The Secret Life of Bryan (22 page)

Her laugh this time was of real humor. “Your language is disgraceful.”

“Yeah. Bruce tells me that all the time. Sorry.” Idiot. He had a hundred things to apologize for. “I’ll never curse again.” Somehow her robe opened and his nose neared her breast.

“I don’t mind. It’s part of you.” She stroked her fingers through his hair. “You cut it.”

“Because Bruce cut his.”

“And you had to look alike.” Her fingers continued to slide through his hair, rubbing over his scalp, encouraging him. “Will you tell me about being a bounty hunter?”

“Yeah.” The single word was hoarse with need. “Later.”

He heard her smile when she said, “Then will you make love to me now?” Her breath shuddered out, and she whispered, “I need you.”

He might be an idiot, but he wasn’t totally lost to common sense. “Yes.” Please don’t let her change her mind. “Right now.”

Together they left the lumpy couch and headed to the almost as lumpy bed. Bryan kissed her with every step. He kissed her as he lowered her to the mattress. He kissed her as he untied the belt to the robe and spread it wide so he could see every inch of her.

She took his breath away. “So beautiful.”

“No, I—”

He pressed a finger to her lips. “Inside and out, Shay. Beautiful inside and out.”

Her eyes softened and she tugged at his shirt. More than willing to oblige her, Bryan stood and yanked his shirt off over his head. He had his fingers on his belt buckle when Shay sighed and said, “You’re the beautiful one.”

He stripped his belt away and eased down his zipper. “If you say so.”

“I do. I’ve never known a man as hard as you, who was also so kind and sensitive and caring.”

In a hurry to be inside her, he shoved his jeans down. Lust swirled around him in a red haze, making it difficult to rationalize, but still he felt compelled to remind her of a few basic facts. “My brother is the preacher, babe. He’s the one who helps people. I haul their asses—er, butts—back to jail.”

He lowered himself over her, settling his hips between her silky thighs, balancing on his elbows so he could cuddle her breasts in his big, hard palms. Her nipples were already drawn tight, begging for his mouth.

“Maybe,” she breathed, tipping her head back and offering herself to him. “But you fit the role of preacher
almost
to perfection. Take away the language—” She gasped as his mouth closed around her. He licked, taunted with his teeth, then settled in for a gentle sucking.

Shay groaned. “And you’re a natural.”

He moved to the other breast. In his mind, there’d been nothing natural about him playing keeper to a bunch of hookers. But they had become friends, and he’d learned a hell of a lot. “If you say so.”

Her fingers laced in his hair, holding him tight to her. “I love it when you do that, Bryan.”

“This?” He carefully tugged with his teeth, felt her shuddering response, the way she quickened.

“No—but that’s good, too.” With a hold on his ears, she turned his face up to hers. “I love it when you discount your influence and effect on others. The women all benefited from you being there. They responded to you, and they all love you. No, don’t panic.” She laughed, kissed his chin. “They’re not in love with you. But they really care about you.”

“If what we suspect is true, then you have to exclude Amy.”

“No.” Shay shook her head. “She cares about both of us. She’s just confused and feeling lost. Her world hasn’t been a nice one. She needs more guidance—”

“You’re incredible.” Bryan brushed his hand down over her waist, to her hip, then to the inside of her thigh. Her blue eyes darkened and her lips parted. “Now hush and let me make love to you. Concentrate on me and what I’m going to do to you. Not anyone else.” His fingers touched her, and she was already slippery wet and hot. Perfect.

“What are you going to do to me?”

“Everything.” He pushed one finger barely inside her, teasing, making her squirm. The little catch in her breathing turned him on. Her scent, growing richer by the moment, turned him on. The way she watched him with trusting eyes made him insane with lust.

Bryan didn’t mean to say anything else, unless it was the usual murmuring of seductive, sometimes crude sex words. But Shay was under him, trusting and sweet and all his, and he couldn’t help but spill his guts. “No one will ever hurt you again, Shay. I promise.”

Her breath sighed out. “As long as you don’t hurt me, I can handle the rest.”

Oh God, was that a promise he could keep? He was still a bounty hunter, and that brought with it a lot of travel, a lot of distraction, and all types of danger. He’d considered retiring to Visitation, but…with Shay? Would she even be happy there?

From what he’d seen, she had to be busy helping or she wouldn’t be content. He’d never spotted any hookers trolling in Visitation. Maybe she could apply herself to normalizing Jamie Creed. The guy was so weird, it was a task that could take years.

There were far too many unanswered questions for Bryan to box himself in. Rather than reply, he sat up beside Shay, caught her hips, and turned her onto her stomach.

She went motionless for only a moment, then peered at him over her shoulder. “What are you doing?”

He bent and kissed the small of her back, at the same time wedging his hand between her thighs. “Spread your legs.”

Shock rippled through her. “What?”

He didn’t wait for her to comply. Instead he caught her legs and drew them wide apart.

Damn, she looked good like that, with her graceful spine exposed, her bottom jutting up and her legs open. “I love your ass.”

Enjoying the sight of his dark hand against her pale cheeks, he patted and stroked her bottom, leisurely traced the dark furrow down to her sex, then used his fingertips to part her lips, gently probe and spread her wetness.

Her breathing accelerated, fast and deep, and then he worked two fingers inside her tight little vagina. He heard her raw groan, and smiled in nearly painful pleasure. “Relax and let me touch you, Shay.”

Pressing her face into the mattress, knotting her hands in the sheet, she fought the urge to squirm—and lost. She was such a sensual woman, so open and giving.

Bryan traced kisses up and down her spine, from her nape to the small of her back. He nibbled on her full bottom, and he relished the signs of her heightened arousal. When she began shaking all over, her thighs tensed and her breathing harsh, he turned her.

For a time, he simply looked at her, rosy with sexual heat, her sex swollen and wet, her nipples tight.

Promises or not, she was his, damn it. Only his. “Come for me, Shay.” He bent and kissed her hard, then thrust his fingers back inside her. Using his thumb, he found and pressed her distended clitoris, working her, urging her. She screamed into his mouth, her hips rising hard against his hand, her fingers tangling tight in his hair. It was wonderful. She was wonderful.

Long moments later, when Shay collapsed, Bryan said, more to himself than the limp woman beside him, “Condom. Can’t forget the condom.” But it was tempting. He wanted to slide into her, flesh on flesh, to relish the natural friction of her body accepting his. He’d never felt that way before, never once considered tempting fate. But now, with Shay, he hated having any barriers between them.

He dropped the cursed rubber twice before he got the packet open and got it rolled on. His hands were shaking. He was so primed he knew he’d be lucky to last for two full strokes.

He lifted Shay’s legs, then draped them over his shoulders. When he leaned forward, her knees pressed into her breasts.

That got her eyes open. In breathless anxiety, she whispered, “Bryan?”

She was wide open, vulnerable to him and what he wanted of her. And he wanted everything.

“It’s okay, babe. Relax.” Staring down at her lush, pink sex, he positioned his cock and, thanks to the orgasm that had left her creamy and hot, began sinking into heaven. “Jesus. Better than okay.” His teeth clenched. “Fucking incredible.”

Shay braced her arms against his chest, but she couldn’t hold him back. She breathed hard, a little unsure of things, yet he could feel her muscles clamping around his cock, squeezing him, and it just felt too good to stop. “Tell me if I hurt you.”

Her nails dug into his pecs. She groaned. He was deep, so damn deep. He pulled back—and thrust in again.

Her slender body arched under his with a gasp.

That was one, he thought, his jaw locked, his forehead damp, his every muscle straining. He rocked in once more, slowly withdrew, back in hard—and her vibrating moan sent him over the edge. Three. A lousy three strokes…ah, to hell with it.

He gave himself over to the mind-blowing release, his body draining of energy, tension, need. He growled out his pleasure, pressed as deep inside her as he could get.

And as he went limp over her, she started coming again, too, in small spasms that he felt from inside her. It was enough. It was too much.

Time passed while his mind slowly recovered and his body sank deeper into lethargy.

“Bryan?”

He grunted, which was the best he could manage with her knees still against his ears.

Her fingers glided up and down his back. Her lips pressed into his sweaty shoulder. And in a voice so gentle that he barely recognized it as Shay’s, she whispered, “I love you.”

Bryan drew out his cell phone and punched in a number he knew by heart.

Joe answered on the first ring. “Winston here.”

Skipping common courtesy, Bryan asked, “How bored are you?”

Joe laughed. “I’m married to Luna, remember? Never a dull moment to be had. Why, whatcha got going?”

Though Joe couldn’t see him, Bryan shrugged. “A plan to catch a rat bastard who likes to use and hurt women. But I could use a little help.”

Joe’s voice lowered, probably so Luna wouldn’t hear. “Sounds like fun. Count me in.”

“You don’t even know what you have to do yet.”

“Doesn’t matter. But then you knew that before you called, right?”

Bryan hadn’t had any doubts about Joe lending a hand, but he had expected to do more explaining. Luckily, he didn’t have to, since most of Joe’s questions would be tough to answer. “Pretty much, yeah.”

“That’s what I figured.” He could almost hear Joe rubbing his hands together in anticipation. “So, you coming here or am I coming there?”

“The first.” Bryan glanced down at Shay, curled at his side, almost but not quite asleep. In such a short time, she’d become so precious to him. Just looking at her pleased him. “And I’m bringing Shay with me.”

“And Shay is?”

That one was easy enough to answer. “Mine.”

“Ah.” Amusement filtered into Joe’s deep voice. “Gotcha.” And then, with a dose of facetious regret, “Alyx will be brokenhearted.”

Bryan snorted. Alyx Winston, Joe’s kid sister, was a bona fide terror. She’d flirted with him—but then, she flirted with every guy around. He didn’t envy the poor sop who ended up with her. She’d be a handful, and then some. “Alyx will survive.”

Joe let that go. “So when will you be here?”

“Tonight sometime. I’ve only got a few more pieces to get in place, then we’ll head out.”

“Great. Plan on eating dinner with us. Luna will insist.”

It was Bryan’s turn to be amused. “Sure. Give Luna my love.”

“No.” Usually Joe would have hung up on him at that point, but this time he said, “Watch your back. At least until you get here and I can watch it for you.”

“Thanks.” Bryan disconnected the call, turned to Shay and stroked her hair. “You asleep, babe?”

“Not yet.”

His heart clenched at the empty tone of her voice. “Try to rest. We don’t have to be anywhere for another hour or so.”

She nodded, but she was far too subdued. He was used to Shay’s exuberance, her boundless energy. She was a take-charge kind of woman, not the type to sit back while plans were formed around her.

Her declaration of love had left him floundering for a reply, but Shay had eased through the awkward moment without his help. In fact, she’d slugged him in the shoulder and said, rather succinctly, “Get off. You weigh a ton.”

She’d even groaned theatrically while straightening out her legs. Then she’d smiled, stretched, and rolled to her side to sleep.

Only she wasn’t asleep. She was brooding. Or worrying. And he couldn’t bear it. “We’ll stop by the safe house last. I want you to tell them all that you’re going with me—Bruce—to Visitation until we can find out who tried to hurt you. Bruce will be able to keep an eye on Amy, and if she contacts anyone, or tries to follow, we’ll know.”

Without opening her eyes, Shay said, “You think she’s working with someone?”

“Yeah, I do. Maybe one of Freddie’s cronies. Maybe just another goon. I don’t know. But either way, I’m not taking any more chances with you. Bruce will keep an eye on things here, and Joe will help keep an eye on us in Visitation. Someone is bound to make a move, and this time, we’ll find out exactly who it is.”

Shay rolled to her back, sighed, and then sat up beside him. Eyes solemn, expression weary, she said, “I’m not tired, Bryan.” She drew a breath. “How about we just get this over with?”

“It’s a long drive to North Carolina. Probably five or six hours.”

“Then let’s go now so we get there before dark.” Naked, she climbed out of the bed. “With any luck, we can sleep tonight without any worries.”

“You’ll sleep with me, either way.” He wanted that much to be clear. Problems or not, he wasn’t letting her go. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

Shay gave a gentle smile. “I would have insisted, if you hadn’t. Now get a move on, lazy. We’ve got things to do.”

She said it with all the take-charge attitude he was used to, but her eyes told the real story. Too much had happened in too short a time, leaving her depleted.

Never mind that he’d rejected her a few weeks ago, he wanted the old Shay back.

Somehow, some way, he’d manage it.

I
t hadn’t been easy, gathering everyone together. Amy had to leave work early and Morganna would have to go in late. They all clustered around her, full of concern and advice, her
friends,
and Shay refused to believe any of them would do her harm. It just didn’t seem possible.

Amy, especially, clung to her side, full of guilt. “I should have stayed with you.”

“What good would that have done?” Bryan’s tone was casual enough, but Shay saw the speculation in his dark eyes.

“I don’t know. The door wasn’t locked when I left, but maybe I pulled it closed. Maybe I locked it by accident.”

Barb scowled ferociously. “Don’t be stupid. It has a key that you have to turn. Did you turn a key? No. So it wasn’t your fault.”

Normally Barb’s lack of patience got on everyone’s nerves. But this time, Morganna patted Barb, as if to soothe her. “The preacher’s right, Amy. There wasn’t anything you could do. We should be thankful that Shay wasn’t hurt.”

“I
am
thankful,” Amy gasped, sounding horrified.

Barb rolled her eyes. “You’re all pathetic. I’m going to go put on coffee. Be right back.”

“None for us,” Bryan said. “We need to get on the road. I’m going to stash Shay with some distant relatives. They live off on some private acreage in Visitation, North Carolina. It’s a nice, peaceful little town. Plenty safe.” He handed Morganna a slip of paper. “Here’s the address, in case the cops need to get in touch with us. My cell phone number is on there, too.”

Shay knew he’d given the address for his trailer. Never would Bryan risk leading criminals to his friend’s house, especially since Joe and Luna had two kids to protect.

“There are directions on the back.” He stared at Amy, alert to any small nuance. “You know, in case the cops need them.”

Amy wasn’t paying any attention. She was too busy wringing her hands.

Barb snatched the paper away from Morganna. “I’ll put this in the kitchen drawer, so we don’t lose it. Since I’m the only one here during the day, I’d probably be the one to talk to the cops if they call.”

Bryan nodded. “True. Don’t lose it, okay?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why would I lose it?”

Shay smiled. “You wouldn’t. Look at how organized you are. You do a great job keeping things in order around here.”

Morganna again patted Barb while looking at Shay. “Now that you’ve taught us how to cook and stuff, we’ve been pitching in more. It’s not fair for all the work to fall on Barb.”

“It’s my job,” Barb protested.

“But we don’t mind helping you. It’s almost fun.” Morganna wrinkled her nose. “Not the cleanup, but we even help with that.”

Barb turned on her heel and stalked away.

Sighing, Shay gave up. Barb would always be bristly. She’d hoped to eventually soften her, but while Barb had always been friendly, she continued to snap and growl at everyone within range. Apparently, grouchiness was an innate part of her personality.

Shay embraced Morganna, then Patti, and lastly Amy. “Don’t worry, Amy. Everything will be okay. I promise.”

Amy shook her head. “I don’t know. Every time things look good, something else happens. I wonder if it’ll ever end.” She held Shay’s hand. “North Carolina is so far away. But at least you’ll be safe.”

“Yeah,” Patti added. “Better that you’re not here, than to take a chance on getting hurt.”

“No one wants that,” Morganna agreed. “We all like you too much.”

They all sounded so sincere. And yet…someone had tried to trap her in the house. Someone had set the fire.

Shay only prayed that someone wasn’t Amy.

The minute they hit the highway, Shay fell asleep and stayed asleep for most of the ride. That suited Bryan fine, because she needed the rest and it freed him to keep a close watch on the surrounding traffic. No one followed them.

He didn’t know whether he was relieved or disappointed.

Once they hit the older, winding roads, and by necessity had to slow down, Shay stirred and finally awakened. “We’re there?”

“Almost. We’re in Welcome County. We’ll reach Visitation soon.” He reached for her hand, rubbed her palm with his thumb.

Sleepily she pushed her hair out of her eyes, then straightened and looked out the window with interest. Sunlight bathed her face, broken only by shadows from the tall trees that bordered either side of the road. The wide highway had turned into a narrow, rough asphalt road with only an occasional house or trailer to be seen along the way. For all intents and purposes, they were away from the real world.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Yeah,” Bryan said, staring at her profile, “very beautiful.” She didn’t say anything else, and that bugged Bryan. “What are you thinking about?”

“This. Us.” She gave up her perusal of the road. “I’m wondering…”

“What?”

“Does it still bother you that I’m rich?”

Stunned, Bryan realized he hadn’t really thought about the money issue. Mostly he’d concentrated on feeling deceived. But the money
was
something to consider. He was a working-class schmuck, making forty-five grand a year, with an occasional bonus. He lived a frugal life. He had basic tastes. Caviar? Forget it. Mercedes? In his dreams.

The thing was, he couldn’t quite picture Shay sucking down fish eggs or trolling around in fancy wheels, either. He knew her simply as Shay, the woman who made herself at home in a safe house and had makeup and tea parties with trollops and chased him to ground with incredible energy.

“Bryan?”

He shrugged. “I dunno,” he said, for lack of anything more intelligent. “How rich are you?”

“Filthy rich.”

That made him grin. She said it like an admission of murder. “You don’t act it—I mean, most wealthy people are snobs.”

“Really?” One eyebrow arched up a good inch. “How many wealthy people do you know?”

He had the grace to feel sheepish. “Uh, not many.” He could think of only a few. “I nabbed a couple of embezzlers who tried to skip town. They were rich for about two weeks. And there was this one hoity-toity broad who ran off with her Latino gardener. Took me months to track her down and drag her back, kicking and screaming like a banshee.”

“So now it’s a crime to run off with your lover?”

“Only when you clean out the accounts and steal hubby’s car to boot.” He smiled at her. “And I know you.”

“That’s a small percentage of people to use as a measuring stick. I’ve known plenty, and I can honestly say that sometimes they’re snobs, sometimes not.”

He squeezed her hand. “You’re not.”

“No. For the most part, I don’t even think about the money except in how it can help make a difference to other people. But I take it for granted, too. Like buying the women clothes…It’s easy to be generous when all you have to do is make a phone call.” She looked down at their twined hands. “It’s those people who give their time and their hearts that make a big difference.” Her gaze lifted to his. “People like you.”

“Bullshit. I was doing a con to catch a criminal, that’s all.”

“Maybe in the beginning,” she agreed. “But you’re not fooling me. You care. About all of them. About most people.”

“If that’s true, then the same can be said of you. Right from jump, you understood the women and what they needed. That takes a special kind of insight and empathy.” Damn it, now that he’d accepted how genuine she was, he didn’t want her to minimize her contributions.

Whether or not she believed him was anyone’s guess, because she changed the subject. Shifting toward him, she said, “I’ve dated off and on over the years. Some nice men, some total jerks.”

“Do I need to hear this?” Bryan hated the idea of her with other men. Her husband was one thing, but just dating for the fun of it? That rankled.

“You’re the first guy who was actually turned off by my money. Usually it’s the opposite. My money is the big draw.”

“Guys chased you for your money?” He hadn’t considered that, but it seemed likely. There were a lot of bums in the world.

She nodded. “Men look at me and all they see are dollar signs.”

Oh, for the love…He snorted. “Babe, I know you don’t want to hear this, but you’re incredibly sexy.”

She slanted him a skeptical look.

“Totally stacked.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Hot as hell. Beautiful.” He glanced at her, and teased, “Great rack and a killer ass.”

That made her laugh.

“Don’t you think a few guys probably chased you for that reason?”

She made a silly face. “I doubt it, but that’d be no better than the other. Looks, money, they don’t matter.”

“If you say so.”

“Do they matter to you?”

His brow arched. “I’m sure as hell not going to complain about your ass.” When she started to frown, he said, “All right, all right. Bad joke.” He drove in silence for a few seconds, gathering his thoughts, before saying, “I’ll admit it was seeing you drunk that totally reeled me in.”

“Be serious.”

“I am serious. You were so adorable. You’d left yourself totally open to the women. They made you look like a deranged clown, and you didn’t mind. You looked at them and saw them as real people with real needs and hopes. You cared. And that made me look at them the same.”

A flattered blush colored her cheeks. “I had fun. More fun than I’ve ever had attending board meetings or trying to squeeze donations out of my acquaintances. In fact, I’ve been thinking of pawning that part of the job off on Dawn. She’s so diplomatic, so easy to be around. She’d be perfect for that end of things.”

“I like her.” Dawn was a bossy little woman who obviously cared a lot about Shay. And truthfully, he loved the idea of Shay having more time for him.

“Dawn likes you, too—now that I explained everything to her. She saw right off that you were different from any other guy I know.”

“Because I’m poor?” She scoffed, but Bryan said, “I’m serious, Shay. The money issue runs both ways. You’re in the social spotlight a lot, whereas I’m a social misfit.”

Her smile went crooked. “At least I know you don’t want me for my money.”

“And because of that, you’ll overlook the rest?”

She moved her hand to his thigh. “There’s also the fact that you’re an incredible lover.”

His heart jumped. “Glad you noticed.”

“So much modesty.” She traced little circles on his thigh. “But you know, I do have one complaint.”

“Yeah?” His testicles tightened. “What’s that?”

Her fingers inched higher, coming dangerously close to the peril point.

“Careful there.” He caught her wrist.

“There, you see?”

“I see that I’m trying to drive and you’re trying to make me wreck.” It never took much for him to get hard around Shay. A look. A smile. Put her hand millimeters away from his cock, and he was a goner.

He shifted uncomfortably in the restrictive jeans.

“You always take control, Bryan.” Shay strained against his hold. “But I want to touch you, too.”

A wave of heat swelled and shuddered through him and he nearly groaned. “Fine. You can touch all you want.”
Yes.
“But later. When we’re in bed. Or at least not in a car.”

“You say that
now.
But you always end up doing stuff to me instead.” He didn’t really put his all in holding her back, and her hand slid up another inch.

Her fingertips touched his scrotum, then gently cupped him.

“Jesus, Shay, honey, give a guy a break, okay?” But he didn’t move her hand, and he could have. Hell, he had eighty pounds of muscle on her. He was hard and she was soft and he liked it that she wanted to touch him.

She skirted closer to him, straining her seat belt. Her breasts pressed into his right biceps. In a husky whisper, she said, “You know how you kissed me?”

His jaw clenched.
Don’t ask, don’t ask…
“How?”

She ducked her head, hesitated, then whispered, “Between my legs?”

Oh, shit. His fingers locked around the steering wheel, and his voice went deep and hoarse and raw. “I love how you taste, baby. Especially when you’re primed and nearly there and so damn wet—”

Her fingers smashed over his lips. Her fast, hot breath pelted his throat. “Shush, Bryan.” She sounded as affected as he felt. “I’m trying to tell you that I want to kiss you like that, too.”

Lust hit him like a ton of bricks. If he’d been standing, his knees would have buckled. Shay’s mouth on him, sucking, licking? He’d never survive it.

“I want to pleasure you,” she whispered, as if she wasn’t killing him by small degrees, “the same way you pleasured me.”

“Not the same,” he groaned.

“I know. It’d definitely be different when you come.”

He needed to lie down somewhere.

“But the idea of taking you in my mouth is exciting. I’ve never done that to anyone before.” Her fingers curled around his erection, nearly stopping his heart. “But I’m dying to do it to you.”

“Fuck it.” He couldn’t drive. Hell, he could barely see. “Let’s find someplace to pull over. Anyplace. You don’t mind a few weeds, do you?”

He sped around the corner, his gaze searching the side of the road for a clearing, and Shay’s attention caught on something through the windshield.

She gawked. “Bryan!”

Thank God for sharp reflexes. He saw the man in the road at almost the same time she did. Despite being a little sluggish, thanks to an iron boner, he slammed on his brakes. Gravel and dirt went flying. The car skidded sideways, the tires finally found purchase, and they stopped—about six feet away from the idiot in the road.

Too close, as far as Bryan was concerned.

Without a care in the world, Jamie Creed, the insane recluse, slowly pushed to his feet. He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t frowning. He looked as enigmatic as ever.

And he had eyes only for Shay.

In a fury, Bryan shoved the gears into park. He yanked off his seat belt, jerked out of the car and slammed the door behind him.

“God damn it,” he roared, “if you want to get killed, do it on someone else’s time!”

Serenity personified, Jamie said, “I had to make sure you’d stop.”

Bryan drew himself up. Strangling Jamie would make him feel better, but he had to admit, Jamie was right. If he’d seen him on the side of the road, he would have driven right on by. Not only did he dislike Jamie, but there was that tantalizing suggestion Shay had made. All he needed was a modicum of privacy.