Birds of Prey (21 page)

He knew he was lucky that she felt the same way. It might take years, but he would make up all the lost time to her. He vowed to cherish her from that moment on.

“Let’s ride the elevator. I’m too tired to take the stairs.”

“Okay.” She let him lead her down the hall.

Once they were inside and headed down, he turned and lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her gently, just a faint brush of his lips against hers.

She moaned when he pulled away.

“Not here,” he told her.

“Fine, but you owe me a real kiss soon. And more.”

Like he was going to have a problem with that. The ding announced the lower level. Unable to completely let her go, he grasped her hand in his.

Public displays of affection had never been big with him, but he wanted everyone to know that Aubrey belonged to him. He ached to mark her body.

His cock hardened just at his thought of claiming her.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking about, but whatever it is, you’d better stop before I jump you right here,” she teased.

He chuckled. She might not know what was on his mind, but she could scent his arousal.

“Let’s just get to the car so I can kiss you properly.”

He tightened his hold on her hand as they quickened their pace. Cody pushed through the front glass doors then pulled her to the side and down the ramp. Aubrey was giggling as he dragged her along.

He hit the key fob to unlock the doors and pushed her gently towards the passenger side.

She climbed inside while he ran around to the driver’s door. He yanked it open and jumped in before slamming the door closed. With that, he was finally alone with her.

Cody reached for her at the same time that she moved to him.

Her fingers gripping his hair, she rose to her knees and brought her mouth down on his.

This was what he’d needed. Her taste, her flavour to calm him. He traced his tongue over her bottom lip until she opened for him. Their tongues twirled and stroked.

It was good, so very good.

As he slid his arms around her lower back, he pulled her so that she covered his body and straddled him. It wasn’t comfortable in the interior of the vehicle, but they would have to make do. He was mad to have her.

“Off,” he demanded, yanking at her sweatshirt.

She leant back and started to drag the garment off. As soon as he saw bare skin, he lowered his face and took one of her nipples into his mouth.

She wasn’t wearing a bra, so her breasts were right there waiting. He teased her as she struggled to finally get her top off.

“Yes,” she cried, as he moved to her other breast. She cupped the back of his head and bucked against him.

God that felt wonderful! He lifted his hips to give her friction as he worshipped her body.

“More. I need more, please,” she panted.

They really should stop, slow down, and wait until they were home. He drew a breath to say that when she cupped his hard-on and squeezed.

“Fuck!”

“Now, Cody!”

“Shit!” He looked around. The windows were fogged up, they were in a camera blind spot, and no one was around. Were they really going to have sex in the car like teenagers?

Aubrey rubbed him again. Yes, they sure the hell were.

“Lift up and take your pants off,” he instructed. “It’s going to be fast and dirty.”

Aubrey was already yanking her pants down her hips. “That’s how I want it. I want you so bad.”

Cody tore at the button and zipper of his jeans while lifting his hips to push them down, along with his boxers, to his knees. “Come here.”

She straddled him again, but this time without the barrier of clothes it felt so much better. He wrapped his arm around her and, with his free hand, pulled the latch to move the seat as far back from the steering wheel as possible.

Aubrey laughed when her head hit the roof. “I don’t think I’ve ever done it inside an SUV before.”

He was desperate to have her. His cock was already leaking and he could smell how wet she was. “Then I’ll make it good for you.”

“You always do,” she told him, as she pressed her chest up against his and poised over his cock.

He kissed her hungrily before gripping his shaft.

As she started to lower herself, his breath caught. She was gorgeous. Her head was bent forward as her nails dug into his shoulders. Inch by glorious inch, she sank and he filled her.

“I want you, need you like no one ever before,” he confessed.

“You’re mine,” she whispered. “Forever!”

Cody couldn’t respond after that since her inner muscles had clamped around him.

He groaned as she started to ride him slowly. God, it felt so good to be buried inside her. How had he ever given this up?

Placing his hands on her hips, he aided her in shifting up, matching her rhythm.

“That’s it,” Aubrey murmured. “Please, Cody.”

Oh, how he wished he could flip her over onto her back and just let everything go. It was still good having Aubrey be in charge. She lifted her hips and rocked, gradually speeding up.

By the time she was really riding him, sweat started dripping between their bodies. His balls ached and he needed to send her over the edge so that he could follow.

He buried his hand in her hair and yanked her head back. He used his teeth to nip at the soft flesh of her neck before biting down slightly. He wasn’t mating with her, but marking her.

She screamed and climaxed.

He ripped his mouth away before thrusting up and coming hard.

Aubrey collapsed against his chest, panting wildly. He rubbed her back. “Damn, that was good,” he managed.

“Uh-huh.”

He started to chuckle. Just really a chuckle at first before it grew into full-out belly laughs. They’d just exhausted each other in front of the building he worked in. Yes, it was in the middle of the night, but they should have better control of themselves.

Aubrey lifted her head and squinted at him. If this didn’t tell him that she was the absolutely perfect woman for him, he didn’t know what else would.

“I can’t believe we just did that.”

She smacked his chest lightly. “It’s your fault. You were having sexy thoughts as we were leaving.”

“Sexy thoughts?” he snorted, trying not to laugh all over again.

“Shut up, you melted my brain.”

He kissed her, hugging her close.

“Okay.” She grinned when they parted. “It’s a little funny.”

He nodded. Aubrey started to climb off him and slammed her head into the roof again.

“Damn it!” She rubbed at her injury.

That set him off again. He wiped his eyes, then they dressed slowly. “Let’s go home. I’ll tuck you into bed and tend your poor head.

Aubrey grinned. “Really?”

“Yeah, I’ll tend anything you want. My house or yours?”

“Let’s go to mine. I have fewer neighbours to hear us scream.”

Damn, was there any question why he loved this woman?

* * * *

Aubrey knocked on Adrian’s office door.

He opened it and looked at her in surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Not after what happened yesterday.”

She nodded. She’d missed her appointment the day before, but she was still determined to say her piece to the man.

“Come in.” Adrian pulled her forward into the room. “Are you okay? Shouldn’t you be resting?”

She accepted the offer of a chair. “There’s no need. I wasn’t hurt.”

“You were thrown off a bridge!”

She looked at him, really looked, and saw the strain of the last couple of days. She wanted to feel sorry for him, but his words just kept circling around in her head.

“I was caught. Cody got there in time.”

The mention of Cody had Adrian stepping back slightly. “He did indeed. I spoke to him earlier. He has cleared me completely from the investigation. The Coalition made a statement. Everyone who helped Robert Dawson has been arrested.”

“I know.”

“Of course you do,” Adrian responded with bitterness. He sighed. “Listen, Aubrey, I need to apologise for what I said to you the last time you were here. The way I treated you.”

She lifted a brow.

His lips twitched. “I was an ass.”

“Yes, you were,” she agreed wholeheartedly.

“So you forgive me?”

She shrugged. “You’d had a hard night. This entire time since Gregory’s death has been difficult.”

“Yes, it has.”

“Maybe now things will calm down.” She really did hope that was true. “You can take your rightful place.”

He nodded. “I believe so.”

She stood. This was harder than she’d thought it would be. She knew she was making the right choice, but it sucked.

Adrian stood also. “Thank you for forgiving me, Aubrey. Your support will help the Cast not only get through this rough patch, but thrive in the future.”

Aubrey looked him in the eye and did what she’d come to do. “I’m leaving the Cast.”

“What?” He started forward. “No! I’m sorry. I feel horrible about how I acted.”

She stepped back when he reached for her. “No, Adrian.” She held up a hand. “I have to do this.”

“You don’t!”

“I think I do.” She shook her head sadly. “You’re going to make a great leader. I still believe in you.”

“Then why are you leaving?”

“I love Cody,” she confessed. “Eventually that would come between us again. We have too much of a past. It’s better if I go now. While we can still be friends.”

Adrian closed his eyes and nodded. “I did love you. I know you’ve questioned that. Please believe that I did.”

“I do,” she whispered and slowly walked out of the office. She didn’t look back. She had to close this chapter in her life so that she could move on.

When she stepped out into the hall, Mike stood against the wall with his arms crossed.

“So you’re really going to do it?”

“Yes.” She nodded. “It’s what best for all of us.”

He straightened and sauntered to her. “Well then, I think this is a good time to talk about an idea I have.”

“Idea?”

Mike threw an arm around her shoulder. “You’re currently without a job. I’ve been putting some money aside, and I think we should go into business together.”

She grinned at him. “Oh yeah?” She had spoken to her brother this morning and he’d assured her that he would help in any way she needed until she found work. Aubrey was good with money, though. She’d also been saving.

Mike chuckled. “Yeah. Now please allow me to escort you outside. I believe we have some visitors.”

This time she frowned. “Visitors?”

“I have a date,” he announced happily.

“Really?”

“Yep, and I believe he brought someone by for you too.”

They took the steps together and continued down the hall. The front door stood open, and after they had passed through it, she paused.

Cody and Ryder were leaning against a black SUV.

Aubrey smiled at them before peering up at Mike. “You will be good tonight?”

He shook his head. “Not a chance.”

She laughed. He removed his arm from her shoulders just as they reached the two agents.

Cody held out a hand and she placed hers into his. He pulled her close. “How’d he take it?”

“As expected.” She tried to shrug it off.

“Baby.” He caught her chin with his free hand. “Are you sure? “

She was. She’d thought a lot about her decision. She was ready to move on.

“I’m sure,” she assured him.

He kissed her, hard.

“Mmm.” She licked her lips when he pulled back.

“I need a ride home,” he told her, nuzzling her neck.

“I’m not going that way.”

“No?” he asked, before nipping.

“No, I guess you’ll have to come home with me.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”

They waved to Mike and Ryder before she led him to her vehicle. She was going to take Cody to bed. And not let him out for at least twenty-four hours.

Also available from Totally Bound Publishing:

What’s her Secret?: Last Call

Crissy Smith

Excerpt

Chapter One

“Last call! Last call!” Piper Maxwell shouted.

Jace Anderson heard the familiar words from his place at the cash register behind the bar and his blood started to pump in anticipation. His body was alive with awareness of what was to come. He turned his head to the woman who’d made the announcement. His bar manager Piper Maxwell nodded to the two bartenders while smiling at his patrons. This was the best part of the evening for him. Jace and Piper, alone, the opportunity he craved night after night.

He took the rag out of his back pocket and stepped around the bar into the seating section. He started to wipe down the empty tables to help clean up for the night. The dark wood table tops gleamed in the bar light. Smooth, quiet jazz flowed through air and comforted those within. The stained but clean oak floors had been battered but continued to hold strong.

From any seat in the house, the windowed front offered the patrons a spectacular view of the beach yards away.

Jace had opened the bar only a year ago but it was now home. Everything he had ever wanted in his life wrapped into one place. The people who worked for him were his family. The woman currently ringing up the last of the patrons’ tabs… He shook his head. Piper was one of a kind.

The closing procedures only took half an hour. He had a very efficient staff—they were well trained and all took care and helped one another. The kitchen had been shut down two hours ago so the small staff in the back had already cleaned up their stations and gone for the night. The four remaining employees, his two bartenders and two waitresses, finished up and happily waved good night.

It had been a busy shift. Steady business. He couldn’t ask for much more. Even in a struggling economy he still managed to make money.

Lifting the last stool onto the table top, he glanced out of the front window and saw the moon shining bright over the water. The astounding sight always made his breath catch.