sounded like a bad movie line but no other words were more perfect to say what I was feeling. My spirit had been missing this sunshine, this brand of beauty, making me question if I ever really had it in my life before. One thing was for sure, I knew how rare it was to find it.

Erin instantly shied and dropped her face to my neck. Compliments made her humble and uncomfortable, which made her even more attractive.

“Not just on the outside.” I drifted my hand over her jaw and then tipped her chin up. “Look at me.” I waited until I had her complete attention; my fingers trailed down her neck to the hollow below her throat to the top swell of her breast. “In here, too. You’re beautiful inside and out.”

Her fingers sifted through my hair. “You’re not too shabby yourself.”

I cupped her ass in my hands, wanting to get her as close as possible, dousing my smile with her lips. I needed to climb back inside of her and rest my weary bones in a safe haven before I cracked.

I wanted to make love to her, to show her what I saw when I looked at her, to let her know how free I finally felt.

She tore her mouth away, pressed her cheek against mine, and rode the length of my new erection. “You need to get another condom.”

I couldn’t hide my happiness at that. “You up for another round?”

“Ten four, Officer,” she chuckled.

I wrapped my arm across her back. “I think I need to take you into custody and lock you away for a
very
long time.”

She shrank back. “Why? Am I breaking the law or something, or are you just looking for a reason to cuff me again?”

I really didn’t want to move, let alone reach for another condom. I was in her once without one when we were in the shower, though she was adamant I didn’t finish that way. Still, feeling her without one on was so much more preferable. Condoms sucked but were necessary evils. Both of our jobs required periodic blood tests, of that I was sure, so it would just be a matter of time before we felt comfortable enough to go without them. I’d surely see to that happening sooner rather than later.

I did, however, consider relocating her for a minute to get a set of cuffs. My partial erection was back to full on just on that thought alone. “You enjoy taunting an officer of the law?”

Erin kissed my cheek and then started to suck on my neck. “Why yes, I do believe I do, Detective.”

I flexed my hips, falling into the sensations of skin gliding over skin. “Either you need to roll off me or I’m going to take you bare. I’ll handcuff you some other time. Right now, I want you to have the use of your hands.”

I felt her teeth on my earlobe. “Why? You gonna ten eighty-eight me or are we gonna ten sixty-nine?”

That was it. I was done. I spun her over onto her back. “Ten eighty-eight means I’m going to lunch.” I glanced down her body, enjoying the entire package. “Or dinner. Whichever.”

“Looks to me like ten eighty-eight means I’m in trouble.”

I pinned her arms. “Oh, you’re in trouble, all right. I’m going to ten eighty-eight you until you scream. Guess it’s time to show you my happy version of
officer down
.”

MY BODY FELT
heavy but well rested, and unusually warm in places that used to feel vacant and cold. I nuzzled into the warmth, embracing it completely like a long forgotten blanket. I was absolutely positive the serenity flowing through me had everything to do with the woman sleeping peacefully against me. She’d rocked my world repeatedly last night, giving herself to me completely.

She didn’t hold back either; well, not that I could tell. We twisted together and tangled the sheets, made each other sweaty and winded, and somewhere in between, climbed into each other’s hearts.

Well, at least I can say with certainty she climbed into mine.

I felt her steady breaths and saw her eyes flutter under closed lids and I wondered if she was dreaming or just finding her own moment of peace in the chaos that threatened to engulf us.

It had been a long time since I woke to a woman in my bed. It had been
years
since I woke to a woman snuggled up tightly to me like this. Nikki hated cuddling. She’d yell at me and throw a punch if my feet came anywhere near her while we were sleeping. I definitely didn’t miss that.

But this? I’d forgotten just how enjoyable the middle of the bed could be since I’d spent my entire relationship with Nikki hovering near the edge of my side just to avoid the possible altercation. After a while, those three feet became wider than the Grand Canyon.

I shut my eyes, trying to force out the comparisons. I didn’t mean to do them; I just couldn’t seem to stop them when they came. Maybe it was my subconscious trying to scrub itself of the past, to justify my choices and actions and make them into decisions I can live with. One way or another, I felt like my entire world was shifting, that wrong was turning right, and the darkness was finally lifting.

Erin was still naked, just the way I liked her best. Future visions of her wanting to wear my tees to crash out in also peppered my mind. All in good time, I supposed, but after making love to her last night, we just pulled the covers up over us and stayed naked for movie night.

I rested my nose near her neck, imagining more naked Saturday night movie nights with her.

My
Doc.

Erin’s back was pressed up against my chest, her ass was resting on the top of my thighs, and my arm was crammed under her pillow, though the stitches in my hand were starting to throb. I pushed back the nagging pain; the rest of me was too warm and comfortable to give a shit.

Well, with the exception of one other part that was stiff and in need of relief, urging me like a barking dog to get the hell up.

I hated the idea of leaving her to even go take a piss, but the more I thought about it the worse it became. I kissed her bare shoulder and tried to gently pull my arm free, but she still stirred.

“Mmm… morning,” she purred softly.

I kissed her shoulder again. “Morning, Doc.”

She snickered and laced her hand with mine. “Morning, Cop.”

I bit her shoulder hard enough to make her giggle. “You want some coffee?”

“Cop coffee? Mmm… Sounds yummy.”

I drifted my hand over her cheek, not wanting to kill the mood with morning breath. “You want to shower first and then have sex or do you want sex now and then some coffee after a shower?”

Her soft laugh was like music to my ears.

“I think I’ve created a monster,” she joked.

I could definitely eat her for breakfast. “I think so, too. That’s okay. You like me anyway.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Who told you this?”

Her luscious tits were too much to ignore so I sucked the closest one right into my mouth. I sucked hard too, proud that I made her hiss. Her hand wove right into my hair.

Point made. I finished off with one swirl of the tongue. “I’m just guessing.”

The need to fuck her again was warring with my need to piss. The bathroom won out.

She rubbed my stubble-covered chin with a hungry look in her eyes that said “don’t take too long.” I playfully bit at her fingers, just as hungry. I wondered if I’d ever get enough of her.

As soon as I came back to bed, she hurried off to the bathroom. Part of me was hoping she’d brush her teeth too so I could kiss her until one of us stopped breathing. I had a partial erection on that thought alone; wouldn’t take much effort on her part to make me full-mast.

I heard her turn on my shower instead.

I tossed the covers off. Fuck needing an invitation for that.

ERIN SAT DOWN
on one of the island bar stools with the coffee I’d poured for her, watching me work.

“I hate to be presumptuous,” she started, “but it would be nice to make this into a tradition.”

I tossed the scrambled eggs over once more in the fry pan, making sure they weren’t runny. “What’s that?”

She glanced at me over top of her coffee mug. “You, wearing nothing but black boxer briefs, making me breakfast on a Sunday morning.”

I turned the burner off and smiled. “Is that so?”

Erin shrugged, brightening up my entire fucking world with her shy smile. “Just sayin’. I had a great night’s sleep, fantastic wake-up sex, you washed my hair
and
my entire body, and now you’re feeding me.”

I scrapped the eggs onto two plates, grinning hard. I could still taste her on my tongue, on my lips. Addictive. “Are you telling me that I’m spoiling you already?”

Her happiness was infectious. “So far, this day is better than Christmas.”

She made me laugh, though the idea of making every day with her better than Christmas was one I could totally get on board with. I pointed toward the counter. “Santa will put you on his naughty list if you don’t get up off that luscious ass and go butter some toast.”

She hopped off the chair and sauntered over to me. “Oh really?”

I wanted to give her the spatula treatment and then climb inside her again for the challenge. “Really. But I’ve got bacon to attend to. And I’m mostly naked, so I have to pay attention.”

Erin’s fingers drifted over my bare shoulders, sending shudders all over my body. “We wouldn’t want you to get first degree burns, although I am medically qualified to treat your wounds.”

I’ll treat your wounds.
“So you’re saying after breakfast you want to go play doctor? I’m there.” I opened the drawer containing my silverware, letting her know where things were located.

She grabbed a butter knife. “I most definitely created a monster. A cop monster.”

I pinned her to the counter and swept her hair aside. “This from the woman who is parading around my kitchen wearing nothing but one of my tanks and a pair of
my
boxers?” I dipped my hand inside the elastic waistband while zeroing in on her neck. “I can’t help myself. It’s coercion. There isn’t a court in the world that would side with you on this one.” I felt myself getting hard again. What was it with this woman? She was like living Viagra.

Erin giggled when I bit her earlobe. “I think your bacon is burning.”

“I don’t care.”

“Fire department might have other opinions about your cooking techniques if you burn your house down.”

“Fuck the bacon.” I spun her around and captured her mouth with mine, unsure if I was falling or if I’d fallen already. No matter how many times I kissed her, it would never be enough. She was my end and my new beginning.

The bacon made a loud pop, bringing me back from losing myself in her again.

“Bacon,” she said out of breath.

“You’re lucky,” I growled and kissed her once more for good measure. She jumped when I gave her ass a swat.

I layered the bacon on a bed of paper towels and pulled out the stool next to her at the counter. She was like a vision of pure sunshine sitting there, warming my day. I leaned down and kissed the side of her forehead before I sat down. “So, Doc, what would you like to do today?”

My cell rang, flashing numbers I didn’t recognize on my screen. I set it aside, uninterested in being bothered.

She took a sip of her coffee. “Not sure.” She shimmied in her seat.

I went with my hunch, teasing her. “You sore or something?”

Erin tried to shrug it off. “Not really. Well, maybe, just a little; back of my thighs ache a little.”

I couldn’t hide my grin. Mission accomplished. I put another spoonful of salsa on top of my eggs. After all, I earned it. “Good.”

Her fork stopped midair. “Good?”

I finished chewing. “Well, not good because I plan on having you for lunch, but if you’re sore, that means I did something right.”

She knocked her knee into mine. “You must be so proud of yourself.”