Bring the Heat (16 page)

“I know I do.” She lifted her chin. “And I have a
three-ring notebook full of letters and e-mails to prove it.”

“For example?” He cocked his head, appearing genuinely interested. Even encouraging.

She blinked. “Well, I received a letter from the parents of a little girl kidnapped right out of her backyard last year. The case was heartbreaking, yes, but the evidence I found on her body led to a career pedophile and rapist. The police were finally able to put him in prison before he harmed anyone else.”

Austin smiled, clasping her hand. “That's wonderful, sweetheart. Not about the little girl, of course, but what you do to bring closure to families.”

“Thank you.”

Wow
. She sucked in a steadying breath. The guy had no idea how badly she longed to jump his bones when he blinded her with those big pearly whites. Shaking herself, she went on.

“Successful closure on a case requires the whole team to be on their toes: my office, the community, the media, and the police. That's what I love most about my job, Rainey. As weird as it sounds coming from a medical examiner, I love being part of a happy ending. When it works, it's magic.”

“Happy endings are rare. You're an amazing woman, Laura Eden.”

“I hope you still think so when I tell you my idea.” She paused, biting her lip. His exaggerated groan and comical annoyed expression might've made her laugh if she hadn't been so worried about his reaction.

“Oh no. Come on. You got something against us being happy for more than five minutes?”

“Promise you won't get uptight and we'll be dandy.”

“No deal. The alarm bells you're setting off are jacking with my headache.”

Laura took a deep breath. “Okay, I've been thinking—”

“Strike one.”

“Hear me out.” She threw him a scowl. He crossed his arms over his chest, a faint smile hitching the corners of his mouth, but remained silent.

“Your stalker has been quiet since his failed attempt to get you. Much too quiet, I think. He'll make a move soon, and when he does, there needs to be another trap in place. One guaranteed to shake him up, make him sloppy.”

“Royally piss him off, you mean?” A spark of interest lit his face. “How?”

“We'll lure him out of hiding. Then you'll get him. I'm no expert on the criminal mind, especially not the psychotic personality. But I'm willing to bet he's on the verge of his rage spiraling out of control. It shouldn't take much of a shove to send him over. I can think of one scenario almost guaranteed to do the trick.”

“I shudder to imagine,” he said dryly.

“Aren't you tired of waiting for him to make an attempt on your life? What if he does see us out together after all? We really flaunt our relationship in his face. I'll arrange the publicity with Joan, make certain he sees us together. Maybe I'll do better as bait to draw him out, and when he comes after me, you'll get him.”

Austin's humor vanished. His eyes turned glacial, and the sudden thunderous anger on his face damn near stalled her pulse.

“Absolutely not. Do you have any firsthand knowledge of what this crazy bastard is capable of? Really?” He slammed his fist down on the table, causing her to jump and sloshing coffee from both mugs. “
I
do, goddammit! He's stolen my life!”

Austin broke off, breathing as if he'd been running for miles. Laura laid a hand over his fist and said gently, “I know. Let's get it back. Austin, I love you.”

His face turned the color of chalk.

Jerking his hand from hers, he shoved from the table and left the room without a word. She sat unmoving, heard the sliding glass door to the patio open. Riddled with uncertainty, she waited a few minutes before going after him. Had she done the right thing by confessing? She knew only that witnessing his terrible struggle, she hadn't been able to keep it to herself.

She found him sitting on the steps of the deck, elbows on his spread knees, gazing across the small yard. He looked so lost, just as he had on the drive home from the hospital, and again last night. A shiver went through her soul.

He's stolen my life.

She sat on the steps beside him. Waited for the bomb to explode. But his quiet voice drifted over her, a silky caress.

“What do you know about Ashley?”

“Not much,” she admitted. “Just that you two were miserable together.”

“That's an understatement.” He didn't look at her. “Though I did love her at one time.”

“I'm sure you did. Is this about what I said? Do you want me to take it back?” She touched his sleeve. “I would never intentionally hurt you, Austin. Not for the world.”

He did turn to her then, and the sheen of tears in his eyes stole her breath. Somehow they didn't spill over, probably from sheer force of will on his part.

“Oh, honey!” Laura cupped his face in her hands. “I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to cause you more pain. I know you must still be grieving for Ashley—”

“It's not Ashley.” He paused, searching for a way to explain. “For weeks after she said it was over between us, I thought I'd die. God knows part of me wanted to quit. I saw a counselor for a few months. I got through losing her, eventually. Then we got pregnant, and things went sideways between me and her again, and you know the rest. But that's not even what's getting to me right now.”

She combed a lock of auburn hair from his eyes. “If it's not the past dredging up your grief, what's upsetting you so badly? Talk to me.”

“Your plan, in the kitchen . . .”

“I'm not following.”

“I'm afraid, Laura.”

“Of what, sweetie?”

“Of losing you,” he whispered. “Because I love you, too.”

And covered her lips with his.

Oh. Oh my.

Laura had no defense against this. A sexy alpha male with a gentle soul, stripping himself bare. Revealing the wounded, lonely soul underneath. Punctuate that with a searing, spine-tingling kiss designed to claim her as
his
, and she was toast.

He loves me, too. Yes.

He leaned into her, cupping the back of her head, his mouth hot. Demanding. She arched into him and skimmed her hands over his shoulders, nipples hardening against his wide chest.

Stolen kisses were no longer enough. Not with this man. She wanted everything he was willing to give. Truth be told, she always had.

“Let's go inside, Captain.”

He pulled back, searching her face. Desire laced his deep, husky voice. “Are you sure?”

She traced a finger along his lower lip. “Oh
yeah
.”

Giving her a lopsided smile, he stood, scooping her into his arms in one smooth motion. “My lady, your wish is my command.”

“Put me down!” she squealed.

He tightened his grip, cuddling her against his chest. “I don't think so.”

She laughed, reached up to stroke his face, loving the feel of his morning beard on his cheeks. He was all hers to touch, to hold. Happiness bloomed in her heart, spreading warmth to her fingers and toes.

Austin paused only long enough to close and lock the sliding glass door, then hurried through the house and to his bedroom as if she weighed nothing.

Once there, he laid her gently on his king-sized bed, then straightened. In record time, he shed his shirt and slid his jeans off, kicking them away. Laura drank in the sight of his naked body greedily. Austin was the hottest man she'd ever seen. Wearing nothing except a smile, the man was equal to none.

It hadn't been that long since they'd been together, yet it seemed like forever. She studied the startling green eyes set in the planes of his handsome angular face. Thick dark red hair framing his wonderful face, brushing his neck. She let her gaze drift leisurely to his broad shoulders and strong arms.

He was ripped with muscle, but not obsessively so. Strong and capable. A very light sprinkling of hair, a bit darker than that on his head, covered his chest, trailing downward past flat, hard male nipples. Finally, she allowed her attention to roam to his impressive erection, savoring the sight. Heat flamed low in her belly, between her legs. His engorged penis jutted proudly from a nest of dark curls, arching toward his washboard stomach.

“Still like what you see?” His smile told her he knew the answer.

“I want to touch you.”

His eyes went dark, feral. “Your turn, sweetheart. All's fair.”

Eagerly, she tugged his T-shirt over her head, pitched it onto the floor.

He climbed onto the bed to sit next to her and pushed her arms down to her sides. “God, you're beautiful. What did I do to deserve you?”

Laura's face heated, but she smiled. “Thank you. You're pretty damn handsome yourself.”

“I don't know about that, but thanks.”

Fascinated, Laura reached out to touch the broad head of his penis, swirling it with one finger as a drop of precum beaded the tip. Encouraged by his sharp intake of breath, she became bolder in her exploration, wrapping her hand around his cock.

“Yes.”
He leaned back and closed his eyes, spread his long legs to encourage her journey.

She pumped him slowly, enjoying the texture of silky, baby-soft skin over such hardness. Next she moved her hand to cradle his testicles, reacquainting herself with the feel of his heavy sex. Marveling that such a powerful man could be reduced to jelly with a caress.

“Sweetheart,” he gasped, removing her hand. “I'm not going to last. But I promise I'll make it up to you next time.”

Quickly, Austin reached for the nightstand and removed a condom from the drawer.

“Is that even necessary,” she asked. “I mean, we already blew that one.”

Immediately she regretted bringing it up. A shadow crossed his face as he shrugged. “It was just the one time, so using one can't hurt.”

She swallowed her disappointment, unwilling to let it spoil the moment. “Of course. Hurry up there, sexy.”

After covering himself, he lowered her onto the pillows and stretched his big body over hers, settling between her legs. His erection pulsed against her belly as he captured her lips in a sizzling kiss, tongue licking into the seam of her mouth. Teasing, tasting.

He broke the kiss, moved lower, repeating his attentions on her breasts. “Perfect, so perfect. So
mine
.”

His teeth grazed one nipple, tongue doing wonderful things to the hardened little pebble. Sending delightful shocks to every nerve ending. When he suckled the other nipple, she came undone, pulling at his shoulders.

“Austin, I need you inside me.”

Moving up to cover Laura, his gaze locked with hers. The raw male heat, the
possessiveness
on his face made her quiver in anticipation.

He slid a hand between her thighs, fingers brushing the dark curls there. Pushing one finger inside, he stroked in and out, spreading the dewy wetness to prepare her. Lengthening the strokes, he rubbed her clit, setting her on fire.

“Now, please!”

Guiding the head to her entrance, he began to push.

“Oh! Yes, yes.”

“I've got you, baby,” he crooned. “You feel so good.”

He pushed deeper by inches, letting her adjust to him. His gentleness brought a rush of tears to her eyes. The feeling of him filling her became a flame burning brighter. Desire ignited, being with him a joy she'd never known with another man. She wrapped her arms around him, skimming her hands over the muscles in his back as he seated himself as deeply as possible.

“Feel me?” he whispered into her hair.

“Yes.” She raised her hips, urging him.

He began to move, slow, tantalizing strokes. “Are you mine?”

“Oh, Austin, yes! I'm yours.”

He held her against his chest, made sweet, beautiful love to her. Sheltered in the safety of his arms, his body covering her like a warm blanket, she'd come home. This wasn't just sex with a gorgeous man. This was love.

That they'd said the words made it even more beautiful.

His tempo quickened, his thrusts filling her harder. Deeper. Faster. But even as he drove into her, taking them to the edge, he was careful not to crush her, protecting her while entering her with powerful strokes. Hurtling them higher, higher—

His release erupted, his big body shaking. She followed, the orgasm shattering her control, the waves pounding her senses. He shuddered again and again,
until he lowered his forehead to hers, spent and breathing hard.

She lay unmoving, loving his weight on top of her, his musky male scent teasing her nose. Loving him.

“I love you, Austin Rainey.”

“And I love you, Laura Eden.”

You're mine
.

One hundred percent pure, satisfied male. Her heart thrilled at the memory of the words that had come from the depths of his soul, and she cherished them.

That was more than enough for her to be happy.

•   •   •

Austin disposed of the condom and returned to the bed, gathering Laura into his arms. “Wow. I think my bones melted.” He felt her smile against his chest, and liked it. A lot.

“Me, too.”

He tightened his hold, kissed the top of her head. “Tonight, lady, you'd better be ready. I plan on making love to you all damn night, in every conceivable way.”

She wiggled against him, teasing, “Ooh, promises, promises.”

“Hey, cut it out,” he growled playfully. “Never dangle a bone in front of a starving dog. I've been lonely far too long.”

“I'm sorry,” she said, running a palm over his chest.

“For making me so hard again that I'm about to go blind?”

Her voice softened. “I'm sorry you've been lonely.”

Austin was glad he'd admitted it to himself and to her. His heart belonged to Laura. He wasn't just falling
hard.
I love her
.
Completely
. But oh, God, he was still so afraid of the danger his love might place her in.

Carefully, he hugged her close and kissed her hair. “Baby, I'm not lonely anymore.”

Another smile, and a hug. “Me, either.”

They lay wrapped together in comfortable silence, because words weren't necessary. A perfect, rare, treasured moment of crystal clear understanding between a man and a woman. Too huge for them both, so he allowed the knowledge of their love to bring him life after a long, harsh drought. Curl tendrils around his heart and hers, so good and beautiful the sensation seemed almost painful. Like water, he thought, filling cracks in dry, thirsty earth.

After several minutes, he stirred with a reluctant sigh. “We'd better get ready for work.”

“We're already late. Ten more minutes? Please?” She rested her chin in the center of his chest and gazed at him with big, sad doe eyes, poking out her bottom lip.

He barked a laugh and kissed the end of her nose. “How do women learn to do the pouty face?”

Laura arched a brow. “It's taught to us by our grandmothers and great-grandmothers as a form of mind control that works great on men.”

“It works. The question is, does it work both ways?” He returned the pitiful expression, sticking out his lower lip.

She burst into a fit of giggles, then scooted up and kissed his cheek. “Touché. I can see I'll have to use the weapons in my arsenal sparingly.”

“But not
too
sparingly,” he said, grinning. “I think I
could get used to bending to my lady's wishes. Maybe I'm a closet submissive.”

A feline smile curved her mouth. “Oh,
yum
. I say we test that theory tonight when I have my way with you.”

“Damn, this is gonna be a long day,” he griped.

“Poor baby.” She traced his lips with a delicate finger.

“Mmm.” Content to be the object of her sympathy, he relaxed into the pillows, enjoying her exploration. She brushed her fingers over his lips, the lines around his mouth, his brow. He groaned in pleasure when she sank her hands into his hair, massaging his scalp, sending wonderful little chills all the way to his spine.

She paused, peering at him in concern. “How's your head?”

“Better, especially with those magic fingers doing the trick.”

“Does it hurt much?”

“Yeah, but not because of the roofie. I think that's out of my system. It's mostly because of the whiskey I drank mixed with the pain pills,” he admitted ruefully. “Not one of my finer moments.”

She ignored his comment and moved off him to his side. With her palm, she skimmed his rib cage. “Most people would crumble under what you've been through.”

“Well, it's not enough to keep me from jumping your bones,” he joked. The desperation in his voice ruined the attempt at lightheartedness.
Please, baby, I don't want to talk about this
.

“Austin, have you seen a counselor?”

“I don't have time for that.”

“I sort of thought talking with a counselor was required of a police officer or any other emergency worker after the sort of grief you've had to deal with.”

“Technically, it is. I've been putting it off because Glenn hasn't mentioned it yet.” He must've sounded as depressed about the prospect as he felt. Laura propped herself on one elbow and reached out with her free hand to stroke his hair.

“Hey, chin up. The sessions might actually help you, like you said they did before. You might only need one or two.”

“Yeah, unless the doc decides I need ongoing therapy.” Austin heaved a sigh. “I hate the thought of spilling my guts again.”

Worry darkened her expression. “But, sweetie, you need it to heal. You're grieving the loss of loved ones. The stalker has done these terrible things to you. It's deeply personal. You're dealing with the loss of a part of yourself. Making peace with that won't happen overnight.”

The slight catch in her voice made him curious. “Sounds like you know what you're talking about.”

“I do. Promise me you'll be open with the doctor. Otherwise, your grief and anger will fester until—” She broke off and shook her head. “I'm sorry. This is really none of my business.”

He frowned at the sudden sheen of tears brimming in her eyes. “Don't be ridiculous. I've got no secrets, especially from the woman I just made love to. Laura, what's wrong?”

“I've seen what happens to a person when a ravaged psyche doesn't heal. Don't bury your pain until it destroys you.”

He rested a finger under her chin. “I promise I won't let it come to that. But we're not talking about me anymore, are we?”

“Yes and no.” She paused, as if debating whether elaborating was a good idea. “Something terrible happened to my brother when he was a kid. The trauma left him emotionally damaged. No, more like ruined.”

“I didn't know you had a brother.”

She nodded. “Grayson. He's the oldest, never married. And I have an older sister named Samantha, happily married with two kids.”

Austin stared at Laura. “Grayson—wait a minute. Grayson Eden.
The
Grayson Eden?”

“Yep. Famous NASCAR driver. Merciless scourge of the track, asshole extraordinaire.” But the raw pain in her voice spoke volumes about her affection for Grayson.

Austin rolled to his side, facing her. “You love him.”

“I love the man he should've been.”

“He's a successful celebrity,” he pointed out.

“Who's loathed by nearly everyone who knows him. One of these days he's going to get himself or someone else killed on the track.”

She had a point. NASCAR's most recent bad boy made the late Dale Earnhardt seem like a lamb in comparison. “So, whatever he went through as a young boy is what makes him tick as a man.”