Darkness Of Truth (An FBI/Romance Thriller~ Book 6) (11 page)

Callen grinned
, leaning into the autopsy room to talk to the staff. “Guys, the hotel is expecting you. It’s the one that the team stayed at last time we were here in Red River. Christina knows the way there. Stay out of trouble.”

Both doctors laughed. “Damn, and here we were looking to have fun in the middle of nowhere.”

“Don’t make me send Elizabeth in here.”

Now they laughed and saluted him for a change.

“Great, now they’re being smartasses with me too,” muttered Whitefox. “This ‘in charge’ thing isn’t fun at all.”

Elizabeth patted his arm. “
Now you’re preaching to the choir, Cal. Honestly, you get used to their antics. Embrace the sarcasm and use it to your advantage, Grasshopper.”

Whitefox laughed. “I’ll try.”

Tori stood in the doorway
, observing the man she was hopelessly in love with as he worked at the table. He was making a list of the things they needed before heading out tomorrow. Julian was completely engrossed in it, and it allowed her to just stare at him undetected.

It was easy to fall in love with
a man when his outer package was sexy, but Tori found herself more in love with the man beneath the handsome exterior. Don’t get her wrong, Julian was Native hot, and his body and features called to her. The dark brown hair and the gold brown eyes made her heart skip in her chest, but it was the compassion and endless sweetness that held her attention more. It made her want to do anything to make him smile, laugh and just pay him back for the millions of things he did for her every day.

Tori crossed the room
, moved his hair to the side and began leaving kisses down the back of his neck. When her hands wandered to the buttons down the front of his shirt, she had his complete attention.

Turning his head, his lips sought hers and
a very welcoming kiss. “Mmmmmm…what’s that for?” he inquired, pulling her down into his lap.

“I saw you sitting there working so diligently and it got me all hot and bothered,” she replied, undoing the next button on his shirt. “Something about a man deep in concentration
is really sexy.”

Julian’s body was coming awake as Tori began leaving kisses across his throat and neck. “Victoria, I really need to get this list done before we head out tomorrow,” he muttered, as she bit his lower lip
, giving it a tug.

“Uh huh,” she answered, tormenting him further. “
I’m pretty sure the list will be there later, Julian,” Tori promised. “Why don’t we go to bed now and worry about it tomorrow?” Her response was his body tightening at her words.

Another button was undone.

It wasn’t that Julian didn’t want to take her to bed, but they needed to head out and they had one shot at taking everything with them. Shit, she was making it hard to think.

Tori unbuttoned the last button and slid the shirt from his shoulders. Leaving kisses across the
broadness, running her nails across his back, and promising him a really good time if he joined her.

Julian simply sat there enjoying the feeling of his woman taking complete control of the
moment. Generally, he was a bit more dominant in bed, but not tonight. She was rising up to the challenge.

The want was filling her and the scent of the man was making her crazy. Next she started unbut
toning her own shirt. One way or another, she was going to distract the man from his work.  Sometimes Julian took things a bit too serious, and she suspected it had something to do with him snapping at her on the scene. Diving into his mouth, she deepened the kiss and took all the time she needed to convey what was living in her for only him.

Tori stood, lips still joined and undid her jeans. If the man was hell
bent on sitting here, then she was going to join him in the moment. When she was finished with him, he’d never look at the chair the same again. Stepping out of her jeans, Tori pulled him to his feet and continued the kiss.

Julian was getting wilder at the prospects of what was coming. His girl
was definitely in the mood now and taking him on an adventure. When his button and zipper were undone, his jeans slid down his hips, and he sprung free in her hand. The moan was pulled from deep within his chest.

It was amazing to feel her stroking him softly. Julian’s body shook, and the kiss was abruptly broken as he was pushed back into the chair.

“Victoria,” he whispered, finally taking in the scene in front of him. There she stood in a bra and panties, her shirt open. “Here?” he asked, lifting a brow. “At the table?”

Tori laughed
at the look of surprise on his face. “I tried to get you to bed, so here it is,” she replied, stepping out of her panties and straddling his lap, facing him on the chair.

Julian was about to lose it right there.
He’d enjoyed sex a great deal in his life, but never once in a chair in his kitchen.

Then she slid him into her waiting warmth
, and he dropped his head back moaning. “Christ,” he mumbled, as she began the ride. The angle was absolutely perfect. He was repeatedly buried in her body and trapped beneath her.

“
You feel really good, Julian,” she whispered, driving the speed of their love making. When his hands went to her hips, trying to get her to move faster, her pace only slowed.

“Honey, you’re killing me,” he whispered, as she ran her mouth down his throat
and to his other ear. The words spoken only enflamed them both more.

Tori ignored
his begging and continued the tortuous pace, as she thoroughly enjoyed every second of her ride. The man made her crazy. The way he smelled, moved, and even quaked buried in her body. It all drove her to madness. All Tori wanted was to keep this feeling going forever.

“Victoria, I’m not going to last much lo
nger,” he pleaded. Instead of ending his torture, she began moving faster, slamming down harder onto his erection. “Oh shit,” he whispered, praying she’d go over first, and then he could find relief.

“Look at me, Julian,” she demanded, forcing him to open his eyes and stare into hers. “I love you,” she offered,
driving down again and again in an attempt to rupture around him. “No matter what, I’ll always love you.”

Julian heard the words
, causing his focus to break and the explosion to happen. It pushed them over the edge locked together. When he was finally able to focus, he simply held onto her body and enjoyed the scent of her perfume. “I love you too, Honey.”

“Want to go to bed
or do you really need to make this list tonight?” she questioned, running her fingers through his hair as her body stayed attached to his.

“Bed,” he mumbled, unwilling to let her get off him. Julian simply stood, and her legs went around his hips automatically. “Let’s go, Victoria,”
he mumbled, lips seeking hers hungrily.

Tori was elated. Bed
and that kind of kiss only meant only one thing, and it wasn’t sleep.

Elizabeth stared out the window as the trees flew by and
the GPS gave out directions to the rental house. Everything in her was tied into knots. Coming back to Red River was a tough thing. It brought the past back, throwing it in their faces.

The last time they were here, Callen was in love with someone else. Even though his child was growing deep in her body, there was still that fear that one day he’d walk away. No matter how much Elizabeth reassured herself, the little voice would rear it’s
vicious taunting every once in a while and scare her senseless. Then there was the reminder that she nearly lost him that night too.

The killer had taken him and wanted his heart. Even then
she subconsciously wanted it too. Where she didn't dare admit it then, she could now. Everything about the three of them felt right. Since that initial meeting, there’d always been something there. Where with Ethan it was instantaneously, with Callen it bloomed gently over time. First they were best friends and then slowly more. Now here they were, back in the little town and she was just as unsettled as ever.

“Hey, you okay?” Blackhawk asked, from the seat beside her. He was driving them to their lodging,
as Callen was following in the second Denali.

“Is it wrong that I hate this damn town?”

His eyes flickered over and noticed she wasn’t kidding. That alone unnerved him. Elizabeth rarely was in a foul mood about anything. “Want to talk about it?”

“Is this between us and no one else or will this get back to Callen?” Elizabeth inquired, hoping he’d be willing to help her carry the burden.

“Baby, you know you can tell me anything, and it’ll stay between us.” Yeah, now he was increasingly worried.

“
When I think of Red River, I think about Desdemona. When I dwell on her, I think about how Callen almost took that path in life. Then I feel scared and nervous,” she glanced over. “I know it’s silly and maybe it’s just the baby hormones. I’m sorry for dumping this on you, but…” Elizabeth stopped.

“But you’d normally share this kind of thing with Callen and you can’t
this time.” Blackhawk stopped becoming upset over Elizabeth and his brother sharing their secrets and fears. Generally, when something scared one of them, they leaned on each other. For a while it stung, but it was simply the dynamic of their group. At one time, she’d shared everything with him, only to have him screw it up with his own anger and issues. Ever since that day, Ethan regretted pushing her away. In his mind, it damaged them.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing for how you feel, Lyzee. You’re allowed a moment of weakness too. You’re human and not superwoman.”

“I simply hate this town
; the people, the killer that almost took his life- all of it.”

Blackhawk had a confession too. “If it makes you feel any better I feel the same. I was worked up when the call came in for Callen to come mediate here. I almost wanted to lie and tell Gabe he was already out in the field.”

That was a huge admission from Ethan. Rarely did he lie or skirt the rules. Ethan Blackhawk was Mr. FBI to the core and would bleed for the bureau.

“I really just want to get him home and out of here.”

Ethan had another confession. “I wanted him to run this assignment, so he’d be distracted and not think about anything that went on here. I don’t want the past with her to taint his life anymore.”

She
knew where he was coming from. “It’s why you rented a different house?”

“Yeah, I didn’t want the ghosts of Desdemona past to sneak back up on us.” Ethan hated that the woman hurt his brother, and
since it reminded them of the past, it had to haunt Callen too.

“Do you think he’d ever leave us, Ethan?”

Blackhawk thought about it. “Never! He’s madly in love with the mother of his child. No other woman on this earth has offered him anything this close to perfect. I know how that feels.”

Elizabeth rubbed her hand over the bump. “I guess you’re right. I guess getting fat again has
its benefits.”

Ethan squeezed her hand. “You’re not even close to fat, and beside when you’re pregnant your sex drive is off the charts. I’d keep you knocked up for the rest of your life
if I could.” He laughed at the look on her face.

It was hard to not be appalled when you were sharing you
r body with another human being and couldn’t eat meat. “Knocked up?”

Quickly, he changed the subject.
“Oh look, we’re here.”

Pulling into the driveway, they checked out the house. “Not as big as the last time but cute,” Elizabeth replied,
as she hopped out and reached for her suitcase. Before she could even touch the handle, Callen was at her side.

“Not happening,” he said, grinning.

“I love you,” she gushed, unable to hold it in any longer. Elizabeth threw herself against him and took in the scent of the man. The tears overwhelmed her and slid down her cheeks.

“Elizabeth! Are you okay?” Callen demanded, getting worried. He looked over at his brother
in question, who mouthed ‘
baby hormones’.

She sniffled. “Yeah, I just wanted to tell you I love you
, and I missed you.”

Callen was overwhelmed himself by the complete and total love he was feeling. Leaning down he swept her up into his arms, and instead of giving him hell, Elizabeth simply laid her head on his shoulder.

Pulling the hair tie from his hair, Elizabeth enjoyed the feel of his long brown hair in her hands. The silkiness and the scent called to her, offering peace as she pulled it over his shoulder and played with it.

This wasn’t like her, and Callen was still worried; hormones or not. “I’m going to go help Ethan carry in the supplies. I want you to rest on the couch for a while, okay?” he stated, following his brother through the doorway of their rental.

He found the couch in the living room and placed her there. Taking off his jacket, he laid it over her to keep the chill of the house from making her cold.