Shelter for Elizabeth (Badge of Honor: Texas Heroes Book 5) (20 page)

Now that Beth was inside, even though the house had been breached, she felt calmer…grounded. Cade had gotten her meds as soon as they’d returned and she could feel herself relaxing even more as they made their way through her bloodstream.

Wincing as another one of the burrs popped out of her skin, Beth tried to distract herself from what Crash was doing.

“So…Crash…how’d you get your nickname?”

As if he knew what she was doing, Crash humored her. “My first day on the job there were four car wrecks. We’d get back from one and immediately be called for another. The other guys decided it was my fault, and christened me Crash.”

“What’s your real name?”

Crash looked up at her and raised one eyebrow. “I’m not sure I want to tell you.”

“Why not?” Beth asked, almost offended.

“I know how you are with that computer. You’ll probably sign me up for some weird service like singing telegrams or something.”

Beth laughed. “Crash, if I wanted to mess with you, first, I don’t need you to tell me your name in order to do it. I could find it within minutes. And second, I’m much more creative than that. Give me some credit.”

Crash leaned back toward her feet and continued plucking the insidious burrs out of her soles. “That’s probably true. It’s Dean. But no one calls me that.”

“No one?”

“Nope.”

“Ever?”

Crash looked back up at her in annoyance at her persistence. “No, not ever.”

“So when you’re in bed with a woman, she calls out, ‘Oh, Crash, harder. Yes, Crash, right there.’ That’s weird and a little creepy.” Beth laughed at the incredulous look Cade’s friend and fellow firefighter was giving her. “Seriously, it’s weird. Trust me on this. When you find a woman who truly interests you, don’t introduce yourself as Crash. Say, ‘Hi, my name is Dean, it’s good to meet you.’ I think things will go a lot better for you if you do.”

“Are you seriously trying to help me with my love life?”

“Yup.”

Crash smirked and tried to look at her sternly, but totally failed.

Changing the subject, Crash told her, “It looks like I’m almost done here. You’re going to want to stay off these for a while, they’re going to be sore. You also need to keep the antibiotic good and smeared on them for at least twenty-four hours, to make sure they don’t get any more infected. Running around in the dirt while they were bleeding didn’t do them any good. If they continue to look red, you need to go to a doctor. Hear me?”

Beth wanted to keep on the subject of Crash and his love life, but understanding the moment was gone, she sighed in relief, knowing the torture of having the burrs removed was done. She smiled in contentment when she felt Cade’s hand on the back of her neck.

“I’ll watch her and get her in if needed. Thanks, Crash.”

“You’re welcome. All done with Quint?”

Cade nodded.

“Do you think they’ll catch them?” Beth asked, holding on to Cade’s hand.

“Hopefully. Quint said you’ll need to identify them if they do. He can bring a picture lineup to the house.”

“Okay, I’ll do my best. I’m not sure I’ll be able to pick them out though,” Beth said, worry lacing her voice. “I was…stressed…and didn’t really get as good of a look at the one guy as I should’ve. I didn’t really see the second one at all.”

Cade kissed the side of her head. “No worries, sweetheart.”

“What if they come back?”

Cade pulled back a bit and looked Beth in the eyes. “You’re safe here, Beth. I know I haven’t done a very good job of making sure of that, but I’ve already called and made an appointment with an alarm company. I should’ve done it before, but I got complacent. This is your home now. I want you to feel absolutely safe. I’m pissed those guys got in and made you feel afraid for even one second.”

Seeing his friends about to get into a deep conversation, Crash stood up. “I’ll just get my stuff together. Remember, the fire chief said you didn’t need to come back in today, Sledge.”

“Thank him for me.”

“Will do.”

“Crash?” Beth asked before he left.

“Yeah?”

“I was serious about the name thing. And you never know when you’ll run into the woman meant to be yours. So keep your wits about you. Yeah?”

“I know you are, and I’ll keep it under advisement.” He brought his fingers up to his head as if to tip an imaginary hat. “Keep off those feet.”

“Yes, sir.”

Crash smiled at her and headed to the front door.

“What was that all about?” Cade asked, confused.

“Nothing.” Beth waved off the question and got back to his earlier statement about the alarm. “Cade, I
do
feel safe here. The first thing you did was teach me how to get out of the house just in case, and that’s what saved me. They were talking about what they’d to do me if I was here…I didn’t have any place to hide. So you teaching me about the tree saved me from that.”

Obviously not believing her, Cade replied, “I’m very thankful you got out of the house, but I’m still pissed you had to do it in the first place. I’ll be here when the alarm is installed in two days, I don’t want you feeling weird having strangers in the house. But this is a top-of-the-line model. It can be connected to our tablets and laptops so it can be accessed and monitored from anywhere. They’ll teach you how to activate the alarm and—”

“Cade, I’m a hacker. I think I can figure out the mechanics of the alarm, especially once they put the software on my laptop. Thank God they didn’t have time to grab it when they were scooping up other stuff. In fact, I’ll probably tinker with the alarm and make it even better once they’re gone.”

“Oh, yeah…I forgot.”

“You forgot I was a hacker?”

“Yeah.”

“I love you.”

“Um…thanks. I love you back.”

Seeing his confusion over her enthusiastic response to him forgetting about her computer skills, Beth rushed to explain. “Thanks for seeing the good in me past all my issues. I know I’m not a peach to live with. As Dr. Neal said, I’ll probably always be nervous out in public. I’m getting better, even I can see that, and I might even be able to make it to that softball game sooner or later, but trips to Disney will never be something I can stomach. Maybe even Walmart. I haven’t even tried to tackle that one yet.”

“And you don’t need to. There are plenty of other places we can shop.”

“I know, but that’s not the point. The point is that you make me feel safe. I figured it out while I was in Pennsylvania. Not my apartment. Not your house. Not the lighter and fire, not even my computer. You.”

“But you were alone today and I wasn’t here with you.”

“But you
were
there,” Beth tried to explain. “While I was hiding and trying not to hyperventilate I thought about my ‘safe place.’ It’s what Dr. Neal taught me. When I get stressed out and uncertain, I’m supposed to visualize my safe place. For some it’s the beach. For others it’s a lake or some other physical place that holds good memories for them. For me? It’s in your arms. All I had to do was close my eyes and imagine your arms around me and I felt safe. I swear I could almost feel the heat of your body surrounding me and your heartbeat against my cheek as you held me while I was hiding. I knew you’d come. The tree was a poor substitute for your body, but it allowed me to hold on until you came and found me.”

Cade pulled Beth into his arms, not even thinking about his sister and friends still wandering around his house. He opened his mouth to speak, but Beth beat him to it.

“I’m sorry about the fire thing. I never got a chance to apologize. It was stupid, and if I’d hurt someone else with one of the fires I’d set, I would’ve felt horrible about it. I know why you reacted like you did and you were perfectly justified. I swear I won’t go there again. Ever.”

“You won’t need to. I’ve got your back, Beth. Always.”

“Are you guys good here?”

They looked up and saw Hayden gazing down at them. She had a weird look on her face, and Beth couldn’t read it. She almost looked sad…and that was an emotion Beth hadn’t ever seen on the tough deputy’s face in all the time she’d known her. She was always the bad-ass, show-no-emotion cop.

“We’re good,” Cade answered matter-of-factly.

“Okay, then I’ll let Quint do his thing. I’m glad you’re all right, Beth. I swear to God I don’t know what it is with trees and women saving themselves, but I’m glad you had the fortitude to get out of the house and to safety. I’ll see you later, Sledge.”

After she’d turned around and left, Beth turned to Cade. “Is she going to be okay?”

He looked at the door Hayden had disappeared through. “Yeah. She’s Hayden. She’s as tough as steel, nothing bothers her. I suppose running in the woods behind my house reminded her a bit of when Corrie saved herself.” He shrugged.

“Did Hayden seem sad to you?”

“Hayden’s never sad.”

“Cade. She seemed unhappy,” Beth repeated more firmly.

“Okay, I believe you. But right now I’m more concerned about you. I’m thinking you need a shower…and maybe a nap.”

Beth smiled up at the man she loved more than anything else in the world. “Yeah, I think you’re right. But I don’t think I should be left alone.”

“It’s a good thing I have some free time and can chaperone you then.”

It was longer than either of them wanted before everyone left. But as soon as they did, Cade carried Beth up the stairs into their bedroom. After a hot shower, which ended up being a whole lot shorter than Beth had expected, Cade hastily dried them both off and helped her into the bedroom. The covers were already thrown back from when she’d exited the bed earlier that morning in a hurry.

“I need you, Beth.” Cade’s words were heartfelt and desperate. “But I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t. I’m ready for you. I need you inside me.”

Cade had done his best to get Beth wet while they were in the shower, and now he eased inside her, sighed in relief at how ready for him she was. He pushed all the way until his cock was completely surrounded by her wet heat and balanced himself on his hands as he looked down on the best thing that had ever happened to him.

“I love you, Elizabeth Parkins. I love you just the way you are…warts and all.”

He felt her spasm against his hard length and held her eyes as he drew back and pushed back inside her.

“I love you too, even though I don’t have any warts,” she teased. “Thank you for coming home early to find me.”

“I’ll do my best to always be there when you need me.” Cade came up on his haunches, not losing his connection with her in the process. He shifted her hips higher onto his lap. His hands were now free to roam her body as he kept his thrusts slow and steady, building her up higher and higher.

Neither spoke as he continued to love her. Cade used his hands to caress her breasts and pinch both of her nipples as he ground himself against her. She moaned and hitched her legs higher on his thighs, and he felt her heels digging into his ass. He kept his pace steady even as Beth writhed under him.

Feeling his sac draw up in readiness for his own orgasm, Cade moved one hand to where they were joined. He found the small bundle of nerves peeking out from under its protective hood and, using her own wetness to lubricate his thumb, rubbed it hard. She almost broke away from his grasp as she bucked under him, surging up as her orgasm hit.

Cade watched, gritting his teeth as Beth lost herself in the pleasure he was giving her. She was absolutely beautiful. He drew out her orgasm by continuing to stroke her sensitive clit. He felt her hips jerk and she groaned as she had another small orgasm. Finally, as she began to settle, Cade put both hands by her shoulders and leaned over her, forcing her legs wider as he changed positions. He waited until her eyes opened and she looked up at him.

“You are beautiful.”

She was still breathing hard, but she gasped out, “Fuck me, Cade.”

Her permission was what he’d been waiting for. He pulled back and slammed into her, sliding easily through the wetness generated by her orgasms. He did it again. Then again, not slowing down. It was fucking at its finest, and he couldn’t remember ever being more turned on.

Cade couldn’t keep eye contact with Beth anymore and threw his head back as he felt the come boiling up from his balls. Her hands pinching his nipples were the impetus he needed to throw him over the ledge.

“Jesus fuuuuuck,” he groaned out as he buried himself to the hilt inside her and came. It was a couple of moments before he realized he was shaking. Beth had wrung him out, and he’d never felt better in his entire life.

Easing himself down, but careful to take most of his weight on his elbows, Cade kissed Beth, hard. He devoured her mouth even as he felt her inner muscles clenching around him, trying to prolong his pleasure. Her hands were on his back, clutching him to her.

Cade drew back an inch, just enough to look her in the eyes. “The next time you need to imagine your safe place, this is what I want you to see. Remember the feel of me inside you, remember how protected you are right here in our bed.

Tears gathered in her eyes, alarming Cade. His Beth wasn’t a crier. She hadn’t cried today, and if that didn’t make her cry, he wasn’t sure what was causing it now. “Oh shit, don’t do that. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She sniffed and controlled her tears. “You didn’t upset me. This
is
my safe place. With you. Under you. With you in me, on me. I love you, Cade.”

Cade eased his upper body to the side, trying to stay connected to her. They both huffed out a disappointed breath when his softening flesh slipped out of her soaked sheath.

“I hate losing you,” Beth said drowsily.

“That’s my least favorite part of making love to you,” Cade agreed.

“You didn’t use a condom,” Beth noted.

“Nope.”

Beth chuckled. “What if I’m not on the pill?”

“Then I guess we’d better get married so you don’t have my child out of wedlock.”

Beth pushed up to look at Cade in surprise. She wasn’t able to read his tone. “Um…I
am
on the pill, Cade.”

“Darn.” He smiled gently at her. “Beth, I love you. I want to marry you. I know this has been fast, and we’ve got some stuff to work through, but you should probably know, I talked to David when I was in Pennsylvania.”