Everything to Lose  

An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication

www.ellorascave.com

Everything to Lose

ISBN 9781419920783

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Everything to Lose Copyright © 2009 Katie Reus

Edited by Helen Woodall.

Cover art by Syneca.

Electronic book Publication January 2009

The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.

With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.

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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Everything to Lose

Katie Reus

Dedication

This book is dedicated to all the wonderful women in my life, but special thanks go to Sara Brown and Sarah Johnson. Your amazing support continually lifts me up.

Trademarks Acknowledgement

The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction: Adirondack Chair: Netshops, Inc. Embassy Suites: HLT Domestic IP LLC LTD LIAB CO. Hide-a-key: Hudson Lock, LLC LTD LIAB CO Jell-O: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

Chapter One

Caitlyn Sullivan pushed her Jackie-O style glasses back on her head and took a deep breath before getting out of the yellow taxicab. She could do this and she would do this. Just hand him the divorce papers. Simple enough. Yeah right, her inner voice screamed. When had things with Sean ever been easy? “You okay lady?” The driver with the thick Jamaican accent asked her. “Huh? Oh, yes, I’m fine.” That’s when she realized she’d been staring at the three-story building of the Orlando police department without moving. “Now remember, wait here. I’ll be back in less than fifteen minutes. Maybe sooner.” He shrugged. “It’s your dime lady.” Putting one black heeled shoe in front of the other, she forced herself forward. She normally didn’t wear heels but facing Sean called for some serious battle gear so she’d opted to wear three-inch sling-backs to boost her confidence. Her soon-to-be ex-husband had been refusing to sign their divorce papers for the past year and she was sick and tired of his childish games. He couldn’t handle her work as an aid worker, so there really wasn’t much of a reason to prolong the inevitable. She followed two uniformed police officers into the brick building and fought the rush of nausea threatening to overwhelm her. She clutched her purse tighter against her side, as if it provided some sort of protection. She stopped at the circular help desk. After two solid minutes of chatting on the phone, the college-aged girl behind the desk finally looked up, an annoyed expression on her pretty face. “Can I help you?” Normally she didn’t deal well with attitude but her stomach was too twisted to care. “Is Detective Sullivan in?” Somehow her voice came out normal. The girl rolled her eyes. “Yeah and no surprise, he’s in a foul mood. Third floor.” She pointed behind her with a pen. “The elevators are down that hall to the right.” Caitlyn already knew that but she nodded and murmured thanks anyway. She’d secretly hoped he wouldn’t be in. He did so much undercover work, the chance of him actually being at the station was slim. Apparently not slim enough. The short ride to the third floor did nothing to calm her nerves. She turned left in the hallway and tried to avoid eye contact with everyone. This wasn’t the best of circumstances and she didn’t feel like explaining why she was there to any of Sean’s coworkers. “Caitlyn? Caitlyn Sullivan, is that you?” a familiar looking man asked. She thought his last name was Ramirez but couldn’t be sure. “Yes, can you tell me where Sean is?” He completely ignored her question. “I thought you were in Afghanistan.” “I was. Where is Sean?” Her words came out more forcefully than she intended but she couldn’t do small talk. She was close to vomiting on her shoes and she couldn’t shoot the shit with a stranger in the hall. “Oh, right. Sorry, he’s just going over some paperwork in the one of the interrogation rooms.” He pointed down the hall. “Second door on the left.” “Thanks.” She pulled out the manila packet she dreaded giving him. Bile rose in her throat but she pushed it down. “No problem. Hope to see you around more.” He waved and disappeared into one of the other rooms. She stopped in front of the door and peered through the square glass window. Sure enough, there sat her husband. Heat involuntarily pooled between her legs and all the air left her lungs in one whoosh. His dark brown hair was, of course, too long and he still had that familiar semipermanent five o’clock shadow. And he looked tired. Lean, tired and as sexy as ever. She took the quiet moment to admire his profile. His brows furrowed as he pored over papers. That was an expression she was accustomed to in more ways than one. When Sean did something, he gave it his all, whether at work or in the bedroom. She squashed the longing threatening to bubble up and opened the door. He looked up once then glanced back down. She stopped in her tracks, shocked by his response but his head whipped back up just as quickly.

He blinked once. “Caitlyn?” His voice was strangled and he immediately stood. The scraping of the chair against the tile was deafening in the small room. “Hey, Sean.” She stood in the doorway, suddenly unsure of herself. “Come in. Please.” He motioned with one hand, his eyes never leaving hers but at least he didn’t make a move in her direction. The door shut behind her with a resounding thud. “You look good.” And he did. Way too good. “So do you. Better than good though, beautiful.” She felt heat creep up her neck when he assessed her from head to toe. Then she reminded herself why she was there. She couldn’t afford to fall under his spell again. Couldn’t afford to let his charm break down her resistance. “Listen Sean—” “How long are you here?” He took a step closer so she forced herself to stand her ground. “A few weeks. I’m not sure… That’s not important though. I came here to give you this.” She held out the manila envelope and when his eyes darkened, it was obvious he understood what was in her hand. Hell, if he didn’t know by now why she was here, then he needed his head examined. She’d only been sending him the same familiar packet for the past twelve months. “What the hell is this?” He snatched the envelope from her hand but didn’t open it. “Don’t start that. You know exactly what it is.” “I’m not signing these.” He started crumpling and twisting the pack in his hand. “I don’t understand why not. It was your idea in the first place.” She felt as if her insides were literally shaking but she managed to keep her voice even. “Damn it, Caitlyn! You know I didn’t mean it.” “Then you shouldn’t have said it.” She crossed her arms over her chest. Her heart pounded against her rib cage with such force she was fearful he could hear it. “I shouldn’t have said a lot of things,” he murmured. She rolled her eyes. “You’re right about that.” She couldn’t keep the hint of anger out of her voice. She wasn’t one to hold a grudge but he’d never actually apologized for the things he’d said a year ago and that just pissed her off even more. How hard was it to say the words ‘I’m sorry’? “Listen, I—” The door flew open, causing them both to turn toward the disruption. After a cursory nod in her direction, a young man in uniform she didn’t recognize spoke to her husband. “Sullivan, Captain needs to see you now. It’s important.” Sean turned to her. “Wait right here. I’ll be back in few minutes.” Without waiting for a response he strode from the room. If she’d had anything handy, she’d have thrown it at his retreating figure. His behavior was so typical. He didn’t ask her to wait. No, he ordered her to. “I don’t think so,” she mumbled under her breath. When she opened the door, the hall was empty. She half-walked, half-sprinted back down the hallway toward the elevators. Once she finally made it out of the building, she expelled a breath of relief. She squinted against the afternoon sun and her throat tightened when she didn’t see the cab. Just as she was about to panic, the bright yellow car pulled out of a parking space and picked her up at the curb. She slid into the back seat, ignoring the smell of old takeout food. She heard her name being shouted, but instead of following her instinct and turning around, she pulled the door shut and rattled off the address of her hotel. “Uh, Miss, I think that man wants to talk to you.” He motioned behind her but she still wouldn’t look. “Just go! I’ll pay you extra.” That got his attention. He turned around and a second later, the car jerked to life. Before they left the parking lot, she risked a glance through the rearview window and immediately regretted it. Sean had always been in good shape but he looked leaner, as if he wasn’t eating right. Not that it took away anything from his warrior stance. Nope. One hand was on his hip and the other clutched the brown manila envelope. Maybe this would get her message across loud and clear. She was through taking orders from him.

“Damn it!” Sean Sullivan shouted to the retreating vehicle. His wife was determined to drive him insane. For the past year, she’d been sending him divorce papers once a month. Each time he’d thrown them away. When she’d walked into the interrogation room, he was sure his heart had stopped. He couldn’t believe she was finally stateside. What the hell was she doing leaving like that? He’d asked her to stay. If she thought he was going to sign the papers and let her go without a fight she was delusional. Before going to see his Captain, he’d gone back to ask if she wanted something to drink and he’d seen her getting on the

elevator. Leaving him again. Turning, he hurried back toward the station and tried to get the image of her petite, lean body out of his head. Not that it mattered. He had her entire body memorized. Each morning for the past three hundred sixty-five days, he’d awakened with a hard-on remembering what it was like to run his hands through her long, thick red hair. Remembering what it was like to grip her hips as she rode him. Remembering all the weekends they’d spent in bed. Remembering… Remembering too damn much. He shoved the glass door open so hard it slammed against one of the doorstops, ricocheting violently. The loud sound echoed throughout the main floor like a gong but at least the lobby was empty. A few minutes later he was back in his Captain’s office. “Sorry about that, sir.” “I understand. I hear Caitlyn’s back in town.” Damn, word travelled fast. He ignored the comment and leaned against the doorframe. Normally their talks only lasted a few minutes. “You wanted to talk to me about something important?” “Coleman’s been released from prison.” “Repeat that?” He pushed up from his lounging position. “You heard me. An hour ago.” Sean rubbed a hand over his face and took a seat across from his boss. “How the hell did that happen?” “Judge let him out on bail until the trial.” “Coleman has unlimited funds and loose ties to the community. Is the judge on the take?” He shrugged. “Normally I’d say no but nothing would surprise me anymore.” Richard Coleman was a scum-sucking drug dealer who’d managed to stay out of jail because no one had ever testified against him. In the past, there had been one or two brave souls willing but they conveniently disappeared before anything ever went to trial. Until very recently, he’d been untouchable. Until Sean and his team had managed to infiltrate his group of thugs and get a couple of people willing to turn on him. “Do you think he’ll make a move against the witnesses?” He already knew the answer but wanted his Captain’s take on the situation. “I think he’ll try but he won’t be successful this time.” Only Sean, Captain Jones and two other men knew the location. Too many unsolved leaks in the past had made them paranoid about this case. If Coleman found the witnesses this time, they’d know where to look for the leak. Before Sean responded, the other man continued. “I think it might be a good idea to put you and Caitlyn in protective custody.” Sean stood up, shoving the chair backward. “What?” What the hell was he talking about? “He made some nasty threats against you. With Caitlyn in town, I wouldn’t take the chance.” He frowned. “Maybe you’re right but I’ll put her under my protective custody. We’re not going to some crappy safe house.” That would just push her farther away from him. The other man was silent for a moment as he tapped his pen against the desk. “All right but I want you in constant contact with me.” “Okay. I’ll talk to Caitlyn about it tonight. Thank you for the heads up, sir.” He started for the door but was stopped. “Can I give you some advice Sullivan?” He turned back around, one hand on the metal knob. “Sure.” He couldn’t exactly say no to his boss. “Compromise.” “Uh, I’m sorry, sir?” “Compromise. Don’t forget that marriage is all about compromise.” “Thank you, sir.” He nodded once, then left the room. Caitlyn’s safety wasn’t a compromise. Not in his book. Unfortunately, she might not agree with his methods. Before he went to see her, he had one stop to make.

Chapter Two

Caitlyn slammed the hotel door shut and quashed the tiny feeling of guilt at possibly disturbing other patrons. Sean definitely knew how to get her twisted up—in more ways than one. She quickly stripped, not bothering to hang up her dress, then marched to the bathroom. One way or another, she was getting rid of her tension. She turned the knob of the hotel shower and immediately stepped away from the pulsing stream. After a few seconds, the mirror steamed over so she immersed herself, taking pleasure in the high powered jets. It had been months since she’d enjoyed a real shower. The surging water massaged her back and neck but the relief wasn’t enough. No, she needed another kind of release. Turning around, she allowed the water to cascade down her entire body. Closing her eyes, she imagined Sean was with her. Touching and caressing every inch of her. Though she was loathe to admit it, she couldn’t help but remember what Sean used to do to her and imagine what it would feel like to have his hands on her again. He might be a control freak and act like a caveman sometimes but the man certainly knew how to use his hands. Nearly every morning during their first year of marriage he’d joined her in the shower before heading to work. Something she’d never tried until him. For her, sex had always been on a bed. Plain and simple. The shower wasn’t particularly kinky but once she’d let him into her world, he’d pushed every single limit she thought she’d had. They’d made love in restaurant bathrooms, in his squad car, everywhere and anywhere they could manage. Places that could have got him in trouble if they’d been caught. He’d been a demanding lover but even more giving. Groaning as memories assaulted her, she slipped on the loofah mitt and ran the sudsy terry cloth over her breasts and stomach in erotic circles. As she rubbed the thin material over her skin, she arched her back, fantasizing it was Sean doing those things to her. The day she’d left, he’d taken her roughly up against the shower wall. Their lovemaking had been primitive, almost animalistic, as if he’d been trying to brand her and convince her to stay. Leaning back, she let the ceramic tiles cool her body but not her pulsing need. The juncture between her legs ached so she lifted one leg up onto the built-in bench and leisurely stroked herself. With her eyes closed, she could envision one of the last times she and Sean had been together. One of her favorite memories. She heard the jingle of the shower curtain slowly being drawn back. She didn’t need to open her eyes though. Calloused hands stroked across her back and down to her hips, gripping her in a possessive gesture. Reaching around with one hand, Sean rubbed across her belly, then without any foreplay, reached between her legs. He teased her clit, sending shocks straight to her core. If he’d wanted to, he could have gotten her off in minutes. He was the only man who’d ever understood the exact nuances of her body. His cock rubbed against her backside as his hand rubbed between her folds. For a moment she thought he was going to bend her over and pound into her underneath the cascading water. A nice quickie before their day started. Instead, he teased her for a moment before clutching her shoulders and pressing her back against the shower, holding her there with his body. Taking his time, Sean rolled her nipples with his thumb and forefinger. The pleasure almost bordered on pain but she urged him on, arching closer to him. His head dipped down and he scraped his teeth over her neck, branding her like he so often did. He rotated between sucking her skin and feathering kisses the farther he delved, each caress extracting a wordless whimper from her. He caught one nipple between his teeth and tugged. Her eyes automatically flew open. When their gazes clashed, he didn’t say anything, simply grinned wickedly and continued his onslaught. Moaning, she dug her hands into his hair before clutching his shoulders and pushing him down. With her legs spread just so, he didn’t need much direction. Now on his knees, he stared at the wet mass of curls between her thighs. Instead of kissing her like she expected, he slowly inserted a finger into her pussy and curved it back toward him, effectively hitting her G-spot. The pressure applied to her tight sheath sent shivers to all her nerve endings. She clutched at the wall behind her, as if it could somehow ground her. Slowly, sensually, he started rubbing his finger back and forth, stroking one of her most sensitive spots. “Faster,” was all she could manage to gasp out. He continued torturing her but each time she got close to orgasm his hand stilled, leaving her aching and wanting more. The quicker the contractions around his finger, the slower he would move. She tried shifting against him, forcing him to stroke her but he removed his hand completely. The taunting look in his eyes told her he knew exactly what he was going.

Mutinously she stared down at him. In response, he winked and leaned forward, capturing her clit with his mouth. His tongue licked and circled her nub, working her into a frenzy. Moving against his face, she forgot everything. Their fights, their problems, the entire world faded away. Without having to request it, he inserted two fingers inside her and finally began rubbing her with the speed she needed to find release. As always, she tried to fight for some semblance of control as her body convulsed but inevitably, she let go. The combination of his mouth and hands proved to be too much. With little warning, he sucked hard on her nub and she surged into a violent orgasm. She wobbled once and her body went slack against the tile. A small smile played against her lips but when she opened her eyes, Sean wasn’t there. And she sighed. A mixture of disappointment and pleasure coursed through her simultaneously. Of course he wasn’t there and reality dictated she needed to get over him. She couldn’t keep fantasizing about him all the time. It wasn’t healthy. Sliding off the mitt, she threw it on the bench and twisted the water all the way to cold. She yelped at the shock it caused but was grateful for the rapid cooling effect. She quickly finished her shower, then tossed on jeans and a pink and brown hoodie sweater. Gone was the sexy dress and heels and she planned to keep it that way. It obviously hadn’t swayed her husband. After running the blow dryer through her damp hair, she grabbed her key card and made her way downstairs. Being in the room was too stifling. If she wanted to think of a plan to convince Sean to listen to reason, she needed fresh air to clear her mind. Caitlyn shoved her hands in the pockets of her hoodie as she strolled toward Lake Eola. It wasn’t quite three o’clock so people milled down the sidewalk, some jogging, while others walked their dogs or pushed strollers. March in Florida was perfect weather. No humidity, it stayed lighter later and people were generally in better moods. Spring was right around the corner and everything smelled fresh. She clutched her purse against her body as she started to cross the street. She looked both ways on Central when without warning an icy breeze blew up, chilling her straight to her bones. An ominous warning jingled in her brain. Instead of crossing, she stood between two parked cars and glanced behind her. She tried to shake the feeling that she was being watched. Something odd hung in the air. It wasn’t tangible but everything just felt off. A little over three years ago, right before her team had been ambushed, she’d experienced the same sensation in her gut. But she was on one of the safest streets in the city. Not in war-torn Afghanistan where she had to watch her back at every turn. She shook her head at her paranoia and made the decision to quit being a chicken. She’d taken two steps when the sound of squealing tires caught her attention. A nondescript van pulled away from one of the curb parking spots about half a block behind her. She clasped her pepper spray out of habit. Quickening her pace, she changed her mind and started jogging back to the hotel. It was as if everyone had disappeared. No more moms pushing strollers, no joggers, she was alone now. And the presence of that van unnerved her. In her peripheral vision, she saw the van come to a complete stop in the middle of the street. She glanced behind her and a man wearing a black ski mask jumped out. She didn’t think or scream. She reacted and did what she did best. She ran. Overseas, running was the only thing that kept her in shape. Now it was going to pay off. Or she hoped it would. Other than the sound of blood rushing in her ears, her feet pounding against the pavement was all she could hear. She thought she vaguely heard shouting but didn’t risk looking behind her. It would only slow her down. As she neared the street entrance of the hotel, her heart leapt when she saw people having cocktails through the window of the restaurant. Once she was inside, she’d be safe. Being around people equaled relative safety. She raced up the few stairs to the entrance and shoved at the glass door. The door ricocheted onto the connecting wall as she sailed through it. Finally, she risked a glance behind her and slammed into a wall. A wall with two steadying arms. Turning, she lifted her hands ready to ward off an attacker when she realized it was Sean holding her. “Honey, what the hell is going on?” “Man…chasing me…” she panted. “Stay here,” he shouted. As he ran toward the door, gun drawn he managed to yell over his shoulder at the concierge. “Don’t let her out of your sight.” Like she planned to run away? Hell yeah she was staying put. “Should I call the police?” The young man in the sleek black uniform clasped his hands tightly together. “He is the police,” she murmured, still trying to steady her breathing as she clutched her side. “Would you be more comfortable in our break room?” The young man gently touched her arm. She noticed some people from the adjoining bar gathering around and peering out at her. “Yes please.” She followed the blond-haired man around the main desk and through a private door, ignoring the curious look of one of the other employees.

She sat at a small, round table and gratefully took the water bottle he placed in front of her. “I’ll be back, I’m going to contact my manager.” “Of course. Thank you.” After what felt like an eternity, though in reality the clock told her it had barely been five minutes, Sean barreled into the small break room. “Are you okay?” “I’m okay, just shaken up a bit.” The small metal chair he pulled out scraped against the tile as he sat across from her. “Can you run me through everything that happened?” “There’s not much to tell. I was walking back from Lake Eola and a man jumped out of a van wearing a black ski mask. I just started running. I have pepper spray but I wasn’t taking any chances.” “Black van with tinted windows?” She nodded. “Yes.” “I got the license plate but it probably won’t matter anyway.” “Why not?” He stood up and pulled out his cell phone. “It’s probably stolen. I’ve got to make a call, do you mind staying here for a minute?” She shook her head and took a sip of her water because she didn’t trust her voice. He was handling this news much better than she imagined. Which meant he probably had some sort of idea what was going on. She couldn’t decide if that was good or bad. Half an hour later he was back and she was fuming. As soon as he stepped through the door she started firing questions at him. “What happened to waiting one minute? Is this about one of your cases?” He nodded and she didn’t miss his Adam’s apple bob up and down furiously. Definitely not a good sign. “Drugs?” She knew what kind of task forces he usually worked on, so anything involving drugs was the first and obvious choice. “Yes. For the past year I’ve been working on a pretty big case and we just hit our first break. I think this might be related. So does Captain Jones.” She inwardly winced. They might be headed for divorce but worrying about him was something she’d probably never get over. The past year she’d lain awake almost every night wondering what he was doing and if he was taking care of himself. Before she could respond he held open the door and motioned for her to go with him. “Come on.” She walked through it but still wanted answers. “Will you please tell me what’s going on?” “We’re going to your room and packing a bag.” He was moving so quickly she didn’t have a chance to argue but when they were alone in the elevator she found her voice. “Why do you want me to pack my bags?” “Because we’re getting out of here.” He answered as he pressed the button for her floor without bothering to look in her direction. “We?” “Yes, we. I’m not letting you out of my sight.” “I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what’s going on.” In reality she wasn’t going anywhere with him at all but she wanted answers. She was still arguing as they stepped out of the elevator and headed to her room. He ignored her. His stride was long and quick so she practically had to jog to keep up with him. “Will you please slow down?” She grabbed onto his arm, forcing him to meet her gaze. He jerked to a halt and turned to her, his expression unreadable. “We’ll talk once we’re in your room.” She nodded and let her hand drop. Instead of talking as he’d promised, once they were inside he grabbed one of her suitcases from the closet and started tossing her clothing and other belongings inside. When he turned his back to take more clothes out of the closet she sat on the suitcase. Sure, it was a slightly childish act but the man was determined to drive her mad. “What are you doing?” “You said we could talk.” “And we will, once we’re—”

“No! I want to know what’s going on. Now.” Maybe it was the way she said now but he finally stopped. He crossed his arms over his massive chest but at least he started talking. “A man named Richard Coleman made some personal threats against me. Me personally, not the department. To make a long story short, Coleman is heavily involved with supplying drugs to most of the East Coast.” “Let me guess, you pissed him off.” Despite his intense expression, a chuckle escaped and a brief smile graced his handsome face. Something she missed seeing. “You could say that. In addition to evidence, I finally found some people to testify against him.” “So what’s the problem?” “This is the first time he hasn’t been able to eliminate the witnesses.” “And you think he sent someone after me? Don’t you think that’s a little crazy, going after a cop’s wife?” She pushed up off the suitcase and took a more comfortable position on the bed. “He’s made serious verbal threats against me and with you here now, I’m not taking any chances. Especially after what just happened. He’s obviously moving fast so we’re leaving town tonight.” “No Sean. If you’ll just sign those papers, I’ll leave. Then he’ll see how unimportant I am to you.” His jaw clenched but he didn’t shout or overreact like she’d expected. Instead he walked over to the small refrigerator and pulled out two bottles of orange juice. Her heart leapt. Maybe he was coming around after all. Something strange happened at the thought. Tears threatened to well up. “Give me a second okay?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer. She escaped to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. Being around him shouldn’t affect her so much but it did. How could she even be upset? She wanted this. After drying her face, she walked back out. “You okay?” “Yeah, I’m just a little stressed.” “Here, this will help.” He handed her one of the bottles which she took greedily. She’d been too nervous to eat all day and her heart was still racing from the earlier events. She took a couple of sips as he leaned against the long dresser. “I don’t understand why you won’t at least talk about us or spend some time with me.” “What’s the point?” She hated saying the words but it seemed being blunt was the only chance she had of getting through his thick skull that they were over. “The point is you never gave us a chance,” he growled. “Please don’t start this. We tried and we failed. We’re just too different.” “Damn it Caitlyn, you’ve got to know I still love you.” The raw honesty in his voice tugged at her insides. She took another sip of her orange juice to avoid eye contact, then looked down at her lap. “I love you too but that’s not enough if you can’t treat me as an equal.” “I do—” “No, you don’t. You made your feelings perfectly clear about me and my shortcomings…shor…” In slow motion, she watched the small plastic bottle slip from her hand. The room started to spin and it was all she could do to sit up. “I’m sorry,” Sean murmured as he walked up to her and helped her lay back against one of the pillows. Sorry? She wanted to ask why but the words wouldn’t form in her mouth. Her tongue was too heavy. Before she had a chance to think about what was going on, blackness engulfed her.

Chapter Three

Sean pulled into the driveway of the three bedroom cabin his friend let him use while he was out of town for the next six months. The drive was relatively short so after long jobs he used the place to unwind. When he put his truck in park, he finally allowed himself a breath of relief. He’d only stopped once to fill up with gas and now they were no longer in Florida but southern Georgia, miles from civilization. Just like he’d planned. Caitlyn had mumbled something unintelligible a few times and the sedative he’d given her was due to wear off soon. He wanted to get her inside before she woke up. He knew he was doing a shitty thing but in his opinion, all might not be fair in war but it sure as hell was fair in love. He picked her up and tried to ignore her fresh scent. There was something she exuded that was all her. It didn’t come from a bottle and it had been driving him crazy since their first date. He still got hot when he thought about the first time he saw her. He’d been at the hospital, going to visit a friend and she’d stepped onto the same elevator and looked at him with her electric green eyes and he’d frozen. Literally. He’d stared at her until she’d glanced away, a little nervously he’d noted. Somehow, in the thirty second ride, he’d redeemed himself of his strange behavior and later that day he convinced her to have coffee with him. It might have only been in the hospital cafeteria but it was the only opening he’d needed. Before Caitlyn he’d never thought much about marriage or even short term commitments. Women were too much of a hassle and never seemed to understand his strange work hours. However, after their first conversation, he’d known she was it. She’d wanted to wait to get married but he wanted everyone within a thousand mile radius to know she was his. Balancing her delicate body in his arms he unlocked the front door and headed for the stairs located right off the foyer. Glancing down at her still form, he inwardly shook his head. It was hard to believe things had come to this between them. When they’d gotten married everyone had marveled at what a perfect couple they were. And they had been. After her miscarriage though, he’d handled things poorly. Blamed her for stuff that was out of her control. Anyone’s control. In a way, a small part of him was surprised she’d stuck around as long as she had, considering what an asshole he’d been. Now after five short years of marriage, he’d resorted to kidnapping his own wife. He gently placed her on the bed in the master suite and returned to grab everything else. About ten minutes later, everything was inside, even if it was still packed and downstairs. He’d just started preparing spicy Thai chicken and rice when a loud crash sounded from above the kitchen, followed by a string of colorful curses. Only seconds passed before she stormed into the kitchen, auburn hair flying around her face like a crazed Amazon warrior. “What the hell is going on and where am I?” Hands on hips, she stood under the arched entryway, looking ready to cut his heart out. And he was incredibly turned on. His cock strained painfully against his jeans. One tiny woman shouldn’t have such an effect on him. He cleared his throat. “Why don’t you take a seat and I’ll fix you dinner?” Instead of joining him, she mumbled another colorful expletive—one he’d never heard before—and turned on her heel and left the room. Sean returned to preparing dinner. He’d let her cool off. She might be angry but she’d get over it. After setting the table and pouring their drinks, he realized that it was quiet. Too quiet. He dried his hands and walked out into the hall. He had a partial view of the stairs but it was silent upstairs. His heart dropped but when he patted his pant leg, some of his fear abated. The truck keys were still there. As he turned back toward the kitchen a rumble from outside alerted him. Shit! He rushed to the front door and flew outside. He’d forgotten about the Hide-a-key under the bumper. Obviously she hadn’t. Kidnapping her had been a risk but he’d thought that once he got her here, she’d calm down. He should have known better than that. Taillights disappeared down the gravel path. He had two choices and no time to decide. He could wait and hope she came back but that wasn’t really an option. After a two second internal debate, he sprinted into the woods. Branches and leaves scraped against his arms, legs and face but he ignored everything. The path she was on curved around but he had a straight shot through the forest. If only he could make it around the bend before her.

Since it was dark and she didn’t know where she was going, he hoped she’d be driving a little slower. His heart pounded against his rib cage as he jumped over a fallen tree. The sound of his truck rumbled not too far away but he was still ahead of her. He pushed through a clearing and skidded onto the gravel road. Standing in the middle of the path, he crossed his arms over his chest and hoped she wasn’t so mad that she wouldn’t stop. Bright lights nearly blinded him but the truck stopped a couple of feet in front of him. Gravel flew everywhere. When the lights turned off and he got a clear picture of Caitlyn, he resisted the urge to run and hide. The statement was cliché but if looks could have killed, he’d be flat on his back and not breathing. She jumped out of the vehicle, her thick hair flying everywhere and stormed over until they stood inches apart. “What the hell are you doing? Get out of my way!” She pushed against his chest. Not hard but enough to make her point. As if he didn’t realize she was pissed. “Why don’t you just calm down and we’ll talk over dinner?” “I’m not eating anything with you. For all I know, you poisoned that too. And don’t tell me to calm down!” She stormed past him and continued walking down the road. He watched her perfect ass sway as she hurried off and fought his already growing erection. The path was miles from a main road and without any light she’d hurt herself. He rubbed a hand over his face. He hated doing this as much as he’d hated bringing her there the way he had but he wasn’t going to spend the night chasing her down. Not when they could be doing much more interesting things. He jogged after her and in one swoop, threw her over his shoulder. “Put me down!” She pounded on his back but he ignored her. Once they made it to the truck, he put her down. “I’m not staying with you so you might as well let me go.” A faint flush had risen over her face, like they’d just finished an all night marathon. That thought alone and his throat closed up. Any thoughts he might have had about letting her go vanished. In a few fluid movements, he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket and snapped them on her left wrist before attaching the other one to his right one. Gape-mouthed, she stared at him. Okay, maybe he’d taken it too far but it was a quick fix to his problem. “Are you going to get in the truck or what?” “Where is the key to this?” she demanded and held up her hand, pulling his along with it. “Back at the house.” He couldn’t keep the smug tone out of his voice. “You’re a monster,” she muttered before sliding into the front seat. He slid in after her and with a little maneuvering, managed to get them back to the cabin in a few minutes without crashing. The second they walked through the front door, she demanded the key but he refused. Dinner was interesting. He tried to make conversation but she ignored him the entire time. He’d been on the receiving end of her silent treatments before and it was something he’d never gotten used to. He didn’t mind when she yelled but when she wouldn’t even talk to him, his gut twisted. When they got upstairs however, she finally spoke to him. “Do you think you can let me go long enough to take a shower?” Before he had a chance to give a smart-ass answer, she elbowed him in the ribs. “When did you get so violent?” he asked, half-jokingly. “When my husband took acting like a Neanderthal to a new level.” She yanked her arm away when he unlocked the cuffs before slamming the bathroom door in his face. When he heard the sound of running water, he left the room and retrieved her bags. Then he took a quick shower in his room and changed into boxers. He wasn’t leaving her alone until he knew she wasn’t going to do anything stupid. Like try to leave in the middle of the night. Twenty minutes later she walked out wearing a towel. His breath hitched when her lips pulled into a thin line. He was good at reading her moods and she’d had a chance to cool down. He wasn’t forgiven yet but he was close. And that was a very good thing for what he had planned. “What are you doing in here, Sean? We’re not sharing a room.” Her voice was resigned, which made his gut clench. Okay, this wasn’t going exactly like he’d planned. “Are you going to try to leave again?” She paused, which was a good enough answer for him. He pulled out the cuffs again and she tried to struggle but she also had to hold up her towel with one hand. Thankfully for him, her need for modesty won out. “So you expect me to sleep in a towel?” Caitlyn yanked hard against him once, then let her arm go slack. “No, naked.” He couldn’t contain his grin. Her cheeks flushed a delicious shade of pink and she glared at him. “Fine, we’ll make this work but you get to sleep on top of the covers.” He started to pull down his boxers but she grabbed his arm and stopped him. “With your clothes on.”

He hadn’t planned to sleep naked, he just liked getting a rise out of her sometimes. When her green eyes flared a little brighter, he had to remind himself to breathe. It took some controlled choreography but they both managed to get into the bed without killing each other. When she was finally settled in, he took a chance. With his free hand he stroked her arm, savoring the feel of her soft skin. The pain of living without her had been too much and the rational part of him was having a hard time comprehending that she was really there in front of him. “That’s not a good idea,” she murmured and half-turned over. Away from him. He fought the pang in his gut. Why couldn’t she just yell at him and get it over with? She pulled as far away as she could while still connected to him. A few seconds later she turned back. “Okay, I’m going to lay my head on your chest but only because you insist on keeping me manacled and I can’t get comfortable.” He didn’t respond. Just let her stretch out against him. His heart beat erratically against his rib cage as her body lengthened against his. Yeah, this wasn’t going to work. Not for what he had planned. He half rolled over and retrieved the key. When the distinctive click of the cuffs unsnapped, she stiffened beside him. “What are you doing?” she whispered, obviously confused. Without responding, he guided her hand up to the intricate iron headboard. By the time she figured out what he was doing, he’d snapped both wrists snugly up through one of the loops. Slowly, methodically, he pulled her towel away. And she didn’t try to stop him once. In the darkness it was difficult to see everything but he was already rock hard anyway. Just touching her, breathing in her scent and his cock hardened painfully. “Sean, what are you doing?” A note of panic flashed in her voice and she started to thrash around. “Have I ever hurt you?” He stilled his hands. In response, her body relaxed next to his. “You still didn’t answer the question.” “I’m helping you loosen up and I need both hands to do it,” he murmured against her ear. He pulled the towel completely away and sucked in a deep breath. With her hands bound above her head, her small perfect breasts pushed upward. All for him. His throat clenched as he stared at her. He never should have let her walk out. Not for a second. He should have cuffed her to a bed a year ago and made love to her until leaving was the last thing on her mind. Her breathing came in shallow gasps as she stared at his face. No doubt he looked ready to devour her. Which he planned to do. But not yet.

Slow down, he repeated to himself. She opened her mouth to speak again, no doubt to tell him this was a bad idea so he didn’t give her the chance. He captured her mouth with his. If she wasn’t talking or thinking, she could let go of any restraints. He traced her full lips with his tongue, savoring her sweetness. Caitlyn had a taste and scent that was pure her. And he missed it more than he’d realized until this moment. He tugged on her bottom lip, pulling a moan from her. Good, that’s what he needed to hear. With one hand he kneaded her soft breasts, alternating until both nipples were rock hard, rosy buds. Arching her back, she pushed up and moaned. Her words were indecipherable but he knew what she wanted. He remembered everything she liked. The handcuffs were a new thing but she apparently liked that too. His head dipped and while he flicked and palmed one nipple, he sucked hard on the other, extracting a strangled whimper from her. “More.” The word tore from her throat. Her legs clenched together as she tried to ease the ache. An ache he understood. His cock throbbed painfully but tonight was about her. He splayed his hand across her rib cage, felt the staccato beat of her heart, moved to her flat stomach. The muscles of her stomach were so tight and bunched, he knew she was still nervous. And he hated that. He lifted his head and nipped at her jaw. “Just let go. This is me,” he murmured, trying to soothe whatever anxiousness she might be feeling. Almost automatically her legs fell open. She was still slightly tense but this was a start. He cupped her mound and spread her lips. Slowly. He couldn’t afford to fuck this up. Despite the fact his entire body was like a heat-seeking missile and his cock wanted inside her now, he was taking it slowly. She wasn’t ready for him to possess her completely. With two fingers, he spread her lips and used her juices to wet her clit before slipping his fingers inside. He stilled when her muscles contracted around him. She was so tight he didn’t want to hurt her. Her hips surged upward, impaling herself on him. Okay, he didn’t need another hint. She was ready. With his thumb, he traced small circles over her clit. It wasn’t going to take her long. He could feel it. The contractions from her pussy were getting

quicker and quicker around his fingers. Propping himself up on one elbow, he drank in her expression. She writhed underneath him, eyes half closed in a sensual haze. He drank in the sight of her movements, trying to memorize every inch of her petite body. Auburn hair pillowed around her face, over her small, perfect pink breasts and onto the blue, satiny sheets. Caitlyn arched her body to meet his hand and he inhaled her scent. Something citrus and fresh surrounded him, pulling him deeper into the tangle that was Caitlyn. He kissed her neck, tasting her saltiness and the essence that was purely her. His. She was all his and would be from this moment on. Never again would they be apart. Not if he had anything to say about it. Slight tremors shook her entire body and her eyes had a glazed over appearance. She half sat up and gripped his shoulder and just like that, she surged into orgasm. In a frenzy, her hips continued to move against his hand until she fell back against the pillows. “Shit,” she muttered as her eyes closed. He started to respond but seconds later, her steady breathing alerted him she was asleep. There had only been a few times she’d passed out after climaxing so he knew how wound up she’d been because this hadn’t been close to their all night marathons. Sean rubbed a hand over his face. He thought he’d been looking forward to tonight but morning couldn’t come soon enough. Quickly and quietly, he unhooked her hands and refastened her to him. She might be fast asleep now but in the morning her arms would be aching if he left her in that position. When she threw a satiny leg over his still throbbing erection and started making what he could only describe as purring sounds in her sleep, he wanted to chop his arm off and go to the other room.

Chapter Four

Caitlyn had been effectively ignoring him all day. He knew for a fact she’d read at least two books and a few magazines. Every time he tried to talk to her, she jutted her chin out mutinously and walked out of the room. He couldn’t force her to talk to him, so he was biding his time. He’d hidden both sets of truck keys in his pants pockets and hadn’t let her out of his line of sight once, so at least he knew she wasn’t escaping. Sean looked up from preparing burgers when she walked into the kitchen. Now it appeared she was ready to be civil. Maybe the silent treatment was finally over. Or maybe she just wanted to yell at him. Either way, she’d be talking to him. “Did you change your mind about talking to me?” She eyed him warily as she moved to sit at the high top island bar in the middle of the country-style kitchen. “Are you going to answer my questions?” “Depends on what you ask.” “Okay, where are we?” “For starters, you’re in a cabin, miles from civilization and I have the keys—both sets—to the only working vehicle here so unless you want to walk twenty miles, you’re stuck with me.” “You sneaky—” “I’m not apologizing…for this anyway. Your life was in danger and you wouldn’t listen to reason. Are you hungry?” In response, her stomach growled but she didn’t respond. She glared at him. “I’ll take that as a yes.” He picked up the plate of burgers, grabbed a metal spatula and walked toward the back door. He lifted his eyebrows and she rolled her eyes but at least she followed him. Once she got some food in her, she’d be in a slightly better frame of mind. He hoped. “Are you going to tell me where we are?” “Maybe later.” Darkness was already falling so he doubted she’d try to escape in the middle of the night. Again. If she did, he’d cuff her to the bed again. The thought brought a smile to his face. “So, do you actually think it’s okay to kidnap your wife? What the hell did you give me anyway?” Standing inches from him, she crossed her arms over her chest as he fired up the grill. Damn, she looked sexy when she was pissed. “First, if it means protecting you, then yeah. Second, I gave you a natural sedative. What else was I supposed to do with you being so stubborn?” “Well, you could’ve—” “Can we please put down the weapons for a little while and enjoy each other’s company? Shit, Caitlyn, I just want to spend time with you. Do I think it’s fucked up that I had to kidnap you to do it? Hell yeah but we’re here now so deal with it.” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her drop her arms against her sides. “So…do you want to eat out here or inside?” she asked after a few long moments passed. He shrugged and smothered a smile. At least she wasn’t arguing anymore. “How about out here?” The back deck provided an incredibly intimate atmosphere. Though it was dark, it overlooked a lake that currently looked like a piece of beautiful, untouched glass. A full moon hung in the sky, giving them enough natural light combined with the dim outside ones. “Okay.” She went back inside, presumably to grab plates and utensils. He was surprised when she also carried out a bottle of wine and two glasses. For once he resisted the urge to help her. He knew she needed to keep her hands busy and gain back some of the control he’d taken from her. It was small but if there was one thing he knew about Caitlyn, it was that she needed control to feel normal. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He didn’t miss the gleam in her eye—one he hadn’t seen in quite a while—so he didn’t question her. He patted his pants pocket. Both sets of keys were still in there. Unless she’d learned to hotwire a car in the past year, she wasn’t going anywhere. She returned ten minutes later just as he was serving their food.

His breath caught. Despite the cooler weather, she’d changed from jeans and a T-shirt to a formfitting, knee length, halter-style emerald green dress and a light sweater. He swallowed hard and tried to hide his physical reaction. Not that it did any good. His cock strained painfully against his jeans. Her nipples were visible through her dress and through the sheer material he couldn’t see any sort of lines. Was she even wearing anything underneath? He wiped sweaty palms on his jeans. “You look great,” he managed to choke out. A light tinge of pink painted her cheeks. “Thanks,” she murmured before taking a seat. They ate in comfortable silence, though she basically pushed her food around, choosing to sip on her white wine. As the meal progressed, Sean watched Caitlyn out of the corner of his eye. She stared out at the still lake water but he could tell she wasn’t seeing anything. Even from his limited perspective, he could tell she was more or less staring into space and she kept chewing on her bottom lip. He’d give anything to know what was going on in that pretty head of hers. There was a lot they needed to talk about and he knew he should be the one to start the conversation. “How’s work been?” She glanced back at him with narrowed eyes and he guessed she was gauging his expression to see if he was being serious or not. That probably had something to do with the fact that he normally had a smart-ass comment ready where her work was involved. She shrugged. “It’s been good but tough. The tribal warfare seems never ending.” “Has your group taken any direct hits?” His throat clenched as he waited for the answer. Her expression softened. “No, but thanks for asking. Relatively speaking, we’ve been lucky. I left Kabul and for the past six months, I’ve been working with a medical group that has long-standing ties in the northern region. I just hate that people die from something like dysentery…” She stopped as if she thought she was rambling. “Anyway, I didn’t tell you because…” When she didn’t continue, he finished for her. “Because you didn’t want me to worry.” “Yeah. I knew you had a lot on your plate and didn’t want to add any more.” He sat in silence, drinking in her profile as she stared out at the water. Her neck was long and graceful, her features nearly flawless, except for a tiny faded, white scar on the side of her jaw. He smiled and started to ask her another question when her last comment sank in. “Wait a minute, how did you know I had a lot on my plate?” She turned back around and met his gaze. Her cheeks flushed and her slim shoulders lifted. “I’ve been in touch with Captain Jones. It’s not like he gave me any big details, just that you were always working. And that you were still alive.” Right then, he knew they still had a chance. If she cared enough to check on him, they could work things out. It wouldn’t be simple but he was willing to fight for them.

Caitlyn glanced over and had to remind herself to breathe as she stared at the man across from her. The man who had stolen her heart from practically their first date. She sighed and took another sip of her wine. When he moved his hand to link fingers with hers, a tingle shot straight to her pussy at the unexpected gesture. Involuntarily, she shivered as memories of his talented hands danced in her head. Last night had certainly been a vivid reminder. He might drive her crazy but she’d missed him. In more ways than one. Sleeping in the same bed as him the night before had been absolute torture. She’d woken up once and he’d been fast asleep. It had taken all her restraint not to wake him up and finish what they’d started. If she hadn’t been so tired after he’d given her the most intense orgasm she’d had in so long it was embarrassing, she knew what would have happened. What was going to happen. And soon. The words were out of her mouth before she could rein them in. “Do you want to move to the Adirondack Chairs?” He nodded and stood but started picking up the plates. She stopped him with her hand. “We’ll get them later.” She didn’t have to spell out what she meant, she was sure the silent invitation in her eyes was enough to convince him to do what she said. It was probably a huge mistake but after a year of sleeping alone, maybe having one last fling with him wasn’t such a bad idea. She hadn’t had sex since the night she’d left him and God knew there were times in the past year she’d needed a release. They walked the few feet to the lounge chairs and when he sat back on the elongated, green and white striped cushioned seat, she didn’t sit next to him. Instead, she straddled him, letting her dress ride up to her thighs. She didn’t know how much clearer she could be about what she wanted. Intentionally, she hadn’t worn anything under the dress. Next morning she would set up some ground rules but for tonight she was going to enjoy herself. On some level, she’d known this would happen tonight. It was inevitable. Like the rising of the sun. It was the reason she’d ignored him all

day. To control herself until they talked about the future. He adjusted slightly, rubbing against her folds. They could talk later. “Honey, are you sure?” he rasped out as she tugged down the zipper of his pants. “Yes.” And she was. “I need to grab a condom.” He leaned forward and reached for his back pocket. “You won’t need one. I’m still on the pill.” She was on the pill because of the realities of her work. Something that shouldn’t surprise him. His huge body stilled, except for the unhitched movements of his chest. That’s when reality hit her and her stomach roiled. “Have you been with someone else?” His eyes widened and he choked on air. “No, God no. I bought these before, on the way to the hotel—” Unexpected, almost violent relief forked through her entire body. “I haven’t either.” She leaned forward and kissed him. When he didn’t protest, she continued kissing him as she rubbed her pussy over his cock. Their kiss was surprisingly gentle, not what she’d expected. He teased and tugged her bottom lip almost playfully so she gripped his penis. She didn’t want sweet tonight. She slid her hands up and down the length of his shaft, savoring the feel of him. His cock pulsed under her grasp and her abdominal muscles clenched in anticipation. Slowly, she leaned up and positioned her pussy at the tip of his penis. Before she could contemplate teasing him, his hips surged upward, penetrating her fully. She sucked in a deep breath and tried to steady herself. His fingers had been an intrusion last night. Her body needed to adjust. Her muscles tightened around him, milking him, yet she didn’t move. She heard more than felt, the back zipper of her dress come undone. When the top part of her dress fell away, she shivered. The worshipful expression on his face when her breasts were bared pulled at her heartstrings. He covered them with his strong, calloused hands, flicking and teasing her already peaked nipples. With little restraint, she started riding him, taking him as deep as she could. Each time he pressed into her, she wanted to melt from pure pleasure. How many nights had she lain awake thinking of this? Of him? They’d done a lot of things and made love countless ways but never outside. With one hand she gripped the back of the wood and leather chair and increased her momentum, wishing she had his handcuffs. The thought of Sean powerless turned her on even more. Something she hadn’t thought possible. With her other hand, she reached down and massaged her clit. Instinctively she arched her back to give him better access to her breasts. His talented tongue was what she wanted on them, not his hands. When he took over with his mouth, his hands moved to her hips. He held her tightly, in an immovable embrace. She desperately needed to increase her movements but it seemed he was intent on foreplay. Or maybe he was just torturing her. Hell, it was probably a bit of both. “What are you trying to do to me?” she groaned. “This is payback for a year without you. For a year of using my fist when I could’ve had your pussy,” he growled. She might have laughed at the intent expression on his face if the ache between her legs wasn’t so acute. Her body screamed for release and he was intent on keeping her immobile. His hold tightened, keeping her perfectly in place. Involuntarily, her vagina made quick, tight contractions, milking him with a fervent intensity. She struggled against his vice-like grip. Even if he moved just a little, she’d come. She was so close it bordered on pain. “Move damn it,” she managed to gasp out. Mercifully, he let go. She seized the back of the chair and found her momentum again. In a frenzy she rode him hard and with absolute abandon. She’d be sore in the morning but right now she didn’t care. Her body had been near release for too long and she was right on the edge. His mouth captured one of her breasts again and he sucked hard on her nipple. The sudden, erotic pull pushed her over the edge. She wrapped her arms around him and held on through the final tremors. Still inside her and still rock hard, Sean stood. Too weak to ask questions, she wrapped her legs around his waist and allowed him to carry her inside. Seconds later she was flat on her back in her bedroom. The sheets cooled her back but did nothing to cool the rest of her body. His palms glided down her waist and hips and in slow movements, he pulled her dress off. Next he stripped completely, though he wasn’t as

steady with his own clothes. Instead of joining her like she expected, he just stood by the bed, looking down at her. She couldn’t control the tremors racing down her spine. Over the past year she’d managed to quell his memory but looking at him now she couldn’t imagine how she’d ever done so. Looking at him was like looking at a Viking warrior. His muscled chest expanded rapidly and his cock was still at full alert so she knew he was just as turned on as she was. His breathing came in shallow gasps and he looked out of control. Which was insane. Sean rarely lost control. He moved to the bed and slid a hand between her legs. She knew what he was feeling. Her pussy was drenched and begging for him. He slipped a finger inside and with his thumb, he rubbed her clit in erotic, circular motions. She was still coming down from her first orgasm so she sat up and pulled him down so that he was on top of her. “I don’t want your hand, I want you inside me,” she murmured. Last night had been what she’d needed but now, she wanted him to feel release too. She’d already climaxed and he hadn’t attempted to finish. Why, she couldn’t imagine. His hands shook when he fisted her hair in a loose embrace behind her head and he positioned himself on top of her. Since she was already dripping wet, he drove back into her with an animal intensity. “Do you know how many times I’ve thought about this over the past year?” His deep, intoxicating voice murmured into her ear as he kissed and nipped her jawline and neck. She started to respond that she’d thought of him too when his mouth found hers. He ate at her mouth with an unrefined hunger. There was no finesse or grace in any of his movements. Maybe he’d been restraining himself before but now he rocked into her like a man on death row too long denied his prize. His pupils expanded so she couldn’t see where the iris met. She couldn’t count the times they’d had sex but tonight it was like their first night together. Rough, a little animalistic and insanely hot.

For the past year he’d lived like a monk. For her. The thought of being with anyone else was ridiculous. Even now that he was kissing her, touching her, he still couldn’t get enough. It would never be enough. Part of him was fearful that all of this was a dream and he’d awaken at any moment. No matter that he wanted to fuck her for hours, he had to do this right. When he was with Caitlyn, it was so much more than fucking. He wanted to give her more foreplay but his cock had a mind of its own and it wanted release. Gripping her hips, he began thrusting, barely containing the lust demanding to be unleashed. She’d always done this to him though. He should have remembered. He doubted she even realized just how much power she had over him. Before he’d met her, he’d been able to last for hours. Hour-long sex marathons had been the norm prior to Caitlyn. Sure, they’d had hours of sex at a time but he sure as hell didn’t last as long. Once he got inside her, his cock wouldn’t listen to anything he had to say. Her legs tightened around his waist and in the darkened room he could almost swear her electric green eyes shone even brighter. He loosened his grip on her hips, afraid he’d somehow hurt or bruise her soft skin. Involuntarily, his stomach muscles clenched when she lightly ran her nails down his back and grasped his butt, urging him deeper into her. He knew she was close to climaxing. Again. He wouldn’t have thought it possible but she must have been denying herself the past year. A vivid flush of color had risen over her breasts and neck and her cheeks were completely flushed. Caitlyn tightened her arms and legs around him and she searched out his mouth with her own. Hungrily and a bit savagely, she kissed him, bit and tugged his bottom lip, then came with her entire body. As soon as her contractions started, he let go of his restraint. He buried his face in the pillow of her hair, found her neck and nipped at the most sensitive spot while she came down from her high and resumed his hard thrusting. Just as quickly as she’d come, he did too. A kaleidoscope of colors flashed in front of him and he thrust into her one last time before collapsing on top of her. He was too heavy and moving would be polite but it would be too much effort. She gave a half-assed push against his chest and hoped he moved. Breathing hard, he rolled to the side but pulled her with him. Suddenly he chuckled. “What?” In confusion, she stared at him through heavy-lidded lashes. “I still can’t believe you didn’t wear anything under that dress. Little vixen,” he mumbled. Without responding, she managed a small smile and laid her head on his chest. Yeah, she’d be sleeping the night through. In the morning they could talk but now she needed sleep.

Chapter Five

Caitlyn opened her eyes to the sound of chirping birds. It took a moment to realize where she was but everything came rushing back when she sat up. She’d been kidnapped by her husband. And she’d been dumb enough to have sex with him. Of course it had been just as fantastic as she remembered. Which would make it all that much harder when she left. She sighed and got out of bed. Walking out on him had been the toughest decision she’d ever made, except maybe letting him back into her life and her bed. Into her soul. After showering and changing into jeans and a plain green T-shirt, she followed the smell of fresh coffee. Downstairs in the kitchen she found Sean whistling at the stove. “Hey,” she said mainly to announce her presence. He half-turned away from the stove to face her and smiled, revealing an elusive dimple. “Hey yourself. Still like your eggs southwestern style?” “Yes.” No one made them like he could either. That was another thing she was going to miss. A man who cooked. “Where are the coffee mugs?” He pointed to one of the wooden cabinets. “In that left cabinet above the sink.” She poured herself some, then grabbed creamer from the refrigerator. “Okay, I’ve got to ask. How did you get this place stocked before we got here? Or do you kidnap random women all the time?” He chuckled and shook his head. “This place belongs to a friend of mine. I come here some weekends to unwind and get away from the city.” More than most, Caitlyn understood the need to get away. She found plates in another cabinet and set the table. “Do you want a drink? Milk or orange juice?” “No, but I will take coffee.” She prepared the table and his drink and a few minutes later he served them. When he sat she decided to dive right in. “How long do you think we’ll be here?” “I’m not sure. We’re trying to work some stuff out now.” “We?” “Captain Jones is. He’s trying to get Coleman put back in prison until his trial. And there’s a task force working around the clock to find who’s after us.” “If you signed those papers I could just leave and disappear.” She held her breath, waiting for a reaction. He put his fork down. “Why won’t you give us a chance?” “Because I know all you’re going to do is try to convince me to quit my job.” Her voice came out as a raspy whisper. He shook his head and a dark lock of hair fell over his eyebrows. She resisted the urge to brush it away. Barely. Her brain somehow pulled her hand back at the last second. Touching him was nothing short of playing with fire. Touching him got her into all sorts of trouble. “I’m going to convince you that we’re meant to be together.” “Why drag this out any longer than necessary? I’m so tired of hurting each other.” She sighed and put a light hand over his extended one. It was meant to be a sweet gesture but touching him sent shock waves straight to her pussy. As if he was poison, she withdrew her hand and focused on her scrambled eggs. “Don’t you think we owe it to ourselves for one last shot?” His deep voice enveloped her. She sighed and opened her mouth with all the intention of being strong. “Yes.” Whoa! Where had that come from? The word was out before she could rein it back in. He looked just as surprised as she felt. His dark eyebrows shot up, then his face broke into a wide grin, revealing a row of almost perfect, white teeth. One tooth was slightly crooked and for some reason it was one of the first things that had attracted her to him. Not that she cared anymore. Sure you don’t, her inner voice mocked.

He still stared at her, with a goofy expression on his face so she spoke mainly to break the silence. “You’ve barely touched your food. Aren’t you hungry?” He nodded and when his dark eyes flashed a little brighter, she was under the impression that he wasn’t referring to the food. “I’m talking about breakfast.” He lifted his hands in a placating manner. “Hey, I didn’t say anything.” “You didn’t have to. If we’re going to be spending time together, then we’re going to set some ground rules.” “Rules?” “Yes. First, there will be no more sex—” He snorted. “Why not?” She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “I won’t be having sex with you until we talk about some things. We can’t just spend all our time in bed. Besides, you use sex against me.” And he did. In bed, he could make her forget all their problems. For a while, things would be fine but the inevitable arguments that came later shredded everything. Sex muddled her brain. No man before him had ever had such an effect on her. Once they’d finally made it to the bedroom—on the third date—she’d finally understood the term “toe-curling sex”. From that day, they’d fast tracked it to the altar. She’d wanted to wait, but as usual Sean had gotten his way. A grin tugged at the corners of his lips. “Is that all?” She chewed on her bottom lip for a second. “That’s all I can think of right now but I reserve the right to add more rules at any time I choose.” “Hmm, I can think of a few—” “Nope, rule time is over.” She stood up and walked to the other side of the kitchen under the pretense of refreshing her coffee. Memories from the night before played in her head with an annoying vividness that she couldn’t block out, no matter how hard she tried. She had just made a no sex rule and all she could think about was jumping him. Heat pooled between her legs. “Do you want to take a walk around the lake?” His voice interrupted her thoughts. Being outside and away from a bedroom or other flat surfaces was a great idea. Though she doubted it mattered. Sean could be very creative when he wanted to be. “Sure. Do you think I’ll need a sweater?” “Couldn’t hurt to bring one.” He stood up and took his plate to the sink. She escaped to her room. Since he’d thrown everything into her suitcase, it took a few minutes to find what she was looking for. As she pulled out an old college sweater, the sound of her door opening startled her. Sean walked in and shut the door behind him. The predatory gleam in his eyes threw her off-guard. She knew that look all too well. Her throat constricted and she swallowed audibly. “What are you doing?” “I was thinking about your rule.” His lips curled up at the corners. “What about it?” Instead of answering, he took another step toward her until they stood almost toe to toe. He leaned even closer, his mouth close to hers. Through heavy lids, she found her voice. “What are you doing?” “You said no sex but you didn’t say anything about no kissing.” She opened her mouth to protest but he was lighting fast. His mouth descended on hers. She pushed at his chest but his grip on her shoulders tightened. The longer he probed, the more she lost the will to fight. When she surrendered, his kisses turned soft and sweet. He tugged and teased her bottom lip almost playfully, like a man with all the time in the world. When his hands strayed to her waist and pulled her body tight against his, it was hard to miss the feel of his erection against her stomach. Involuntarily, she shivered as memories danced in her head. Maybe having one last fling with him wasn’t such a bad idea. Leaving him was breaking her heart anyway, she might as well take a couple more memories with her. She had a feeling she’d need those memories to satisfy her for a while. His talented lips moved to her jaw and she moaned. He feathered kisses along her jaw, then tugged on her ear lobe. “You’re so beautiful Caitlyn,” he murmured against her ear, sending shivers down her spine, straight to the heat pooling between her legs. “And you’re a menace.” She was pathetic. Pathetic. One kiss and a tiny compliment was all it took and she caved. “Does that mean you changed your mind?” Breathing erratically, he lifted his head up, though he kept his hands firmly on her hips as if he was afraid she’d bolt. Which she was seriously contemplating.

“This doesn’t change anything.” Her voice was strangled. He nodded and she was under the impression that he didn’t quite believe her. Well, he was in for a surprise. Sex with him was just going to be sex for once. Nothing more. Nothing less. It had to be. Sean bent his head, slanting his delicious mouth over hers. All coherent thought escaped and she was having a hard time remembering why she’d been so against this in the first place. A warning screamed in the back of her head but she ignored it. He pulled off her shirt with quick, deft hands, almost out of control. Then she really questioned her own sanity as she stared at his broad, muscular chest. “Too much clothing,” he mumbled as he tugged her jeans off. Except for black boy-short bottoms, she stood naked in front of him and tried to quell her rapid heartbeat. When he didn’t make a move toward her, with intentionally measured movements, she pushed the boy-short bottoms down to the curve of her hip but didn’t take them off immediately. Instead, she let gravity do its job. The flimsy material slowly loosened and pooled around her feet. He swallowed and stepped toward her. Instinctively, she curled her toes into the carpet, knowing what was to come. His dark eyes scanned her from head to toe, then back up again and he let out a low groan when his gaze captured hers. Involuntarily, her nipples hardened at his scrutiny, despite the even temperature in the room. Power surged through her. She loved that she alone did this to him. He took another step toward her, then another, until they stood toe to toe. Her bare breasts brushed against his cotton shirt, sending short electric shocks down to her vagina. Sean tentatively gripped her bare hips, caressing her skin but didn’t make a move toward the bed. Instead, his hands slid up her body until they cupped each breast. He held them for a moment, as if weighing and memorizing them. Gently, his hands spanned her rib cage, while his thumbs stroked her nipples in equal, torturous, measures. Wordlessly, they stared at each other. She clenched her legs together in a vain attempt to ease the increasing ache. Her heart took up residence in her stomach as his mouth sought out hers again. Her palms settled on his chest and the erratic thumping of his heart pounded underneath her light touch. He might be in control on the outside but inside he was a raging inferno, just like her. Sean tugged and teased her bottom lip, coaxing her mouth wider. Long ago, she’d committed the feel of his body to memory but holding him again, she reveled in how much she’d missed touching him. The night before had been amazing but it still wasn’t enough. She wrapped her arms around him and traced the contours of his back. She pressed her body full up against his, savoring the feel of their bodies meshing. A low rumble started from deep inside him and he withdrew his mouth. Immediately she missed the connection but he began showering kisses on her jaw and neck until he located the sensitive spot on her nape, directly behind her ear. A pent up moan of ecstasy escaped just as the backs of her knees hit something. It dawned on her that he’d somehow positioned her by the foot of the bed. Suddenly aware of her own state of undress, she lightly pushed on his chest. She refused to be the only one naked. She’d been living like a nun for the past year and was tired of it. He lifted his head, his dark, penetrating gaze nearly throwing her off-guard until she remembered what she wanted. She grasped the bottom of his shirt and tugged upward. Without a word, he lifted his arms and let her undress him. As soon as the shirt hit the floor, he gently eased her onto the bed but didn’t make a move toward her. The sheets beneath cooled her exposed skin, bringing her back to reality. Almost. It would take an explosion to bring her completely down from the clouds. Internally squirming under his intense gaze, she finally found her voice, though the word came out as a whisper. “What?” He shook his head and she could distinctly see his Adam’s apple bob up and down. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” he rasped out. At that, he shucked his pants and boxers and the erection she’d felt against her stomach sprang to life. Before she could fully appreciate him, he moved onto the bed in precise, measured movements. Like a wolf ready to devour a lamb. The morning light streaming in through the blinds illuminated his muscular, naked form. Without the luxury of overhead lighting, she couldn’t see everything she wanted to. “Wait.” He stopped, hovering above her. “What?” She ducked underneath his arm and grabbed the handcuffs still laying there. “Your turn.” He chuckled as if she was joking and fell onto the bed, folding one elbow behind his head. She lifted an eyebrow and sat up on her knees, looking down at him and holding up the cuffs. “I’m not playing around Sean.” “You’re not cuffing me to the bed.” “Either you trust me or you don’t.” She crossed her arms under her chest, lifting her breasts. The action wasn’t lost on him. For a moment he was distracted by her breasts but just as quickly though, his eyes trailed to where he’d haphazardly thrown his jeans. She could practically read his mind. That’s where the keys to the truck were.

“What’s it gonna be?” She jangled them in front of his face, pulling his gaze back to her. His eyes narrowed and without a word, he removed his hand from behind his head and placed his hands around the headboard. He gripped the metal so tightly she could see the whites of his knuckles. Inwardly she smiled. He’d always called the shots. This would be good for him. Leaning forward, she let her breasts rub against his face as she snapped the cuffs in place. He raked his teeth over one of her nipples as she pulled away. “I like this, having you at my mercy.” She straddled him and watched his expression darken. More than anything, she wanted to know what was going on in his head. This had to be killing him. The loss of control. Kissing his chest and stomach, she savored his taste. His hips bucked when she gripped his shaft and kissed the tip of his penis. She licked and sucked the head, teasing him. He tried to push his hips up but she placed a firm hand on his lower abdomen, pushing him back down and moving her mouth away. “Are you trying to kill me?” he growled. “Maybe,” she murmured before sitting up and straddling him again. Every sexy muscle in his body was corded tightly. Oh yeah, this was killing him. Slowly and torturously, she moved the folds of her pussy over him but didn’t let him penetrate her. She just moved up and down, enjoying the way he rubbed against her lips. “Lean down farther,” he managed to strangle out. Giving in to his demand, she leaned down, letting him capture one of her breasts. Without warning, he tugged hard, earning a sharp gasp from her. She pulled back in shock and he grinned. “That’s for torturing me.” His deep voice sent shivers straight to her pussy. How was it possible that he was incapacitated and she still felt at his mercy? Part of her wanted to extend the teasing but the dark, lustful look in his eyes was too much. Holding onto the bed frame, she pressed down on him, taking him completely and giving him better access to her breasts as she moved. Her hair cascaded around them as they found a rhythm. The faster she rode him, the louder his groans got. She moved her grip to his chest and shoulders, digging into him. On the brink of climaxing, she made herself wait, wanting him to go first. Finally, he let go of that strict control. She could see it in his dark eyes the second before he came. As he started to climax, she let herself go too until she collapsed on his chest in a sweaty heap. The smell of sex hung heavily in the air, wrapping around them. She wanted to move but until he made her, she lay still, trying to catch her breath. Finally, he grunted, “Get these stupid cuffs off.” Laughing quietly, she pushed up and unlocked him. She rolled to the side, mainly to give him room to breathe, even though every fiber in her body fought pulling away from him. She figured he’d need a second. “Caitlyn?” “Don’t tell me you want to talk,” she grumbled. He chuckled under his breath. She read him like a book. “There’s something I need to say. I wanted to say it last night but the timing wasn’t right.” She still lay flat on her back but he didn’t miss the cautionary note in her voice. “Okay.” “I don’t want you to interrupt me until I’m done.” If he was ever going to get the words out, it would have to be all at once. She nodded in response. “Last year, after…after your miscarriage, I said some things. Some fucked up things. I have a hard time looking at myself in the mirror when I think about it.” His throat clenched but he forced himself to continue. She deserved it. “It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t my fault, hell, it wasn’t anyone’s fault. Life just happened and…” She pushed up on one elbow and traced small circles on his chest. “We both made mistakes Sean. I won’t lie. Your words hurt but I knew you were just trying to cover up your own pain. I’m not so dense that I don’t get that.” “It still doesn’t make what I said any better. I don’t know how I can ever make it up to you.” He rubbed a hand over his face, hating himself in that moment. “There’s nothing to make up. All I ever wanted was an apology.” “What?” Had he heard right?

“You never said you were sorry and that’s what hurt more than anything. That you actually believed it was my fault.” He pulled her closer so that she lay directly on his chest. “I never believed that. Not for a second.”

Chapter Six

Sean rolled over and grabbed his ringing cell phone from the nightstand. He and Caitlyn were still in bed and hadn’t moved for the past hour. He’d just held her, like he knew she needed. When he shifted, she protested very audibly. She reached out and stroked his chest as he answered the phone. He chuckled under his breath and picked up on the second ring. He didn’t recognize the number. “Sullivan here.” “Sean, it’s Marcus,” Captain Jones’ normally loud voice was unusually low. And he was using his first name, which was odd too. When he sat up in bed, her hand fell. He grabbed his boxers from the floor and put them on. It sounded as if they might need to leave. “What’s up?” “First, I’m on a secure line. Second, Antonio Lewis has gone missing.” Sean’s heart stuttered. Antonio Lewis was a low level thug who worked for none other than Richard Coleman. And he was probably the same man who’d been sent after Caitlyn. “What exactly do you mean by missing?” “Word on the street is he’s after someone. A cop. He managed to evade our surveillance team.” “Where’d you get this information?” “A very reliable source.” “Did this source give you the names of who he’s after?” “No, but I can make a wild guess it’s you. Coleman probably wants to make an example out of you and he’s using Lewis as the messenger.” “That and he’s scared shitless about his position in the pecking order.” Coleman was a rising “star” in his profession but compared to the bigger fish, he certainly wasn’t untouchable. If anything, he was currently fighting to keep his turf and Sean was making it very difficult. “Yeah, I thought of that. If we can bring Coleman or Lewis in and get them to turn on their contacts, we’ll have the biggest bust this city has ever seen.” “Keep me updated if you hear anything else.” When they disconnected, he laid back down next to Caitlyn. “What was that about?” she murmured as she curled up and threw a silky leg over him. He should be sated but his cock lengthened again. “Don’t worry about it,” he murmured into her hair. Immediately she stiffened and he knew he’d made a mistake. With one finger, he lifted her chin so she had to face him. Then he did something completely foreign to his nature. He shared information. “That was Captain Jones. He wanted to let me know that one of Coleman’s thugs has gone missing and that he’s after a cop, probably me.” Her eyes widened but strangely enough, she relaxed and laid her head back down on his bare chest. Then she did something he didn’t expect. She started trailing kisses across his chest, then down his stomach. Her tongue traced erotic little circles, causing his stomach muscles to clench uncontrollably. Not that he wasn’t enjoying her kisses but he had to ask. “Are you okay?” He couldn’t understand why she wasn’t more upset. She glanced up at him and shrugged. “Yeah. I mean it sucks but I’m with you so I’m not too worried. I just don’t like being kept in the dark.” “You never cease to amaze me.” He quietly shook his head. She moved to a half sitting position and propped herself up on one elbow to face him. “I’ve lived in a war zone on and off for the past couple of years. Did you really expect me to freak out?” He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. “That’s not what I meant. A year ago, this would have erupted into a fight.” “Yeah, well a year ago, you wouldn’t have told me who called or what was going on.” Instinctively, he opened his mouth to deny it but stopped. She lifted an eyebrow and smirked. Something she did when she knew she was right. He rolled his eyes and pulled her back on top of him so that their bodies meshed together. “Fine, I admit it. You’re right.”

“Ooh, talk dirty to me.” She laughed and planted a chaste kiss on his lips. With her whole body plastered down the length of his, it wasn’t such a bad idea but he knew that wasn’t what she meant. “So, are we really twenty miles from anything resembling civilization?” Her question caught him off guard. “Yes, why? Still planning on trying to leave?” “I could have left when I had you at my mercy.” She paused for a moment when he didn’t respond. “It’s only fair I know where we are.” Her query was only fair and in reality if she wanted to leave, he couldn’t stop her. Part of him still wondered if the reason she hadn’t left when she’d had the chance was because she hadn’t known where she was. Maybe she’d just been afraid to get lost. What if he told her and— “Hello, earth to Sean!” Caitlyn waved her hand in front of his face and in doing so, moved her hips, torturing his already full erection. The mischievous glint in her eyes told him that she knew exactly what she was doing. “Sorry, we’re in southern Georgia and we really are miles from anywhere. Any more questions or can we get down to more important things?” His hips surged upward. “I have one question.” She swallowed and he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a very bad thing. She spoke again before he could contemplate it. “Things feel different now, you’re actually communicating with me and…” Her eyebrows snapped down and she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth as if she was afraid to go on. Which she probably was considering their history. He knew exactly what she was trying to say. A year gave a man a long time to think. The important things, he could compromise on. Or at least he could try. “When I said I wanted to show you that things would be different, I meant it. We both screwed up but I’ll take a bigger chunk of the blame.” “Don’t do that,” she whispered. “I didn’t have to take such long assignments. It just seemed like the more you berated me about my job, the more not being around looked better and better.” He was silent for a long moment. “Why didn’t we do this before?” “Talk?” she asked quietly. He nodded. “I don’t know. Stubbornness probably. Maybe it’s not too late.” “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” His breath hitched. “Maybe… Yes.” That was all he needed to hear. In a few swift movements, he managed to shuck his boxers with her still on top of him. He’d had an hour to recover and after a year of celibacy, she’d better believe he was ready to go again. He loved it when she rode him but now wasn’t going to be one of those times. He didn’t know what the future held but to hear her say it wasn’t too late for them was good enough for him. She gasped when, without any warning, he flipped her on her back and locked her down on the bed with his knees, caging her in. Somehow he managed to stop himself before he started fucking her senseless. He reined in what little self-control he had when it came to her. First he wanted to taste her. All of her. He tested her slickness with one of his fingers and wasn’t surprised by her wetness. Her normally dusky colored nipples had turned a darker shade of pink and were just begging to be kissed. He clamped down on one of her breasts with his mouth as he pushed another finger inside her pussy. She let out a sharp cry but arched her back to give him better access. He had to focus on foreplay because once he was inside her and she was milking his cock, he would be done. As he trailed kisses down her stomach, he savored the feel and taste of her smooth skin. When he reached the juncture between her thighs, he took his time. Her hair down there was a lighter shade of red than that on her head. Just the sight of her and his breath caught in his throat. Though he had every part of her body memorized, it was almost as if he was seeing her for the first time. Her hips rose up to meet his mouth in a feverish need. He circled her clit with his tongue and pure, male satisfaction raced through his body at her muted cries of ecstasy. Her hands clutched the sheets, clawing and pulling as she tried to ground herself. With both hands, he pushed her thighs apart even wider, teasing her mercilessly until he doubted she could take any more. Without warning, he stopped his soft strokes and sucked hard on her nub, extricating a sharp cry of pleasure from her. She was close. Every inch of her body was telling him that and he wanted to be in her when she came. When he pulled his head back, he wrapped his hands around her hips and she didn’t question as he guided her onto her stomach. She immediately moved up onto her knees, wanting to take all of him. He pushed deep into her, touching her core. For the most part, she enjoyed when he was tender with her but she loved Sean’s animalistic side too. With rough hands, he gripped her hips for support as he moved in and out of her. The smell of sex hung heavily in the air, surrounding them.

Her hands gripped the mattress and behind her, low moans tore from somewhere deep inside him. On some level she knew it had nothing at all to do with sex. No matter how demanding and archaic he was, she knew how much he loved her. How much their being apart must have hurt him. He pulled her hips even higher, hitting a new angle and sending a jolt of pleasure straight to her toes. Then he slid one of his hands around her body, over her mound and began massaging her already sensitive clit. With his other calloused palm, he rubbed one of her breasts. Every fiber of her body was so sensitive, his caresses were almost painful. Almost. Her body felt as if it was on fire. He began thrusting long and hard, giving her no chance to catch her breath or what was left of her sanity. Keeping in tune with his thrusts, the pressure from his fingers increased on her clit.

Oh God! It was too much. He pushed her over the edge and she let out a loud cry, mindless of anything but her own pleasure. Her vagina contracted around him, milking him and almost at the same time, she felt him find his release. His warmth expanded and filled her, until finally, they collapsed onto the bed. Her muscles were like Jell-O and she guessed he felt the same. Moving took too much energy so she mumbled something incoherent but he apparently understood because he rolled to the side. She rolled onto her side so she could face him. She grinned at the satisfied expression on his handsome face. “I’m starving,” he announced after his breathing subsided. How could he even think about food? All she wanted to do was take a shower and curl up under the covers until their next round. “You’re crazy,” she mumbled and fell back onto the fluffy pillow. She closed her eyes and tried to block his voice out. “Come on, take a shower and meet me downstairs.” “Sure you don’t want to join me?” She tossed the sheet away and grinned. “And you say I’m a menace?” he growled.

*****

By the time she finally made it downstairs, she actually was hungry. And whatever he had cooking smelled divine. Asian spices teased her nose halfway up the stairs. “What smells so good?” she asked when she stepped into the kitchen. Her heart fluttered at the sight of Sean, sans a shirt, standing in front of the stove. They’d just made love again in the shower and she still wanted more. He glanced back and winked. “Simple chicken stir fry.” While he cooked, she set the table, then sat back and watched his backside with pure appreciation. Her stomach was thankful when he served food onto their plates but she missed the view. “So, did you mean what you said upstairs?” he asked as soon as he sat down across from her. “Yes.” She didn’t bother to ask what he meant. “So, what does that mean for us?” “Honestly, I haven’t thought that far ahead.” “Well, will you be moving back?” She took a sip of her water and nodded. “I’ll need to work out some things and I might be unemployed for a while but…yeah, I guess I am.” Saying the words aloud terrified her but in a very good way. “Can I ask you something?” He put his fork down. “I think you just did.” “You know what I mean. Will you still take jobs overseas?” Okay, now she put her fork down. “Is it a problem if I do?” “No. I just want to be a partner in the decision making.” She felt an internal weight lift off her. Even though she’d planned to stay stateside, she needed to know that he was okay if she didn’t. “That’s fair. But this has to work both ways. You can’t leave me in the dark just because you think I’ll worry. We’re a team and you have to include me in things

even when you don’t want to.” He nodded and took another bite and she could practically see the gears turning in his head as he mulled over her words. He spoke again, “So, when do you think you might take another job?” She chewed on her bottom lip and stared down at her half empty plate. She’d been planning to move stateside permanently a year ago. Her work was taking a toll on her mind and body but Sean had just kept pushing and pushing. She’d almost just given up last year and let him win. In her heart, she knew if she had, he’d take that as a sign that he could run roughshod all over her for the rest of their lives. And she couldn’t live like that. “Hello? Caitlyn?” “Sorry, I was just thinking. Actually, I probably won’t take any more jobs overseas. Not for a while anyway.” She threw in the last part for good measure in case a brief assignment came up she wanted to take. She might not want to live overseas for months at a time anymore but if a natural disaster hit, she wanted the option to pack up and leave for a few weeks if necessary. His eyes widened but he didn’t say anything. She took that as a good sign. The rest of the afternoon was leisurely. They walked down to the lake once but for the most part they stayed in bed. Any time she suggested an outdoor activity Sean rolled his eyes and pulled her back toward the bedroom. Not that she was inclined to complain.

Chapter Seven

Sean sat up in bed and glanced around. Muted beams of moonlight shone through the wooden slat blinds, partially illuminating the quiet room. The digital clock on the nightstand read four in the morning. The house was quiet but they weren’t alone. In his gut, he could feel it. An odd silence had settled over the cabin, enveloping it. Grabbing his gun from the top drawer of the nightstand, he slipped out of bed and pulled on his boxers with one hand. Caitlyn sat up at that moment and through the dim light he saw her eyes widen when she saw the gun. He put a finger to his lips and she nodded. She followed his lead and got out of bed and pulled on a sweater and jeans in record time. He grabbed another handgun from his duffel bag and gave it to her. Using hand signals he motioned for her to stay put but she just shook her head and glared at him. “Stay here,” he whispered, hating to talk. Hating to make any sound at all. “No,” she whispered back. There was no time to argue. He couldn’t take her with him. If he did, his focus would be on her safety, not the objective. So, he did the only thing he could. In a few swift moves, he had her flat on her stomach on the large bed, hands secured behind her back. He didn’t tie her, but his grip was ironclad around her small wrists. “Don’t struggle or he’ll hear us,” he murmured low in her ear. He was assuming that whoever was in the house was a he. It was more or less a given. “You son of a bitch,” she whispered through clenched teeth. Her entire body was tense and he could feel the waves of anger rolling off her they were so potent. If it had been different circumstances she would have struggled or at least put up a fight but as it was, he knew she wouldn’t attempt to fight back. That was one of the reasons he didn’t tie her wrists. That and he wanted her to be able to defend herself if someone breached their room. Before he could change his mind, he picked her up, went to the walk-in closet and dumped her unceremoniously onto a pile of blankets. He placed the gun next to her just in case she needed it. Now that she was in the closet, he knew she wouldn’t struggle. She might hate him for leaving her, but she wasn’t stupid enough to make a ruckus. And he could live with her anger because right now, all that mattered was getting whoever was in the house, away from it and away from Caitlyn. The man who was after him had a long rap sheet and sexual assault was among his list of crimes. Sean had to keep Caitlyn safe. He’d fucked up a lot of things in their marriage but he’d be damned if he couldn’t protect her now. He had to do this one thing right. After he slid the door into place, he twisted the flimsy gold latch into the lock position. The lock addition wasn’t modern but Sean knew the place had been built in the fifties. Hell, it was either lock her up or put her in a sleeper hold and he really didn’t think she’d appreciate that. And if he was honest, he couldn’t actually do that to her and live with himself. As an afterthought he placed two of their overnight bags in front of the door so it looked impossible for anyone to be inside. “I’ll knock three times when I come back. If the door opens without any knocks, just start shooting,” he murmured through the thin opening. There was a slight rustling behind the door, then all went silent. Good. She couldn’t let her personal feelings about what he’d done get in the way. Sean had two options at this point. He could go out the window and try to survive a fall from the second story without breaking any bones, or he could walk out the bedroom door. If he went out the window, he opened himself up to be shot by a waiting sniper. He seriously doubted there was a sniper waiting in the trees but for all he knew, someone was just waiting for him to make that mistake. He chose the latter choice. Keeping his gun in hand, he took the compact mirror he’d grabbed from the bathroom and slipped it under the door. When he was as sure as he could ever be, he opened the door and breathed an internal sigh of relief when no one was in the hallway. A muffled grunt came from the direction of the kitchen and he tensed. That made sense, he realized. The rest of the house was fairly secure, with windows high off the ground, including the first floor. It would take a giant or a ladder to get through one. The most obvious place of entry would be the kitchen because it connected to the back deck. Someone could also get through the window of the guest room with the small balcony but that would require equipment. Inwardly, he cursed his complacency as he moved down the stairs, back against the wall. He hadn’t used cash and the cabin wasn’t connected to him but he still should have been smarter. He had no one to blame but himself for his incompetent behavior. If he wasn’t so worried about bedding Caitlyn 24/7, maybe his brain would be clearer. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, he grabbed a small vase off the foyer table and crept past the wall and toward the front door. From where he was, he had a partial view of the kitchen opening and could see a shadow moving around. His main objective was to get outside and lure whoever was inside after him but if he could subdue them before getting outside, that would work just as well.

No matter what, he had to keep Caitlyn safe. God couldn’t be that cruel to take her away now. Not when they’d come so far. The chance of anyone else being in the house was slim. Antonio Lewis worked alone and if Coleman ordered him to make a hit, Sean doubted he’d bring anyone with him. He only had a second to make a decision. Hoping it was the right one, he threw the glass vase as hard as he could in the direction of the front door. The loud crash resounded with an overwhelming reverberation and just as he hoped, a shadowy figure came barreling through the kitchen archway, gun out like an idiot. From his crouched position by the long-legged table against the wall, he waited until the man’s back was completely to him. “Don’t move,” Sean shouted as he jumped from his hiding spot. The man stopped in his tracks, gun still in hand. His arm twitched slightly and the weapon waivered. “Don’t be stupid. So far, you’re only in trouble for breaking and entering. Don’t make this worse for yourself.” He paused, then his shoulders loosened. “All right, I’m putting it down.” He slowly bent down and dropped the nine millimeter. “Now turn around and kick the gun this way.” The dark-haired man did as he was ordered and when Sean got a good look at his face, he wasn’t sure what was going on. The man standing in front of him was most definitely not Antonio Lewis. In fact, he was certain he’d never seen him before. He wasn’t one of Coleman’s regular thugs. Before Sean had time to contemplate anything, the man in front of him glanced past him, his eyes widened, then blackness engulfed Sean.

*****

Thankful she’d left her phone in her jeans, she retrieved her cell from her back pocket. With the neon blue light, Caitlyn felt around for something long and thin enough to fit through the closed door. When her hand landed on one of her toiletry bags, she reeled in a shout. She fished around until she found a nail file. A crash sounded downstairs, and her heart beat an erratic tattoo against her rib cage. The thought of anything happening to Sean tore at her heart. Especially when she planned to wring his neck herself. It only took a few seconds to wiggle the flimsy lock free but when she finally got it to push up, she slid the door open with gun in hand. She tripped over one of his bags but the plush carpet broke her fall, muting any noise. A pair of handcuffs had fallen from the bag so she shoved them in her back pocket just in case. From downstairs, she heard Sean shouting at someone. She was moving toward the bedroom door when a dark shadow passed under.

Crap! If Sean was downstairs, then someone was coming after him and he had no clue. Her throat constricted at the thought of Sean hurt or wounded. After counting to five and saying a short prayer, she eased open the door and peered out. She tightened the grip on her gun as she stared at the backside of a man moving down the stairs in a perfectly measured pace. Her first instinct was to shout at him to get his attention but she had to make sure Sean was okay. If he came running to help and the other man shot him, she’d never forgive herself. Crouching low, she used the dim lighting to half walk, half crawl to the top of the stairs. The man in front of her was so focused on what he was doing, he didn’t even sense her presence. She wanted to shout out and alert Sean but couldn’t afford taking him off-guard. When the man reached the bottom of the stairs, she picked up her pace and practically slithered down the stairs trying to keep up. She could hear Sean talking, then there was silence and what sounded like a thud.

Screw being quiet. She rushed around the corner and instinct took over. A man she didn’t recognize had both hands raised in defense and Sean was on the floor. She had no clue if he was injured and another man stood over his body. He heard her not-so-quiet entry and turned, gun raised. She fired first. She clipped his left shoulder. The impact threw him to the floor and his gun fell from his hands. Thanks to Sean she’d trained and practiced shooting but part of her had always wondered if she’d ever be able to actually shoot someone. Now she knew. “Son of a bitch!” he howled in pain and clutched his bleeding shoulder. Without bothering to ask questions, she pulled the handcuffs from her back pocket and threw them at the other man. “Put these on now and go sit in that corner!” she shouted and pointed to the area next to the front door. Eyes wide, he just nodded and did as she ordered. She’d never been so terrified or at a loss of what to do in her life. Careful to keep her distance from the man still groaning in pain, she bent down and felt Sean’s pulse.

Her heart leapt. It was strong and he had no visible wounds. Since there wasn’t a house phone and she wasn’t about to leave the two men unattended she pulled out her cell phone to call the police. Then she realized she didn’t know where the hell she was except for somewhere in southern Georgia. Her heart seized as panic finally set in. Yeah, she wasn’t cut out to be a cop. Helping victims she could deal with. Shooting people? Not so much. Still crouching down, she gave Sean a few light slaps. He needed to wake up. She needed to know he was okay. The bleeding man tried to sit up and she aimed her gun toward him. “Don’t even think about it.” He mumbled a few curses and laid his head back down on the wood floor. She glanced at her cell phone and tried to think of a plan if Sean didn’t wake up soon. Screaming in frustration was the only thing that came to mind. She’d always kept her cool under pressure but for the first time in her life, she was absolutely panicked. Sean groaned and some of her fear subsided. His eyes opened into two slits and he smiled at her. “Shit Caitlyn, let go of my hand. You’re crushing all the bones.” She glanced down and realized she’d been holding on to him in a death grip. He pushed up took assessment of the situation and took the gun from her. He also took her cell phone and started making phone calls. For once, she didn’t mind him taking control.

*****

Caitlyn pulled the blanket Sean had retrieved tighter around her shoulders and sat at the kitchen table. She wasn’t particularly cold but she couldn’t stop shaking. Her emotions were a tangled mess swirling around in her head. When it really counted, Sean hadn’t stood by his word. The reality broke her heart. One of the police officers brought her another cup of coffee. She vaguely remembered him introducing himself as Joseph earlier. Wrapping her fingers around the warm mug grounded her and helped to tame her senses. “Your quick thinking saved your husband’s life,” he said, apparently not satisfied to let her sit in silence for a few moments. She nodded and gave him a wry smile. “Lucky shot too,” he continued. “There was nothing lucky about it,” Sean announced as he walked back into the room. “I’m sorry?” Joseph asked and turned. “She’s a crack shot. Could’ve killed him if she wanted.” Both men looked at her, the cop presumably for verification. She shrugged under the intense scrutiny. “I’m not in the habit of taking lives. Didn’t want to start now,” she murmured and took another sip of the hot liquid. Shooting someone was one thing but actually killing someone wasn’t something she was sure she could live with. “Well, it’s a good thing he’s alive because it looks like he’s going to turn evidence against Coleman.” “Really? What about the other guy?” she asked. “Lewis just used him as a decoy. He thought they were robbing an empty cabin and making a few quick bucks.” Despite everything that had happened, she allowed herself a small smile. “He sure got the surprise of his life, huh?” Sean chuckled and nodded. Over the rim of her coffee cup, she watched Sean as he turned to the police officer. They started whispering and she couldn’t find the energy to care what about. After a few minutes, the officer left the kitchen and she breathed out a sigh she hadn’t realized she was holding. “What did he say?” He started to answer when his cell phone rang. Holding up a finger, he turned his back to her and every few seconds his head would bob up and down animatedly. Finally he flipped the phone shut and turned to face her. His eyes practically shone good news. “Who was that?” “Captain Jones. When Coleman heard Lewis was caught, he started talking.”

Her brows snapped down. That seemed odd. “Why would he do that?” “Coleman isn’t exactly at the top of the food chain. He’s big but he’s still new and he decided to save his own skin in exchange for a reduced sentence.” “How so?” “He’s turning evidence against some guy down in Central America.” “Who’s the guy?” She couldn’t understand why Sean was so excited. Their lives were still in danger. “Sweetheart, it doesn’t matter. Don’t you see? Coleman was the only person gunning for us. He wanted to make an example but now he’s just trying to save his own ass.” She walked to the sink and placed her now empty mug in it. “So we’re safe now?” “Yes.” He moved to where she stood by the sink and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close. She leaned against his chest and inhaled his masculine scent, savoring every last bit of him because she knew it wouldn’t last. “Now we can go home,” he murmured against her ear. In his arms, she stiffened and pulled away. Did he still not get it? “Home?” “Well…yeah.” “Sean! When someone broke into this house, you locked me up in a closet!” His expression darkened. “Hell yeah and I’d do it again too.” “And that’s our problem right there. You don’t trust me. I thought maybe we were making headway but nothing’s changed and nothing ever will change. When it came down to it, you pretty much hog-tied me and threw me in a closet.” “Someone was in the house,” he said the words as if that explained everything. As if that alone was enough to make up for his behavior. His stupid, typical-Sean behavior. “And?” “And I was trying to keep you safe.” “Keep me safe? You would have been killed if it wasn’t for me.” She placed her hands on her hips. His jaw clenched but he didn’t comment. “Am I right?” “That’s beside the point.” “No, that is the point. You don’t trust me to make decisions, period.” “That’s not—” “Before you finish that thought, yes, it really is true.” “What are you saying?” She stepped away, fully out of his embrace and out of arm’s reach. “This isn’t going to work. When it counted, really counted, you pushed me away and took over. What happened to our deal? What happened to us being equals and helping each other?” His only response was an audible swallow so she continued, “I’m going upstairs to pack my stuff. I just want you to take me back to Orlando so we can sign the divorce papers.” A dark silence filled the air for a long moment. “Fine. Whatever you want.” With that, he walked from the room. She should have felt elated and overjoyed he didn’t fight her. Instead, she just felt like crying. Her legs filled with lead as she walked up the stairs and the expression on Sean’s face when she met him in their room nearly killed her. For the first time in her life, she understood the expression “hollow victory”.

Chapter Eight

Caitlyn picked up the phone to her room. “Yes?” “Cab waiting downstairs ma’am.” “I’ll be right down.” She disconnected and scanned the room one last time even though she was certain she hadn’t forgotten anything. For the past two days she’d been holed up in her room and hadn’t so much as gotten out of bed. Not because she was scared though. Lewis was in jail and Coleman was now dead and no longer even a remote threat to them. The man Coleman decided to turn on had a very long arm and apparently didn’t take kindly to Coleman’s accusations. He’d only lasted a few days in prison. She was pathetic. She’d gotten exactly what she came for but now she had no clue what she was doing with her life. When an old friend had called from DC and asked if she wanted to visit, she’d jumped at the chance to leave Orlando. Technically she had a place to live but seeing Sean wasn’t in the cards right now. He hadn’t said a word on the way back into town. If she thought leaving the first time hurt, this time was ripping her heart into shreds so tiny she doubted she would ever put it back together. There was such a sense of finality in leaving this time. She shook her head and sighed. Purse and key in hand, she grabbed her rolling suitcase and headed downstairs. After she signed at the front desk for her brief stay—at a downtown bed and breakfast, not the Embassy Suites thank you very much—she walked outside and fought tears as the cab driver put her bags into the trunk. As he pulled away, she stared out the window and let a few tears fall. If she was doing the right thing, then why did she feel so awful? She had a decision to make and no one could make it for her. Sean was overbearing and pushy and he wasn’t going to change. Caitlyn laid her head back against the vinyl seat and closed her eyes. They’d certainly been through a lot the past couple of days. Her emotions had been on a roller-coaster for the past year and after her trip home, she felt even worse. The cab driver took a sharp turn and her eyes flew open. He cut down a side street into a section of historic downtown. The jostling over the brick streets aggravated her upset stomach and growing headache. “What are you doing?” “Cutting through. I’m taking 417 because it’s quicker.” His words were clipped and annoyed that she’d even asked. It wasn’t quicker but she didn’t argue. She didn’t have the energy. As they passed Greenwood Cemetery her heart jumped. An unexpected vision played in her head. Sean holding her head as she emptied the contents of her stomach when she learned her grandmother died. Then of

Sean holding her hand at the funeral after he’d taken care of every last detail because she’d been unable. They’d only been dating then and he’d looked after her. She hadn’t asked him to, he’d just stepped in and taken over. Of course she hadn’t minded then. Then she’d taken his take-charge attitude for granted. Appreciated it even. Why had things changed? She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter and fought a building headache. There was only one question she had to ask herself. Could she live without him? Truly leave now, knowing they weren’t going to be married anymore? The answer hit her with such startling force, it was as if someone had punched her in the gut. A vision of life without Sean played in her mind and bile rose in her throat. “Do you mind if we take a detour?” She leaned forward and asked the driver. She actually didn’t care if he minded. They weren’t going to the airport anymore. “Sure, where to?” “The nearest office supply store,” she said as they pulled up to a red light. “Is everything okay ma’am?” “Yes. I have some documents I need to shred. Then, I won’t be needing you to take me to the airport.” She’d planned to mail the divorce papers to her attorney when she made it to DC. Her heart beat an erratic tattoo against her chest. This could be the biggest mistake of her life but she owed it to herself to try. Hell, she owed it to Sean to try. And she had to get rid of these stupid papers before she faced him. Bringing any sort of reminder into their house wasn’t the way to start things off again. Thirty minutes later, sans divorce papers, they sat in Sean’s driveway and her heart still hadn’t stopped racing. She wiped clammy palms against the seat. They had a lot to work on and things wouldn’t change overnight but he’d shown he was willing to try to fight for them. She was the one

who’d run away because it had been easier. Well, she wasn’t running anymore. If she could only find the courage to get out of the cab and take that first step, she knew they had a chance. “Are you okay lady?” She glanced at the driver in the rearview mirror and had a sense of déjà vu from her first day back in Orlando. She swallowed and gave herself a hard mental shake. “I’m fine.” The driver nodded, then stepped from the vehicle. Once he retrieved her bags from the trunk and delivered them to the doorstep she paid him. After he left however, she still stood on the front porch, unable to go inside. What was she getting herself into? Her key slipped into the front door and twisted with the familiarity of coming home. Sean’s SUV was outside but the house was quiet. Her sandals were silent across the wooden floor as she walked through the house. She dropped her bags when she heard the sound of running water. As she walked through the living room toward the hallway that led to the two back bedrooms, she started undressing. She knew she was taking a chance and putting herself out there but Sean had done the same for her. She needed to swallow her pride. First went her shoes, then her calf-length skirt, then her top and sweater until all she wore was a pair of plain, pink, cotton panties. Their bedroom door was already half open so she slipped through without moving it. Sean’s off-key singing greeted her ears from the direction of the bathroom. As she moved closer toward the bathroom door, she realized he was singing a depressing country song about a man losing his wife. Her heart twisted at the lyrics. If he rejected her now, she’d actually understand. The door was open a small crack so she pushed it wide enough to step through. Then she slipped off the last shred of material she wore and pulled back the shower curtain. Surprise and a mix of emotions shrouded her husband’s handsome face. His eyes darkened. “What are you doing here?” he rasped out. “I live here.” His eyes crinkled at the sides and a small smile touched his lips. “Is that right?” She nodded because she didn’t trust her voice. There were so many things she needed to say. Wanted to say. Mostly in the form of an apology. But nothing came to mind when she stared into his dark eyes. The only thing she knew for sure was this time there was no turning back. “It’s about damn time you got home,” he said as he pulled her into the shower with him.

About the Author

Katie Reus fell in love with romance at a young age through books she’d pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later, she still loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. When she’s not plotting or writing, she loves to travel with her husband. In addition to writing erotica, she also writes romantic suspense and light paranormals. No matter the genre, Happily Ever After is always a must.

The author welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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Also by Katie Reus

Running From the Past

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