HIS Desire: An H.I.S. Novel (H.I.S. series Book 1) (30 page)

Jesse explained the plan to AJ who agreed to be ready when called. He would be there as a Hamilton brother, not representing the FBI. Jesse couldn’t have been prouder of his baby brother.

After the men dispersed, Jesse pulled Kate against him, locked her in his embrace, holding her tight. “It’s almost over.” He kissed the top of her head.

The more he contemplated it, the more he felt gratitude toward his brothers for leaving him behind. He would be here to protect the women in case something went wrong. He had the utmost confidence in his team, but things could always go to hell in a hand basket at any time.

“Jesse, I’m sorry.” Devon stood. “I should’ve caught something wasn’t right sooner.”

Jesse rotated them so that he continued to hold her but faced his brother. “It’s okay, Dev. It happens. Not usually to you, but it happens. Does the knot on your head have anything to do with this? Do we need to go back to the hospital? Have them do another scan?”

Devon shook his head. “No. That knot is long gone.”

He murmured, but Jesse heard him say, “Along with my memory.”

“Someone didn’t want their files found. They grew up separately without knowing about their parents or each other. I think it had to do with their father. He’s America’s number two most wanted man.”

Kate gasped and Jesse squeezed her tighter. “Sounds like the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Where’s the father?”

“No one knows.”

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Hot water rained down on Kate’s head, cascading down her body. She closed her eyes, ran her fingers through her wet hair and softly massaged her scalp. An invigorating feeling slid slowly through her body, stimulating every muscle from her head to her toes. She took in a deep breath, her lungs full, held it for a moment then sighed as she exhaled. Her headache had finally eased to a faint throbbing without medication.

Jesse had vetoed her involvement in catching Richard and Carl. This time she’d listened to him. She trusted his men to capture Joy’s killer.

Ready and patiently waiting, H.I.S. kept a watchful eye on Richard. They weren’t going to let him have another opportunity at Kate’s or Jesse’s lives. The team remained frustrated they hadn’t been able to locate Carl and end it.

Looking over her shoulder and worrying someone might get killed protecting her was almost at an end. Jesse was safe and his men asked no questions. They’d stood up to protect her, putting their own lives on the line.

The shower door opened. Startled, Kate froze, her eyes flew open wide.

“Let me do that for you.” Jesse stepped into the shower. He looked at her from head to toe and smiled. He reached for the bottle of pomegranate shampoo she’d brought with her, opened it and sniffed. “I love how this makes your hair smell.”

She stared at his toned, naked body and swallowed hard. She’d never taken a shower with a man. Didn’t know what to expect. “I-I’m showering.”

“Turn around.” He poured shampoo onto his hand.

She didn’t tell him she’d already washed her hair. She glanced down at his growing erection as she turned. Oh, boy. She’d definitely never had sex in the shower. The thought of it excited her, sent a shiver through her.

“Yes, that’s what you do to me, Kate.”

He softly delved into her hair, soaping the entire length of the strands, gently massaging her scalp. Instead of the massage relaxing her, it sent tremors of need coursing through her body.

“Turn around and rinse.”

While Kate rinsed the shampoo from her hair, Jesse soaped his hands, each grasping a breast. His touch so hot it scorched her as he lathered her breast with soft, seductive strokes, playing with her nipples. His hands moved down her belly, teasing her with slow, titillating circles before moving around to her buttocks. He massaged them, gave them a squeeze then moved up her back.

She sighed in pleasure. His touch ignited a fire deep in her belly. It washed away everything but the here and now. The two of them loving each other.

Dropping to his knees, he washed her legs, kissing her inside thighs. She inhaled deeply as his fingers brushed over her clitoris teasingly. “Rinse.” He stood.

An urgent need to touch him bolstered her. “My turn.” She savored the feel of his soap-slick body as she washed his hard, muscled chest and abdomen. The more she touched him, the more her arousal flamed. Leaving his erection for last, she quickly washed the rest of his body.

She reached for him and stroked him as his fingers reached between her thighs. She lost focus of what she was doing as his fingers found her clitoris. Every nerve ending in her body sizzled.

Before she realized what had happened, his arms encircled her, crushing her against him. He leaned in to kiss her, the kiss hard, demanding and brutal. His urgent need matched hers.

She needed him to quench the flames that consumed her. Pleasure flashed through her, threatening to create a firestorm. She needed him. Now.

He groaned, dragged his lips from hers, and his lips set fire to her skin as he kissed her throat on his way to her breasts.

“God, Kate. When I’m around you, it’s all I can do to keep my hands off of you.”

It wasn’t a declaration of love, but she’d gotten to him as much as he’d gotten to her. She was one step closer to his falling in love with her.

His mouth closed over her nipple. It was too much. Fireworks had been ignited within her. His touch and kiss made her body scream for him to be inside her to fight the fire within.

“Now, Jesse. Please. I can’t take it anymore.”

“I need a condom,” he rasped as his mouth moved to her other nipple.

“No, you don’t. Take me now, Jesse.”

He stopped, stood and looked in her eyes. “No?”

Kate shook her head. Why was he standing here talking when she was about to explode? “I can’t get pregnant. Now take me, Jesse.”

He didn’t hesitate, he reached for her, lifted her against him, his hands grabbing her ass, pushing her back to the shower wall. “Grab my shoulders and wrap your legs around me.” He shifted and his cock rubbed against her entrance. “You’re going to have to help.”

She’d do whatever it took. She steered him inside her. This type of urgent need had never possessed her. The type that if you didn’t get what you needed you’d combust.

“Hang on for the ride.” Jesse impatiently thrust upward filling her completely.

Her head fell back, and she heard herself moan. It wasn’t enough. He’d taken away the burn, the brush fire, but left the flaming inferno. “Fuck me, hard and fast, Jesse.”

He drove into her, urgency in every deep stroke. Hanging on tight, each thrust brought her closer to the edge. Her fingernails dug into the tense muscles in his shoulders, her legs tightened around his waist. Ecstasy was just one thrust away.

She heard herself cry out as an orgasm overtook her with the force of a tornado, spinning her out of control, intense pleasure blowing through her like powerful winds through the trees.

He quickened his pace, thrusting faster and harder. She vaguely heard him groan as his body jerked and she felt him climax inside her.

Dropping his head to her shoulder, he worked to control his breathing. She leaned her head to his shoulder, her body tingling. They remained in an embrace, not moving or saying a word. The water spraying on them was the only sound.

Jesse slowly lifted his head and gave her a light kiss on the lips. “That was fucking awesome.” He released her, and she slid down his body. He caught her when her legs didn’t immediately support her.

“That’s my first time having shower sex,” she told him shyly.

He raised his eyebrows and smiled. “Well, we’ll have to catch you up for your years of deprivation.”

As Jesse dried her off, he questioned, “Kate, what did you mean by you can’t get pregnant?”

She froze. Had she told him that? He’d driven her so wild that she’d have probably told him anything to get him inside her. It was too early to tell him her secret. Yeah, he’d hinted at future times with her, future shower sex, but that wasn’t enough. She needed his love. She needed it all before he knew and discarded her.

He stopped toweling her off and put his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me, Kate.”

She looked into those mesmerizing eyes. She didn’t want it to be this way. To keep him, she needed things to be different. Once he heard, he might still want her around for a plaything, but he’d never love her or marry her.

“Kate, you can tell me anything.”

She had no choice. She wouldn’t lie to him. “When my parents were murdered, I was also shot. There was extensive damage, especially to my reproductive system. I can’t have children. Ever.” There, she’d said it. Put the ugly truth out there.

He leaned down and kissed her lips softly. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” His arms went around her, and he held her tight, comforting her.

Mark was the only man she’d told her secret who still wanted to have a relationship with her. Of course, he’d have said anything to get his hands on her money. Other men bolted when she told them. Even her money hadn’t been enough enticement for a lifetime with a barren woman.

As they lay in each other’s arms, moonlight spilling into the room, Kate wondered where they would go from here. Afraid of what the answer would be, she couldn’t ask. The danger was almost over, and he knew she could never give him a family, never give Reagan siblings.

She wanted Jesse more than she’d wanted any other man, and he’d given her pleasure she’d never experienced before, but she couldn’t stay with him just for sex. Not with her heart so involved. If that’s what he wanted, she’d have to walk away. She’d have to live with the pain, the disappointment, the heartbreak.

She fought back tears, deciding it was best for her to pack in the morning to be ready for him to take her home when they captured the Freeman brothers.

* * * * *

Even Reagan noticed the tension in her father and ate quickly, asking to leave the breakfast table as soon as possible. Jesse hadn’t stayed in bed with her that morning. He’d left the room without a word. She understood, quickly dressed and packed.

She’d lost him. Telling him had been a mistake. It had been too soon, but her urgent need for him had overridden any logic, blanked out her plan to make him fall in love first.

She couldn’t blame his attitude. He’d want children, and she couldn’t give them to him. His daughter deserved siblings.

Her heart hurt like someone had taken it in their hands and squeezed it, wrung it out like a wet, dish towel. She’d never felt this much pain from a loss. Not even when the Rosses died.

Soon, she’d say goodbye. She couldn’t have an affair with him knowing he would be on the lookout for a woman who could give him what she couldn’t. Knowing she’d just be a fill-in.

It pained her even more to say goodbye to Reagan. She loved the little girl and hurting her by Kate and Dottie leaving was the last thing she wanted to do. But it couldn’t be helped.

Jesse didn’t want her.

He’d spoken with the team. There’d been no sign of Carl.

Devon walked in, and Mrs. Kessler forced him to sit and eat. “I sent Brad to another location to check for Carl.”

Jesse nodded but didn’t speak.

Devon gave Kate a questioning look. She shrugged and reached for her coffee. She couldn’t tell him it was her fault his brother was like this.

Jesse’s phone rang, and he answered before the first ring ended. “Yeah?”

Kate and Devon patiently waited for him to finish the call. This could be it.

“We’ll be there.” He ended the call. “Your location paid off, Dev. They got both of them.”

Kate exhaled a sigh of relief. It was over. They were all safe. H.I.S. had come through.

Jesse stood. “You coming, Dev?”

Devon shook his head. “No. I’ll get our new potential cases together for you.”

He nodded and turned to Kate. “Let’s go.”

She jumped from her chair so swiftly it tipped back. If he hadn’t caught it, it would have fallen to the ground. “I can’t wait to question them.” She would make sure the bastard responsible confessed to everything so he would rot in prison.

“You’re not going near either of them.” Jesse’s jaw clenched.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Her fists tightened, she fought to control the oncoming rage he evoked. “I most certainly am. You seem to forget that I’m an FBI agent. It’s my job to question suspects.”

“We’ll fucking see about that.” He strode from the room.

* * * * *

“No, Kate,” AJ firmly stated. “You can watch, but you’re not participating. I’m not letting either of them near you. You’re the victim. You know you can’t question them.”

He was right, but she still wanted to get a confession. A confession to trying to kill her and Jesse, killing Joy, and being the Facilitator. His other victims also deserved justice. She sighed, reluctantly agreeing. “You’re right. I’ll just watch.”

“Jesse, you ready?”

She straightened and seethed. “What? He gets to go? He’s not even FBI. He was almost a victim too.”

AJ turned to her. “Leave it, Kate.”

Before she could respond, he turned and walked away with his brother at his side. Jesse hadn’t said a word to her. No “I’ll be right back.” No “I’ll be a minute.” And, especially no “I get to question Richard and Carl and you don’t.”

The ride to the field office had carried the same heavy weighted atmosphere as breakfast, almost suffocating her. He wouldn’t even speak with her. He hadn’t taken her hand like normal when he drove. She wanted to reach for him but couldn’t. They needed to make a clean break. She promised herself not to be an Elizabeth.

Relegated to the small observation room, she observed Jesse, AJ and Trent enter the interrogation room with Richard. He trained his intense dark eyes on Jesse. Hatred immediately flooded them. He had to be the one.

Her cell phone rang. “Hello.”

“Hi, Kate. Where are we meeting?” Ariana asked.

Shit. With everything going on, she’d completely forgotten they’d volunteered time today at the Humane Society booth at the festival. She pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand. “I’m sorry. I forgot.”

“Well, now you remember.” Her sister laughed.