Shades of Gray (2 page)

“So who were the clowns giving you a hard time?” he asked, breaking the silence.

P.J. grimaced. “Just some people I used to know. A long time ago.”

“Apparently they aren’t as taken with your charm as I am.”

She sputtered and choked on her laughter. She missed the camaraderie and constant
ribbing when she was away from her team. It used to be like that on the S.W.A.T. team
before Derek had to fuck it all up. P.J. had been certain she’d never find another
position that was better than the early days with S.W.A.T. when she’d still been riding
high on landing the gig as a female and had been wrapped up in her relationship with
Derek.

But she’d been wrong. Going to KGI had opened her eyes to what loyalty to the team
and one another was all about. The men she worked for were deeply honorable, but she’d
always been careful to keep her distance. Especially from Cole. After Derek, she’d
sworn off ever getting involved with someone she worked with.

The waitress returned, carrying a long board that had ten shot glasses. She set it
on the table, took Cole’s credit card and then looked at them both as if to say have
at it.

Cole picked up one glass, handed it to P.J. and then took another for himself. Then
he held it up in a toast.

“To another successful mission.”

P.J. could drink to that. She tipped her shot glass against his and then they both
downed the alcohol.

She nearly coughed as fire burned down her throat. Hell, it had been a good while
since she’d had anything stronger than beer. She’d sworn off the hard stuff after
her stint with S.W.A.T. and the aftermath of her leaving the unit.

She brought her glass down on the table with a thump and then stared challengingly
at Cole. He grinned in return and then scooped up another glass. She leaned forward
to take her own, but this time they were a bit slower to down them.

The music seemed to grow louder and the smoke got thicker. Her eyes watered, whether
from the tequila or the smoke she wasn’t sure. Cole was right about one thing. This
was a sucky place to spend her first evening back home.

“What do you say we finish up our five shots and head to my place?” she said before
she could change her mind.

She couldn’t believe she’d taken the plunge after being so set on never allowing this
sort of thing to happen. Chalk it up to the alcohol or her shitty evening. Either
reason constituted one mistake, right? She just knew she suddenly didn’t want to be
alone.

He frowned, and her heart sank. She hadn’t read him right at all, and now she was
going to make a giant fool of herself. She was already preparing to excuse the invitation
away with casual indifference when he spoke.

“If we’re going back to your place, one or both of us needs to stop drinking now.
How about I get us a bottle and we’ll finish up there.”

She let out a sigh of relief that she hadn’t even realized had welled up in her chest.
She stood, pushing back from the table.

“You get the bottle. I’ll meet you in the parking lot. You can follow me back to my
place.”

* * *

COLE
went to the bar, motioned for the bartender and, a few moments later, left with a
bottle and two shot glasses. Not that he intended on needing or wanting either, but
he was going to make it look good.

He sauntered out to the parking lot, wondering if P.J. would even be there as she’d
promised or whether she’d taken off.

She was a hard-ass. Hard to get close to. Hard to get any information from. He knew
next to nothing about her personal life. She never slipped up and dropped hints. When
they were on a mission, she had single-minded focus. And when the mission was over,
she was always the first to bug out. No chitchat or social hour for her.

It had been surprising as hell to discover that she hung out in this joint. He would
have guessed she hated people and that she’d never go out of her way to actually hang
out in a place infested by them.

He didn’t feel one iota of guilt over slipping the GPS chip into her backpack before
she’d left Tennessee. She carried that damn thing with her everywhere, and it had
led him to the parking lot of the bar.

To his surprise she was standing by her jeep, leaned back with a cool expression on
her face. Her eyes were unreadable as she stared up at him.

He held up the bottle and flashed a grin in her direction.

She gave a half smile in return then threw her thumb over her shoulder. “Follow me
and try to keep up.”

Saucy little heifer. She had to make everything a challenge or a dare. It was okay,
though. It wasn’t worth it if it was easy.

He climbed into his truck and quickly maneuvered onto the highway behind her, making
sure she didn’t lose him. After a mile, she turned right into an apartment complex
that looked like it dated back to the seventies. It was clean and seemed quiet, but
Cole didn’t like how dark it was and that there were no security gates.

How the hell did a woman whose job was all about security and protection live in a
place like this?

He pulled into the parking spot beside her and slid out. She was already on the sidewalk
waiting for him, and before he could catch up to her, she turned and walked up the
pathway to her front door.

He grimly surveyed the area, and when she opened the door, he frowned harder because
the door wouldn’t withstand a simple kick. He walked through and then paused as she
closed and secured the door. Not that it would do any good if someone really wanted
in.

When she turned back to where he was standing, she frowned as she stared down at his
hands.

“You forgot the tequila.”

“I didn’t forget anything.”

Before she could react, he backed her up against her door, his body pressing in close,
and he did what he’d been dying to do ever since the day he’d first laid eyes on her.

He kissed her.

And this time it wasn’t some act he was putting on for the assholes giving P.J. a
hard time, nor was he stopping anytime soon.

CHAPTER 2

FOR
the second time that evening, P.J. found herself completely flustered and unable to
think straight. Damn but the man could kiss like a dream.

She hated a man who was hesitant and unsure in his movements, and Cole was anything
but. She loved strength. Confidence. But not an arrogant asshole.

Cole had the perfect combination. Confident. Convinced. He came across absolutely
certain of himself.

She ran her hands up his chest between them and splayed her fingers out over the rippling
muscles of his chest. Hard and so drool worthy. He’d starred in more than one of her
erotic dreams, and now she had the real thing standing in her apartment, his mouth
fused to hers like they were permanently attached.

His tongue swept sensuously over hers, stroking with velvety softness. She could taste
the tequila they’d both consumed, but it was mixed with the strong, masculine taste
of him as well.

She slid her hands back down and tugged impatiently at his shirt to free it from his
pants. Then she placed her palms over his abdomen and he sucked in his breath, breaking
raggedly away.

“Bed or couch?” she asked huskily.

He stared down at her, his eyes glittering hungrily. “Depends. How big is your bed?”

“King.”

“Perfect.”

He kissed her again, backing her away from the door as he did and farther into the
living room. She was pulling at his shirt and he was yanking at hers.

“You got condoms?” she asked.

“Does it make me an asshole if I say yes?”

She laughed softly. So he
had
been planning to get into her pants. “Aren’t you military boys supposed to be prepared
for anything? You never know when you’ll need to have end-of-the-world sex.”

“Hmm, now there’s an idea. Let’s have sex like the world’s going to end tomorrow.”

She pulled him down in a hot, mind-numbing kiss. “You talk too much.”

Her fingers were working the fly of his pants, and he was making quick work of her
shirt. She pulled her hands away long enough for Cole to pull her shirt over her head,
and then she unzipped him while he unzipped her.

“Bedroom,” he rasped out. “And be getting out of those jeans on the way.”

Clad in her bra and jeans that had the fly wide open, she led the way to the bedroom,
working her pants down her hips as she went.

As soon as they entered the bedroom, she heard the clunk of one boot. She turned to
see him hopping on one foot while he was taking the other boot off. They’d left a
trail of clothing all the way from the living room, and now he was making fast work
of his pants.

“Get the light,” he said.

“I like the dark.”

“Hell no, I’m not missing a single moment of this. Do you know how long I’ve fantasized
about seeing you naked? That’s like denying a dying man his last wish.”

She smiled and reached for the light switch. When the room flooded with light, she
saw that Cole was completely naked and she sucked in her breath, holding it until
she was light-headed.

Holy crap. The man was gorgeous. Absolutely lickable. Broad shoulders, muscled biceps,
a lean, very toned abdomen and my oh my was he stacked in all the right places.

“Jesus, P.J., quit staring. You’re going to give me a complex.”

She barely managed to drag her gaze upward to meet his. Unable to resist, she moved
forward and pressed her hand to his bare chest, enjoying the feel of the light smattering
of hair right over his heart. Then she let her fingers glide downward until they touched
the tip of his cock.

Her fingertips danced along the length, teasing as he grew harder beneath her touch.
Oh yes, there was no doubt this man was going to satisfy her.

“A man who looks as good as you do should never get a complex,” she murmured.

Satisfaction burned in his eyes, and then he surprised her by sweeping her into his
arms. He carried her over to the bed and dropped her onto the mattress. She bounced
once and then he yanked her jeans down her legs, tossing them over his shoulder.

“I would have never imagined you in this kind of lingerie,” he breathed.

She arched one eyebrow and sent him a quick frown. “What do you mean by that?”

“It’s positively sinful. Black, lacy.
Girly
.”

He said the last almost accusingly.

“I wear it on all my missions. Not that I’m superstitious or anything, but if it works
I’m leaving it alone. I consider them my good luck undies.”

She grinned because now he’d never be able to go on a mission with her without thinking
of what she had on underneath.

He leaned down and she immediately went quiet, breath held in anticipation of what
he’d do. When he’d touch her.
How
he’d touch her.

He slid his palms up her legs to rest possessively on her hips and then he bent lower
to press his mouth over her navel.

The simple action sent a cascade of chill bumps dancing across her skin. The crisp
hairs of his goatee brushed over sensitive flesh and heightened her awareness even
further.

Such a simple gesture, but it was like opening the flood gates. Every nerve ending
in her body was on high alert.

Then he hooked his thumbs in the band of her panties and pulled down, untangling them
from her feet and tossing the wispy piece of lace in the direction her jeans had gone.

“No tan line,” he murmured. “Oh, the images that conjures for me. I’d love to know
where the hell you sunbathe in the nude. I think I need a membership.”

He parted her legs then lowered his head. He nipped at the inside of her thigh, barely
grazing the flesh with his teeth. It sent a delicious shiver all the way up her spine.

Using his thumb and index finger, he spread the lips of her vagina. His hot breath
blew over the exposed skin, and she closed her eyes just as his tongue made contact
with her clit.

It was like a sudden surge of electricity.

Her legs shook and her nerves tingled from head to toe. The man was an expert at going
down on a woman. He wasn’t rough or in a hurry. He knew just how much pressure to
apply and just where to touch.

He alternated pressing delicate kisses and stronger swipes of his tongue. The lighter
touches were driving her insane. She was balanced on a razor-sharp edge ready to plummet
at any second. Just a little more . . .

He lifted his head, and the breath she’d been holding escaped in a long sigh. If he’d
touched her one more time with that delicious mouth, she would have gone off like
a rocket.

“Can you get your bra off or do you need my help?”

She reached for the clasp in front and grinned as she unhooked it. A moment later
she angled so she could get it all the way off and then sent it flying toward the
pile of clothes on her floor.

Cole climbed up her body, sliding between her legs until their noses were a breath
apart. His body was pressed to hers, his heat enough to scorch her.

“Damn but you have a gorgeous body, P.J. I could look at you for hours.”

“I’d much rather you touch,” she said impatiently.

He grinned and lowered his mouth to hers, kissing hard and deep until she forgot everything
but him and this moment. Their tongues met and tangled. She returned his passion in
equal measure. Never before had she felt such an urgency when having sex. She couldn’t
wait for him to get inside her, to feel his strength in the very heart of her.

“I’m planning to do a lot of touching,” he murmured as he pulled away.

His mouth slid warmly down her neck and then to her chest. Her breasts were small,
but he didn’t seem to mind. He palmed one soft mound, caressing and molding until
her nipple was turgid and straining upward.

Finally he lowered his mouth and licked a circle around the puckered nub. She let
out a long sigh of appreciation. This man seemed to know all her sweet spots. Knew
just how to pleasure her. He couldn’t have done better if she’d given him a handwritten
manual on what did it for her.

“You like that?”

“Mmm hmmm.”

He sucked the peak between his lips and applied rhythmic pressure until she was squirming
beneath his body, restless and aching.

His hands were everywhere. He stroked and caressed her body like he was appreciating
something of great beauty. She was no less enthralled. Her hands slid over every inch
of his skin she could reach, exploring the contours, the hard muscles and the feel
of his hair-roughened flesh, so different from her own.

When was the last time she’d been in such heaven over a sexual partner? Or maybe she
and Cole had just let the tension between them go on for too long. Maybe they should
have blown off some steam and had hot monkey sex long before now.

Maybe now they could stop driving each other crazy all the time. Or maybe this would
make things a lot worse.

She refused to dwell on the future now. Not when she wanted him with every breath.
It was stupid and irresponsible to give in to the growing attraction between them,
but she wasn’t about to call a halt at this point. Whatever happened afterward, they’d
just have to deal with it like adults and not let it interfere in their jobs.

“I don’t know if I can wait this first time,” he said hoarsely. “I’ve got to have
you, P.J. I’m dying here.”

She smiled and tugged him upward for a long, breathless kiss. “What do you need, an
engraved invitation? Fuck me, Coletrane. Foreplay is nice, but sometimes it’s overrated.
Let’s get to the good part.”

“I love a woman who knows what she wants.”

He rolled off her long enough to get a condom and within seconds he was back, sliding
up her body to position himself.

“You want top or bottom?” he asked.

She reached down to grasp his erection and positioned him at her opening. “I want
both, but right now, I like you just where you are.”

“Oh hell, so do I,” he groaned.

“Take me, Cole,” she said. “I want it hard and fast.”

The muscles in his arms and shoulders coiled and bunched. His jaw was tightly clenched
as he pushed into her.

They both let out a slow moan when he was all the way in. For a long moment he rested
there, his eyes closed as if he were trying to retain what little control he had left.

She slid her hands down his back to his ass and wrapped her legs around him, trapping
him against her. Then she lifted her head, hungrily meeting his mouth.

He growled and she swallowed up the sound as he pulled back and thrust hard.

“Yes,” she whispered. “That. Just like that. Please, Cole.”

He needed no further urging. He began thrusting harder and faster until the entire
bed shook with the force of his movements.

Their mouths and bodies were fused. There was such a sense of rightness that it overwhelmed
P.J.

He gathered her in his arms, buried himself deep and then rolled, taking her atop
him as he landed on his back.

“Now this is a fantasy that’s haunted my dreams a lot of nights,” he said as he stared
up at her. “You, on top of me, having your wicked way with me. It’s your turn, P.J.
You fuck me now.”

She leaned forward, allowing his hands access to her breasts. He rolled the nipples
between his fingers and caressed the soft flesh.

She rocked forward, lifting and then coming down hard, taking him deeply. Her knees
dug into the mattress and she braced her hands on his broad shoulders, fingers digging
into his flesh.

She alternated rhythm, slowing and then speeding up. She’d feel him swell and tighten,
knowing he was close, and then she’d slow again, not wanting it to end just yet.

Leaning lower, she licked over his chest, eliciting another strangled sound from him.
Then she nipped and bit at his flesh. The urge to mark him was strong. She liked the
idea of him having bruises where she’d sucked at his skin. Something to remind him
that she’d owned him every bit as much as he’d owned her tonight.

He gripped her hips, his fingers as hard against her skin as hers were against his.
She’d probably wear those fingerprints for days to come. Then he started to take more
control, holding her in place while he arched his hips to push farther into her.

She was nearly to the very edge of her own release when he shifted again, rolling
her underneath him once more. But this time, he turned her with rough, impatient hands
and she found herself facedown on the bed.

He spread her legs, lifted her hips just enough to get the right angle and thrust
into her from behind.

It was like he couldn’t get enough of her or her of him. Their breathing was harsh
and erratic and the sound of skin against skin was loud in her ears.

Harder and harder, he pounded into her until she was screaming his name. Her orgasm
wasn’t a sweet, pleasurable thing. It was more like a grenade going off. Explosive.
Volatile. Nothing like she’d ever experienced before, and she had no way to stop it,
not that she would in a million years.

It was frightening in its intensity. Never before had she been so out of control.
Never had she allowed someone else as much control. It should have scared her, but
she trusted Cole. With him she could be herself. She could let go.

She heard Cole’s hoarse cry through the fog of her own release and then felt him lower
himself, covering her body with his. He was still buried deep inside her as they both
lay, chests heaving, desperately trying to catch their breaths.

Then he kissed her shoulder. A soft, affectionate kiss that sent butterflies through
her chest.

He laid his cheek over her back and they rested that way, him blanketing her, their
legs tangled and his cock still swollen and hard inside her.