Mystic Hearts (32 page)

This
guy was too much. Everything he did made her heart sway.

Shifting
her in his arms, the briefs discarded, he plopped his bare butt onto the towel
and set her on his knees. His fluid, skilled actions gave no clue his shoulder
was bruised or he had fallen down a hole.

Slowly,
he leaned in and claimed her mouth. A gentle glide across her lips, his tongue
tickled the gateway to her heart. She opened, welcoming him into her space.
Sharing herself with him came so easily.

His
tongue swooped into her mouth, bringing warmth, the flavor of tequila, and the
mind-blowing taste of Larry. It danced with hers in such a way his earlier
allegations that he had no rhythm went out the window. The man had everything
she wanted in a guy.

Feathery
swirling motions touched the inside of her thigh and moved toward her core. His
hands were hot as his fingers teased their way under her panties. Her body
throbbed, and she grew wet, needy. She wiggled, trying to entice him into
moving faster.

“Always
in a hurry,” he whispered, repeating his earlier claims, and deepened the kiss
even more.

“Only
with you,” she hissed.

The
pressure built, tight as a spring. Ever since he pulled into the driveway,
she’d craved him.

His
fingers traveled down her seam.

She
whimpered. The touch was so exhilarating, she wanted to jump him hard and fast.

He
held her hips, held the edge of her panties aside, and guided her down on him.
The awareness of him filling her shot through her body, stole her breath, and
chased away all thought. She stilled, watching his eyes glaze over.

“You
feel so good.” He latched onto a nipple, sucking and caressing with his tongue.
An uncontrollable yearning flooded her body and threatened to explode if he
didn’t stroke her straightaway. She dug her fingers into his scalp, tossed her
head back, and gave her body over to him.

He
sucked her through the silky, thin fabric. Every stroke, kiss, and nibble
heightened the excitement in her already overheated body.

She
melted. The ecstasy overwhelmed her. “How can any person feel so good?” The
comment escaped on a whisper, barely loud enough to hear. But he did, for his
chest came forward, flattening her breasts against him. The intimacy of him
wanting to be so close increased the mountain of pressure.

“I
love you,” the words flew out of her mouth before she considered what she said.

He
eased back, studied her for a long moment. “I love you, too.” Sincerity burned
from his gaze as the words had escaped his lips, reaching into her chest and
gripping her heart, but apprehension snuck its way into her mind. When she said
she thought she was falling in love with him previously, he’d remained quiet.
What had changed in the short time?

She
diverted her gaze to their joined bodies, trying to grasp reality. Could the
throes of passion convince him to say the words of endearment?

“Babe,
look at me.” Larry cupped her cheeks until her eyes locked on his. “I’m not
blowing smoke. I’m in love with you. Earlier, I couldn’t wrap my mind around
what I was feeling. I don’t say the words lightly, never have. Actually, I’ve
never spoken them to another person.”

Whoa
. Charlene’s
heart boomeranged against her chest. Her eyes watered and her body tightened
around his shaft.

“Hello!”
Larry’s eyes lit on their connection. “What was that? Miracle fingers?”

She
smiled. “My acceptance of what you said.”

“Ah,
babe.”

He
gripped her waist, rocked his hips, thrust harder, faster, in and out of her
core until his eyes rolled back in his head. She met him thrust for thrust and
exploded with him.

She
rested her head on his shoulder and caught her breath. “Wow.”

“Yeah,”
he said between pants.

They
didn’t move…in the chair…in her kitchen. She’d never be able to look at the
room or furniture again without getting a warm flush. Tonight, she realized
something phenomenal. For the first time, she truly fell in love.

He
stroked her hair out of her face and kissed her lips. “I need to discard the
condom.”

Barely
able to move or see through the sexual haze they had created, she eased off his
chest.

He
guided her up and off him until she stood.

“The
bathroom is to the left of the door.”

“Be
right back.”

Muscles loose, body sedate, she could
curl up and go to sleep, but the tingle residing between her legs wasn’t ready
to give up the ghost yet.

She
uncorked another bottle of wine and headed toward the hall as Larry reappeared.

“Where
are you going?” he asked, stepping out of the bathroom.

“We
have a date.” She held up a blue bottle. “You game?”

“Hell,
yeah.” He swiped the tequila and followed.

Chapter Eighteen

Larry
barged into the cinderblock FBI office, holding a scruffy teenager’s handcuffs.
The boy known as Hulk stood a good three inches taller than Larry. His hair
hung around his neck in dreadlocks.

Jake
followed, escorting Rona, the pint-sized girl who came into Larry’s office,
requesting this meet and greet.

Larry
pushed open the door to the interrogation room and moved forward. Hulk dug his
feet in and leaned his weight into Larry. “No, man.”

Hulk
hadn’t resisted when he arrested him on the trespassing charge. He’d almost
gone voluntarily. So what gives? “Get in there!” Larry forced him inside,
showed him a chair, and closed the door behind him as he headed toward coffee
on the far end of the room, near Missy’s desk.

This
part of his job, he hated…being tired, grumpy, and having to interview a man
when he just wasn’t feeling like it. Larry unclipped his cell from his belt,
hoping Charlene had tried to contact him and shine a little brightness on his
gloomy day.
No messages.

Jake
snatched a Styrofoam mug from the corner of the break table and filled it. “Are
you ready to quit from the FBI and work for Old Towne Detectives?” Jake asked
Missy.

A
growl escaped Larry.

Her
eyes bugged out. “Not if he’s gonna be a bear.”

Jake
smacked Larry on the back. “Don’t let Mr. Personality scare you away. I’ll
protect you.”

Larry
studied Jake over the brim of his mug. “How can you be so chipper?”

Jake
shrugged.

The
coffee slipped down Larry’s throat and warmed his insides. The caffeine stoked
his adrenaline. “Nice and strong. Thanks, Missy.”

“You’re
welcome.”

Jake
jutted his chin upward. “So, what did you decide?”

Larry
didn’t want to deal with this bullshit right now. As much as he hated to admit
it, if Missy preferred to switch to the private sector, he wouldn’t stand in
her way. “If you want to work for this lug, go ahead. I’ll support you, but
know you’ll be missed.”

“Won’t
you be joining the agency, too?” she asked.

She’d
already made up her mind.
Damn
. The
thought had occurred once or twice, but at this point he didn’t have a reason
to switch jobs. “I have no plans.”

“Don’t
worry, he’ll be working with me again soon.” Jake winked at Missy and turned to
Larry. “Pow wow in your office?”

“In
a sec.” Larry grabbed his phone messages off Missy’s desk and scanned the
department. “Thanks for covering. I wished the higher ups would hire us an
assistant. Where is everyone?”

“An
issue, up north, a car bombing in Crystal City.”

“Why
didn’t I receive word?”

“I
don’t know. Check your phone, make sure you have service.”

He
pulled out the phone again. The ‘no service’ symbol showed. “Damn, phone.”

“Turn
it off for a while. In the meantime, I’ll write up an order for a new one.”

Missy
was a gem. “Thanks.”

Inside
Larry’s office, Jake reclined in Larry’s chair, his ankles propped on the
corner of the desk. His head slumped back mouth open. The coffee cup balanced
in his lap.

The
jackass had fallen asleep.

“Wake
up!” Larry slapped the top of Jake’s shoe.

Jake
jerked and darted his coffee cup off to the side, as the hot liquid splashed
over his hand. “Crap.” He grabbed a couple tissues from the box on the corner
of the desk and dabbed his skin. “Did Hulk give any useful information?”

“Not
yet. He’s a scared teen. I’m hoping after he stews in the room alone for a few
minutes, he’ll spill like Rona said.”

“Well,
let’s get this over. My bed is calling my name. A nap is in order.”

The
sixth sense Larry experienced at Greenwood Manor thundered into his mind.
“Something’s off.”

Jake’s
gaze snapped to Larry’s. “I’ve got the same feeling.”

Larry
snatched a soda and a pack of donuts from the snack area and headed into the
interrogation room holding Hulk. He tossed them on the table and sat next to
Jake, facing Hulk. “Hungry?”

Hulk
eyed the treats next to his cuffed wrists then shot his gaze to him. “What do
you want?”

“Answers.
Why have you been lurking around Greenwood Manor?”

“Don’t
got to tell you anything!”

Larry
rested back in his chair and sipped more coffee. “You’re right, you don’t. I
don’t have time to sit in here if you’re not talking. That means no deals will
be made. Make no mistake. We will discover what’s going on at Greenwood Manor.
When we do, you’ll be charged.”

Hulk’s
jaw tightened.

Larry
knocked his knuckles on the table and stood. “Keeping quiet won’t save your ass
from what’s about to go down on the manor. Think about it. If Rona tells me
everything I need to know, she’ll get the deal, not you. I hope you enjoy your
time in prison.”

“Sweat
and vomit don’t do it for her.” Jake added. “She’ll talk.”

“Just
like the girl. She complains about everything,” Hulk said, wringing his hands
together and diverting his eyes to the floor.

“At
least she’ll have a deal.” Larry eyed him and waited for him to unload. When he
didn’t, he patted Jake’s back and moved toward the door.

“Wait.”
Desperation laced Hulk’s voice. “I’ll talk.”

Jake
removed the cuffs from Hulk’s wrists, scooted the soda and donuts closer to
him, and settled back in his seat. “Okay, talk.”

Nervous
energy bounded off of Hulk. He removed his Impalers cap and threw it on the
table. “I don’t want any part of it.”

The
guy talked in riddles. “Part of what?” Larry asked.

“Monk’s
boss. That’s all I know.”

“Explain.”
Jake’s gaze narrowed to slits.

Hulk
shoved a miniature donut into his mouth. Powder covered his lips and chin.
“Mouse wants to take over.”

Man,
Larry hoped they’d didn’t have to get rough with this guy. “Come on. Stop
talking in riddles.” He glared. “What’s there to take over?”

“Monk
was easy to work for, but with Mouse trying to take over…” Hulk shook his head
and popped the top on his soda, “it’s got hard.”

Impalers
had a boss. News to Larry. “Explain.”

Hulk
swallowed. “They’re fighting. Mouse says, just wait, I have back up that will
take care of that asshole.”

“Monk’s
the asshole?” Jake asked.

“Yeah.”
Hulk nodded. “And Monk says that fuckwad doesn’t know who he’s dealing with.”

“Does
Mouse have a name?” Larry scooted out a chair and sat.

Hulk’s
dark beady eyes darted between them. “You don’t know jack shit that’s goin’
down over there, do ya?”

When
they remained quiet and glaring, he gawped. It was almost comical the
expressions that crossed his face, from
you’ve-got-to-be-kidding
to
I’m-screwed
, ending with his mouth
turned down and his shoulders slumping. “Mathews, Allen Mathews.”

For
Charlene and Henry’s sake, Larry hated that his hunch about Andrew was right.

“It’s
Rona you should be talking to,” Hulk muttered, spit flying out of his mouth.
“She’s screwing the old fart.”

 
“What about the marijuana? Where is it grown?”
Larry drilled.

“I
don’t know.”

“Don’t
know?” Jake straightened and braced his hands on the table in front of him “Or
won’t tell?”

Hulk’s
face turned ashen. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

“Better
spill,” Larry advised.

“I
don’t know where it is now. They had it in an underground room, but they made
me load it onto the back of a truck. That’s all I know.”

“Who
are they?” Larry asked in a calm tone when he felt everything but. Getting the
information out of the guy was like his mother listening to reason. It just
didn’t happen.