Haven of Nightmares (Littlemoon Investigations Book 5) (20 page)

Chapter Eleven

Thursday Morning

Pre-Dawn

It reminded him of being back in the military. It was like some top-secret mission, only this time, he had a partner in crime. Beau loved that anymore, he and Nyx got to work together all the time. Whether it was at her shop downstairs or them working a case, each moment with Nyx was heaven on earth.

Just being able to be near her made him stupid with love.

He’d found his other half.

It had to be her sexy eyes, sweet smile, and the amazing size of her heart. The woman loved him for him, broken, battered, and a mess.

Not many women would, and he knew he was more than blessed. He was beyond fortunate.

As they got to the fence, far from where he ditched the rental car, he knew it was going to be an adventure. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he asked.

“No.”

It caught him off guard. “Really?”

“I need a kiss. I think every lawbreaking offense should start off with some hot, steamy making out.”

He grinned. “You are so the woman for me. I think you were made to be my girl.”

She happened to agree wholeheartedly.

He tugged Nyx into his arms, and immediately, he sought her mouth with his. As soon as they met, that heat, fire, and chemistry exploded in them.

Yeah.

Heaven.

When she slowly pulled away, both of them were breathing heavily.

“God, Nyxie, I love you so damn much.”

She grinned. “Now, I’m ready to be felonious.”

He linked his fingers together, offering to boost her up and over the six-foot fence. He had already thrown down his jacket so she wouldn’t get cut on the wire across the top.

“Ready, baby?” he asked.

She was.

“On three.”

He counted her off, and then boosted her up. Nyx was super light, and she went over the top without even touching it.

“Be careful,” she said, looking through the fencing, once she had regained her balance on the other side.

“Be right there, Nyxie. Don’t worry about me, baby, I’ve climbed far worse.”

It was true.

As a soldier, he’d done this carrying a pack, weapon, and while someone had been trying to shoot him.

This was cake.

It didn’t take him long to get over, and on his way down, his jacket was free and on the ground beside him.

“That’s so damn hot,” she said, when he stood up. Nyx knew she was lucky to have found this man. Ever since the day their paths had crossed, she’d been invited into the family with open arms.

Julian’s mom was kind to her, the team accepted her the first day, and even Tori had been sweet.

He was her blessing on so many levels.

“Let’s go. I have the entry codes. We’ll get in, make some coffee, and get ready for the team.”

He took her hand in his before pulling her across the hilly landscape. Her body was safely behind his, and she didn’t doubt that was his plan the entire time.

Her soldier was super protective and that was more than all right with her. Nyx needed that in her life, and she also needed this job. It fulfilled her, and it silenced the demons in her life.

Mainly…Trey.

“Stay close,” he whispered, pulling them into the trees to scout the area.

“Aren’t you taking this a little too seriously?” she teased.

He glanced over his shoulder. “When it involves you…then no. You’re the most important person to me.”

She wanted to melt right there.

“Okay,” she squeaked.

Beau led her up the hill.

That’s when he heard it.

They weren’t alone.

Pulling her down, they ducked behind a shrub. “Someone’s over there in the trees,” he whispered. “Don’t move.”

Well, he was pressed over her body, so she was more than okay with that.

Hell!

She’d hang out like this until the sun came up.

“Come here often, soldier?” she asked, whispering in his ear. Nyx could feel his body react to her words.

“Not nearly enough,” he whispered back. “You’re making this really hard.”

She went to say something, but his hand covered her mouth as he pulled her beneath his body even more. Someone was walking right past their location.

When the coast was clear, Beau was up and racing with Nyx across the last area that they needed to cross. If that was the groundskeeper, they didn’t need to be spotted.

His sister said low key, and he was going to do it. If anything, he obeyed orders.

At the building, he entered the code and rushed them inside and to safety.

Nyx whistled when she saw the mess. “Uh, I’m pretty sure that chandelier shouldn’t be there.”

He was too.

It looked like some party had gone on, and someone had started trashing the place in some booze filled bender.

“I’m sure there’s one hell of a story around that one,” Beau offered.

She didn’t doubt it.

“Let’s find the kitchen and make some coffee.”

“I know what would really wake me up,” she said, chewing on her lower lip.

“Please say a redheaded, ex-soldier to pillage your sexy village at dawn.”

She laughed. “Exactly.”

“Well, I aim to please.” With that, he tossed her over his shoulder to find a secluded place where he could
‘wake’
her up the right way. Then they’d get ready for the team.

After all, he had his priorities.

He was only human.

       
         
* * *
  L   i   t   t   l  e  m  o  o  n  * * *

Well, he’d lived through hell, and he wasn’t talking about the school.

No, Roman was talking about the sleeping situation. Not only did Mattie smell really great from her bubble bath, but, she was rubbing against him every few seconds.

It was torture.

No, it was worse than torture.

All he wanted to do was roll over, take her in his arms, and never let her go. There was something to be said about morning sex, and his body knew it.

He was hard.

Erect.

Ready.

Only, this was Mattie, and he owed her more than some sweaty romp in his parent’s old bed. He’d broken her heart, so he owed her tenderness, gentleness, and compassion.

This was going to be difficult and on so many levels.

As he laid there, Mattie’s head on his shoulder, her hand on his erection, and her leg pinning his beneath hers, he knew he was screwed.

He had to wonder if it was the universes way of messing with him. Her body was positioned just right that when she woke up, she’d know what he was thinking.

Great.

Just great.

He was about to embarrass himself with a raging case of morning wood.

As he heard her yawn and felt the shift in her body, he couldn’t contain the moan. Mattie’s hand stroked him, and he wasn’t a saint.

He prayed she didn’t hear it.

If there was a God above, she wouldn’t focus on it.

Lifting her sexily tousled head of blonde hair, she stared him right in the eyes. “Morning.”

“Morning, Mattie.”

When her fingers touched his cheek, his whole body was tense. “Are you okay?”

He laughed. “That depends. Am I incredibly turned on by a beautiful woman in bed, and no chance to take the edge off that? By definition alone, that makes me not okay.”

“Is this awkward?” she asked.

“For me, and where your hand is, a little.”

She went to move it, but he caged her wrist.

It wasn’t like he could hide it, and that wasn’t his style. Roman figured honesty was best.

“Don’t.”

She stopped moving at his words.

“I need you to know how I feel about you. I need you to believe that what I feel is very real. It’s always been real.”

Mattie could feel.

He throbbed beneath her fingers.

When he set her wrist free, she didn’t move her hand. Instead, she slowly stroked him.

He moaned again.

Screw God above.

He wanted to touch heaven.

“I want you to know that I hear what you’re saying, and that I feel the same about you.”

He swallowed.

“I kissed you last time, so technically, it’s your turn,” she admitted. “You’re making a girl think she’s not doing this right.”

“What are you trying to do?”

He was sure he knew the answer to that, and it was to make him insane.

“I’m trying to get your attention.”

He didn’t hesitate. Roman gave in to what he was feeling. Rolling, he pinned her beneath his body and found her mouth with his. Mattie didn’t fight it, and that told him everything he needed to know.

In fact, she didn’t hold back.

Instead, her hands went into his hair, holding him to her mouth in one hell of a kiss.

They didn’t even come up for air.

Tongues tangled.

Hearts thumped in unison.

They were one.

God!

He’d never felt anything quite like this before. It was like living in a cave for so long, and then stepping out into the sunlight for the first time ever.

It was so peaceful.

“Mattie,” he whispered, when he finally managed to pull away. His mouth began moving down her throat, and she wasn’t stopping him.

That was a good sign, right?

It had been a while. Maybe he was rusty at this whole seduction thing.

“Roman,” she whispered, her hands tugging his shirt off his body before she tossed it onto the floor.

He swore he heard a chorus of angels singing hallelujah in his head.

This was happening!

Roman didn’t stop his travels. He wanted to make sure he gave Mattie the gift she deserved.

She moaned.

Mattie couldn’t believe she was in bed with Roman Remington, and he was finally going to be hers.

She wanted to thank anyone who was listening. After ten years of lusting for, then hating this man, and now wanting him again, her moment was here.

It was here!

As her hands streaked across his flesh, leaving a trail of fire, Roman wanted nothing more than to make love to her. It felt so damn right.

Just as he was about to find her mouth again, there was a knock on the door.

“Oh, please let that be a ghost,” he muttered. “Please, please…”

“Roman! Morning meeting in five! Get moving,” Julian shouted from the other side of the door.

He looked horrified.

“This is a problem.”

She laughed at the look on his face.

“I can pull it off in less than five minutes, but it’s not going to be my best work. Neither one of us are going to be impressed.”

That made her laugh even more. “Maybe we should wait until we have a little more time to do it right.”

Yes, he knew she was right, but that was going to make today hellish. Then again, Mattie deserved their first moment together to be more than a quickie before work. He wanted her badly, but he wasn’t that far gone that he wasn’t a gentleman.

Shit!

He just couldn’t get a break.

“One more kiss?” he asked, needing something to get him through the meeting, the day, lunch, work, and dinner until he could get her back into bed again.

“Absolutely.”

He kissed her again, and once more their tongues tangled in a heated mating of mouths. When he finally pulled away, knowing they already used up two of their five minutes, he wished he could turn back time.

“I’m going to think about you all day.”

She ran her fingers down his cheek. “I really hope so because I’m going to think about you too.”

Roman bravely shoved off her body. As he stood, he went to joke with her, as she remained on the bed. Only he couldn’t find the words. Something had caught his eye.

It was a slice, and it was forming in the mattress. The tear in the material was moving slowly, and right for her throat. Moving fast, he yanked her up and to his body.

Mattie gasped.

When she looked down, she saw the cut in the mattress.

It would have moved right across her throat had he not pulled her out of the way.