Knock Out (A Reynolds Security Novel) (10 page)

Chapter 12

Lou realized her hormone induced mistake just when they reached her apartment.

“
Maybe we should go to your place instead.”

“
Still worried I’ll see the dirty socks on the floor?” He joked. She tried to laugh but she was suddenly too apprehensive. “Come on we’re here already.” He got out of the Range Rover and walked around to her side when she didn’t move. She was trying to convince herself that she didn’t have to sweep the apartment if he was with her. It wasn’t working.

“
Are you alright?” He asked noting her strange expression.

“
I am neurotic.”

“
Always a good trait in someone trained to handle a gun.” This time she smiled despite her apprehension.

“
Shut up I’m serious. If we go in there you might see something you don’t want to.” He arched a brow at her and held out his hand.

“
I’ll take my chances.”

Jace could feel her apprehension almost like a palpable thing as they neared her second floor apartment. She unlocked the door and drew a deep breath.

“Alright, just wait here.” She said softly after she’d opened the door. He watched as she listened before entering the apartment. Even more intriguing he saw her retrieve a hand gun and sweep the entire apartment. Very quickly and efficiently, without missing a single place. She even looked under the bed despite the fact that it appeared to be too close to the ground to allow a human to hide underneath. She replaced the gun and didn’t meet his gaze.

“
See neurotic.”

“
Not neurotic.” He said softly. “Do you want to tell me what happened?” It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that something bad had happened inside her apartment. Maybe she surprised an intruder.

“
No.” she said vehemently.

“
You know we could put in a security system.”

“
I’m not putting a security system in a rented apartment. I told you I am crazy.” She moved away and he reached out and grabbed her waist pulling her back against him.

“
You’re not crazy.” He whispered. He wrapped his arms around her and she pressed her face into his neck. “I told you I don’t sleep with crazy women.” She snorted with the effort to keep from laughing.

“
Right because you don’t want your rabbit to get cooked.”

“
That’s right, or things glued to things they shouldn’t be.” He said with a mock shudder. She laughed.

“
Well I don’t have any glue but just so you’re forewarned I don’t like surprises and I have three licensed handguns.”

“
Duly noted.”

“
Does this mean you don’t want me naked and sitting on your desk?”

“
Sweetheart, I will take you naked anyway I can get you.” He swiveled his hips against her and she remembered what had prompted their trip here in the first place. She reached over and flipped the locks on the door and pulled him into the room.

“
Tell me about the rest of those kinky fetishes.” She grinned and he laughed.

“
I’ll be honest. I was kidding, I don’t actually have a foot fetish. At least I didn’t. I think maybe I do now.”

“
I think maybe I do too.” She laughed
.
 

“
Good, let’s see what other fetishes we can inspire in you.”

“
As long as you whisper it real low and slow in my ear I think I am game to try just about anything.”

“
Good to know.” Jace grinned and pulled her tightly against him. “I have to kiss you now.” He followed the statement with the action. His lips scrambled her brain. Made her forget, well everything but she wanted to get a few things settled first.

“
Wait, have you ever done this before?” She asked slightly breathless. He quirked an amused eyebrow at her. “Not this this.” She flushed slightly. “I mean the whole no strings thing?”

“
Well one night stands. But not friends with benefits.”

“
What are the ground rules? Should we have ground rules?”

“
No rules, just go with it.” He kissed her again trailing kisses down her throat. “I am dying to see if you are really wearing white cotton underwear.”   

“
Don’t make fun of my underwear,” she said on a breathy laugh.

“
Who’s making fun? I am hard just imagining the outline of your pretty dark nipples through white cotton.” He whispered and she moaned leaning against him as her knees weakened.

“
Oh what you do to me with that tongue.” He laughed deeply and lifted her up so she wrapped her legs around his waist.

“
Let me show you what else I can do with my tongue.” She pulled off her shirt as they walked. He laid her down on the bed and grinned rubbing his face against the soft white cotton of her bra. He put his mouth over her nipple sucking and licking it though the cotton. When he pulled back there was a wet spot that made her nipple look that much darker
.
 

“
Beautiful.” He repeated the process to make the other side match and grinned. He moved down running his tongue down the center line of her body and swirling into her navel. He pushed down her stretchy work out pants but left the cotton panties. There was a small pink flower in the front and the sight caused his cock to twitch in response. “Ah hell Darlin’ I don’t think I have ever seen anything sexier in my life.”

“
What are you talking about? These are the least sexy underwear they make.”

“
Not from where I am sitting.”

“
You have too many clothes on.” She tugged at his shirt and he let her pull it off. She reached for his fly but he batted her away.

“
Patience sweetheart.” He slowly pulled her panties down and groaned as he did. She squirmed under his scrutiny. She maintained the area but she didn’t shave which according to the women’s magazines was the current fad. She wanted to ask him if it was okay but forced herself not to. This was casual, no strings, she wouldn’t reveal her insecurities. He didn’t seem to mind anyway. She nearly arched right off the bed when he ran his tongue down the crease of her thigh. Her anticipation skyrocketed when he ran it up the other side. He was hovering so close she could feel his hot breath. She wanted to lift up. To put his mouth right where she was aching for it.

No one had ever done it. Juan
didn’t like the idea and she hadn’t asked him to. Now suddenly she was desperate for Jace. Then he did it. He ran his tongue straight up from the mouth of her womb to her clit. The tight little bundle of nerves pulsed sharply and she gasped. The pleasure was intense. Even more than the other things he’d done to her. His tongue was hot and soft. As he swirled it around her clit she whimpered trying not to weep from the sheer pleasure. He tormented her for several long minutes sweeping his tongue over every inch as if he didn’t want to miss a single place. Just when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore he sucked her clit into his mouth. He sucked it and then scraped his teeth along it. She cried out and her hips bucked involuntarily as orgasm overtook her. The pulses and muscle spasms caused her to writhe and twitch but he held her thru it soothing her with his mouth avoiding the areas too sensitive for touch.

“
There is nothing sexier than watchin’ you come apart Darlin’.” He drawled as he kissed his way back up her body. She felt like she should reciprocate in some way but she also felt like she couldn’t move. Her limbs were so relaxed they felt as if they weighed too much to lift. She could only watch as Jace shucked his pants and applied the condom. He leaned over her and she grabbed his face and pulled him down. She kissed him deeply. She knew the sweet tang she tasted on his lips had to be her and the idea turned her on immensely. He lifted her hips and slid slowly and surely home. She moaned into his mouth pushing against him. He felt so good filling her completely. She squeezed her inner muscles and rotated her hips and it was his turn to groan.

“
Lord Darlin’, do that again,” he said against her mouth and she obliged. He set a rhythm of long sure strokes and she squeezed him on the out glide. He quickly picked up tempo and she felt a second orgasm building. After the first night with Jace she wasn’t sure she had ever had a real orgasm before, she was certain she had never had two in the same session.

Jace shifted her legs on his waist and she took the hint wrapping them tightly around him. The slight position change brought his pelvic bone in contact with her clit. That combined with the masterful strokes shot her right over the edge. There was no buildup this time.
Just the explosion. She cried out but he didn’t slow continuing the strokes and prolonging her orgasm until the jerk and twitch combined with his low moan told her he had joined her. He lowered onto her, staying there for a moment. She felt cocooned by him. It was almost as profound as the sex had been.  

He could feel her slipping into sleep as her breathing became more even. He knew he should go. After all, she wanted no strings. No strings sex did not include spending the night. He knew that. But he didn’t want to let her go.

“
Lou,” he whispered.

“
Hmm?”

“
Do you want me to go?”

“
Stay.” She squirmed even closer against him and sighed. He grinned and did a mental fist pump.

Lou opened her eyes to an empty bed. She knew he had stayed nearly all night because every time she moved she felt him. It was reassuring to know he was there. That she wasn’t alone. She felt rested, as if she had actually slept for the first time in ages. When she sat up she saw the note on the pillow, she felt a pang of guilt. When she had run out on him in the middle of the night she hadn’t even left a note. It read. “
Had an early meeting, see you later. J
.” There was no mention of the incredible sex. Certainly hadn’t said anything about love. It was exactly what she wanted but it felt sort of hollow. She was in big trouble and she knew it.

Chapter 13

Her day was long and boring. They had a post mortem about the adventure that was her first assignment. They were all debriefed and given the official copies of their reports to read and sign. She was given a new assignment. This one was solo. She would be escorting a young actress that had a movie coming out in the next month. She had several appearances in San Francisco that Lou would have to attend with her. It appeared she would be in the city at least three days of the following week. She was researching her new client when her email chimed. It was from Jace.

“
I have something for you. Can I come over around 7? I’ll bring pizza with pepperoni and onions.” She had to smile. He hadn’t forgotten anything she had ever told him it seemed. Even random pizza toppings. She quickly replied that she would be home. It wasn’t exactly a yes but it was as close as she was willing to get.

Her doorbell rang promptly at 7, she knew it would be Jace but she peered through the peephole anyway. She was startled when she opened the door. Sitting beside Jace was a huge German Sheppard.

“Wow. That dog is huge. Is he yours?”

“
No, he’s yours if you want him.”

“
You got me a dog? A full grown giant dog?”

“
Basically.”

“
Why?”

“
You wanted a dog.”

“
Well yeah but if I were to get one I would’ve gotten a Chihuahua or something. I mean I live in an apartment.” Jace grimaced and rolled his eyes.

“
A Chihuahua is not a dog.”

“
Well neither is that. It’s a… pony,” she said and laughed. He smiled.

“
This is a very well trained service animal.”

“
It does tricks?”

“
Yes, it does.”

“
Let’s see.”

“
I thought you’d never ask.” Jace reached down and unclipped the leash from the dog’s collar.

“
Cooper sweep.” The dog sprang up sniffing the perimeter of each room. He used his paw to push open the bedroom door. She watched him sniff around the room even under the edge of the bed. The bathroom door was closed. He sniffed along the base of the door then he sat down in front of the door. Jace walked over and opened the door. Cooper went in to the bathroom sniffed around and came back to his starting point and sat down. Lou looked at Jace for a long moment trying to clear the lump in her throat.

“
A friend of mine from the corp is a trainer. He finds homes for retired police dogs too. Cooper here was hit by a car and had to have surgery on his hip. It is perfectly fine now but he’s been retired from the force because of it. You don’t have to take him. But most people, who want these dogs, want them for work, guard dogs and such, so they pass him over too.” Lou sank down to her knees on the floor.

“
Come here Cooper.” The dog stood and approached her. When she reached out and scratched behind his ear he began to wag his tail. “Look at you. You’re a big softy aren’t you?” She began petting him more vigorously and the dog moved forward and rubbed his head against her. His tail wagged more furiously and he licked her face.

“
Looks like you have a new friend.”

“
What am I going to do with you? You’re so big. Too big for an apartment.”

“
Nah just take him out with you when you run. Bring him to work with you. We’ll call it a K9 pilot program.” He chuckled and she smirked.

“
Nice to be the boss.”

“
Yeah, if I couldn’t make the rules I wouldn’t be able to follow them.” She smiled but she knew enough about him to know his ethical core wouldn’t let him break too many rules.

“
How will I know what his commands are?”

“
I have a list.” He handed her a folded piece of paper. She looked at it and frowned.

“
What language is this?”

“
It’s a mix, English, Dutch, and German. That way no one else knows the commands.”

“
Is that a worry? That someone else will know them.”

“
No. Once he decides you are his master he’ll only listen to you.” She tried out the basic commands and Cooper obeyed without hesitation. She had to giggle when she gave the ‘hold him’ command and he took Jace’s arm in his mouth biting down just hard enough to keep him there.

“
We have to go get dog food, and dog treats, and a bed, and a bowl…” She continued her list as she ran to retrieve her purse and Jace grinned.

“Don’t you think you’re going a little overboard?” Jace eyed the nearly full cart as Lou tried yet another dog toy.

“
Relax, I wasn’t even planning to use your corporate credit card, which I still have by the way.”

“
That would be fun to explain to the accounting department.”

“
Tell them they are expenses for the K9 pilot program.” She laughed and he laughed with her. Cooper walked along with Lou. She had him on the leash but he was stuck like glue to her anyway. Jace could see that the dog was already just as taken with her as he was.

“
We should get a set for my house.” She looked up at him and cocked an eyebrow. “You know just in case. I wouldn’t want you to use the dog as an excuse not to… visit.”

“
Right, just in case I visit.” She laughed.

When they finally got back to her apartment she was both apprehensive and anxious to try out her new guard dog.

“Cooper sweep.” She said when she stepped in the door. Again Cooper checked over every inch of the apartment. He came back and stood beside her. Lou was impressed but still apprehensive.

“
Hey let’s see if we can fool him.”

“
What?”

“
Let’s mess with him, it’ll be fun. Take him outside give me five minutes and bring him in again.” Lou followed his instructions. This time Cooper stopped at the bathroom door which was closed. He sniffed along the bottom of the door. Then he moved on. He sniffed the bottom of the closet door. He scratched and whined then sat down in front of the door and waited. She tried to call him away but he wouldn’t budge. She opened the door and Cooper reached in and pulled Jace out by the arm. Lou grinned.

“
Are you having fun playing hide and seek with the dog?”

“
I am actually. Let’s order a pizza and see what else we can get him to find.”

People gave Lou a wide berth on her morning jog. She didn’t mind, she didn’t like people anyway. The huge dog was intimidating but he also seemed to enjoy the run. He didn’t slow her down at all. When she got to the office the Security guard at the front desk leaned over for a better look.

“
Mr. Carpenter said you’d be bringing in our first K9 recruit. Fine looking animal. I had a white German Sheppard years ago. Best dog I ever had.” Lou smiled while the older man petted Cooper. Interestingly Cooper allowed him to pet him but he didn’t get excited the same way he did when she showed him attention.

When she got to her desk Cooper crawled underneath and
laid down. She’d almost forgotten he was there when she heard a low growl. She looked up just as Colby approached her desk. Cooper stood up and Colby jumped back.

“
Holy shit that is a big damn dog.” Lou laughed at his reaction and put her hand on Cooper’s head to reassure him. After they had been formally introduced Cooper relaxed and went back under the desk.

“
Where did you get him?”

“
He was a… gift.”

“
A gift?”

“
He is going to be part of a K9 pilot project here.”

“
Ah I see. A gift.” Colby grinned and wagged his eyebrows.

Lou blushed and punched him in the arm.
“Shut up Colby.” The move from Lou had Cooper on his feet again and Colby held up his hands in surrender.

“
Don’t look at me.” He said to the dog. “She hit me!” Lou laughed and rubbed Cooper’s head until he laid down again.

“
So bodyguards and guard dogs huh? Actually kind of has a good hook to it. Hope they don’t decide to replace us.”

“
Somehow I doubt he will blend in as well as we do.”

“
Yeah but I bet he’s be great at catching cat burglars.” Colby snickered. Lou rolled her eyes but she laughed anyway.

“
You want to go grab a beer after work?” Lou’s thoughts immediately turned to Jace. They didn’t have any plans but she sort of expected they would get together. He had spent the night at her place again the night before. Their no strings arrangement was rapidly becoming more complicated than she liked. As much as she wanted to see him, it was probably better if she put some space between them.

“
Sounds great. Do you know anywhere that allows dogs?”

“
Oddly enough I do. But I thought he was a licensed service animal.”

“
He is, I just feel weird you know. Like if I am going to take my dog into the bar I should be blind or something. He should be performing a service I actually need.”

“
I get it, though I can think of a lot of pickup lines I could use with a dog as wingman.”

Jace watched on the monitor as Lou left the building with Colby. Okay now it was starting to get stalkerish. He caught himself scanning the monitors for her several times during the day. She was easy to find. Especially with Cooper by her side. When he had told Ethan his idea for the K9 pilot program he had only smiled and said the idea had merit. Jace wanted to throw a stapler at his head. It was a good idea. It had nothing to do with Lou. Nothing to do with the fear he sometimes caught in her eyes. The PTSD symptoms she sometimes exhibited. He was trained to recognize the signs. There were so many former military people working for him it would be stupid not to be. But he had a feeling what had happened to Lou had nothing to do with her service. No she didn’t feel safe in her own home. That bothered him. A lot. Everyone should have a safe haven. Who wouldn’t feel safe with a giant German Sheppard sleeping at the foot of their bed?

He wondered where she was going. Colby had escorted her to the party.
Had seemed very territorial about taking her home. Now they were leaving together. Jace couldn’t remember ever having been jealous in any previous relationships. This was supposed to be a no strings sexual relationship, funny that now he decided to get possessive. At the moment he would love any reason to fire the man and get him the hell away from Lou. Of course if Lou knew he was jealous she would pull back. He was certain of it. It was frustrating as hell.