Shadow of Vengeance (43 page)

“Now that your memory is back, should we stop?” she teased, knowing there was no way in hell she’d let him leave her room. Knowing deep down that if what they had together ended up being only a sexual affair and nothing more, she’d take whatever she could from him. A relationship based solely on sex wasn’t her style, but she could compromise where Owen was concerned. She might end up with a broken heart later, but as he filled her, completed her, she didn’t want to think about the consequences. He made her feel alive, wanted, desired. Right now was all that mattered. She’d learned a long time ago that the future could be unpredictable. Instead of worrying about a future that might not happen, she wanted to soak up every moment possible and enjoy being in his arms.

His breath puffed against her neck as he released a low chuckle. “There’s no way I’m stopping now.”
 

He pulled out, then thrust. She closed her eyes and pressed her head against the wall as a delicious tremor zipped through her body. “Not even if Bigfoot came crashing through the door?” she teasingly asked on a gasp.

Rocking his hips, he kissed her. When he tore his mouth away, he met her gaze. Her breath caught. The intense desire, the open intimacy in his eyes filled her with hope and love. “Not even if Ian crashed through the door.” He moved them to the bed. When her head and back hit the mattress, he thrust inside of her. “It’s no one’s business what we do,” he murmured against her ear. “I’ve wanted this for too long to stop.”

With her heart soaring, she clutched his broad back. His muscles bunched with each pump of his hips. The soft hair lining his chest tickled her nipples. As her orgasm drew near, she pressed open-mouthed kisses wherever she could reach. Never in her life had she thought she could have this—a gorgeous, sexy
and
intelligent man making love to her. He might not love her the way she loved him, but he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
 

As pressure built low in her belly and spread between her thighs, her heart raced faster. She
loved
Owen. She’d been lying to herself to protect her heart. She wasn’t half in love, or kind of in love with him. She full out, without a doubt, was crazy in love with the man. And it scared her. She gripped him tighter, raised her hips and spread her legs wider to meet every one of his thrusts. Loving him scared the hell out of her. If he walked away, if he looked at this as just a fling, the loss of him would leave a void in her heart and soul.
 

When he raised his body and braced his arms along either side of her, he dipped his head and kissed her. Refusing to think about anything but them, this moment, she met his kiss, and mimicked every powerful rock of his hips with her tongue. Every delicious slide of his hard arousal set her on fire. When he gripped her hip with one powerful hand and moved faster, harder, the slow burn growing in her core ignited.
 

Tearing her mouth from his, she dropped her head to the mattress, closed her eyes and gasped. A kaleidoscope of beautiful colors burst behind her eyelids. Inner thighs quivering, pure pleasure burst from within and radiated out, shocking every single sensitive nerve ending. As her orgasm multiplied, her inner muscles clenched and drew him deeper.
 

His breathing grew more labored. His movements became shorter, faster. “Beautiful,” he said, and stared down at her. “You’re so damned beautiful.”
 

His words, his amazing touch, his familiar, masculine scent collided together. She came in a rush, whispering his name over and over until he released a low, harsh groan.

Pulling out quickly, he released himself. Seconds later, he dropped his body on the bed and rolled onto his back. She turned her head and smiled when she caught him grinning at her. “You’re amazing,” he said, then dropped his gaze to her stomach. “And I need to buy condoms.” Pushing himself upright, he then reached for his undershirt and used it to clean her stomach.

“If you don’t, you’re going to run out of shirts,” she managed to say while trying to catch her breath.
 

Chuckling, he moved to the center of the bed, and took her with him. “No doubt, because I don’t think I can keep my hands off you.”

Snuggling against his chest, she curled next to him and ran her hand along his lean, hard abs. “That makes two of us.”

He kissed the top of her head, then reached down and touched her chin. Too comfortable and sated, she didn’t want to move. “Look at me,” he coaxed.

With a groan, she rolled onto him. Chest to chest, he ran his hand down her back. “I meant what I said about Ian. What we do is none of his business. I…ah…I’m not saying I want to hide our…relationship. I just don’t want it to affect our careers.”

She let out a sigh of relief. They were so in sync and always on the same page. “I agree.” She glanced at his chest and feathered her finger through his soft hair. “So…this isn’t just a…ah…casual, let’s have sex while we’re out of town fling?”

He gripped her bottom and pushed her body up until they were nose to nose. Spearing his hands through her short hair, he held her head. “When it comes to you, there’s never been anything casual. I told you I’ve waited a long time for this. I’m not planning on going anywhere.”
 

As he gave her a long, lingering kiss, his heart beat hard and fast against her own. She’d tried to tell herself she was maybe half in love with Owen, but had realized the truth tonight. She loved him. Heart and soul, she loved him. He hadn’t said he loved her, but what he had said had disintegrated the last barrier guarding her heart.
 

He wasn’t planning on going anywhere
.
 

After he reached for the lamp on the nightstand and turned it off, he pulled the sheet and comforter over them. Her body completely satisfied, her heart filled with hope and love, she laid her head against his chest and closed her eyes.
 

Chapter 18

FRIDAY

Rachel stirred, her active mind still caught between a fuzzy dream state and full consciousness. Clips of memories filtered through her head as she snuggled against the pillow and burrowed deeper under the covers. When Owen’s sexy grin filled her hazy thoughts, she took herself back to yesterday. To the playful teasing in his car, to the festival, to last night. Releasing a sigh of satisfaction, she replayed the way they’d made love, how he’d used his hard, gorgeous body to coax orgasm after orgasm from her.
 

A throb built between her thighs and she knew the one person who could fix it. Her body still lazy, sleepy and languid, she forced her arm to reach next to her.
 

Empty.
 

Damn.
 

Wishing Owen was still in bed, she shoved her hand between her thighs and cupped herself. She couldn’t help being greedy where he was concerned. She’d waited four years to touch him, hold him, live every fantasy she’d conjured about him. And now, it appeared they were a…couple.

Abandoning her need for sexual release, she rolled onto her back and rested her hands under her head.
 

They were a couple
.
 

Knowing the type of man Owen was, she believed that he’d meant everything he’d said last night.
 

This isn’t a casual fling, and he doesn’t plan on going anywhere
.
 

Thoughts of a bright future, one filled with fun holidays, family gatherings, a houseful of children, and late night love sessions filled her mind. Owen came from a good family. She’d had the opportunity to meet his parents a couple of years ago and had instantly liked them. Down to earth, loving, they were good people and had raised a fine man. Growing up with her flaky mother, she and Sean never had much. Holidays were just another day and there were no family gatherings. To be able to have a future filled with love gave her courage and hope. Giving herself to Owen, her whole self, allowing him to see the emotions she’d kept guarded would require trust. She trusted him, but being with him made her realize she hadn’t trusted herself. She needed to have the courage to be open with him, to not allow herself to close off the moment she didn’t understand a new emotion. Still, she wasn’t silly enough to believe Owen was in love with her like she was with him. She also knew that dreaming of the future when things between them were still new wasn’t necessarily smart. But it was hard not to become caught up in a fantasy when her reality hadn’t always been the greatest.

She stared at the rotating ceiling fan, reality now rearing its ugly head. They had an investigation to solve, a killer to stop and a missing boy in need of rescue. Although on the fence as to whether or not she wanted to pursue being a CORE field agent, she still had a job to do. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Just past six. She had time before she needed to shower and make their eight o’clock meeting with Jake and the Michigan State Police Inspector, Marty. Curling on her side, she let her eyes drift shut, then immediately popped them open. Tearing the sheet and comforter from her body, she quickly gathered her toiletries. Who was she kidding? Instead of lazing in bed, she had work to do.
 

As she showered and moved through her morning routine, she made mental notes of what needed to be done…things she should have done last night instead of going to the festival and messing around with Owen. Not that she had any regrets, but Josh’s life was at stake, and because of their investigation, Bill had been murdered.
 

Now ready to attack the day, she headed for her bedroom. As she turned the knob, she glanced down the hall where Owen’s bedroom door remained partially opened. Needing to gather her thoughts and do a little brainstorming, she entered her room, grabbed a notepad and pencil, then headed to Owen’s room. She knocked on the door and popped her head inside.

“Morning,” she said.

He closed his laptop, pushed the chair away from the desk and stood. “Morning.” Eliminating the distance between them, he pulled her into his arms and gave her a kiss.
 

“Why didn’t you wake me?” she asked and gave him a light swat on the arm.

He took her free hand. After leading her to the bed, he sat on the edge while she remained standing between his legs. “You looked all soft and peaceful. I felt kind of guilty for keeping you up late.”

“You don’t look like you’re feeling guilty.”

He grinned. “Okay, maybe I don’t feel
that
guilty. I’m a guy and it’s in our nature to be selfish.” He grabbed her rear and pulled her closer. “When it comes to spending time with you, I’m very selfish.”

She gave into temptation and kissed him. Her body immediately came alive. Before things spun out of control, she quickly stepped back. Wagging a finger, she shook her head. “If we’re going to get anything done, I think we’ll have to make sure a bed isn’t in the room.”

He leaned back on his elbows. “Who needs a bed?”

Her mind instantly conjured all the other places they could make love. Before she let her body rule her head, she moved across the room and took a seat in front of the small desk in the corner. “On that note,” she said with a smile. “I want to talk about a few things.”

He straightened and grew serious. “Us, you mean.”

“I…ah…no. I wanted to talk about the case, where we are with it and what needs to be done.” While she did want to talk about them and define their relationship, now wasn’t the time. “Unless…did you want to talk about us?” she asked anyway. Based on his assumption, maybe
he
wanted to talk about their relationship.

Relief crossed his face. “I thought we covered things last night, but if I wasn’t clear…I don’t want what we have to stop anytime soon.”

Okay, now he was opening up a can of worms. Now she questioned exactly what they had together. She had major feelings for him. Not like, but love. Maybe she’d read him wrong. Maybe this was just sex to him. “Good. I don’t want that to happen, either.”

“Thanks for the enthusiasm.”

She cocked her chin and looked at him. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’m totally enthused. You want sex between us to not stop anytime soon.”
Damn it. Think before you speak
. “Sorry, what I meant—”
 

He held up a hand and sent her a wry smile. “You meant exactly what you said. And I’m an ass for not making myself clear.” He shoved off the bed, then knelt in front of her. “When I told you this wasn’t casual, I meant it. We’re good together. In and out of bed.” Taking both of her hands, he held them to his chest. “Do you realize that other than my family, you’ve been the only other constant person in my life? I look forward to my mornings because I know you’ll be the first person I talk to. The nights…when I’m out of town, I can’t stand it if I miss your call or don’t have an excuse to put a call in to you.”

Heart racing, she stared at their joined hands. “I…I’ve felt the same way for a long time.”
 

He tilted her chin and snared her gaze. “You’re important to me. And I’m not about to take what’s happening between us lightly. I don’t want casual, I want complex. I want to give what we have together a shot.”

Throwing her arms around his neck, she kissed him. When she pulled away, she smiled. “I want to give us a shot, too.”

Grinning, he looked over his shoulder at the bed, but she cupped his chin and forced his attention back on her. “Don’t tempt me.”